Engagement begins with psychological safety. The brain is constantly scanning the environment to determine whether it is safe or threatening. When people feel safe, they collaborate, manage ambiguity, and remain engaged. When safety is reduced, thinking narrows and momentum slows. Michael Bungay Stanier’s TERA framework—tribe, expectation, rank, and autonomy—explains how leaders shape safety. By increasing the TERA quotient, leaders can build trust and sustain engagement.

Leadership is often imagined as something elevated—a title, a crown, a position of power. But anyone who has truly led people knows leadership can feel heavy. When it’s rooted in admiration or control, it becomes exhausting to sustain. William J. Bennett reminds us that the only crown worn with comfort is the crown of service. When leaders start with service rather than status, trust grows, pressure eases, and leadership becomes something carried with humility, not defended w

Grit is often praised as a leadership virtue—but persistence without reflection can quietly turn into blindness. Staying committed to a goal doesn’t mean clinging to a failing plan. Markets shift, strategies break, and new information emerges. Effective leaders know when to push through obstacles—and when to rethink the path. True resilience isn’t stubbornness; it’s the wisdom to adapt, revise, or walk away when the cost of continuing outweighs the value.

Grit has long been praised as the key to success, but willpower alone is not enough. Angela Duckworth’s recent research introduces situational agency—the ability to design environments that make desired behaviors easier and distractions harder. For school leaders reflecting midyear or setting intentions for 2026, combining grit with situational agency offers a more sustainable path to focus, presence, and progress.

Hidden beliefs shape how leaders see themselves—and how they show up. This post explores imposter syndrome, self-limiting stories, and the quiet courage it takes to step into your place with authenticity. Discover how reframing inner narratives builds confidence, expands opportunity, and frees leaders to contribute, serve, and grow without holding themselves back.

Fear may define today’s workplace, but it doesn’t have to define leadership. This post explores how modern leaders can replace reaction cycles with clarity, purpose, and strategic focus. By naming uncertainty, creating space for reflection, and fostering psychological safety, leaders can transform fear into courage and build cultures anchored in trust and long-term vision.