Leaning into Leadership

In this episode of the Leaning Into Leadership podcast, Dr. Darrin Peppard takes on a challenge that quietly impacts even the strongest leadership teams: misalignment.You can have talented, committed leaders who care deeply about their work—and still feel like something is off. Conversations feel unclear. Decisions take longer than they should. Initiatives pile up without traction.That’s misalignment.And while it may not be loud or obvious, it comes at a cost.In this episode, Darrin breaks down:What misalignment really looks like in leadership teamsThe hidden costs, including decision fatigue, staff confusion, and lost timeA personal leadership story that reshaped his understanding of alignmentWhy alignment doesn’t happen during the work—it must be built intentionallyDarrin also shares a practical tool you can use immediately with your team:Start. Stop. Continue. Consider.This simple protocol helps leadership teams:Identify what needs to be addedEliminate what’s no longer alignedProtect what’s workingThink strategically about what’s nextWhether used in a leadership retreat or a focused team session, this process creates the clarity and shared direction teams need to move forward together.Key takeaway:Your team doesn’t need to work harder.They need to work together—on the right things, in the right way.🔗 Resources & LinksBlog: Start, Stop, Continue, Consider ProtocolConnect with Darrin: [email protected] more about leadership retreats and team developmentThank you to our Amazing SponsorsThis episode is sponored by DigiCoach, helping leaders capture real-time instructional data, provide meaningful feedback, and build clarity through strong systems. Go to digicoach.com and tell them you heard about them here on the Leaning into Leadership podcast for special partner pricing.This episode is also brought to you by HeyTutor, delivering high-impact, research-based tutoring that supports students while reducing leadership overwhelm. Connect with them at HeyTutor.com

In this episode, Darrin sits down with Brooke Dukes to explore a challenge that many leaders face—but often don’t recognize:Becoming the bottleneck.We talk about how this happens unintentionally, why it’s so common among high-performing leaders, and how it ultimately limits both team growth and organizational success.Brooke brings a powerful perspective to this conversation. As the founder of Success by Design Club and creator of OZ, an AI-powered leadership coach, she has spent over two decades working with leaders at the highest levels—including Fortune 500 organizations—helping them break free from burnout and lead with clarity and confidence.Together, we dig into the dangers of “superhero leadership,” the hidden cost of control, and why stepping in to help can actually hold your team back.Most importantly, we explore what it really takes to shift—from being the center of every decision to building systems and structures that allow your team to step up and thrive.If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed, stretched thin, or like everything depends on you… this conversation is for you.Key TakeawaysHow leaders unintentionally become the bottleneckThe danger of “superhero leadership”Why helping can actually hurt your teamThe role of systems in scaling leadershipHow to build trust, clarity, and accountabilityWhy burnout is often a systems issue—not a personal failureAbout Brooke DukesBrooke M. Dukes is the founder of the Success by Design Club and creator of OZ, an AI-powered leadership coach designed to help leaders grow without burning out.With over 20 years of experience in executive leadership, sales, and consulting—including work as a Fortune 500 executive and global strategist—Brooke helps CEOs, founders, and visionaries build businesses that actually work for them.Her work blends behavioral science, Human Design, and real-world strategy to restore clarity, confidence, and calm in leadership.She is also the creator of the GRACe™ Communication Framework and Culture Compass™ Diagnostic, a #1 best-selling author, host of the Burn On, Not Out podcast, and a sought-after speaker known for her honest and heart-forward approach.🔗 Connect with BrookeWebsite: brookmdukes.comPodcast: Burn On, Not OutSocial: @BrookMDukesGet Darrin's weekly blog hereThank you to our Amazing SponsorsThis episode is sponored by DigiCoach, helping leaders capture real-time instructional data, provide meaningful feedback, and build clarity through strong systems. Go to digicoach.com and tell them you heard about them here on the Leaning into Leadership podcast for special partner pricing.This episode is also brought to you by HeyTutor, delivering high-impact, research-based tutoring that supports students while reducing leadership overwhelm. Connect with them at HeyTutor.com

One of the most rewarding parts of hosting Leaning Into Leadership is hearing from listeners who are doing the work every day.In this episode, Darrin responds to a question from a first-year principal in upstate New York who asked a challenge many school leaders face:How do you stay responsive to parents while still leading the school effectively?Parent emails, phone calls, and concerns can quickly fill a leader’s day. Without systems in place, communication can pull leaders into a reactive cycle that leaves little time for the work that matters most.Drawing from his own experience as a principal and from insights shared on the podcast, Darrin explores how leaders can break free from the Cycle of CHAOS and build systems that protect their time while strengthening communication with their school community.Along the way, he shares practical strategies that help leaders communicate clearly, set expectations, and stay focused on their highest priorities.This episode also highlights an idea shared by Rae Hughart in Episode 199 and connects to leadership lessons from Darrin’s book Road to Awesome: The Journey of a Leader.At the heart of the conversation is a powerful reminder for every leader:"Stop sacrificing the important on the altar of the urgent."Resources Mentioned:Road to Awesome: The Journey of a LeaderSchool Leader Weekly PlannerEpisode 199 – Rae HughartThank you to our Amazing SponsorsThis episode is brought to you by HeyTutor, delivering high-impact, research-based tutoring that supports students while reducing leadership overwhelm. Connect with them at HeyTutor.comThis episode is also sponored by DigiCoach, helping leaders capture real-time instructional data, provide meaningful feedback, and build clarity through strong systems. Go to digicoach.com and tell them you heard about them here on the Leaning into Leadership podcast for special partner pricing.

Leadership today often feels like navigating constant change.Volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity are realities many leaders face daily. But resilience is not about simply pushing through the chaos — it’s about learning how to lead yourself and others through it.In this episode, Darrin sits down with Russell Harvey, The Resilience Coach, to explore how leaders can build resilience in themselves and their teams while navigating the modern leadership landscape.Russell shares powerful frameworks and practical strategies that help leaders move from overwhelm to clarity, from control to command, and from reactive leadership to intentional leadership.This conversation offers practical insights for leaders who want to strengthen their mindset, support their teams more effectively, and build sustainable leadership habits.In this episode, you’ll learn:Why resilience is one of the most important leadership skills todayThe difference between being in control and being in command as a leaderHow the VUCA framework explains the constant change leaders faceThe importance of developing personal resilience before leading othersWhy great leaders focus on delegating brilliantly and removing obstacles for their teamsHow identifying your purpose can strengthen resilience and confidenceA practical strengths and skills grid exercise leaders can use immediatelyKey leadership insight from Russell:A resilient leader focuses on three core responsibilities:Delegate brilliantly based on the strengths of your teamBuild and nurture a resilient team cultureDevelop your own personal resilienceWhen leaders invest in these three areas, they create the conditions for trust, clarity, and stronger team performance.About Russell HarveyRussell Harvey, known as The Resilience Coach, is a leadership coach, facilitator, speaker, and resilience expert with more than 20 years of experience in leadership and organizational development.His work focuses on helping leaders and organizations build resilience in the face of constant change and uncertainty.Russell works with leaders and organizations to develop practical strategies that improve leadership effectiveness, strengthen team relationships, and help individuals rediscover their energy and purpose.Connect with Russell HarveyWebsite: https://www.theresiliencecoach.co.ukLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/russelltheresiliencecoach/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theresiliencecoach/Connect with DarrinIf this episode resonated with you and you're looking for support in developing stronger leadership teams, clearer systems, and healthier school cultures, connect with Darrin.Website: https://darrinpeppard.com/Thank you to our Amazing SponsorsThis episode is sponored by DigiCoach, helping leaders capture real-time instructional data, provide meaningful feedback, and build clarity through strong systems. Go to digicoach.com and tell them you heard about them here on the Leaning into Leadership podcast for special partner pricing.This episode is also brought to you by HeyTutor, delivering high-impact, research-based tutoring that supports students while reducing leadership overwhelm. Connect with them at HeyTutor.com

One of the most common mistakes schools make is confusing a resource with a curriculum.A textbook gets adopted. A program is purchased. A shiny new initiative is rolled out.And suddenly everyone says, “Great… we have a curriculum.”But that’s not curriculum.In this episode, Darrin sits down with Emily Makelky from the Curriculum Leadership Institute (CLI) to unpack what curriculum actually means and why empowering teachers to lead curriculum development can transform how schools serve students.Drawing on years of classroom experience and consulting with districts across the country, Emily shares how leaders can move beyond resource adoption and build sustainable curriculum systems that reflect their community, their teachers, and their students.The conversation also explores how leadership teams can prioritize curriculum work, avoid overwhelming teachers, and create structures that support long-term improvement.If you’ve ever wrestled with questions like “What should we really be teaching?” or “How do we align instruction across classrooms?” this episode offers practical insight for school and district leaders.In This EpisodeWhy a textbook is not a curriculumThe difference between resources and true curriculum alignmentHow schools can build local curriculum that reflects their communityWhy teacher voice and teacher leadership are essential in curriculum developmentHow leaders can create systems and routines that support curriculum workWhy going slow to go fast matters when implementing curriculum changesHow districts can create a long-range plan for curriculum developmentAbout Emily MakelkyJust like when she was in the classroom, Emily loves it when the “lightbulb” comes on for teachers.Combining her teaching experience with a foundation in business management, Emily now works as a consultant with the Curriculum Leadership Institute, helping schools and districts take a systematic approach to curriculum development and alignment.Emily’s work focuses on helping educators clarify what should be taught, align instruction and assessment, and empower teachers to lead meaningful curriculum work within their schools.Resources Mentioned in the EpisodeCurriculum Leadership Institutehttps://www.cliweb.orgFree tools and resources (including the Long Range Plan template)https://www.cliweb.org/toolsandinspirationFree Long Range Planning Sessionhttps://calendly.com/d/3sk-z55-pg2/develop-your-long-range-planConnect with DarrinIf this episode resonated with you and you're looking for support in developing stronger leadership teams, clearer systems, and healthier school cultures, connect with Darrin.Website: https://darrinpeppard.com/Thank you to our Amazing SponsorsThis episode is sponored by DigiCoach, helping leaders capture real-time instructional data, provide meaningful feedback, and build clarity through strong systems. Go to digicoach.com and tell them you heard about them here on the Leaning into Leadership podcast for special partner pricing.This episode is also brought to you by HeyTutor, delivering high-impact, research-based tutoring that supports students while reducing leadership overwhelm. Connect with them at HeyTutor.com