Episode Keywords

Education • Leadership • Community • Storytelling • Emotional Connection • Change • School Leadership • Relationships • Narrative

Summary

In this episode of Lassoing Leadership, Jason Rogers and Garth Nichols sit down with George Couros to talk about his newest book, Forward Together—and what it really takes to build schools where people feel seen, valued, and connected.

George shares powerful stories about the role community plays in meaningful change, why leadership is inseparable from storytelling, and how emotional connection—not policy or programs—is often the real driver of growth. From paying attention to the small details, to celebrating wins (including your own), this conversation is a reminder that leadership isn’t about having all the answers—it’s about being curious, generous, and deeply human.

Take Aways

• Curiosity builds bridges; judgment builds walls.

• Schools are among the most powerful community-building spaces we have.

• Small, thoughtful details often make the biggest difference.

• Emotional connection sits at the centre of effective leadership.

• Leaders need to recognize and celebrate their own growth—not just others’.

• Relationships are the foundation on which everything else is built.

• Understanding your community matters more than copying someone else’s model.

• Change sticks when it’s approached with care, empathy, and patience.

• Naming and amplifying strengths creates momentum and trust.

• Great leadership creates environments where people feel safe to grow.

• “The small details matter.”

• “What do I gain?”

• “Clap for yourself.”

Chapters

00:00 – Welcoming George and Forward Together
05:30 – Why Community Is the Work of Schools
09:55 – Storytelling as a Leadership Practice
12:54 – Emotional Connection and Meaningful Change
19:26 – “Clap for Yourself” and Owning Your Growth
24:33 – Advice for New and Emerging Leaders