The fastest way to stall school improvement is to treat leadership like a set of tips you can download. Real change asks something harder: adults have to be willing to learn, unlearn, and look in the mirror. We sit down with Leslie Hazel Bussey (CEO and Executive Director of GLISI), Jennie Welch (Chief Strategy and Growth Officer), and Dr. Brian Keefer (Fulton County Schools) to talk about what leadership development looks like when it’s built for transformation and not compliance.

We unpack how GLISI designs professional learning that actually sticks by creating psychological safety, building trust through community, and pushing teams to identify the true root of a problem of practice. Leslie and Jennie explain why defining a clear district leadership profile matters for culture, shared expectations, and retention. Brian shares what he saw as a principal and now as a central office leader, including why middle school leadership teams often get overlooked and how intentional team learning creates accountability that follows you back into the school year.

We also zoom out to the outcomes everyone cares about: teacher retention, leader retention, and student success. Brian challenges the “high-achieving school” label by asking a sharper question: are kids doing great, not just scoring great? The conversation highlights practical ways districts can measure student experience through engagement, attendance, and culture while strengthening working conditions for educators. If you want smarter school leadership, stronger professional learning, and a repeatable process for change, hit play, then subscribe, share with a colleague, and leave a review so more Georgia education leaders can find the show.