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Quick take: If you're leading from an empty tank, you're not leading at all. Joël McLean learned the hard way that transformational leadership starts within — and he built a roadmap any school leader can follow.
🎓 Meet Your Fellow Ruckus MakerJoël McLean is a former principal turned certified leadership coach, committed to helping leaders at every level develop skills and confidence to thrive. With 27+ years in education and founder of Inspire Leadership Coaching, he's on a mission to spark transformation from the inside out.
🔨 Breaking Down the Old RulesIn this episode, Joël McLean challenges traditional education paradigms:
🤯 Key Insight #1: Self-Leadership Over More Initiatives"If people are depending on me as a leader, then I need to make sure I'm at my best." – Joël McLean
🧗♂️ Your Do School Different ChallengeReady to implement these ideas? Start here:
🌟 Get the full episode transcript here
👩🏻💻 Follow Joël McLean:
📕 Buy Transcending Your Leadership here.
📌 Ruckus Makers Don't Just Listen — They ActIf education ain't a bit disruptive, then what are your students really learning?
This show isn't about doing school better.
It's about Doing School Different — and joining a growing movement of bold, creative school leaders who reject legacy models and reimagine what's possible.
🧠 Here are four ways we can help you on your Do School Different journey📬 Subscribe to the Free Newsletter — An opportunity to Do School Different 3x a week. Tools, mindset shifts, and strategies that actually work: https://ruckusmakers.news
🗳 Read Ruckus Maker Media — Exclusive content on Substack. Premium leadership insights, AI prompts and custom gpts, new books before the bookshelf. https://ruckusmakers.media
💥 Join The Ruckus Maker Club — Our private network + workshops, The Automatic School tools, AI Prompt Library, and more: https://ruckusmakers.club
🫸 Apply to the Mastermind — Weekly coaching, peer mentorship, and our proven leadership system (The Ruckus Maker Flywheel) to help you transform your campus: https://betterleadersbetterschools.com/mastermind
🎙 Today's RUCKUS cast in Partnership With:Looking to create the kind of campus experience students never forget? ODP Business Solutions® transforms ordinary spaces into extraordinary learning environments.
🔍 Visit **odpbusiness.com/education** and let's Do School Different.
IXL takes the guesswork out of lesson planning for teachers. IXL's ready-made lesson plans are aligned to your textbooks and state standards, so teachers can turn to IXL for the exact content they need to help their students.
🔍 Get started today at ixl.com/leaders
This episode of Better Leaders Better Schools is sponsored by Play Piper. Every student starts with curiosity - Piper keeps it alive. Our hands-on STEM kits turn gaming passion into real engineering skills.
🔍 Spark confidence in your students at https://www.playpiper.com/ruckus
© 2026 Twelve Practices LLC | If Education Ain't a Bit Disruptive, Then What Are Your Students Learning?
By Daniel Bauer4.8
303303 ratings
Quick take: If you're leading from an empty tank, you're not leading at all. Joël McLean learned the hard way that transformational leadership starts within — and he built a roadmap any school leader can follow.
🎓 Meet Your Fellow Ruckus MakerJoël McLean is a former principal turned certified leadership coach, committed to helping leaders at every level develop skills and confidence to thrive. With 27+ years in education and founder of Inspire Leadership Coaching, he's on a mission to spark transformation from the inside out.
🔨 Breaking Down the Old RulesIn this episode, Joël McLean challenges traditional education paradigms:
🤯 Key Insight #1: Self-Leadership Over More Initiatives"If people are depending on me as a leader, then I need to make sure I'm at my best." – Joël McLean
🧗♂️ Your Do School Different ChallengeReady to implement these ideas? Start here:
🌟 Get the full episode transcript here
👩🏻💻 Follow Joël McLean:
📕 Buy Transcending Your Leadership here.
📌 Ruckus Makers Don't Just Listen — They ActIf education ain't a bit disruptive, then what are your students really learning?
This show isn't about doing school better.
It's about Doing School Different — and joining a growing movement of bold, creative school leaders who reject legacy models and reimagine what's possible.
🧠 Here are four ways we can help you on your Do School Different journey📬 Subscribe to the Free Newsletter — An opportunity to Do School Different 3x a week. Tools, mindset shifts, and strategies that actually work: https://ruckusmakers.news
🗳 Read Ruckus Maker Media — Exclusive content on Substack. Premium leadership insights, AI prompts and custom gpts, new books before the bookshelf. https://ruckusmakers.media
💥 Join The Ruckus Maker Club — Our private network + workshops, The Automatic School tools, AI Prompt Library, and more: https://ruckusmakers.club
🫸 Apply to the Mastermind — Weekly coaching, peer mentorship, and our proven leadership system (The Ruckus Maker Flywheel) to help you transform your campus: https://betterleadersbetterschools.com/mastermind
🎙 Today's RUCKUS cast in Partnership With:Looking to create the kind of campus experience students never forget? ODP Business Solutions® transforms ordinary spaces into extraordinary learning environments.
🔍 Visit **odpbusiness.com/education** and let's Do School Different.
IXL takes the guesswork out of lesson planning for teachers. IXL's ready-made lesson plans are aligned to your textbooks and state standards, so teachers can turn to IXL for the exact content they need to help their students.
🔍 Get started today at ixl.com/leaders
This episode of Better Leaders Better Schools is sponsored by Play Piper. Every student starts with curiosity - Piper keeps it alive. Our hands-on STEM kits turn gaming passion into real engineering skills.
🔍 Spark confidence in your students at https://www.playpiper.com/ruckus
© 2026 Twelve Practices LLC | If Education Ain't a Bit Disruptive, Then What Are Your Students Learning?

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