Leading Out The Woods

Anchor Chat #34: Who Owns the Problem?

In this episode of Anchor Chats, Dr. Woods reflects on Who Owns the Problem? and the tendency for leaders to take on every challenge brought their way. He explores the difference between supporting someone through a problem and assuming responsibility for solving it. Dr. Woods challenges leaders to pause, clarify ownership, ask the right questions, and empower others to develop solutions—because effective leadership isn’t about carrying every problem; it’s about building the capacity of others to solve them.

Throwback Thursday! Building Bridges: School Boards, Communities, and Administrators Unite

Originally Released On: 11-15-24

This week, we’re revisiting one of our timeless episodes from Leading Out The Woods! In this episode, Special Guest Ja'Quez D. Taylor, Former School Board Chair and active School Board Member in NC, joins Dr. Woods to discuss how effective collaboration among these key stakeholders can drive student success and strengthen school communities.

Throwback Thursday! Started from the Bottom, Now I'm Here

Originally Released On: 6-18-21

This week, we’re revisiting one of our timeless episodes from Leading Out The Woods! In this episode:

✅ Darrion discusses how he motivates and inspires his students and school community.
✅ Darrion shares advice with other educators trying to make a positive impact with students at-risk.

Whether you’re hearing it for the first time or revisiting a classic, this conversation is packed with insights that still resonate today. 🎧

🎙️ Episode #137 – Roaches in My Cereal: And the Moral Imperative to Reimagine School

What if some of the things we've accepted as "just the way school works" are the very things we need to rethink? I'm excited to welcome Dr. Melvin J. Brown, Superintendent in Residence at Defined, LLC, longtime educational leader, and author of Roaches in My Cereal: And the Moral Imperative to Reimagine School, to Leading Out The Woods.In this episode, we challenge ourselves to think differently about the systems and structures we've inherited in education—and what it will take to create schools that better prepare EVERY student for lifelong success. Our conversation explores:

✔️ Why there is a moral imperative to reimagine school
✔️ Challenging long-standing assumptions about education
✔️ Moving beyond practices simply because "we've always done it that way"
✔️ Creating systems that better respond to the needs of today's students
✔️ The role educational leaders play in turning bold ideas into meaningful change

Reimagining school isn't simply about introducing the next program or initiative. It's about having the courage to examine what we're doing, ask whether it's still serving students, and be willing to build something better. Sometimes transformation begins with the willingness to question what we've learned to accept.

Throwback Thursday! Is Financial Literacy Working?
Originally Released On: 7-15-2022

This week, we’re revisiting one of our timeless episodes from Leading Out The Woods! In this episode:

✅ Dr. Thomas shares how we should conceptualize financial literacy.
✅ Dr. Thomas discusses barriers students and families routinely encounter when learning about financial literacy.

Whether you’re hearing it for the first time or revisiting a classic, this conversation is packed with insights that still resonate today.

Anchor Chat #33: The Leadership Pause

In this episode of Anchor Chats, Dr. Woods reflects on The Leadership Pause and the importance of creating space between a situation and our response. He explores how leaders can resist the pressure to react immediately, instead taking time to listen, gather context, and think intentionally before making decisions. Dr. Woods reminds leaders that being responsive doesn’t mean being reactive—and sometimes the most effective leadership move is simply knowing when to pause.

Episode #136 is live! Check it out!

Special Guest Patty McGee, nationally recognized literacy consultant, author, and educator, joins Dr. Woods on episode #136 of Leading Out The Woods to discuss Giving Grammar Instruction a Glow Up. In this episode, they explore why grammar instruction matters, the limitations of traditional approaches, and the mindshifts educators can make to bring grammar learning to life. Patty also shares innovative strategies from her book Not Your Granny’s Grammar, including how grammar manipulatives can make learning more engaging and meaningful for students.

Throwback Thursday!
Title: Episode #27_Staff Motivation & Morale featuring Dr. Todd Whitaker 
Originally Released On: 2-26-21

This week, we’re revisiting one of our timeless episodes from Leading Out The Woods! In this episode, we:
✅ discuss the importance of staff motivation and morale in school management,
✅ provide tips on what you can do to ensure this is happening in your school.

Whether you’re hearing it for the first time or revisiting a classic, this conversation is packed with insights that still resonate today. 🎧

Throwback Thursday! Inside the Schoolhouse: What Great Principals Know and Do featuring Dr. John Gratto

Originally Released On: 8-13-2021

This week, we’re revisiting one of our timeless episodes from Leading Out The Woods! In this episode:
✅ Dr. Gratto shares an overview of his book, “Inside the Schoolhouse: What Great Principals Know and Do.”
✅ Dr. Gratto discusses the key concepts that assistant principals and principals can take away from the book.Whether you’re hearing it for the first time or revisiting a classic, this conversation is packed with insights that still resonate today.

Don’t forget to check back every Thursday for more Throwback episodes!

🎙️ #ThrowbackThursday – Episode #103: Win the Morning!

How we start the day can shape everything that follows. For this week's Leading Out The Woods Throwback Thursday, we're revisiting my conversation with Ryan Stein, principal and author of Lifeline 65: How Small Connections and Big Enthusiasm Can Change Education.In this episode, Ryan shares his inspiring “Win the Morning” philosophy and how intentionally starting each day with energy, connection, and purpose can have a lasting impact on students, staff, and school culture.

We discuss:
✅ The philosophy behind “Win the Morning”
✅ How small, intentional connections can make a BIG difference
✅ Strategies for cultivating a positive and engaging school culture
✅ Why enthusiasm and relationships remain powerful tools for school leadersSometimes transforming a school doesn't begin with a new program or initiative. It begins with how we show up each morning.

🎧 Available now on all podcast platforms! Take some time to revisit this conversation and ask yourself: How are you winning the morning? 🌲