What happens when a young, first-time principal steps into a school reeling from a leadership change? In this powerful episode of Transformational Educators, Amber Shields, now Managing Director with the Commit Partnership and founder of PM Consulting, shares how she built trust from scratch, reconnected fractured staff, and turned reflective adult learning into a foundation for sustainable culture change.

Listeners will learn how small daily actions and intentional relationship-building helped transform staff mindsets, rebuild community, and center professional growth on ownership and reflection. Whether you’re leading through transition or building a new foundation, Amber’s story offers both encouragement and practical strategies.

KEY TAKEAWAYS
• Building trust starts with small, consistent daily actions
• Coffee chats and hallway check-ins can drive real connection
• Arrival and dismissal are overlooked opportunities for visibility
• Reflection must be embedded into daily school culture
• Teachers thrive when they can name one area they want to grow in
• Safe spaces for adult learning foster vulnerability and growth
• Peer observations increase self-awareness and instructional insight
• Individual growth plans should align with broader school goals
• Psychological safety is essential for sustainable culture shifts
• Leadership requires self-awareness, consistency, and alignment

BEST MOMENTS

00:01:52. “Every time we’re together, you are so full of joy and optimism and practical wisdom.”
00:04:02. “I had to do some mindset work of my own to separate what is not mine to carry.”
00:05:15. “Coffee was on me... I wanted to get them off campus.”
00:07:00. “Those small acts can really be impactful in terms of building connection.”
00:07:51. “Hey guys, this didn’t work. That has so much trust building in that simple act alone.”
00:10:12. “Name one thing they wanted to own improving.”
00:13:00. “When teachers began to do that informally... it’s beautiful because it impacts the students.”
00:14:12. “When people feel safe to be vulnerable... there has to be a sense of safety.”
00:15:32. “Gratitude was something that I tried to use to center me in those difficult moments.”

Transformational Educators | School Leadership Stories

Thank you for listening to Transformational Educators, where we share real stories of servant leadership, trust-building, and purpose-driven change in schools.

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