Leaning into Leadership

In this episode, returning guest Katie Kinder joins Dr. Darrin Peppard for a behind-the-scenes look at their upcoming book, Culture First Classrooms: Leadership, Relationships, and Practices that Transform Schools. They dive into the journey of co-authoring a book, the power of classroom culture, and how fostering strong relationships transformsschools.

Katie and Darrin share personal stories about their paths as educators, what led them to co-write this book, and how they selected 21 amazing contributors to share their insights. They also explore why great teaching is an art, not a formula, and how school leaders can support teachers in building a culture-first approach to education.

✅ Culture comes first—without strong relationships and a supportive environment, no initiative will thrive.

✅ Teaching is artistry—there’s no single way to be effective, and great educators bring energy, fun, and connection to their work.

✅ Leadership impacts everything—when educators feel empowered and valued, they take more risks and push students to succeed.

✅ This book is a lifeline—it’s filled with real, actionable insights from educators leading the way in post-pandemic classrooms.

Katie Kinder, author of Untold Teaching Truths and Hallway Leadership, is a passionate professional learning facilitator and education advocate. With nearly two decades in education, she inspires and equips teachers with real strategies to hook students from day one. A former Teacher of the Year and Top Five District Finalist, Katie brings energy, authenticity, and a deep love for educators everywhere.

🌐 Website | 📌 Twitter/X | 📷 Instagram | 🔗 LinkedIn

📖 Culture First Classrooms: Leadership, Relationships, and Practices that Transform Schools—Coming March 2025! Stay tuned for launch details and exclusive pre-order bonuses.

Darrin and Katie are developing Culture First Coaching & Consulting, bringing hands-on leadership and instructional coaching to schools nationwide. If you’re interested in bringing Culture First to your school, reach out to learn how they can support your educators.

📩 Contact Darrin and Katie to bring Culture First Coaching to your school!

In this solo episode, I’m pulling back the curtain on the journey of writing Culture First Classrooms: Leadership, Relationships, and Practices that Transform Schools, my upcoming book co-authored with Katie Kinder!

We dive into:

✅ The writing process—what it’s like to co-author a book and how it differs from writing solo

✅ How we identified the 21 incredible educators who contributed their insights

✅ The highs, lows, and unexpected moments in bringing this book to life

✅ What Culture First Classrooms truly means and why this book is so important for educators

This is an episode for anyone curious about the book-writing process, thinking about writing their own, or simply wanting a deeper look into what’s coming in March! Plus, I share a few sneak peeks from some of the powerful stories inside the book.

💌 Join the Email List: Want updates on the book release, exclusive pre-order bonuses, and behind-the-scenes insights? Sign up here: roadtoawesome.net

📢 Connect with Dr. Darrin Peppard:

In this episode of Leaning Into Leadership, Dr. Darrin Peppard sits down with Dr. Kelly Hastings, founder of Enlightening Leadership, a seasoned principal, leadership coach, and expert in implementation science.

Dr. Hastings shares her journey from teacher to principal, how leadership coaching transformed her leadership approach, and why building leadership capacity in schools is a moral imperative. She also dives into implementation science, an approach that helps schools sustain meaningful change, and discusses how leaders can grow and support aspiring leaders in their buildings.

If you've ever struggled with implementing new initiatives or wondered how to cultivate leadership in your school, this episode is packed with actionable strategies.

🎧 Key Takeaways:

✅ The role of mentorship and coaching in leadership growth

✅ How implementation science helps schools sustain change

✅ Strategies for growing and identifying aspiring leaders

✅ The importance of listening as a leader and empowering teams

✅ Unique challenges and strategies for middle school leadership

📌 Resources & Links:

🔹 Connect with Dr. Kelly Hastings: LinkedIn | Email: [email protected]

🔹 Learn more about Implementation Science: Implement with Impact by Janice Pizzuto

In this episode of Leaning Into Leadership, Dr. Darrin Peppard sits down with Dr. Joe Famularo, a veteran educator and superintendent, to explore his IOU Leadership framework. Dr. Famularo shares his journey from classroom teacher to district leader, the principles that guide his leadership, and how the IOU model—Inward, Outward, and Upward Leadership—helps leaders build a thriving culture rooted in trust and continuous improvement.

✅ The IOU Leadership Framework: What it means to lead inward, outward, and upward.

✅ The Role of Self-Awareness in Leadership: Why knowing yourself is the foundation for effective leadership.

✅ Building a Culture of Trust: The impact of relationships and shared leadership in schools.

✅ Living with Intention vs. Living by Default: How to shift from reactive to proactive leadership.

✅ PH2E Life Propeller Assessment: A tool to evaluate personal and professional growth.

✅ The Importance of Clear Vision and Common Language: How defining values and mission creates sustainable success in schools.

✅ Leader in Me & The 7 Habits: How Covey’s principles influenced his district’s transformation.

Dr. Joe Famularo is a lifelong educator with over 34 years in the same district, including 18 as superintendent. Passionate about leadership and continuous improvement, he developed the IOU Leadership framework to help individuals and organizations create cultures of trust, purpose, and excellence. He is the author of IOU Life Leadershipand the upcoming book IOU School Leadership.

🔗 Explore IOU Leadership & Take the PH2E Assessment: IOULiving.com

🎧 Listen & Subscribe:

🔹 Apple Podcasts | 🔹 Spotify | 🔹 YouTube | 🔹 Your favorite podcast platform

💡 What’s Your Biggest Leadership Takeaway? Share your thoughts with us on social media using #LeaningIntoLeadership!

In this episode of the Leaning Into Leadership podcast, Dr. Darrin Peppard is joined by Barb Flowers, Principal of the U.S. Elementary Division at Eastwood Global and a certified life coach specializing in leadership development for principals. Barb shares her journey from being a brick-and-mortar school leader to helping launch an innovative online school and homeschooling program while coaching principals to lead with clarity and confidence.

Key Topics Discussed:

• Barb’s unique leadership role at Eastwood Global, combining International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum with the science of reading.
• The parallels and contrasts between traditional school leadership and leading in a virtual environment.
• Proven strategies for managing time, reducing stress, and setting boundaries as a school leader.
• The importance of saying “no” to unnecessary initiatives and focusing on what truly matters.
• How principals can develop self-belief and avoid the trap of comparison.
• Barb’s insights into the power of thought work and using affirmations to foster confidence and intentionality in leadership.
• Practical routines and habits for maintaining focus and avoiding overwhelm.

Key Takeaways for Listeners:

• Why removing email from your phone is a game changer for work-life balance.
• How to set boundaries that protect your time and energy while modeling the same for your staff.
• The transformative impact of focusing on thought work to create more positive emotions and actions.
• Why limiting initiatives and prioritizing depth over breadth benefits your entire school community.
• Actionable steps to create routines that align with your leadership vision and values.

About Barb Flowers:

Barb brings 14 years of public education experience, including six years as a principal, to her role as a leadership coach and educational leader. She helps principals overcome stress, manage their time effectively, and lead with purpose, all while balancing the demands of professional and personal life.

Connect with Barb Flowers:

• Podcast: The Principal's Handbook
• Website: barbflowerscoaching.com
• LinkedIn: Barb Flowers, PhD
• Instagram: @DrBarbFlowers

Welcome to episode 188 of the Leaning Into Leadership podcast! In this mid-month episode, Darrin is joined once again by his recurring guests, Todd Bloomer, a high school principal from San Antonio, TX, and Dominic Armano, an elementary principal from Long Island, NY. Together, they dive into the human side of leadership, sharing stories, challenges, and practical insights for leaders at every level.

1. Weathering the Storm (Literally and Figuratively): From snow days to unexpected challenges, the trio shares how school leaders navigate the unpredictability of their work while keeping students' needs at the forefront.
2. Making Tough Decisions: Darrin reflects on a recent blog post about the emotional and professional toll of making hard leadership calls. Todd and Dominic add their insights on balancing what's right for kids and the community while managing personal resilience.
3. Telling Your Story: Dominic leads a discussion on the importance of branding and public relations in education. Todd and Darrin share strategies to effectively showcase your school’s values and successes without fear of being seen as "flashy."
4. Learning from Other Leaders: Todd challenges Darrin and Dominic to share inspiring practices they've seen in schools recently, highlighting leadership newsletters and a deeply integrated SEL curriculum.
5. Focus for 2025: The group wraps up by sharing their personal resolutions and goals for the year, including self-care, leadership clarity, and embracing challenges.

1. Leadership decisions are rarely black-and-white; staying focused on what's best for kids can guide tough choices.
2. Strong relationships and clear communication are essential for building trust and minimizing pushback.
3. Social media and storytelling are critical tools for creating a positive narrative about your school and its values.
4. Self-care isn't selfish—it's necessary for showing up as your best self in leadership roles.
5. Innovative ideas from peers and colleagues can inspire and improve your leadership practice.

1. Darrin’s blog post on leadership decisions
2. Fired Up Leadership by Dr. Frank Rudnesky

1. Darrin Peppard: Website | Twitter
2. Todd Bloomer: Twitter
3. Dominic Armano: Twitter

If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe, rate, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform. Your support helps us bring more leadership insights to educators like you!

Are you feeling overwhelmed and struggling to prioritize your time as a school leader? In this episode, I share some exciting news about my upcoming digital course, Take Control of Your Leadership:. This course is designed to help you overcome overwhelm, focus on what truly matters, and lead with clarity, and it's LIVE - go to theprincipalacademy.com and check out Take Control of Your Leadership.

Anders Indset—known as "The Business Philosopher"—is a Norwegian-born writer and deep-tech investor. He is a four-time Spiegel best-selling author and has been recognized by Thinkers50 as one of the most influential thinkers in technology and leadership for the years to come. 

With two decades of experience working with multinational companies, he is a trusted sparring partner for international CEOs and political leaders, and a guest lecturer at leading international business schools. Anders is the founder of the Njordis Group and the Global Institute of Leadership & Technology (GILT), as well as the initiator of numerous projects like the Quantum Economy Alliance. 

Anders is a bridge-builder between humanity and technology, shaping the economy of tomorrow with his practical philosophy. With his deep understanding of the impact of exponential technologies, Anders demonstrates how and why leadership and its relationship to philosophy are more relevant than ever. He firmly believes that in a world with nearly unlimited access to knowledge, a deeper understanding and the ability to anticipate future scenarios, combined with the development of interpersonal skills, will be the most sought-after qualities for leaders. 

His works have been translated into over 10 languages, and his new book, ‘The Viking Code – The Art & Science of Norwegian Success’, was released on October 8. His forthcoming ‘Singularity Paradox – Bridging the Gap Between Humanity & AI’ (www.singularityparadox.com) has been scheduled for Q1 2025, a book co-authored with renowned Quantum Physicist Dr. Florian Neukart.

Social Media: 

https://de.linkedin.com/in/andersindset

https://www.instagram.com/andersindset

http://twitter.com/andersindset

http://facebook.com/anders.indset

https://www.youtube.com/andersindset

Website: https://andersindset.com/

Email/contact info: 

[email protected]

In this episode of the Leaning Into Leadership podcast, we’re exploring the powerful metaphor of the lighthouse and how it relates to effective school leadership. Inspired by a visit to Martha’s Vineyard, host Darrin Peppard reflects on the enduring purpose of lighthouses and the lessons they offer for guiding schools and teams in 2025. Discover five lighthouse-inspired principles—from guiding through challenges to creating a culture of hope and safety—and learn actionable strategies to shine brightly as a leader this year. Whether you’re navigating staff burnout, shifting priorities, or the complexities of educational leadership, this episode will leave you inspired and ready to lead with purpose.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• The five lighthouse-inspired principles of effective leadership
• How to provide clarity and focus for your team during uncertain times
• The importance of being a consistent and visible presence in your school
• How to position yourself strategically to make the greatest impact
• The power of empowering your team and fostering trust
• Why creating a culture of hope and safety is essential for school success

Guiding Through Challenges

• Learn how to define your "true north" and guide your school community through obstacles with clear priorities and a shared vision.

Steadfast Presence

• Discover why consistency and visibility are key to building trust and creating stability for your team.

Strategic Positioning

• Explore how to focus your time and energy where it matters most to drive impactful outcomes for students and staff.

Shining a Light for Others

• Find out how empowering your team with clarity and support can create a culture of trust and shared ownership.

Symbol of Hope and Safety

• Understand how fostering a positive culture helps staff and students feel valued, supported, and ready to grow.

Share Your Thoughts: Did this episode inspire you to embrace the lighthouse principles in your leadership? Let us know your thoughts! Leave a review or share the episode on social media with your biggest takeaway. Don’t forget to tag us so we can join the conversation.

Blogpost link referenced in the episode - Be a Lighthouse: Five Guiding Principles for School Leaders in 2025

In this insightful episode of Leaning Into Leadership, Dr. Darrin Peppard sits down with Charlie Peck and Joshua Stamper to discuss their upcoming book, The Language of Behavior, and the accompanying podcast. Together, they explore strategies to decode student behaviors, build positive relationships, and implement proactive systems that empower educators and students alike. From creating the "Relationship Action Team" to implementing the push-in model, this conversation is packed with practical tools and actionable strategies for leaders at every level.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• The origin story of The Language of Behavior book and podcast.
• Why traditional disciplinary measures often fail and how to shift toward relational approaches.
• Insights into the push-in model and its transformative impact on classrooms.
• The power of grassroots leadership initiatives in fostering systemic change.
• How to "lean into leadership" by staying true to your values and beliefs.

Key Takeaways:

1. Behavior as a Message: Understand that behaviors are a form of communication and decoding them requires curiosity and compassion.
2. Team-Based Solutions: Building a collaborative team, like the Relationship Action Team, empowers educators to implement meaningful changes.
3. Proactive Strategies: Tools like the push-in model help address low-level infractions without removing students from the learning environment.
4. Invest in Teachers: Equipping teachers with practical strategies and fostering a sense of community can reignite their passion for education.
5. Authentic Leadership: Embrace your values and lead with authenticity to inspire trust and joy in your team.

Featured Quotes:

• "Behaviors are just the message. We can learn to decode them to better support our students." – Charlie Peck
• "When I stopped trying to meet others' expectations and leaned into who I am as a leader, everything changed for the better." – Joshua Stamper

Resources Mentioned:

• The Language of Behavior book (coming soon)
• The Language of Behavior podcast (available on all major platforms)
• Previous episodes featuring Charlie Peck and Joshua Stamper

Connect with Our Guests:

• Charlie Peck: thrivingeducator.com @CharlePeck on all social media
• Joshua Stamper: joshuastamper.com @Joshua__Stamper on social media

Episode Summary: In this deeply personal solo episode, Dr. Darrin Peppard shares a pivotal story from his leadership journey that became a wake-up call about the importance of self-care. Reflecting on an experience during his second year as a principal—missing his best friend's wedding due to burnout and exhaustion—Dr. Peppard delves into the lessons he learned about prioritizing health and well-being as a leader. He provides practical strategies for leaders to avoid burnout, set boundaries, and invest in themselves, so they can lead with clarity, focus, and purpose.

Whether you’re a school leader or any professional striving to balance the demands of leadership, this episode will leave you inspired and equipped with actionable steps to show up as your best self in 2025.

What You'll Learn in This Episode:

1. A Personal Leadership Wake-Up Call: Dr. Peppard recounts how missing his best friend’s wedding due to illness and overwhelm served as a life-changing moment.
2. The Cost of Neglecting Self-Care: How a “superhero” mindset can lead to burnout and missed opportunities.
3. Practical Changes for Leaders:

• Creating systems for healthy eating and exercise.
• Setting boundaries for work and personal time.
• Building clarity around priorities as a school leader.

1. Why Self-Care is Essential for Leadership: Learn how taking care of yourself positively impacts your effectiveness as a leader and your ability to inspire those around you.
2. Actionable Steps for 2025: Tips to reflect, adjust, and prioritize self-care and high-leverage leadership activities in the new year.

Resources Mentioned:

• Blog Post: The Turning Point: Why Leaders Must Take Care of Themselves 
• Free Webinar: Join Dr. Peppard on December 30, 2024, at 4 PM ET for a free webinar on priorities, time management, and intentional leadership. Register here: https://www.theprincipalacademy.com/realresults

Take Action:

• Reflect on your leadership practices over the past year. Are you showing up as your best self? What can you change?
• Implement one of the strategies shared in this episode to improve your self-care and leadership in 2025.
• Share this episode with a fellow leader who might need the reminder to prioritize themselves.

Let’s Connect:

• Website: Road to Awesome
• LinkedIn: Dr. Darrin Peppard

Help the Podcast Grow: If you enjoy the Leaning Into Leadership Podcast, please leave a five-star review on your favorite podcast app. Your feedback helps us reach more leaders and continue providing valuable content.

Happy New Year! Thank you for joining me for this special episode. Wishing you clarity, purpose, and an incredible year ahead. Let’s make 2025 the year of intentional leadership!