Leaning into Leadership

Episode 293 of Leaning Into Leadership is a conversation about something every leader needs to understand: we lead humans, and humans bring their experiences, emotions, stress, and trauma with them to work.

Darrin sits down with licensed clinical social worker, speaker, author, and military leader Stacy Nation to explore what trauma-informed—and ultimately trauma-restorative—leadership can look like in schools.

Stacy challenges leaders to move beyond simply knowing that trauma exists and begin creating environments built around safety, connection, relationships, and restoration. As she explains, one of the most important resiliency factors is having a positive, caring relationship—which makes relationship-building far more than a “soft” leadership skill.

The conversation also turns toward the adults in our schools. Are teachers able to meet their own basic needs during the day? What happens after a difficult interaction with a student? Do leaders create conditions that help adults regulate themselves before asking them to help students do the same? Stacy makes the case that supporting adults and maintaining high expectations are not competing ideas.

Darrin and Stacy also dig into neuroscience and leadership, including the difference between the reasoning and emotional functions of the brain, why certain questions can immediately create defensiveness, and how leaders can communicate differently when emotions are running high.

Stacy shares the story behind her book, What Really Happens in Therapy Behind Closed Doors: A Guided Journey to Healing, and how her experiences as a therapist, military member, parent, and someone navigating her own family story shaped the work.

Finally, the conversation comes back to leadership: creating shared language around emotional regulation, moving from reactive to proactive approaches with students, and recognizing that meaningful change requires more than a one-day training.

In this episode, you’ll hear about:

• The difference between trauma-informed and trauma-restorative practices
• Why relationships are a critical resiliency factor
• Creating environments where adults can regulate and perform at their best
• Why supporting people does not mean lowering expectations
• What leaders should understand about the reasoning and emotional brain
• Why Stacy encourages leaders to replace “Why?” with “Help me understand”
• Using shared language around regulation throughout a school
• Moving from reactive responses to proactive support
• Why leaders need to live—not simply model—the practices they expect from others

Stacy sums up her approach to leadership beautifully near the end of the conversation: leadership changes when what we teach becomes integrated into how we actually live and lead.

Connect with Stacy Nation:

Website: gobeyou.org

Instagram: Stacy G Nation

Facebook: Stacy Nation / Stacy G Nation

LinkedIn: Stacy Nation

YouTube: Search Stacy Nation or Stacy York

Book: What Really Happens in Therapy Behind Closed Doors: A Guided Journey to Healing

Sponsor Spotlight

This episode is proudly sponsored by HeyTutor.

HeyTutor partners with school districts across the country to provide high-dosage tutoring in mathematics and English language arts. Their comprehensive approach—including recruiting, training, scheduling, and managing tutors—allows educators to focus on what they do best while accelerating student learning.

Learn more by visiting: heytutor.com

Connect with Darrin

If this episode challenged your thinking, I'd love to hear from you.

What's one piece of feedback that changed the way you lead?

Connect with me on LinkedIn or visit https://darrinpeppard.com/ to continue the conversation.

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with another leader who could benefit from this message.

Sometimes the biggest opportunities in life begin with the smallest moments.

For Bradlee Skinner, it started with a selfie at a Savannah Bananas game. That one interaction eventually led him from the classroom to becoming a plaza DJ for the Savannah Bananas and Texas Tailgators. But this conversation isn't really about baseball—it's about leadership, courage, relationships, and choosing to say "Why Not?" instead of asking "What If?"

Joining Darrin are Bradlee and Melissa Skinner, two incredible educators who have built careers around creating meaningful experiences for students while embracing growth, creativity, and intentional leadership. Together they share the philosophy that has begun shaping every area of their lives and why that simple mindset shift has opened doors they never imagined.

Along the way, they discuss:

• How one small decision can completely change your future.
• Why educators should never underestimate the impact of seemingly ordinary moments.
• Melissa's powerful "Dot" tradition that reminds students they matter.
• The leadership culture behind the Savannah Bananas and Fans First Entertainment.
• What schools can learn about creating unforgettable experiences.
• Why high expectations are one of the greatest gifts leaders can give.
• How embracing mistakes creates healthier organizations.
• The difference between living with "What If?" and living with "Why Not?"

Whether you're leading a school, a business, or your own family, this episode is a reminder that leadership often begins by saying yes to opportunities before you're completely ready.

• The selfie that unexpectedly changed Bradlee's career.
• Building a classroom where every student feels seen.
• Lessons from the Savannah Bananas' culture of intentional leadership.
• Why "Plus the Experience" is a leadership principle every organization should embrace.
• Creating environments where people are encouraged to learn through failure.
• Living a life guided by "Why Not?"

Bradlee Skinner

• Instagram/Facebook/TikTok/X: @BradleeWSkinner
• DJ Brand: @DJPhonyStark

Melissa Skinner

• Facebook: Ms. Melissa Skinner
• Instagram: @IncredibleSkinner
• TikTok: @MrsMamaSkinner

Sponsor Spotlight

This episode is proudly sponsored by HeyTutor.

HeyTutor partners with school districts across the country to provide high-dosage tutoring in mathematics and English language arts. Their comprehensive approach—including recruiting, training, scheduling, and managing tutors—allows educators to focus on what they do best while accelerating student learning.

Learn more by visiting: https://heytutor.com/?utm_source=RTA&utm_medium=RTA&utm_campaign=RTA

Connect with Darrin

If this episode challenged your thinking, I'd love to hear from you.

What's one piece of feedback that changed the way you lead?

Connect with me on LinkedIn or visit https://darrinpeppard.com/ to continue the conversation.

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with another leader who could benefit from this message.

As leaders prepare to welcome staff back for a new school year, many spend hours refining presentations, updating strategic plans, and perfecting opening-day messages. But what if the most powerful thing your staff needs isn't a polished speech—it's your passion?

In this personal birthday episode, Dr. Darrin Peppard shares how a day spent Jeeping through Rocky Mountain National Park, Grand Lake, and the Colorado mountains reminded him of the importance of reconnecting with the things that make us come alive. That experience led him to reflect on a conversation with a school administrator whose passion for students was impossible to ignore—and why that same authentic energy is exactly what every leader should bring to their team.

This episode is an invitation to stop hiding what matters most and begin leading with genuine conviction. Because while people may respect competence, they are inspired by leaders who care deeply and aren't afraid to show it.

• Why authentic passion is one of a leader's greatest strengths.
• How your enthusiasm gives others permission to care.
• The difference between delivering a polished message and speaking from conviction.
• Why reconnecting with passions outside of work makes you a better leader.
• A simple challenge to help you inspire your staff before the school year begins.

• People don't follow perfection—they follow conviction.
• Passion is contagious, but so is indifference.
• Your staff needs more than your plans; they need to see what truly matters to you.
• The passions that restore you personally often strengthen you professionally.
• Leadership isn't about managing your passion—it's about modeling it.

Resources & Links

• Learn more about Road to Awesome

• Connect with Dr. Darrin Peppard on LinkedIn

Resources & Links

• Learn more about Road to Awesome

• Connect with Dr. Darrin Peppard on LinkedIn

Sponsor Spotlight

This episode is proudly sponsored by HeyTutor.

HeyTutor partners with school districts across the country to provide high-dosage tutoring in mathematics and English language arts. Their comprehensive approach—including recruiting, training, scheduling, and managing tutors—allows educators to focus on what they do best while accelerating student learning.

Learn more by visiting this link: https://heytutor.com/?utm_source=RTA&utm_medium=RTA&utm_campaign=RTA

Connect with Darrin

If this episode challenged your thinking, I'd love to hear from you.

What's one piece of feedback that changed the way you lead?

Connect with me on LinkedIn or visit https://darrinpeppard.com/ to continue the conversation.

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with another leader who could benefit from this message.

As another school year begins, principals across the country are busy preparing classrooms, finalizing schedules, reviewing procedures, and checking countless items off their opening-week to-do lists.

But what if the most important preparation has nothing to do with the building?

In this solo episode, Dr. Darrin Peppard challenges school leaders to stop asking, "Is the school ready?" and begin asking, "Am I ready?"

Drawing from his own experiences as a principal, superintendent, and leadership coach, Darrin shares five commitments that will help leaders prepare themselves before they prepare everyone else. Rather than offering another opening-week checklist, this conversation focuses on the mindset, habits, and intentional leadership practices that shape school culture throughout the entire year.

• Why preparing yourself matters more than preparing the building
• How to identify the three priorities that should drive your leadership
• Why leadership team alignment creates consistency and trust
• How to design opening experiences that inspire teachers instead of overwhelming them
• Practical strategies to protect your calendar from the "cycle of chaos"
• Why your presence during difficult moments shapes culture more than your plans
• Three reflection questions every principal should answer before staff returns

Whether you're entering your first year as a principal or your twentieth, this episode will help you begin the school year with greater clarity, intentionality, and purpose.

Key Takeaway:

"You are not preparing the building. You are preparing yourself and your leadership team to lead the people who will make the building successful."

Resources & Links

• Learn more about Road to Awesome

• Connect with Dr. Darrin Peppard on LinkedIn

Sponsor Spotlight

This episode is proudly sponsored by HeyTutor.

HeyTutor partners with school districts across the country to provide high-dosage tutoring in mathematics and English language arts. Their comprehensive approach—including recruiting, training, scheduling, and managing tutors—allows educators to focus on what they do best while accelerating student learning.

Learn more by visiting the link above.

Connect with Darrin

If this episode challenged your thinking, I'd love to hear from you.

What's one piece of feedback that changed the way you lead?

Connect with me on LinkedIn or visit https://darrinpeppard.com/ to continue the conversation.

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with another leader who could benefit from this message.

Leadership growth isn't always about discovering a new strategy. More often, it's about becoming aware of something that has been true all along.

In this solo episode, Dr. Darrin Peppard shares two defining leadership stories that changed the way he thinks about coaching, feedback, and personal growth. From a simple conversation with a superintendent that forever changed his communication style to a coaching experience that revealed the hidden system keeping a leader overwhelmed, this episode explores one powerful truth:

Awareness changes everything.

You'll discover why every leader has blind spots, why your team may see things you cannot, and why trusted coaches, mentors, and colleagues are so essential to continued growth.

If you're committed to becoming a more intentional leader, this conversation will challenge you to stop asking, "How am I doing?" and start asking, "What am I not seeing?"

• Why one sentence from a superintendent transformed Darrin's leadership
• The difference between our intentions and the experience others have with us
• Why leadership breakthroughs come from awareness—not simply learning more
• The coaching conversation that revealed the real source of one leader's overwhelm
• How organizational systems become invisible over time
• Why every leader has blind spots
• The difficult truth about feedback and positional leadership
• Why coaches don't exist to fix leaders—they help leaders see
• How servant leadership can unintentionally become a bottleneck
• The one question every leader should ask someone they trust

• Learn more about Road to Awesome: https://roadtoawesome.net
• Connect with Dr. Darrin Peppard on LinkedIn
• Learn more about HeyTutor: https://heytutor.com/?utm_source=RTA&utm_medium=RTA&utm_campaign=RTA

This episode is proudly sponsored by HeyTutor.

HeyTutor partners with school districts across the country to provide high-dosage tutoring in mathematics and English language arts. Their comprehensive approach—including recruiting, training, scheduling, and managing tutors—allows educators to focus on what they do best while accelerating student learning.

Learn more by visiting the link above.

If this episode challenged your thinking, I'd love to hear from you.

What's one piece of feedback that changed the way you lead?

Connect with me on LinkedIn or visit RoadToAwesome.net to continue the conversation.

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with another leader who could benefit from this message.

Relationships don't happen by accident. The strongest classrooms, teams, and organizations are built through intentional habits that communicate one simple message: You matter here.

In Episode 288 of Leaning Into Leadership, Darrin sits down with veteran educator, football coach, and leadership speaker Tom Walls to discuss the power of what he calls microinclusions—small, repeatable actions that create belonging, trust, and buy-in without requiring hours of preparation.

Drawing from more than 30 years of experience in classrooms and on football fields across the United States and Canada, Tom shares practical strategies that any leader can begin using immediately.

Among the topics discussed:

• Why great culture is built through consistent daily rituals—not occasional big moments
• The surprising leadership power of a simple handshake
• How repetition creates belonging and shared identity
• Why relationships—not lesson plans—became the most rewarding part of Tom's teaching career
• The importance of helping people feel seen, heard, and valued
• Why leaders should embrace finesse over force when influencing others
• How asking better questions uncovers the hidden learning gaps our students and staff may have

Whether you're a teacher, coach, principal, superintendent, or organizational leader, this conversation is a reminder that leadership often isn't about doing more—it's about being more intentional with the moments you already have.

About Tom Walls

Tom Walls is a veteran educator, football coach, and leadership speaker with more than 30 years of experience building student-led classrooms and championship-caliber football programs. His upcoming book, Coach Like a Teacher, Teach Like a Coach, explores how proven teaching strategies and coaching principles can be used to develop stronger classrooms, teams, and school communities. Tom presents internationally on leadership, team building, student engagement, and organizational culture.

Connect with Tom

LinkedIn:

http://linkedin.com/in/tom-wallsleadership

Substack:

http://thomaswalls.substack.com

Connect with Darrin Peppard

Website: https://roadtoawesome.net

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/darrinmpeppard

Learn more about coaching, consulting, keynote speaking, and leadership development opportunities through Road to Awesome.

Sponsor Spotlight:

This episode is sponsored by HeyTutor.

HeyTutor partners with schools and districts nationwide to provide evidence-based high-dosage tutoring support in Math and ELA while helping schools remain intentional about staff capacity and student support systems.

Learn more here: HeyTutor.com

What if one of the most powerful leadership lessons isn't found in the principal's office—but inside a classroom?

In this episode, Dr. Darrin Peppard sits down with educator, author, and Teaching Inside Out founder Kim Gameroz to discuss why intentionality—not simply strategy—is what transforms classrooms, educators, and school culture.

Kim shares the inspiration behind her book Becoming the BISON, explains why bison run into storms instead of away from them, and introduces her powerful framework:

Be Intentional So Others Notice.

Together, Darrin and Kim explore how predictable systems, emotional safety, and consistent routines help students—and educators—thrive.

Whether you're a classroom teacher, instructional coach, principal, or district leader, this conversation offers practical ideas you can implement immediately.

• Why intentional leadership starts with predictable experiences
• The story behind Becoming the BISON
• How teachers can use feelings to guide classroom expectations
• Why consistency creates emotional safety
• Practical strategies for smoother classroom transitions
• Supporting neurodiverse learners through intentional systems
• Building teacher confidence through community and coaching
• Lessons Kim has learned growing two successful education businesses
• Why leaders should focus on creating conditions where teachers can do their best work

Website: https://www.kimgameroz.com/

Instagram: @kimgameroz

Teaching Inside Out: @teaching_inside_out

Facebook Community: Becoming the BISON

Book: Becoming the BISON

Connect with Darrin Peppard

Website: https://roadtoawesome.net

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/darrinmpeppard

Learn more about coaching, consulting, keynote speaking, and leadership development opportunities through Road to Awesome.

Sponsor Spotlight:

This episode is sponsored by HeyTutor.

HeyTutor partners with schools and districts nationwide to provide evidence-based high-dosage tutoring support in Math and ELA while helping schools remain intentional about staff capacity and student support systems.

Learn more here: HeyTutor.com

Leadership isn’t just about the impact you create today. It’s about the leaders you prepare for tomorrow.

In this annual shared episode, Dr. Darrin Peppard sits down with fellow leadership coach, author, and podcast host Joshua Stamper for a powerful conversation about one of the most important responsibilities of leadership: developing the next generation of leaders.

Darrin and Joshua begin by reflecting on transitions, stress, and the reality every leader faces — even the best plans encounter challenges. The difference is whether leaders have the clarity and intentionality to stay focused on the work that matters most.

From there, the conversation turns toward a question every organization should be asking:

Who are we intentionally preparing to lead next?

Darrin and Joshua share their own “tap on the shoulder” moments — those pivotal conversations where someone saw leadership potential in them before they saw it in themselves. They discuss why leaders have a responsibility to identify potential early and create pathways for others to grow.

They also explore why building leaders requires far more than assigning tasks. Covering events, managing duties, or checking off responsibilities does not develop leadership capacity. True leadership development happens when aspiring leaders are given authentic experiences, meaningful conversations, coaching, feedback, and opportunities to sit alongside current leaders.

• Why leaders have a moral obligation to grow future leaders
• The power of identifying leadership potential early
• Why a simple “tap on the shoulder” can change someone’s career trajectory
• How to create meaningful growth opportunities for aspiring leaders
• Why leadership development must move beyond tasks and titles
• The importance of mentoring and coaching through mistakes
• Helping aspiring leaders gain confidence before they step into the role
• Why instructional leadership experiences are critical preparation
• How leaders can build a stronger bench for the future

Great leaders don’t just create followers. They create more leaders.

If we want stronger schools, stronger organizations, and stronger cultures, we have to stop waiting for leaders to appear — and start intentionally developing them.

Website: joshstamper.com

Podcast: Aspire to Lead

Book/Work: The Language of Behavior

Website: darrinpeppard.com

Road to Awesome: roadtoawesome.net

What does effective school leadership look like in a rapidly changing world?

In this episode of Leaning Into Leadership, Darrin Peppard sits down with Debra Wilson, President of the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS), for a thoughtful conversation about leadership, organizational alignment, AI, demographic shifts, and the future of education.

Drawing on more than two decades of experience supporting school leaders, Debra shares why today's educational challenges require leaders to move beyond the traditional "hero leader" model and embrace the power of strong leadership teams.

Together, Darrin and Debra explore how schools can adapt to changing family expectations, navigate increasing complexity, and create meaningful educational experiences that prepare students for an uncertain future.

• Debra's journey from attorney to education leader
• The evolution of school leadership over the past 25 years
• Why leadership teams have become more important than ever
• The role of alignment in successful schools and organizations
• How demographic shifts are impacting education
• What leaders should be considering about AI and the future of learning
• The importance of creating meaningful educational experiences
• Why today's students need schools to think differently
• A powerful leadership lesson about seeking perspective and support
• How leaders can build systems that create long-term success

"Nobody leads by themselves."

As schools become increasingly complex, leaders who build aligned teams, seek diverse perspectives, and focus on creating intentional experiences for students and families will be best positioned to thrive.

Debra P. Wilson serves as President of the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS). Prior to becoming president in 2023, she served as President of the Southern Association of Independent Schools (SAIS) and spent nearly two decades at NAIS as General Counsel, leading advocacy efforts, supporting schools through crises, and advancing best practices in governance and leadership.

LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/debrapwilson/

National Association of Independent Schools:

https://www.nais.org/

NAIS LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/company/nais/

New View EDU Podcast:

https://www.nais.org/resource-center/nais-podcasts/new-view-edu

Website:

https://roadtoawesome.net

LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/darrinmpeppard

Learn more about coaching, consulting, keynote speaking, and leadership development opportunities through Road to Awesome.

Sponsor Spotlight:

This episode is sponsored by HeyTutor.

HeyTutor partners with schools and districts nationwide to provide evidence-based high-dosage tutoring support in Math and ELA while helping schools remain intentional about staff capacity and student support systems.

Learn more here: HeyTutor.com

What does it take to build a leadership team that truly works?

In this episode of Leaning Into Leadership, Dr. Darrin Peppard sits down with Marlene Rombach, Rocio Rhoads, and Christina Shires—the leadership team at Locust Grove Middle School in Locust Grove, Virginia—to reflect on their first year leading together.

With a first-year principal, a first-year assistant principal, and an assistant principal stepping into a significantly expanded role, this team faced enormous challenges from day one. Yet through intentional communication, trust, coaching, and a commitment to shared leadership, they built a culture that allowed both staff and students to thrive.

This conversation is an honest look at leadership in action—the successes, the struggles, and the systems that make sustainable excellence possible.

• Why trust is the foundation of every successful leadership team
• How vulnerability and accountability strengthen leadership
• The importance of role clarity and intentional communication
• Practical systems that reduced discipline referrals by nearly 30%
• Why supporting teachers leads directly to better student outcomes
• How coaching accelerated growth and prevented burnout
• The value of reflection, feedback, and continuous improvement
• Why leadership teams need a "safe space" to process challenges together

Leadership is a team sport.

Strong leadership isn't about having all the answers—it's about building relationships, communicating clearly, holding high expectations while providing high support, and creating systems that allow everyone to do their best work.

Throughout the conversation, Marlene, Rocio, and Christina demonstrate that the intentional creation of trust doesn't just make leadership more enjoyable—it makes schools more effective.

"The team has to be strong for the school to be successful."

"If we're asking teachers to do something, they deserve to understand the why."

"High expectations only work when they're matched with high support."

"The more clarity we bring, the more efficiently our school can run."

If this episode resonates with you, share it with another leader who believes that leadership teams have the power to transform schools.

Subscribe to Leaning Into Leadership wherever you listen to podcasts and learn more about leadership coaching, keynote speaking, and the ALIGN Framework at Road to Awesome.

Because leadership isn't about doing more.

It's about intentionally creating the conditions where other people can do their best work.

For leadership coaching, keynote speaking, leadership retreats, and weekly leadership insights, visit roadtoawesome.net or darrinpeppard.com

Sponsor Spotlight:

This episode is sponsored by HeyTutor.

HeyTutor partners with schools and districts nationwide to provide evidence-based high-dosage tutoring support in Math and ELA while helping schools remain intentional about staff capacity and student support systems.

Learn more here: HeyTutor.com