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Before this week’s interview, Jen Schwanke and Will Parker answer a listener question with a five minute response. 

The question is: How did your leadership style evolve over the course of your principalship and how did it impact the way you manage human capital?

Listen in to hear their response and thank you for doing what matters!

John Marinucci currently serves as the Principal of St Francis College, a role he has held since 2019. St Francis College is a contemporary Catholic school located in Logan City, on the southern edges of Brisbane, Australia. The institution is deeply rooted in Franciscan values, emphasizing simplicity and harmony in its educational approach.

Before his appointment as Principal, John was the Head of Campus for grades 7 to 12 at St Francis College. His leadership experience also includes significant roles at Carmel College in Thornlands and St Mary’s College in Ipswich. John holds a Master of Educational Leadership from the Australian Catholic University, a Bachelor of Business Accountancy from the Queensland University of Technology, and a Diploma of Teaching from Mt. Gravatt College of Advanced Education, now a part of Griffith University.

Outside his professional life, John enjoys crosswords, sudoku, camping, and spending quality time with his wife and three adult children. 

John’s career reflects a deep commitment to educational leadership and the nurturing of future leaders within the Catholic education system. His contributions continue to shape and inspire the community at St Francis College and beyond. Something that listeners may be surprised to learn about him is that he spoke Italian at home, so when he started school, he only had a vocabulary of about six English words. 

When asked what inspired his current work, John cites a love for the relationship building that comes with working in education. He has spent 35 years on and off working in education. At one point in his career, John left the field of education, but decided to come back because he missed the relationships he was able to build with young people through his work. Unquestionably, John is committed to serving students and families from all kinds of cultural and religious backgrounds. Currently, his school serves five of the eight poorest communities in Queensland. 

The values that John’s school is rooted in are called Franciscan values, emphasizing simplicity and harmony in its educational approach. One way that his school approaches the values of simplicity and harmony is through teaching students how to get along with people who are not like them. John says that students at his school have about twenty different faiths among them, which contributes to the students learning to be tolerant of people who are different from them. Another way that John’s school practices simplicity and harmony is by increasing parents’ involvement by celebrating student achievement. John emphasizes that things can be complex, but not complicated, and discusses the practice of seeking to make things simpler, not easier.  

When thinking about tips he has for school leaders on time management, John points out that he, like many school leaders, has a tendency to overcommit. Nevertheless, John states that he tries to keep his days balanced. He carves out time before and after school each day for work so that he can dedicate his time during the school day to staff and students. Furthermore, John makes sure to take time each morning going for a walk with his dog, and he uses that time for meditation or to plan his day.

As he considered what advice he would give to a new leader, John offered several pieces of sage advice. First, John talks about the importance of always treating people with dignity and respect. He states that genuinely caring about people helps foster a culture of trust and respect. Second, John emphasizes that leaders need to embrace change and see it as an opportunity for growth. Third, he tells listeners that they should always communicate the bad to people, as they will always find out what is going on, and it should come from you. John reminds listeners that hard conversations are really crucial conversations. Next, John says that young leaders must find a mentor who can guide you along the way. Finally, he reminds new leaders of the importance of really getting to know the people who work for you.

John’s advice to veteran leaders is to constantly remind yourself that you’re making a difference. He also discusses using the holiday break as a way to examine and evaluate why he does this work. Constantly setting new goals helps reignite his passion and keeps him motivated in his work for the long haul.

Listeners can stay connected to John via Linkedin or through email: [email protected]

The post PMP444: Leading with Simplicity and Harmony with John Marinucci appeared first on Principal Matters.