If you’re like most school administrators, this is the time of year that we, without even realizing it, are already starting to drift ever so slightly from the resolutions and plans we made at the beginning of the school year. We’re not off track exactly, but things have started to slip a little. And, we’re not too worried yet, because after all, it’s only October. 

Which is exactly why October is such a dangerous month. It’s early enough in the school year where we still feel like we have time to meet our goals so we’re often lulled into a false sense of complacency. But what we don’t realize is that it is the work we do now that determines whether we will actually meet our goals this school year. 

So on today’s episode, I’m going to share with you 5 simple shifts you need to make now to keep you from drifting away from your plans and goals and finding yourself off course in January. Take these simple steps and you can get refocused, make real progress before the holidays, and set yourself up for true success this school year #LikeABuilder. 

What if your school has been giving you feedback all along and you just haven’t been listening in the right way? In this episode, we’ll look beyond surveys and suggestion boxes and explore the real feedback loops at play: what people say, what they do, and the results they produce. You’ll learn how to read these signals like a Builder, diagnose where your systems are breaking down, and turn every interaction (even non-implementation) into useful data that moves your school closer to 100% success #LikeABuilder.

We’ve all been handed the same tired feedback advice: “Start with a compliment.” “Ask a reflective question.” “Get into 10 classrooms a week.” It sounds good on paper, but in practice, it’s leaving school leaders frustrated and teachers unchanged. In this episode, I’m calling out the most common feedback myths we’ve been told, unpacking why they don’t work, and showing you how to break free from them. If you’ve ever felt like your feedback was landing flat—or worse, backfiring—this episode will help you see why, and what to do instead. Let’s bust some myths and start giving feedback that actually makes a difference #LikeABuilder.

You give teachers feedback because it’s your job, but deep down, you’re not sure it’s making a difference. Maybe they nod politely. Maybe they push back. Or maybe they just… do nothing. In this episode, I’m pulling back the curtain on why some teachers ignore your feedback even when you’re right. We’ll unpack the three hidden reasons your feedback doesn’t land, why it’s not your fault, and what has to shift if you want your feedback to spark real change. If your feedback conversations feel more like a checklist than a catalyst for real change, then it’s time to stop wasting words and start making feedback matter #LikeABuilder.

This week, I’m tackling one of the biggest challenges principals face at the start of the school year: how to align a fractured staff. Whether you’re dealing with a wave of new hires, lingering resistance, or a team that just doesn’t feel cohesive yet, I’ll show you how to quickly get everyone moving in the same direction—not through team-building gimmicks or compliance measures, but by anchoring your team in a shared vision, mission, and core values. If you want practical, powerful ways to turn fragmentation into focus and confusion into clarity, this episode will help you start the year #LikeABuilder.

Every August, we make “school year resolutions”—we’re going to give better feedback, protect our time, stop doing so much. But most of those resolutions fall apart by September, not because we’re undisciplined, but because we made them in a vacuum. In this episode, discover why even good principals find themselves slipping back into old habits, and how one shift makes resolutions unnecessary. If you want this year’s goals to actually stick, don’t make another resolution. Build a 100% Vision #LikeABuilder.

The secret to a successful school year is to F.O.C.U.S. - Follow One Course Until Successful. And while that may ring true, HOW do you determine which course to follow? And, how can you stay the course in the midst of so many demands on your time, energy, and attention. We’ll tackle these questions today on this episode and I’ll share a really simple ONE plan you can use to identify the right things on which to focus, and drown out the other distractions #LikeABuilder. 

If you’ve been doing everything they told you to do—giving feedback, supporting teachers, holding people accountable, working on culture—and still not seeing real change in your school, I made this episode for you. I’m breaking down why it feels like you’re doing all the right things and nothing’s moving and showing you the hidden trap that’s keeping you stuck. So, if you’ve been feeling tired, discouraged, or like nothing’s moving no matter how hard you work, this episode will help you see what’s really going on and how to shift. You don’t need to do more. You need to do it differently. It’s time to stop doing leadership chores and start doing the work that actually moves your school  #LikeABuilder.

In this episode, I’m talking about the double isolation that so many principals silently carry: First, the weight of being the only one in their building who can’t show weakness, who’s expected to solve everything, and who rarely gets support in return. And second, the loneliness of being a Builder in a district full of status-quo thinking where no one else seems to believe that 100% student success is even possible. If you’ve ever felt like you’re the only one who wants more for your school, this episode is for you. I’ll share what’s really behind that isolation, why it’s not your fault, and what can happen when you stop trying to do this work on your own.

It’s go-time. The halls are getting decorated, the PD agendas are set, and you’re knee-deep in first-day prep. But here’s the hard truth: all that effort? It won’t build alignment. And if you’re not intentionally building alignment from Day 1, the best you can hope for is short-term compliance—and even that fades by fall.

In this episode, I’ll unpack:

• Why alignment feels impossible during the back-to-school scramble (and why it’s not your fault)
• The hidden trap even good principals fall into this time of year
• 3 simple shifts that can turn your staff from compliant to committed—even before school starts

If you’ve ever felt like you’re working harder than ever and still not getting the traction you want, this episode will show you what to do instead #LikeABuilder.