Leaning into Leadership

You know the work matters. You want to get into classrooms, address that difficult conversation, or revisit the priorities your team identified back in August. So what keeps getting in the way of beginning? In this special midweek episode of Leaning Into Leadership , Darrin Peppard shares a conversation with a principal during a coaching visit in Omaha, Nebraska. One observation—“It’s the start th...

Being busy can feel like progress. Having answers can feel like confidence. Keeping your door open can feel like good leadership. But when was the last time you stopped to question whether those habits are helping you lead? Dr. Christopher Jones returns to Leaning Into Leadership after first joining the show in episode 42 . A veteran high school principal, Chris brings honest stories and practical...

What does it mean to face life's most difficult storms rather than run from them? And how do the challenges we experience personally shape the way we show up as leaders? In this powerful and deeply personal episode of  Leaning Into Leadership , Darrin sits down with longtime friend, fellow University of Wyoming doctoral graduate, and retired high school principal  Craig Woodall , author...

What happens when the person everyone turns to needs someone to turn to? October is National Principals Month, and Dr. Darrin Peppard is sharing one of his most personal leadership stories yet. During his years as a high school principal, Darrin once drove to the top of a mountain for one simple reason: he needed somewhere he could scream. It was a moment that reflected the emotional weight of lea...

What separates a group of talented people from a truly great team? In Episode 301 of Leaning Into Leadership , Darrin sits down with executive coach and global educator Gaby Jordan to explore what it takes to build what she calls champion teams —teams grounded in connection, honesty, trust, and a shared commitment to something bigger than themselves. Gaby brings a unique perspective to leadership....

Three hundred episodes. For this milestone edition of Leaning Into Leadership , I wanted to do something different. Instead of looking back by myself, I invited six incredible leaders—and people who have become an important part of my own journey—to join me for a conversation about leadership, growth, relationships, and the people who help us become better versions of ourselves. Joining me for Epi...

What if flourishing at work didn't require a massive life overhaul? In this episode of Leaning Into Leadership , Darrin welcomes back speaker, educator, and soon-to-be author Phil Januszewski for a high-energy conversation about happiness, relationships, and the small choices that can make demanding work more sustainable. After 20 years in the classroom, Phil stepped away from teaching to speak fu...

What if resistance isn’t something leaders need to overcome? In Episode 298 of the Leaning Into Leadership Podcast, Darrin sits down with Becca Silver, CEO and founder of The Whole Educator and author of The Resistance Solution , for a powerful conversation about what is really happening when educators push back against change. Becca challenges leaders to stop labeling people as “resistant” and in...

What happens when growth doesn’t solve your problems—but actually makes them bigger? In Episode 297 of Leaning Into Leadership, Dr. Darrin Peppard sits down with entrepreneur, Marine veteran, and business leader Ron Nussbaum for a conversation about entrepreneurship, problem solving, challenging the status quo, and what it really takes to build something that matters. Ron shares the story behind B...

What if the goal of great teaching isn’t getting students to comply, but creating the conditions where they genuinely want to engage? In this episode of Leaning Into Leadership , Dr. Darrin Peppard sits down with educator, school leader, author, and founder of Terry Leadership Group, Kendall Terry , for a conversation about what happens when schools stop focusing primarily on what teachers are doi...

Leadership comes with expectations. Be steady. Be available. Support your people. Make the difficult decisions. Carry the pressure. But what happens when the person everyone looks to for support needs support too? In this episode of Leaning Into Leadership , Darrin sits down with organizational psychologist, former therapist, and author Melissa Doman for an honest and practical conversation about...

The beginning of a school year brings an energy that is hard to match. The building is ready, staff members are reconnecting, priorities have been established, and leaders walk into the year determined to lead with clarity and intentionality. Then the students arrive. Suddenly the emails pile up, meetings fill the calendar, parent concerns emerge, staffing challenges demand attention, and the urge...

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 li...

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 "Wh...

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, a...

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 ask...

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...

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...

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...

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 re...

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 exp...

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 p...

What if leadership isn't about carrying more? What if the true responsibility of a leader isn't solving every problem but intentionally creating the conditions where other people can do their best work? In this special solo episode of Leaning Into Leadership , Dr. Darrin Peppard reflects on a week of leadership coaching, keynote speaking, and executive development that led him to articulate a phil...

Landing your first leadership position is exciting...until reality sets in. The meetings, the emails, the difficult conversations, the angry parents, and the constant interruptions can quickly pull new administrators away from the work they were most excited to do: leading people and supporting learning. In this episode of Leaning Into Leadership , Dr. Darrin Peppard is joined by Erika Bare and Ti...

Dr. Chris Culver returns to Leaning Into Leadership for a powerful follow-up conversation centered around his new book, Be the Light: The Science of Kindness and the Power of Belonging . If you enjoyed Chris's first appearance on Episode 214: The Science of Kindness , you're going to love where this conversation goes next. While Episode 214 explored the research behind kindness, this discussion ta...