Real Talk School Leadership with Dan Mault

The final weeks of the school year can feel like a whirlwind. Between report cards, field trips, awards ceremonies, classroom cleanup, assessments, and countless end-of-year tasks, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed while still trying to provide meaningful learning experiences for students. In this episode of Real Talk School Leadership , we explore practical, research-based strategies for finishing th...

In this episode of Real Talk School Leadership , we explore what might seem like an unexpected connection — what Disney can teach us about schools . From the moment you walk into a Disney park or resort, every detail is intentionally designed to create an unforgettable experience. The lighting, the music, the interactions, the storytelling — nothing is left to chance. And the more we step back and...

In this episode of Real Talk School Leadership , we take a step back from systems and strategies to focus on something that sits at the center of it all — understanding people. We spend a lot of time in education talking about curriculum, instruction, and outcomes. But the reality is, none of that works the way we want it to if we don’t truly understand the students in front of us, the colleagues...

What does it really take to prepare students for a future we can’t predict? In this episode of Real Talk School Leadership , Dan Mault introduces the core ideas behind his upcoming book, Creativity by Design: A Practical Guide to Innovation, Student Engagement, and Creative Teaching . This conversation dives into one of the biggest challenges facing schools today—how to move beyond compliance-driv...

In this episode of Real Talk School Leadership, we dig into something that often gets squeezed out of elementary schedules — play — and why research says that’s a mistake. If we truly want students who can think critically, solve complex problems, and innovate in a rapidly changing world, then play isn’t extra… it’s essential. Grounded in research from Jaak Panksepp, Stuart Brown, the American Aca...

In this episode of Real Talk School Leadership , I  explore how organizational climate and culture shape everything from collaboration and innovation to staff engagement and student success. Building on earlier conversations about thinking preferences, psychological safety, and the problem-solving process, this episode zooms out to examine the environments leaders and teams create every day, wheth...

In this episode of Real Talk School Leadership, we explore why psychological safety is the foundation of creativity, innovation, and meaningful change in schools and how leaders can intentionally build climates where both adults and students thrive. Building on earlier conversations about thinking preferences and the problem-solving process (Clarify, Ideate, Develop, Implement), this episode dives...

In this episode of Real Talk School Leadership , we builds on last week’s conversation about thinking preferences and dive deeper into how schools and organizations can turn good ideas into real impact. Using the FourSight problem-solving process — Clarify, Ideate, Develop, Implement — we explore why both the process and the people matter. You’ll hear how Clarifiers, Ideators, Developers, and Impl...

In this episode, I reflect on my J-term course Organizational Creativity and Innovation (led by Dr. Michael Ackerbauer - check out his Ted Talk here ) from the Creativity and Change Leadership program at Buffalo State University and how it’s reshaping the way I lead as a school principal. We dive into FourSight and thinking preferences, the 4 Ps of creativity through A Bug’s Life , and a great boo...