Leaning into Leadership

Darrin Peppard
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We all want to see successes in both our personal and professional lives. Often, that requires strong leadership. In a time when leadership can be more challenging than ever, this podcast is dedicated to cultivating leaders by elevating the voices of leaders and promoting positivity. Join Dr. Darrin Peppard, lifelong educator and best-selling author, for this mixed platform podcast (some solo, some guest interview) for inspiration and insight, and some great leadership stories from those are living it, excelling at it, and celebrating it. Together, let's lean into leadership.

  1. HACE 3 DÍAS

    Episode 263: Leadership Presence (Part 2)- Breaking Through the Chaos

    In Episode 262, we explored the hidden cost of distraction and how trust, psychological safety, and connection erode when leaders aren’t fully present. This is Part 2 of our three-part series on leadership presence. In this episode, Darrin focuses on why distraction keeps happening — and how to intentionally break through the cycle of overwhelm. Chaos isn’t loud. It’s cumulative. It’s the stacking of interruptions, back-to-back meetings, unresolved conversations, decision fatigue, and carrying problems that aren’t yours to carry. When leaders operate in survival mode, presence becomes nearly impossible. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why overwhelm — not incompetence — is the real issueThe difference between chaos being loud vs. cumulativeHow to engineer margin into your leadershipThe importance of calendar integrityWhy decision discipline protects your leadership capacityHow to clarify your Top Three priorities each weekHow to use a simple 15-Minute Weekly Presence Audit Plus, Darrin shares a free resource: 📥 The School Leaders Weekly Planner — a tool designed to help you schedule your priorities, build margin, and protect your presence. Download the free planner using the link here. Reflection Question: What on your calendar right now is stealing margin from the moments that matter most? Find one thing. Change one thing. Break the chaos. Build the margin. Protect the moments. Next up in Episode 264: The interpersonal work that makes leadership presence genuine and authentic. Thank you to our Amazing Sponsors This episode is sponored by DigiCoach, helping leaders capture real-time instructional data, provide meaningful feedback, and build clarity through strong systems. Go to digicoach.com and tell them you heard about them here on the Leaning into Leadership podcast for special partner pricing. This episode is also brought to you by HeyTutor, delivering high-impact, research-based tutoring that supports students while reducing leadership overwhelm. Connect with them at HeyTutor.com

    17 min

  2. HACE 6 DÍAS

    Episode 262: Leadership Presence (Part 1) - The Hidden Cost of Leadership Distraction

    This episode kicks off a powerful three-part series on leadership presence. In Part 1, Darrin explores the hidden cost of distraction and how leaders unintentionally erode trust, psychological safety, and emotional connection when they are not fully present. Through personal stories from his time as a high school principal, Darrin shares moments of realization when distraction cost him relational depth — and what those experiences taught him about culture and leadership. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why presence is not “soft” — it’s culture workThe three things that erode when leaders aren’t fully presentThe difference between productivity and true leadership impactWhy leadership is about stabilizing people, not just solving problemsA simple 60-Second Reset you can use before your next important conversation Reflection Question: Where this week does someone need the fully present version of you? This episode sets the foundation for Part 2, where we’ll explore how to intentionally create margin and break the patterns that keep leaders stuck in distraction. Thank you to our Amazing Sponsors This episode is brought to you by HeyTutor, delivering high-impact, research-based tutoring that supports students while reducing leadership overwhelm. Connect with them at HeyTutor.com This episode is also sponored by DigiCoach, helping leaders capture real-time instructional data, provide meaningful feedback, and build clarity through strong systems. Go to https://www.digicoach.com/ and tell them you heard about them here on the Leaning into Leadership podcast for special partner pricing.

    17 min

  3. 15 FEB

    Episode 261: Reclaiming Human Connection with Joe Beckman

    In Episode 261, I’m coming to you on location from Edmond, Oklahoma, where I had the opportunity to sit down with my friend Joe Beckman at the OASSP conference. Joe has spent more than 20 years traveling the world with one simple mission: reclaim human connection. And if we’re honest, that mission has never been more urgent. Loneliness is at an all-time high. Belonging and self-worth feel fragile. Technology is louder than conversation. So what does that mean for school leaders? In this conversation, Joe challenges us to rethink where connection lives on our priority list. It’s not one more thing on the plate. It is the plate. We talk about: Why connection must be the foundation of leadershipThe powerful “Chinette plate” analogy and what it means for cultureHow storytelling builds trust and opens students’ mindsWhy vulnerability accelerates connection in classroomsThe Big Tobacco → Big Tech comparison and what leaders must understandHow adults must model healthy tech boundariesWhy conferences and networks matter in fighting leadership isolationThe courage required to lean into difficult conversations Joe also shares how he is personally leaning into leadership right now by stepping into uncomfortable spaces and using his voice where it matters most. If you care about culture…If you care about your people… If you care about leading well in a distracted world… This episode is for you. Connect with Joe: www.joebeckman.com Thank you to our Amazing Sponsors This episode is sponored by DigiCoach, helping leaders capture real-time instructional data, provide meaningful feedback, and build clarity through strong systems. Go to https://www.digicoach.com/ and tell them you heard about them here on the Leaning into Leadership podcast for special partner pricing. This episode is also brought to you by HeyTutor, delivering high-impact, research-based tutoring that supports students while reducing leadership overwhelm. Connect with them at HeyTutor.com

    35 min

  4. 8 FEB

    Episode 260: Forward Together with George Couros - Leadership, Community, and Learning in Contentious Times

    In this episode of Leaning Into Leadership, I’m joined by George Couros, one of the most influential voices in education around innovation, culture, and human-centered leadership. George and I dig into his leadership journey — not from a place of “having it all figured out,” but from a place of learning out loud. We talk about how blogging helped him find his voice, not just share it, and why writing, reflection, and vulnerability matter more than ever for leaders. We also explore the ideas behind George’s newest book, Forward Together: Moving Schools from Conflict to Community in Contentious Times, including: Why trying to “win” arguments often pushes people further awayThe reality that somebody hates you — and why that shouldn’t drive your leadershipThe balance between comfort and challenge in professional learning (the “warm bath / cold shower”)How leaders can move communities forward during polarized, emotionally charged times We close with a powerful reflection on leadership and self-care, as George shares how prioritizing his health has changed not only how he leads — but how he models leadership for his own kids. This is an honest, thoughtful, and deeply human conversation about what leadership really looks like right now. You can learn more about George at his website Grab his new book on Amazon Here is the link to the blogpost I referenced in the show Thank you to our Amazing Sponsors This episode is brought to you by HeyTutor, delivering high-impact, research-based tutoring that supports students while reducing leadership overwhelm. Connect with them at HeyTutor.com This episode is also sponored by DigiCoach, helping leaders capture real-time instructional data, provide meaningful feedback, and build clarity through strong systems. Go to https://www.digicoach.com/ and tell them you heard about them here on the Leaning into Leadership podcast for special partner pricing.

    44 min

  5. 1 FEB

    Episode 259: ALIGN - The Antidote to the Cycle of Chaos in Leadership Teams

    Ever left a leadership team meeting feeling like it was so productive—then realized a week later nothing really changed? In this solo episode, Darrin unpacks why that gap between effort and impact is rarely about commitment—and almost always about clarity. Building on his “Cycle of Chaos” episode, he shares the ALIGN Framework, a practical system for strengthening team dynamics and keeping teams focused on what matters most. In this episode, you’ll learn:Why strong teams drift into reactivity when clarity is missingHow alignment breaks the Cycle of Chaos—not just “working harder”The ALIGN Framework for healthier team dynamics:A — Agree on the Vision and Goals: Ensure everyone can name the top priorities in the same languageL — Language and Communication: Teams don’t just make decisions—they carry the messageI — Intentional Role Clarity: Clear ownership prevents duplication, avoidance, and frustrationG — Growth Through Cross-Training: Build continuity and empathy without eroding rolesN — Navigate with Intention: Protect focus, pause before adding initiatives, and stay anchored to priorities Reflection questions to take back to your team:If I asked each team member privately, would they name the same top three priorities?Are we clear on what gets communicated, who communicates it, and how it’s framed?Where might I be stepping in that’s keeping someone else from stepping up?Are we moving the goal forward—or just filling the calendar? Support for leaders and teamsIf you’re thinking, “This sounds like my team, but we’re struggling to get there,” Darrin invites you to reach out for coaching, team support, or a leadership team alignment retreat designed to reset vision, roles, and priorities. Connect with Darrin: darrinpeppard.com | roadtoawesome.net | @darrinmpeppard Thank you to our Amazing Sponsors This episode is brought to you by HeyTutor, delivering high-impact, research-based tutoring that supports students while reducing leadership overwhelm. Connect with them at HeyTutor.com This episode is also sponored by DigiCoach, helping leaders capture real-time instructional data, provide meaningful feedback, and build clarity through strong systems. Go to https://www.digicoach.com/ and tell them you heard about them here on the Leaning into Leadership podcast for special partner pricing.

    30 min

  6. 25 ENE

    Episode 258: The Hidden Work - What Separates High Performers from Underachievers with Weston Kieschnick

    Weston Kieschnick has been in the work for a long time—as a classroom teacher, coach, author, and speaker—and this conversation feels like two colleagues reconnecting around what actually drives performance. We dig into Weston’s newest work and the idea that the gap between high performers and underachievers usually isn’t talent. It’s behavior—especially in the moments when adversity hits. In this episode, we explore:Why “hidden work” is the difference-maker when no one is watchingThe four performance pitfalls that derail people at every level:BlameExcusesSelf-deceptionGiving upThe flips that top performers lean into instead:OwnershipSolutionsTruthGritA Shark Tank green-room story with Barbara Corcoran that perfectly frames ownership vs. blameWhy feedback is the raw material for performance—and how self-deception blocks growthWeston’s take on “growability” and why self-awareness matters more than skill levelHow Weston is leaning into leadership right now: staying a learner, and learning from great leaders in every space Key takeawayWhen life gets hard, your default matters. You don’t rise to the level of your goals—you fall to the level of your patterns. This episode is a gut-check and a playbook. Connect with WestonFind Weston at WestonKieschnick.com and connect with him on social media to follow his work (and his “10-second truth” videos). Thank you to our Amazing Sponsors This episode is brought to you by HeyTutor, delivering high-impact, research-based tutoring that supports students while reducing leadership overwhelm. Connect with them at: https://heytutor.com/?utm_source=RTA&utm_medium=RTA&utm_campaign=RTA This episode is also sponored by DigiCoach, helping leaders capture real-time instructional data, provide meaningful feedback, and build clarity through strong systems. Go to https://www.digicoach.com/ and tell them you heard about them here on the Leaning into Leadership podcast for special partner pricing.

    41 min

  7. 21 ENE

    Episode 257: Escaping the Cycle of Chaos

    Leadership doesn’t fall apart overnight. More often, it slowly drifts into a pattern that feels overwhelming, exhausting, and reactive. In this solo episode, Darrin introduces The Cycle of Chaos—a framework that helps leaders name what they’re experiencing and begin interrupting the patterns that keep them stuck in survival mode. Rather than offering quick fixes or productivity hacks, this episode invites reflection, clarity, and intentional leadership. In this episode, you’ll hear about:Why feeling busy doesn’t always mean you’re being effectiveHow constant reactivity increases cognitive load and erodes clarityThe five stages of the Cycle of Chaos:Constant ReactivityHigh Cognitive LoadAbsence of ClarityOverextensionSurvival Mode LeadershipWhy leaders stay stuck in the cycle—and why it’s not a failureHow clarity becomes the starting point for real change This conversation is a reminder that leaders don’t need to work harder—they need to lead clearer. SponsorsThis episode is brought to you by HeyTutor, delivering high-impact, research-based tutoring that supports students while reducing leadership overwhelm. Additional support comes from DigiCoach, helping leaders capture real-time instructional data, provide meaningful feedback, and build clarity through strong systems.

    25 min

  8. 18 ENE

    Episode 256: Rethinking Intervention and Tutoring with Jennifer Sheffield

    School leaders everywhere are wrestling with the same challenge: How do we support students who are behind — without overwhelming teachers or relying on systems that don’t deliver results? In this episode of Leaning Into Leadership, Darrin Peppard sits down with Jennifer Sheffield, CEO of HeyTutor, for a grounded, practical conversation about what effective tutoring and intervention really look like in today’s schools. Jennifer brings a unique leadership lens — blending her background in law, governance, and education — to help leaders rethink how tutoring fits into MTSS, Tier 2 and Tier 3 supports, and daily school operations. In this episode, you’ll hear about:Why “tutoring” means very different things — and what defines high-impact tutoringThe biggest barriers schools face when implementing interventionsHow districts can address the human capital challenge without adding strain to teachersCreative push-in and pull-out models that work in middle and high schoolsWhy relationships and student champions matter as much as curriculumHow tutoring can become a pipeline for future educatorsWhat it means to lead with purpose, trust, and whole-person leadership Jennifer also shares a powerful personal story that shapes her leadership philosophy — reminding us that great leadership is ultimately about people, belief, and opportunity. Learn more:HeyTutor: https://www.heytutor.comContact Jennifer directly: jennifer@heytutor.com If you’re a school or district leader searching for intervention strategies that actually move the needle — this conversation will help you think differently. Episode Sponsors: This episode is sponsored by digiCOACH — an easy-to-use mobile platform that empowers school leaders to provide teachers with positive, actionable feedback tied to research-based instructional practices, with real-time data to support fidelity and instructional decision-making. Learn more at digicoach.com (mention the show for special partner pricing) This episode is also brought to you by HeyTutor - HeyTutor delivers customized, evidence-based, high-dosage Math and ELA tutoring to K–12 school districts nationwide. Their focus is on in-person tutoring, while also offering flexible online options — all tailored to meet diverse student needs and aligned with state standards. Head over to HeyTutor.com to learn more - tell them you heard about them on the Leaning into Leadership podcast.

    42 min
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We all want to see successes in both our personal and professional lives. Often, that requires strong leadership. In a time when leadership can be more challenging than ever, this podcast is dedicated to cultivating leaders by elevating the voices of leaders and promoting positivity. Join Dr. Darrin Peppard, lifelong educator and best-selling author, for this mixed platform podcast (some solo, some guest interview) for inspiration and insight, and some great leadership stories from those are living it, excelling at it, and celebrating it. Together, let's lean into leadership.

Información

  • Creador
    Darrin Peppard
  • Años de actividad
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodios
    264
  • Clasificación
    Apto
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 Darrin Peppard
  • Mostrar sitio web
    Leaning into Leadership

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