The Principal's Office Podcast

Leaders Building Leaders

Dr. Tom Miller understands the unique set of challenges facing both aspiring and experienced charter school leaders today. Tom has spent more than two decades at the forefront in school leadership. First as an exceptional children’s teacher who worked his way into a middle school principal position. When he wrote his dissertation on the Characteristics of Effective Charter Schools, he was recruited by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction to be a statewide consultant. Through his certification through the John Maxwell Team, he started his own business facilitating elite-level leadership development and executive coaching to school and business leaders seeking to navigate a course from success to significance. Tom lives in Raleigh, North Carolina, he is the father of two and the lucky husband of one beautiful wife, Jennifer.

  1. Episode #228: From Drift to Execution- A 90-Day Plan for Charter School Leaders

    3D AGO

    Episode #228: From Drift to Execution- A 90-Day Plan for Charter School Leaders

    Most charter school improvement plans don’t fail because they’re poorly written. They fail because execution breaks down underneath the plan. In this short message, I explain: Why leadership alignment matters more than strategy Where doubt, assumptions, and culture drift quietly undermine progress How charter leadership teams can build traction before summer This video introduces the framework behind the Charter School Accelerator, a 10-week execution program built around The Ten Indicators of High-Performing Charter Schools. If you’re a charter school leader who wants: • Clear leadership alignment • Stronger accountability systems • Measurable movement on your improvement plan • A summer planning season built on momentum Comment Momentum or learn more or apply here: 👉 https://www.leaders-building-leaders.com/charteraccelerator

    7 min
  2. Episode #227: Why Charter Schools Fail: The Governance Conversations Boards Avoid

    FEB 4

    Episode #227: Why Charter Schools Fail: The Governance Conversations Boards Avoid

    Schools don’t fail overnight—they drift when hard governance conversations are avoided. Dr. Tom Miller explores why boards struggle with accountability, the assumptions that undermine leadership, and the one question every board must be willing to ask. This episode is a must-listen for charter school board members, executive leaders, and anyone responsible for stewarding a school’s mission.

    11 min
  3. Episode #226: Leaders Don’t Drift on Purpose: A 90-Day Leadership Reset

    JAN 8

    Episode #226: Leaders Don’t Drift on Purpose: A 90-Day Leadership Reset

    Leadership drift doesn’t happen overnight. It happens quietly — through unclear priorities, avoided conversations, and unexamined patterns. In this episode, I share a 90-day leadership reset built for school administrators and executive leaders who want to move from reaction to intention. We’ll talk about: Why communication and accountability patterns matter more than new initiatives How your calendar reveals your real priorities The leadership decisions you can’t delegate What to focus on in the next 90 days — and what to stop carrying This episode is less about planning and more about honesty. Because growth doesn’t start with a plan — it starts with clarity. Links for your growth: How to Prioritize: https://www.leaders-building-leaders.com/How-to-prioritize-time Daily Thoughts: https://www.leaders-building-leaders.com/subscribe Chess not Checkers: https://www.leaders-building-leaders.com/empowerment-and-delegations-2 15 Minute Miracle: https://www.leaders-building-leaders.com/Time-Management-Tool

    31 min
  4. Episode 225: Lesson 3: The Culture Equation: How Doubt + Assumptions Erode Trust

    12/11/2025

    Episode 225: Lesson 3: The Culture Equation: How Doubt + Assumptions Erode Trust

    Culture doesn’t collapse because of one dramatic event. It erodes slowly — through the emotional and relational gaps leaders don’t see. In Lesson 3 of this leadership mini-series, we tie everything together: how doubt forms internally, how assumptions grow relationally, and how the combination quietly destroys team alignment, trust, and clarity inside schools. This episode introduces The Culture Equation — a simple but powerful framework that reveals the true pathway of culture drift: Emotion – Information = Assumption Assumption + Silence = Drama Drama + Time = Erosion Erosion + Avoidance = Culture Collapse When leaders understand this equation, everything makes sense — the conflict patterns, the miscommunication cycles, the trust issues, and the frustration that builds between team members. In this episode you’ll learn: How doubt creates emotional space inside a leader How assumptions fill that space with negative stories Why resentment grows when gaps remain unaddressed The FOUR Culture Gaps (Expectation, Communication, Alignment, Emotional) How each gap quietly chips away at trust The five practices of high-performing leaders that prevent culture erosion The “Culture Reset Conversation” every leader must master How to rebuild clarity, confidence, and connection in your school culture This closing lesson brings the entire series full circle — and gives you practical tools to reset your culture before the cracks widen. If you lead people, this is a must-listen. If the series helped you, leave a review and share it with another school leader who needs it. Holiday Special: https://lbleaders.mykajabi.com/offers/F3GVJiQs/checkout

    33 min
  5. Episode 224: Lesson 2: The Most Dangerous Form of Leadership: Assumptions

    12/05/2025

    Episode 224: Lesson 2: The Most Dangerous Form of Leadership: Assumptions

    Assumptions are the most dangerous form of leadership — not because they’re loud, but because they’re silent. In this second episode of the 3-part leadership series on Doubt, Assumptive Leadership, and Cultural Erosion, we expose how assumptions quietly destroy trust, relationships, clarity, and alignment inside schools. Assumptions don’t start with behavior. They start in your mind — in the stories you create when you don’t have all the information. And because leaders operate under immense pressure, these stories often turn into: resentment miscommunication broken trust culture drift In this episode, you’ll learn: What’s inside Lesson 2: Why “in the absence of information, we assume the worst” The 5 types of assumptions that erode school culture How assumptions form when doubt is left unaddressed The “Assumption Gap” and how it grows silently inside teams Warning signs you’re leading by assumption (not fact or truth) My real-life 7:30 classroom-door story and what it revealed How assumptive leadership wastes emotional energy and damages relationships Three proven strategies to eliminate assumptions from your leadership: Clarifying expectations Declaring noble intent Leading with questions instead of narratives How to transform assumptions into observations and productive conversations Assumptions are common — but they are not harmless. This lesson gives you practical tools to eliminate assumptive leadership and rebuild trust one conversation at a time. This sets the stage for Lesson 3, where we tie it all together and show how doubt + assumptions = culture erosion — and how to reverse the entire cycle.

    30 min
  6. Episode 223: Lesson 1: DOUBT: The Silent Enemy:

    12/05/2025

    Episode 223: Lesson 1: DOUBT: The Silent Enemy:

    Doubt is one of the most silent and persistent forces in leadership — and it takes more principals out of the game than burnout, conflict, or workload ever will. In this first episode of our 3-part leadership series, we break down the truth about doubt: what it is, why it shows up, and how it quietly erodes confidence, clarity, and culture inside schools. Drawing from insights from my mentor Paul Martinelli and 20+ years of leading and coaching school administrators, this episode will help you understand doubt as more than an emotion—it’s a signal, a teacher, and sometimes a trap. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why even highly successful leaders wrestle with doubt The 5 types of doubt that show up in school leadership How doubt creates the emotional space where assumptions grow Why doubt is not a weakness—but silence around it is How doubt turns into hesitation, overthinking, and poor decision-making The mindset shift every leader needs to break the doubt cycle The truth vs. fact distinction that can transform your confidence How to move into 2026 with clarity, purpose, and conviction Doubt never disappears—but how you interpret it determines whether it becomes a catalyst for growth or a weapon against your potential. This episode sets the foundation for Lesson 2 on Assumptive Leadership—the behavior that destroys trust faster than anything else in schools.

    26 min
  7. Book Session #5: Parent Engagement and Effective Governance

    04/02/2024

    Book Session #5: Parent Engagement and Effective Governance

    In this final book study episode, we discuss the keys to healthy and effective governance and how a high performing school leader engages families. Grab your copy of the book and supplemental resources at: www.tenindictors.com

    1h 12m
  8. Book Study Session #4: Fiscal Vitality, Operations and Capacity

    03/28/2024

    Book Study Session #4: Fiscal Vitality, Operations and Capacity

    Cash is the oxygen that drives the overall programming, however, understanding what drives vitality and programming. Our team talks through the best practices when it comes to charter school finances, operation and capacity based on the book, The Ten Indicators of High Performing Charter Schools. go to: www.tenindicators.com to learn more about the book.

    1h 15m
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Ratings & Reviews

4.9
out of 5
9 Ratings

About

Dr. Tom Miller understands the unique set of challenges facing both aspiring and experienced charter school leaders today. Tom has spent more than two decades at the forefront in school leadership. First as an exceptional children’s teacher who worked his way into a middle school principal position. When he wrote his dissertation on the Characteristics of Effective Charter Schools, he was recruited by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction to be a statewide consultant. Through his certification through the John Maxwell Team, he started his own business facilitating elite-level leadership development and executive coaching to school and business leaders seeking to navigate a course from success to significance. Tom lives in Raleigh, North Carolina, he is the father of two and the lucky husband of one beautiful wife, Jennifer.

Information

  • Creator
    Leaders Building Leaders
  • Years Active
    2016 - 2026
  • Episodes
    241
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © All rights reserved
  • Show Website
    The Principal's Office Podcast