Most leadership decisions are handed down instead of developed.
Former superintendent Wade Stanford believes that inviting people into a meeting does not automatically make a decision collaborative. When leaders arrive with the answer already determined, they may be creating compliance, not genuine ownership.
In this episode of Z-Rated Success: The Decision Lab for Education Leaders, Wade draws from 43 years in education, including 10 years as a superintendent, to share practical lessons about listening, student voice, shared leadership, communication, and turning vision into execution.
Nick and Wade discuss:
- Why leaders must listen to understand
- How one parent caused Wade to reconsider a school rule
- Why leaders do not have time not to listen
- The difference between delegation and shared leadership
- How ego can prevent others from contributing
- Why every idea deserves to be heard and respected
- How leaders can protect educators’ personal time
- Why strong visions lose momentum during execution
- What superintendents carry that others may never see
- How to develop leaders who multiply leadership
Wade also explains how his advisory work with Matt Yeager and MJYC helps superintendents and leadership teams strengthen decision-making, build leadership capacity, and create sustainable systems for execution.
Connect with Wade Stanford:
wstanford@mjycgroup.com
Learn more about Z-Rated Success:
Visit zratedsuccess.com
Bring Nick Zizi’s Decision Lab keynote or training to your campus, district, or conference:
Visit nickzizi.com