Leaning into Leadership
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.
Recent Episodes
291
Aug. 2, 2026
Episode 291: Live Your Passion Out Loud
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, and the Colorado mountains reminded him of the importance of reconnecting with the things that make
290
July 26, 2026
Episode 290: Before Staff Returns
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 asking, "Am I ready?" Drawing from his own experiences as a principal, superintendent, and leadership
289
July 22, 2026
Episode 289: The Blind Spots Holding Leaders Back
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 a coaching experience that revealed the hidden system keeping a leader overwhelmed, this episode e
288
July 19, 2026
Episode 288: Building Belonging Through Microinclusions with Tom Walls
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 create belonging, trust, and buy-in without requiring hours of preparation. Drawing from more than 3
287
July 12, 2026
Episode 287: Becoming the BISON - Leading Classrooms with Intention with Kim Gameroz
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, explains why bison run into storms instead of away from them, and introduces her powerful framew
286
July 5, 2026
Episode 286: Building the Bench - Growing the Next Generation of Leaders with Joshua Stamper
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 reflecting on transitions, stress, and the reality every leader faces — even the best plans encounter
285
June 28, 2026
Episode 285: The Future of School Leadership with Debra Wilson
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 experience supporting school leaders, Debra shares why today's educational challenges require leaders
284
June 21, 2026
Episode 284: Great Schools Start with Great Leadership Teams
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 principal stepping into a significantly expanded role, this team faced enormous challenges from day
283
June 17, 2026
Episode 283: Leadership Is the Intentional Creation of Conditions
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 philosophy that has quietly guided his work for years. Building on the response to his recent blog, I
282
June 14, 2026
Episode 282: The New School Leader's Playbook with Erika Bare & Tiffany Burns
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 Tiffany Burns, experienced school leaders and co-authors, for a practical conversation about survivin
281
June 7, 2026
Episode 281: Be the Light with Dr. Chris Culver
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 takes a deeper look at how belonging, empathy, neuroscience, and intentional leadership can transform t
280
May 31, 2026
Episode 280: Leadership in the Age of AI with Molly Rosen
What does leadership look like when the world is changing faster than ever before? In this episode of the Leaning Into Leadership podcast, Dr. Darrin Peppard sits down with Molly Rosen, Co-CEO of ProjectNext Leadership, for a powerful conversation about leadership transitions, succession development, organizational agility, and the growing impact of AI on leadership and workplace culture. Molly works with leaders across industries including tech, biotech, and entertainment, helping organizatio
279
May 24, 2026
Episode 279: Burn the Script with Jo Lein
In this episode, Darrin sits down with leadership coach and new author Jo Lein to explore what really drives change in people and organizations—and why most coaching efforts fall short when they focus only on skills. Jo introduces the concept of Disruptive Mindset Coaching, challenging leaders to move beyond surface-level fixes and address the beliefs that shape behavior. Topics Covered: The difference between skill gaps and belief barriers Why people aren’t “uncoachable”—they’re often opera
278
May 20, 2026
Episode 278: Compliance Can Control a Team. Alignment Can Transform One.
What happens when strong leaders slowly stop speaking? In this reflective solo episode, Dr. Darrin Peppard explores the hidden cost of compliance-based leadership cultures and the long-term impact they can have on trust, alignment, and organizational health. Drawing from personal leadership experiences, conversations with leaders around the country, and John Maxwell’s “Law of the Lid,” Darrin unpacks what happens when high-capacity leaders find themselves working in environments driven more by
277
May 17, 2026
Episode 277: Redefining Educator Professionalism with Dr. Nason Lollar
In this episode of Leaning Into Leadership, Darrin sits down with Dr. Nason Lollar to explore a topic often overlooked in leadership conversations—educator professionalism. Drawing from his book The Five Principles of Educator Professionalism, Nason introduces the TRUST framework, a practical approach to connecting individual behaviors with school culture. The conversation dives into how small, everyday actions—not just major incidents—shape the success, safety, and climate of a school. Key T
276
May 10, 2026
Episode 276: The Leadership TAP with Dr. Joy Karavedas
In this episode, Darrin sits down with Dr. Joy Karavedas to explore what it really means to develop leaders intentionally—and why that “tap on the shoulder” can be life-changing. Joy shares her journey into leadership and how her research revealed a powerful pattern: nearly every leader can point to a moment when someone saw their potential before they did. The conversation dives into: The importance of intentionally building a leadership pipeline Why performance alone isn’t enough to identi
275
May 3, 2026
Episode 275: From Compliance to Connection — Rethinking Classroom Engagement with Megan Diede
In this episode, Darrin sits down with Megan Diede to unpack one of the most pressing challenges in schools today: authentic student engagement. The conversation begins with a familiar frustration—classrooms full of students disengaged on devices—and quickly reframes the issue. It’s not about abandoning technology. It’s about being intentional and purposeful with instruction. Megan introduces a powerful shift in thinking: Engagement isn’t about activity—it’s about connection. Together, they
274
April 26, 2026
Episode 274: If Everyone Was Pulling the Same Direction...
In this final episode of the 3-part planning series, Darrin Peppard shifts from planning and preparation to something even more important—what happens when your plan meets reality. Through a candid story from his time as a superintendent implementing project-based learning, Darrin shares what worked, what didn’t, and the leadership lessons that emerged when execution didn’t match expectations. Because the truth is—most plans don’t fail in the planning phase. They fail in the implementation.
273
April 19, 2026
Episode 273: Why Most School Plans Fail (And What to Do Instead)
This month, we’ve been focused on one thing: building plans that don’t just sound good—but actually work. In this episode, Darrin is joined by Kathleen Beckham, Molly Dexter, and Brandon Mawhorter from digiCOACH for a real, unscripted conversation about what it takes to build—and execute—a plan that improves classroom instruction. This isn’t about theory. It’s about what actually moves the needle. Drawing from their experiences as educators, coaches, and system-level partners, Kathy, Molly,
272
April 15, 2026
Episode 272: 10 Leadership Moves You Can Make This Week
In this mid-week episode, Darrin steps away from long-range planning to focus on something just as powerful—small, intentional actions leaders can take right now. With only weeks left in the school year, it’s easy to feel stuck in the daily grind. But meaningful leadership doesn’t require a new initiative or a perfect plan. It comes from clear priorities, consistent actions, and intentional choices. In this episode, Darrin shares 10 practical leadership moves you can implement immediately to:
271
April 12, 2026
Episode 271: Planning Isn’t Enough—Here’s What to Do Before August
What Has to Be True by August? In Part 2 of this 3-part series on planning for the upcoming school year, Darrin shifts the focus from planning to preparation. You already know what you want to accomplish next year—but what are you doing right now to make that success possible? This episode challenges leaders to stop waiting for August and instead take intentional steps today that set the foundation for a strong start. Key Takeaways Preparation > Planning Planning identifies the goal. Prepara
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