Episode 237: Family, Faith, and Fist Bumps with Dr. Zac Bauermaster

Darrin Peppard (00:00.682)

All right, my friends, welcome into episode 237 of the Leaning Into Leadership podcast. It is the end of September. Man, man, where did the summer go? It just flew by, didn't it? Man, I'm excited about today's episode, folks. My guest on the show is Dr. Zach Bauermester. And if you don't know Zach, I'll tell you this. Zach is an elementary school principal and he has gone viral.

for his interactions with students in the hallway. And certainly Zach is not the only person who's sharing and posting those interactions with kids in the hallway, but man, his high fives and his fist bumps have made him somebody that people have really, really gotten to know. Now I will tell you, I've known Zach since before he was posting these things and sharing them online.

and getting like 800 million views of high fives and fist bumps with kids in the hallway. And I will tell you the real story about Zach and you're going to learn that in today's podcast episode is Zach is a guy who is all about faith, all about family, and all about finding that sustainable leadership rhythm. During this episode, folks, we talk about how leaders can really align their priorities with their actions.

why encouragement matters now probably more than it ever has, and what it takes to stay grounded in the work as a school leader. This is a fantastic episode, folks. I'm super excited, but before we dive in, I've got a little teaser for you. I want to share something with you, but I can't tell you the whole thing yet. So in October, which is right around the corner, we have a big announcement.

from Roto Awesome. We have been working on something for months now and we are so excited to share. I will tell you it's going to be very, very evident what we were working on when we share this in a few weeks. I'll have a solo episode about the third Sunday in October where we'll really unveil everything. But folks, we're working on, there's a brand new website coming. There is maybe some.

Darrin Peppard (02:25.622)

some updates and some refresh of the Leaning Into Leadership podcast, some fresh content, some new tools, and a whole lot more. I cannot wait to share it with you. That's coming in October, and that's enough on that for right now, but be ready for that and be standing by because we're super excited to share that with you. Let's get into this episode though. Again, Zach Bowermaster.

We had such a wonderful conversation. Somebody that again, I had an opportunity to sit down and have some conversation with one on one a couple years ago at the NCMLE conference and somebody that I think super highly of. So let's dive into this conversation right now with Dr. Zach Bowermaster.

Darrin Peppard (00:01.134)

All everybody, welcome back into the Leaning Into Leadership podcast. With this particular conversation, I'm going to preface with this. A couple of months ago, my older sister reached out to me. She's not an educator. And she just simply shared with me an article that she had just seen in People Magazine online. And it was about this elementary school principal.

and how his videos, security videos, of him high-fiving kids have essentially gone viral. Well, it turns out that individual is Dr. Zach Bowermaster, who I've known for a while, have had an opportunity to spend some time with face-to-face a couple years ago at the NCMLE conference in Charlotte. So, of course, I reached out and said, Zach, we have to talk about this.

and just so many other things. So Zach, my friend, welcome into the show. It's so great to have some opportunity to just sit and talk leadership with you.

Zac Bauermaster @ZBauermaster (01:01.81)

Darren, awesome to be here. I appreciate the invite and I look forward to talking and seeing where the conversation takes us as well.

Darrin Peppard (01:08.492)

Yeah, absolutely. before, you know, before we jumped into this conversation, of course, the the lead in I talked a little bit about what your background is and, and a little bit of your bio, but maybe fill in the blanks a little bit, you know, kind of share with with our listeners and our viewers on YouTube, a little bit about who Dr. Zach Bowermaster is.

Zac Bauermaster @ZBauermaster (01:30.888)

Yeah, so I am. I like you said, I'm currently in elementary school principal, but I'm really I've just been blessed with a wonderful background in education where I started as a high school teacher. I taught three years at the high school level, five years at the middle school level. After eight years as a teacher, I got my first administrative job and I was a high school assistant principal, but also it was a dual role and I was administrator of online learning. After that, I was continuing my education during my doctorate and Superintendent letter of eligibility, so I wanted to see all levels. So there was a

AP opening at the elementary level of my district. So I became elementary AP.

And then since that point, I've been an elementary principal for four years. So in school leadership, I always say I have the opportunity to shake hands on stage at graduation, but also now as an elementary principal, just really greet kids and families with that first experience that they have with school. And often those experiences, those first experiences shape attitudes and beliefs for an entire schooling experience. So that's my...

That's my work as an educator. My family is really important to me. I'm married to my high school sweetheart, Carly. We have three young kids, Olivia's 13. She's in eighth grade, Elliot, she's 10, and she's in fifth grade. And Isaac, he is in third grade and he's eight years old. And we are in the thick of it just coaching youth sports. It's really a lot of fun coaching basketball, baseball, coaching softball. So we have a lot of fun with that right now. And on top of that, I do some writing and I do some speaking.

And as I said, my family is most important to me. And that's what I'll tell any leader.

Zac Bauermaster @ZBauermaster (03:06.462)

I hope so I have an assistant principal Mrs. Camerata and I hope if she really learns anything from me it's put your family first and I know when I'm leading my family well I feel like I'm leading better at school but if there's if there's a little disconnect at home and I'm struggling there at home I feel like I'm not leading as well at work so family is really important I make them a part of what we do they come to all the events here they travel with me if I'm speaking and we just make it we make it a family event together

Darrin Peppard (03:35.448)

So I think that's really, really important and it's going to take us in a direction I wasn't planning on going, but I think that's okay. Oftentimes, and I think you know this about me, but the primary focus of my work is to really lean into those early career leaders. I think each and every one of us, when we first step into that role, we find the struggles. There's all kinds of different ways that we struggle early in our leadership career.

but we all have different things that kind of make it difficult for us when we first step into those roles. And among them is that tendency to overwork or to be constantly at work, whether you're physically there or just mentally there. And so I really appreciate, Juan, that you talk so much about how important your family is and how you have worked to incorporate them.

let's do this, let's lean into those, those beginning, you know, novice leaders, those early career leaders. They're saying, Zach, that sounds wonderful, but you've been an administrator for a while, you've kind of figured it out. How does the early career leader start that way or start making moves in that direction so that they are kind of really focusing on

Zac Bauermaster @ZBauermaster (04:35.134)

Mm-hmm.

Zac Bauermaster @ZBauermaster (04:46.824)

Mm-hmm.

Darrin Peppard (05:00.171)

their family as much as they are on the job.

Zac Bauermaster @ZBauermaster (05:03.378)

Yeah, Darren, such a great question. And I continue to work on this as much as I say family first. I still, it's a work in progress all the time. And one concept I used to think about, maybe this can help early leaders.

new into a role. Like I don't think of a work-life balance. I think of a work-life rhythm because more than ever we take work home and more than ever work home goes to work. Like it's just all intertwined and I think what's had been helpful for me and I don't know where everyone's situation is with their family but finding a rhythm that works for their family when knowing hey it's the start of a school year this is going to be a lot right now and or it's the end of a school year and it's a lot but but ultimately it always ends up being a lot. But for example I've always struggled

I found early in educational leadership, I struggled in the month of October really bad. You fly out of the gate, you're really excited. So now my wife and I, whether it's just my wife and I or our entire family, we'll plan a trip over that time. Like we have a long weekend of Columbus Day weekend where we'll just plan a trip. But I really think back to, I was a high school AP and I was working a lot of hours and there was an evening.

where there was a time where probably six out of eight nights I missed getting home for dinner and I remember driving home on a Friday night and I couldn't wait to get home for two reasons to get caught up on rest and to get caught up on work and I remember when I got home on a Friday, how often do we do that? We just want the weekend so we can get caught up on work. Really? But I remember I walked in and my wife Carly said, Zach, I don't want to see your laptop out this weekend and I was like, uh-oh.

Darrin Peppard (06:25.133)

you

Darrin Peppard (06:30.315)

yeah. Yep.

Zac Bauermaster @ZBauermaster (06:40.124)

I need my laptop to do my work. And so the smart man I was, got up really early the next day and just started getting work done, but she got up early too. And then she shot me a glare, but I kept working. And then she did her morning devotion. She went downstairs and worked out. Then my daughter came out and sat in the couch. was like, no, I just need to finish one more thing.

And then my wife came upstairs as I'm still sitting there on my computer and my daughter, really young at the time, is sitting there. She shot me a glare. I knew I was in trouble. I followed her into the room. And I said, I just needed to finish one more thing. And she said, Zach, you always say you just have to finish one more thing. And she looked around. There was dirty laundry. There were toys. And she said, do you know what would happen if I focused on finishing one more thing all the time? Our relationships would suffer. Our relationship would suffer. Our relationship with the kids would suffer.

And she said, you don't always practice what you preach and we're the byproduct of it. And it just like I just think about that. There's always something more to be done. And that's tension we live in. Like there's always and we try to find that perfect balance, but we're not going to find it. And that was just a moment where she where I really thought about, hey, I say these things are my priorities, but my actions aren't aligning with my priorities. And I was she used that word byproduct, a secondary unintended result. And we see some

many leaders lose their way. We really do. And when I think about it from a family to a school, like sometimes in school leadership, you feel wanted, you feel needed. There's those dopamine hits all the time. And then when you're at home, it just can be tougher, more mundane tasks. And I think, I think sometimes we try to pull ourselves from those tasks and then we just

We dive into our work outside of our home. And then, as I said, there's always just that one more thing to finish all the time.

Darrin Peppard (08:34.145)

Yeah, well, that's yeah, you're you're taking me back, you know, a little bit to, you know, some of those times with me too. And and I know that that that my wife, Jess, probably said those exact same words to me. know, Darren, there's always one more thing to be done. We're probably not the only two administrators who have ever heard that one as well. But it's it's important. Yeah.

Zac Bauermaster @ZBauermaster (08:39.857)

Yeah.

Zac Bauermaster @ZBauermaster (08:47.344)

Yeah. Yeah.

Zac Bauermaster @ZBauermaster (08:54.544)

Yeah, and that that was yeah, it wasn't. Yeah, it wasn't the only time she had a conversation with me like that. Like we're at a much better spot now. But early on there was another Saturday morning and I was just making small talk. I could tell something was off and I was making small talk. She's like, you know why we don't have anything to say because we're drifting apart right now. And those are some of those powerful moments that I really encourage, especially young leaders in it. And I think about it too. I it's a the most read blog post.

ever wrote was called a vicious cycle rethinking how administrators spend their time on. But I think it resonated with people because it just talked about you know the chaos of a day. Like you're coming in, you're getting class coverages set up, you have an IEP meeting to attend, there's a discipline you need to close, a phone call you need to make. All those things going through your head but then you're in a meeting and then a teacher stops and sees you and says, hey can I just have one minute?

And then like all those things are happening all the time. And what happens to us, like as we talked about, we get to the weekend if I just make it to the break, but we take those breaks, we have the weekends, we have the vacations. But if we don't adjust how we're spending our time on his principles, we're one hour, we're two hour back after a vacation, it feels like we were never gone at all.

And so I learned that along the way too about just how you can best maximize your time during a day to be productive.

Darrin Peppard (10:25.623)

So let's dig into that a little bit because I think this is something, again, so many of us did struggle with it. So many of the leaders that I work with now, have a brand new leadership team that I just added on here just in the last couple of days. And in meeting with them yesterday, it was, it's a leadership team of two, a school of just under 400 kids, and they are both constantly firefighting.

Zac Bauermaster @ZBauermaster (10:27.718)

Yeah. Yeah.

Zac Bauermaster @ZBauermaster (10:51.55)

Yeah.

Darrin Peppard (10:56.043)

You know, they want to be in classrooms. They want to be in the hallways, but they just can't, you know, manage their time better. Some of it is delegation. Some of it is systems. I'm going to coach them through all these things, but you just talked a little bit about how, how you do that. Maybe unpack it a little further. What are some strategies you use to ensure that your time is aligning with your priorities?

Zac Bauermaster @ZBauermaster (11:06.622)

Yeah.

Yeah.

Zac Bauermaster @ZBauermaster (11:22.31)

Yeah, I so I actually steal that stole this method from Kerry Newhoff's book at your best and he talks about breaking your day into zones a green zone a yellow zone and a red zone and a green zone is when you are you are at your best it is when you are sharpest it's when you can go into that deep work where you need to really think and for me that's morning so I actually try to do that work and it sometimes it does involve my schedule I wake up early

But sometimes it involves, I want to get that green zone work complete before I even come in contact with anyone, especially in a role like educational leadership, because you never know where that day could go. So I want to still make sure I'm getting that deep work done.

And then the yellow zone is where, actually I'll go to the red zone. It's when you're fried. And sometimes we try to do green zone work when we're in the red zone. And then we just get frustrated. you're sometimes a task that can take me five minutes in the morning when I'm sharp. I might be trying to do it at four o'clock in the afternoon and it takes me 50 minutes and I'm still not getting it because that's not a sharp time for me. And that's where I've learned, hey, that's when I just send some emails. That's when I return phone calls in that red zone where I'm not trying to force all this

creative work at all times and that yellow work is just in between. Like almost let's say you want to plan a meeting or you're planning a faculty meeting, you want to do that work in the green zone, but you can be able to implement and share that out in the yellow zone. You don't have to be your absolute sharpest.

for delivering the content, although it does help to feel to feel sharp. But then that red zone is is those tasks where, I'm pretty much fried, but I'm still at work. And for me, sometimes early afternoon, I try to be in the cafeteria and there might be one task I want to complete, but I can't get into it. So then I try my best to prioritize really being in classrooms at that point as well. But like you, you touched on systems are so important systems and and delegation and not taking on

Zac Bauermaster @ZBauermaster (13:22.853)

not leaving a meeting with your name beside everything that needs to be done after a meeting. we're really, and I feel like these terms get said a lot, but empowering, like learning the gifts and talents of the people around you, and then allowing them to use their gifts and talents.

Darrin Peppard (13:27.148)

Right.

Darrin Peppard (13:39.617)

Yeah, super powerful stuff there, man. I like that a lot. And when you're able to do that, then that allows you to, like you said, you know, go and be in the classrooms and really lean into your presence. And so that I want to kind of transition a little bit into what has become these viral videos of you with your kids in the hallway. People Magazine, I mean, all kinds of different, you know,

Zac Bauermaster @ZBauermaster (13:54.408)

Yeah.

Zac Bauermaster @ZBauermaster (13:57.938)

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Zac Bauermaster @ZBauermaster (14:03.422)

Yeah.

Darrin Peppard (14:06.196)

you know, things people connecting with you and just saying, wow, this is so cool. Talk a little bit about maybe kind of the genesis of sharing out those videos. just you were even saying just before we hit record that like you continue to unpack this and you continue to maybe reflect and learn some things about this. So I'll just let you run with that.

Zac Bauermaster @ZBauermaster (14:17.939)

Yeah.

Zac Bauermaster @ZBauermaster (14:24.765)

Yeah.

Zac Bauermaster @ZBauermaster (14:30.351)

Yeah, I think part of it is, you know, it's something we do every day at Providence Elementary School, whether it's fist bumps, high fives, we have something specific called Fist Bump Friday where we really celebrate being encouragers.

And you know, I wanted to show school from the inside out and just show, Hey, I want to show some of these things that are happening because I'll be the first. And I love, actually love when I can speak and share because I'll be the first to tell you I'm the one who pulled the camera footage. And I understand that. Um, but, but one of it is just finding ways to encourage. And here's what, here's what I found. The one video has like 382 million views on Instagram and, 20, almost 23 million likes.

But it's not about that at all. And what I'm finding is it's more of those direct messages that I'm getting because when people resonated with it in some way, like people saw themselves in those videos in some way where they could name that specific principal or teacher that they connected with in that specific moment that they had that really helped shape their life and who they are today. But I also receive messages from people who will say things like, that's all I needed.

I just needed one person to notice me and my whole life could have been different. Somebody else reached out and said, that's the fist bump I never knew I needed. And so I'm just unpacking all these different stories that are coming in. And part of getting to the root of why I do it, I was teaching seventh grade and I was leading a meeting and I got hit.

with a panic attack and it caused me to pass out. And so I had been battling anxiety and depression. So I was a seventh grade social studies teacher. was coaching basketball. I was married to my high school sweetheart. I had two beautiful daughters at the time. Everything looked good on the outside, but on the inside I was really struggling and I was hiding it. I was keeping it all to myself and

Zac Bauermaster @ZBauermaster (16:35.294)

And faith guides my steps. So I was in the Word. I was reading the Bible. I was praying. And it was just a really difficult time. But as I was leading this meeting, I passed out. And when I came to, I remember saying my name's Zach, Zach. And I was surrounded by the school nurse, some of the teachers, the assistant principal. And I never, like I'm 6'3", 225 pounds. I never felt more vulnerable or embarrassed than.

My brother-in-law who's a teacher had to take me home that day. My wife met me in the kitchen and I just cried because I'd started to share some of what I was struggling with. And I remember thinking like, how am I going to move forward from this? And the next day I went in and the first thing I did was I went in my principal's office with my principal, Mr. Gladfelder, and the assistant principal, Mr. Dolan. And I said, and I started sharing just everything I was struggling with. And Mr. Gladfelder looked at me and he said, Zach, out of all the people in this school, you're the last person I would have expected to be going through something like this.

And then as I got up, we talked, and as I got up, they gave me fist bumps. Like, basically like, hey, we're in your corner here.

It's like I think about what I was going through and knowing no one would have expected it So as these kids and as these staff members any whether it's in our homes to our work We don't know what people are going through But I just want people to know that they're seen and they're valued and I do want to share this So many educators already do this and I know it just and I think that's what's awesome about educators It's those little moments that make a big difference and and often in education. That's what's tough. It's those seeds were planted

that we may never even see grow. We really may not. But the impact that educators are having and I mean that's that's part of what I'm still

Zac Bauermaster @ZBauermaster (18:20.562)

you know, breaking down just everything with the video, some of these messages coming in. But I'm by far not the only one who likes to have fun in school, make school a place where kids want to come. And as principals, to make school a place kids want to come, we need to be a place where teachers want to be and a place that families trust and are proud to send their kids. So I encourage, I really encourage staff to just truly take care of them.

themselves and try to create that environment so that they can they can pour into the kids and be those people for the kids as well.

Darrin Peppard (18:58.419)

Yeah, I think it's about being intentional to build that culture where people feel that they really are seen and valued like you said. And I know that that connects back to some of your written work. You talk about being an author and certainly leading with a humble heart, leading with people, your six pillar framework for fruitful leadership.

Zac Bauermaster @ZBauermaster (19:18.557)

Mm-hmm.

Darrin Peppard (19:28.357)

I know you have some other books that just came out. We'll put links for all the books down in the show notes, by the way, folks, but pick one that you'd like to talk about. I think surely this connects to the leading with people, but whichever direction you would like to go, let's maybe talk about some of that written work that you have done and how it just reflects what you're about in your building.

Zac Bauermaster @ZBauermaster (19:42.972)

Yeah.

Yeah.

Zac Bauermaster @ZBauermaster (19:52.402)

Yeah.

Zac Bauermaster @ZBauermaster (19:56.902)

Yeah, and I would say they're like in a way they're all just they're all tied together. They really are. And as I said, just my my faith in God and walk with Jesus is so important to me because I really believe and that's why I've written a lot of devotionals. The importance of filling ourselves now we can feel like it is important to eat right. It's important to exercise. It's important to take care of ourselves. But but for me.

just pouring the word of God and being in prayer because I think about every morning I pour my cup of coffee. Like I'm that empty cup every morning that needs filled every morning. And that's why I start my day in prayer and in the word, because I know I need to be filled so then I can overflow and pour in like pouring to other people because leadership is heavy work where you, you know, we're called to rejoice with those who rejoice and mourn with those who mourn. we face a lot.

You have no idea what's coming at you each day in leadership. And that's why I want to make sure, like I'm a steadfast, I want to be a steadfast leader. That idea of being dutifully firm and unwavering. And that's why it's so important to me. And for example, leading with people, I talk about, we want to have these pillars in leadership. And I use the people acronym. We want to prioritize people. When we build trust, we can then empathize with them. But leadership's

It's not knowing everyone's story. It's understanding everyone has a story, but then not stopping at empathy, but observing the needs, the O and responding with compassion, that empathy and action. And then the P is praying for and with people, the L is loving people and the E is encouraging people. But with any pillars, what do pillars need to stand on? It's the foundation. So I really, I'm, I'm so passionate about leaders, leaders taking care of their foundation, like building their foundation.

but also continuing to maintain their foundations so those pillars can stand.

Darrin Peppard (21:55.839)

just such important stuff right there. And I'm sure that, you know, that's the, that's the walk that you're walking every day that you are in your school. And, and, know, having the opportunity to lead those people who are there, I think just, just as really, really meaningful stuff. We're, we're at that point now, I'm going to ask you the same question, ask everybody here on the podcast. It's always my, my, my final question. This is the Leaning Into Leadership podcast. So Zach, tell me, how are you leaning into leadership?

Zac Bauermaster @ZBauermaster (22:03.165)

Yeah.

Darrin Peppard (22:25.821)

in addition to all the stuff you've already shared.

Zac Bauermaster @ZBauermaster (22:28.818)

Yeah, so I like when I think of that just leaning into leadership, I think it leaning into it's those things like those things that you're excited about, passionate about, just just leaning in and all in. And I think how I'm leaning into it, it's almost combining everything I'm talking about where like we need to be leading wherever we are.

Like I can't just, can't be leading one way at work and come home and not doing that or as a youth, as a youth coach, but just pouring into it. So I think what I'm doing now is I'm trying to reestablish my, my leadership habits. love, I love waking the way I do it is I wake up early and I love when it's still dark and I, and I love the model of Jesus. He would always wake up while it was still dark and go find a private place and pray. And, he would often, he was always, he always had crowds around him. And so.

he was telling stories, but then he would withdraw to the mountainside and replenish himself. So the way I lead into leadership is that idea of withdrawing and reentering. Like just getting into that pattern of withdrawing and reentering because I love the poor end of people, but I know I need to be refilled. So stepping away, withdrawing and reentry to really strengthen and be at my best. But on top of that, just that rhythm then too of getting up and setting a good example of

like I think about the example I'm setting for my family where you know I'm working out and I'm getting that I'm exercising to be it because I know I'm at my best when I'm exercising and when I'm eating right so I can really pour into other people but I think when I think about how am I leaning into it I think it's I think it is that withdrawal and reenter withdrawal and reenter that's a great rhythm for leaders to have

Darrin Peppard (24:14.792)

Yeah, absolutely. Well, and you you said it early on, if we're not taking care of ourselves, it's really hard for us to lead and take care of others. certainly people, if they're not already connected with you, they're going to want to get connected with you. What are some of the best ways to get in touch with you, to grab the four books that you've written and, know, just simply to follow some of the content that you're sharing?

Zac Bauermaster @ZBauermaster (24:20.243)

Yeah.

Zac Bauermaster @ZBauermaster (24:41.788)

Yeah, thanks Darren. So my website is ZachBowermaster.com. You can reach out to me there on Instagram, Facebook, X at Z Bower Master and the books are all available on Amazon.

Darrin Peppard (24:55.674)

Absolutely. Awesome. So we'll put all of that stuff in the show notes again so that people have the opportunity to get connected with you to check out some of the amazing work that you are doing there in Pennsylvania and all over the country as you're out and about speaking and some of those kinds of things. So man, I really appreciate it. It was great to sit down and have a conversation with you and to get reconnected with you. So thanks so much for joining me here on the Leading Into Leadership podcast.

Zac Bauermaster @ZBauermaster (25:23.428)

Darren, thank you for having me. Appreciate it.

All right, folks, what a great conversation there and just what a treat to sit down with Zach and have some conversation with him. Everything you need to know about Zach is down there in the show notes.

Go hit his website, buy his books, follow this guy on social media, pay attention to him. He is so much more than just high fives and fist bumps. There is true hardcore substance to this guy as a leader. He is somebody you want to follow. So go check him out down in the show notes. And now it is time for a pep talk. So again, it's the end of September and I will tell you this week in several coaching calls.

I had conversations with leaders who are all going through about the same thing this time of year. The honeymoon is long over. At this point, probably every leader is dealing with some type of a personnel issue, dealing maybe with some student challenges, maybe even dealing with some long-term goals that aren't already clearly going to get met. And you're starting to make some modifications.

Folks, that is a normal, normal thing in leadership. We know that the best laid plans, once we get going, sometimes they change. Mike Tyson once said famously, everybody has a plan until they get punched in the mouth. And yeah, by the end of September, that's pretty much how we all feel. This week's pep talk is not at all about here's a strategy or here's something to do, but just simply me telling you, you've got a cheerleader.

Darrin Peppard (04:50.995)

You've got somebody who is rooting for you and who's going to tell you, Hey, take a breath, jump up on the balcony for just a couple of minutes, get yourself out of the weeds and take a look around, get yourself reoriented because it's one thing to maybe have made a misstep or to get pulled off of the focus that you had, but to continue to go down that road without taking that step and getting yourself reoriented.

that would be the leadership mistake. Getting to this point now, not a mistake at all. It's normal. Everybody's going through it. So the correction here is just simply to get up out of the weeds, get on the balcony, take a look around and say, yeah, this is our path forward. Everybody follow me. We've got this. Hey, that's what I got for you this week, folks. Thank you so much for joining me here on the Leaning Into Leadership podcast. As always, get out there, have a road to awesome week.