Episodes

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...

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 ...

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, u...

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 s...

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 a...

This week kicks off a three-part solo series focused on one critical question: How do we actually plan for success in the coming school year? April is a time when leaders are deep in planning—budgets, staffing, schedules, and...

In this episode of the Leaning Into Leadership podcast, Dr. Darrin Peppard takes on a challenge that quietly impacts even the strongest leadership teams: misalignment . You can have talented, committed leaders who care deeply...

In this episode, Darrin sits down with Brooke Dukes to explore a challenge that many leaders face—but often don’t recognize: Becoming the bottleneck. We talk about how this happens unintentionally, why it’s so common among hi...

One of the most rewarding parts of hosting Leaning Into Leadership is hearing from listeners who are doing the work every day. In this episode, Darrin responds to a question from a first-year principal in upstate New York who...

Leadership today often feels like navigating constant change. Volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity are realities many leaders face daily. But resilience is not about simply pushing through the chaos — it’s about...

One of the most common mistakes schools make is confusing a resource with a curriculum. A textbook gets adopted. A program is purchased. A shiny new initiative is rolled out. And suddenly everyone says, “Great… we have a curr...

This is Part 3 of a three-part series on leadership presence. In Episode 262, we explored the hidden cost of distraction and how trust and psychological safety erode when leaders aren’t fully present. In Episode 263, we discu...

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 ...

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...

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 si...

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 journe...

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—...

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 Westo...

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 leader...

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 Lead...

In this special shared episode, Darrin Peppard and Dr. Frederick Buskey —host of The Assistant Principal Podcast —tackle a challenge leaders are facing more and more often: angry, escalated parent interactions . This conversa...

What does it mean to be a dealer in hope — not as the source of hope, but as someone who helps others discover it for themselves? In this first episode of 2026, Darrin sits down with longtime friend and colleague Dr. Mark Bro...

As 2025 comes to a close, Dr. Darrin Peppard reflects on the year that was and what the work of leadership is asking of us as we head into 2026. In this year-end solo episode, Darrin invites both individual leaders and leader...

This episode is sponsored by DigiCoach. Make walkthroughs meaningful. Simplify your coaching culture. Visit digiCOACH.com and mention Darrin for special partner pricing. In Episode 252 of Leaning Into Leadership , Darrin Pepp...