This past week has seen many of us in education trying to make sense of what the future holds. It's for that reason, I wanted to bring back my conversation with Dr. Adam Swinyard, Superintendent of Spokane Public Schools and the 2023 Washington State Superintendent of the Year 🏆

Here are 🔑 highlights from this inspiring episode:

💡 Organizational Learning = Higher School Performance Adam’s award-winning research found a clear correlation between principals who engage in organizational learning and better school outcomes. 🏫✨ He urges leaders to avoid quick fixes and instead diagnose issues within the full ecosystem of variables.

❤️‍🔥 Hiring for Emotional Intelligence During the pandemic, Spokane Public Schools reimagined their principal hiring process around emotional intelligence 💬🤝. Forget fancy titles. They’re looking for leaders who build strong relationships. Why? Because, as Adam puts it, “everything orbits around relationships.” 🌍💡

🇺🇸 A Fierce Belief in Public Education Adam Swinyard is unapologetic in his belief that public education is the great American promise 📜🌟. He speaks out against sensationalizing setbacks for political or profit-driven agendas, calling instead for honest, respectful dialogue across the education landscape. 🛠️🗣️

🎧 Tune in to hear a leader who approaches his work with vulnerability, conviction, and deep respect for educators and students alike.

#Leadership 💼 #PublicEducation 🍎 #Superintendent 🏫 #OrganizationalLearning 🔄 #EmotionalIntelligence 💖 #EducationLeadership 🌍 #Podcast 🎧 #AnImperfectLeader 🧭 #SystemsThinking 🧠

Follow Host Peter Stiepleman on: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-stiepleman-76004819a/ Website: https://imperfectleader.com/

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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- An Imperfect Leader is sponsored by Yondr. Schools around the world are seeing the damaging effects of phones on student engagement, social development, and mental health. Yondr has developed a unique product and program to allow schools to become phone-free, from arrival to dismissal. Learn why 1 Million Students use Yondr every day. MINIMIZE DISTRACTIONS. MAXIMIZE LEARNING POTENTIAL. Go to https://www.overyondr.com/ to learn more.

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An Imperfect Leader: Leadership in (After) Action is supported by ILAA, LLC, a firm dedicated to supporting aspiring, new, and established leaders. For more information, please find them at https://imperfectleader.com/

Music for An Imperfect Leader was written and arranged by Ian Varley.

Sam Falbo created our artwork, a wood-print inspired daruma doll butterfly.