The Innovator’s Mindset Podcast

What does it take to develop school leaders who are prepared for the realities of today's educational landscape?

In this episode of The Innovator's Mindset Podcast, George Couros sits down with Justin Faulkner, founder and CEO of Connected Leadership Partners, to discuss how leadership development can move beyond theory and become practical, relevant, and immediately applicable.

Drawing from his experience as a teacher, coach, principal, higher education faculty member, and researcher, Justin shares insights from his work supporting leadership pipelines across Florida. Together, they explore why many principal preparation programs fall short, how leadership development should be grounded in real-world challenges, and why building strong professional networks may be just as important as the content itself.

The conversation also dives into the concept of fractional leadership, a model borrowed from the business world that helps schools and districts access expertise in innovative ways without adding full-time positions. Justin explains how districts can leverage existing talent, rethink traditional structures, and create more flexible systems to support growth and innovation.

Additional topics include:

• What Justin's research revealed about principal preparation programs
• Why stress management is often the biggest leadership preparation gap
• The importance of learning from leaders who are currently doing the work
• How coaching and cohort-based learning accelerate leadership growth
• The role of AI and emerging technologies in leadership development
• Why relationships and networking often become the most valuable part of professional learning
• How iterative feedback helps organizations continually improve leadership programs
• Lessons educational leaders can learn from working in the restaurant industry

Whether you're an aspiring administrator, a veteran principal, district leader, or someone passionate about leadership development, this conversation offers practical ideas for building stronger leadership pipelines and creating systems that support meaningful growth.

Questions for Reflection and Conversation:

What leadership skills are most difficult to learn through traditional preparation programs and require experience, coaching, or mentorship?

How could your school or district better leverage the expertise that already exists within your organization?

What structures help leaders move from simply learning new ideas to consistently implementing them in practice?

 

___________

 

👉 Share your thoughts in the comments or connect with me on social media using #InnovatorsMindset

🌐 More at: https://georgecouros.com

🎙 Full audio podcast: https://linktr.ee/gcouros

Follow George Couros:
X: https://x.com/gcouros

Instagram: https://instagram.com/gcouros

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/georgecourosauthor/

LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/george-couros-a5146519

📚 Books by George Couros:
Forward, Together:
https://a.co/d/99RGvl3

The Innovator's Mindset: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0986155497?ref=exp_gcouros_dp_vv_d

What Makes a Great Principal: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1948334739?tag=onamzgeorge0f-20

Because of a Teacher: https://www.amazon.com/dp/194833433X?ref=exp_gcouros_dp_vv_d

Because of a Teacher 2: https://www.amazon.com/dp/194833450X?tag=onamzgeorge0f-20

Innovate Inside the Box: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1948334127?ref=exp_gcouros_dp_vv_d

Music from Bensound - http://bensound.com/

In this podcast, we explore a question that quietly shapes every classroom, team, and organization:

What gets ignored, and what gets corrected?

Through stories from basketball officiating, classroom teaching, and school leadership, George Couros reflects on how inconsistent expectations can unintentionally shape culture. Why do some people get held to impossible standards while others are continually excused? And what message does that send to the people who consistently show up, care deeply, and do the right thing?

This conversation dives into:
• Why inconsistent accountability erodes trust
• How low expectations can quietly become normalized
• The hidden cost of overburdening high performers
• What people actually notice in leadership and culture
• How expectations ultimately shape organizational culture

As discussed in “Forward, Together,” culture is not only built through mission statements or strategic plans, but also through what leaders permit, ignore, correct, and reinforce every single day.

Questions for reflection:

What behaviors are being unintentionally normalized in your organization?

Are your highest performers being developed, or simply relied upon?

What do people learn from what gets ignored?

“When we excuse poor behavior long enough, it becomes normalized. And when we punish excellence too often, it becomes unsustainable.”

 

___________

 

 

👉 Share your thoughts in the comments or connect with me on social media using #InnovatorsMindset

 

🌐 More at: https://georgecouros.com

 

🎙 Full audio podcast: https://linktr.ee/gcouros

 

Follow George Couros:

X: https://x.com/gcouros

 

Instagram: https://instagram.com/gcouros

 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/georgecourosauthor/

 

LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/george-couros-a5146519

 

📚 Books by George Couros:

Forward, Together:

https://a.co/d/99RGvl3

 

The Innovator's Mindset: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0986155497?ref=exp_gcouros_dp_vv_d

 

What Makes a Great Principal: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1948334739?tag=onamzgeorge0f-20

 

Because of a Teacher: https://www.amazon.com/dp/194833433X?ref=exp_gcouros_dp_vv_d

 

Because of a Teacher 2: https://www.amazon.com/dp/194833450X?tag=onamzgeorge0f-20

 

Innovate Inside the Box: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1948334127?ref=exp_gcouros_dp_vv_d

Music from Bensound - http://bensound.com/

In this episode of The Innovator's Mindset Podcast, George Couros sits down with Carolee Ogata, Superintendent of Huntington Beach Union High School District, to explore what it looks like when schools move beyond compliance and create cultures of true ownership.

Carolee shares how some of the district's most impactful opportunities, including Model UN, AVID, IB, performing arts, entrepreneurship programs, and career pathways, were not created by central office leaders. Instead, they were developed and led by educators who saw possibilities and took initiative.

The conversation explores why ownership matters more than buy-in, how leaders can create the conditions for innovation without controlling the process, and why empowering staff ultimately leads to greater opportunities for students. Through stories of student entrepreneurship, leadership, performing arts, and real-world learning, George and Carolee discuss how schools can help students do more than prepare for the future; they can make an impact today.

Key topics include:

• The difference between buy-in and ownership
• Why teachers are often the most creative people in the organization
• Creating conditions where innovation can thrive
• Student ownership and authentic learning opportunities
• Building diverse pathways that help every learner succeed
• Leadership strategies that empower rather than control

Reflection and Conversation Questions:

What is the difference between asking people to buy into an idea and creating opportunities for them to develop ownership of it?

How can leaders create conditions where teachers and students feel empowered to initiate meaningful change?

What opportunities exist in your school or organization to move from compliance-driven practices toward greater ownership and innovation?

Subscribe for more conversations on leadership, innovation, learning, and creating cultures where people thrive.

___________

 

👉 Share your thoughts in the comments or connect with me on social media using #InnovatorsMindset

🌐 More at: https://georgecouros.com

🎙 Full audio podcast: https://linktr.ee/gcouros

Follow George Couros:
X: https://x.com/gcouros

Instagram: https://instagram.com/gcouros

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/georgecourosauthor/

LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/george-couros-a5146519

📚 Books by George Couros:
Forward, Together:
https://a.co/d/99RGvl3

The Innovator's Mindset: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0986155497?ref=exp_gcouros_dp_vv_d

What Makes a Great Principal: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1948334739?tag=onamzgeorge0f-20

Because of a Teacher: https://www.amazon.com/dp/194833433X?ref=exp_gcouros_dp_vv_d

Because of a Teacher 2: https://www.amazon.com/dp/194833450X?tag=onamzgeorge0f-20

Innovate Inside the Box: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1948334127?ref=exp_gcouros_dp_vv_d

Music from Bensound - http://bensound.com/

In this episode, I explore an idea that stuck with me during a long run: many of the qualities we admire most only work when connected to something else that gives them balance and direction.

Courage without wisdom can become recklessness. Hard work without discipline often leads to frustration. Innovation without a strong understanding of the basics rarely lasts.

Throughout this conversation, I share personal stories about weight loss, marathon training, writing, investing, education, AI, and even learning piano, all centered around one idea: strengths become far more powerful when paired with the qualities that ground them.

I also discuss:
• Why habits become more meaningful when connected to long-term goals
• The danger of romanticizing “risk-taking” in education
• Why foundational skills still matter in an AI-driven world
• How great teaching resembles jazz improvisation
• Why growth often comes from balance, not extremes

This episode is a reminder that success is rarely about one isolated trait. It is about understanding the relationships between the qualities that help us grow personally and professionally.

Questions for reflection:

What strength in your life might need a balancing quality beside it?

Are your habits connected to goals that truly matter to you?

What foundational skills should we protect and strengthen in a rapidly changing world?

___________

 

 

👉 Share your thoughts in the comments or connect with me on social media using #InnovatorsMindset

 

🌐 More at: https://georgecouros.com

 

🎙 Full audio podcast: https://linktr.ee/gcouros

 

Follow George Couros:

X: https://x.com/gcouros

 

Instagram: https://instagram.com/gcouros

 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/georgecourosauthor/

 

LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/george-couros-a5146519

 

📚 Books by George Couros:

Forward, Together:

https://a.co/d/99RGvl3

 

The Innovator's Mindset: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0986155497?ref=exp_gcouros_dp_vv_d

 

What Makes a Great Principal: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1948334739?tag=onamzgeorge0f-20

 

Because of a Teacher: https://www.amazon.com/dp/194833433X?ref=exp_gcouros_dp_vv_d

 

Because of a Teacher 2: https://www.amazon.com/dp/194833450X?tag=onamzgeorge0f-20

 

Innovate Inside the Box: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1948334127?ref=exp_gcouros_dp_vv_d

Music from Bensound - http://bensound.com/

In this episode, we dive into one of the most challenging parts of leadership in education: navigating difficult conversations with staff, caregivers, colleagues, and school communities. Inspired by the book Connecting Through Conversation, this discussion goes beyond theory and into practical, real-world strategies that help leaders communicate with clarity, empathy, and confidence.

We share stories from our own experiences in education leadership, including conversations that went well, conversations we would handle differently today, and the specific approaches that helped build stronger relationships and healthier school cultures. From addressing conflict and accountability to staying grounded during emotionally charged moments, this episode is packed with practical insights school leaders can use immediately.

Questions explored in this episode include:

• Why do so many school leaders avoid difficult conversations until situations become much harder than they need to be?
• How can leaders balance accountability with empathy during emotionally charged situations?
• What are practical strategies leaders can use to stay calm, grounded, and productive during high stakes conversations?
• How can avoiding difficult conversations actually damage school culture more than having them?
• What leadership lessons have we learned from difficult conversations we would handle differently today?

Whether you are a principal, superintendent, instructional coach, teacher leader, or aspiring administrator, this conversation will help you think differently about communication, leadership, and culture in schools.

Book Referenced in This Episode:
Connecting Through Conversation
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GWWC65JW

 

___________

 

👉 Share your thoughts in the comments or connect with me on social media using #InnovatorsMindset

🌐 More at: https://georgecouros.com

🎙 Full audio podcast: https://linktr.ee/gcouros

Follow George Couros:

X: https://x.com/gcouros

Instagram: https://instagram.com/gcouros

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/georgecourosauthor/

LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/george-couros-a5146519

📚 Books by George Couros:

Forward, Together:

https://a.co/d/99RGvl3

 

The Innovator's Mindset: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0986155497?ref=exp_gcouros_dp_vv_d

 

What Makes a Great Principal: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1948334739?tag=onamzgeorge0f-20

 

Because of a Teacher: https://www.amazon.com/dp/194833433X?ref=exp_gcouros_dp_vv_d

Because of a Teacher 2: https://www.amazon.com/dp/194833450X?tag=onamzgeorge0f-20

Innovate Inside the Box: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1948334127?ref=exp_gcouros_dp_vv_d

Music from Bensound - http://bensound.com/