Every season of life brings something new to grow. Some arrive with fresh energy and opportunity, others ask us to slow down and reflect, and most are a blend of both. In every season, we learn, stretch, and discover new parts of ourselves.

In education, this cycle is always present. We celebrate milestones, navigate obstacles, and keep showing up because our most valuable stakeholders, the students in front of us deserve our full attention and persistence. Leading with courage in every season means leaning into the moment we’re in, even when conditions aren’t perfect, and finding ways to move forward with presence and purpose.

In a recent social media post, Mel Robbins reminds us:

“You’re never going to feel ready. Do it anyway.You’ll never have all the answers. The timing will never be perfect. You’ll feel scared. You’ll overthink it. You’ll probably screw up. Do it anyway. That’s how you build confidence. That’s how your life changes.”

That truth cuts to the heart of leadership. Seasons of our work and lives rarely unfold under perfect conditions. We act in the face of uncertainty because waiting for the perfect moment means missing the chance to make an impact today.

And as I wrote in my book The Leader Inside: “Regardless of our roles, we must show up and realize that perfection is unattainable. It’s our imperfections that shape us as leaders.”

A Season in Leadership

This past week felt like a whirlwind. The days were full…meetings, school visits, problem-solving, professional learning sessions, after-school activities with my kids and every time I thought I had space to breathe, another text or call came in from a colleague, family member, or friend.

That is the life I chose in leadership, and most of the time, I welcome it. These busy stretches remind me how connected this work is to the people around me. But I am also human, and in some moments, it was hard to keep up.

What steadied me were the moments of collaboration and connection. Running across the district to watch International Dot Day in action K–12, I saw courage and creativity come alive through literature and art. Sitting alongside new teachers, I facilitated professional learning on a resource that explicitly teaches complex phonics principles and foundational skills, and I made sure to schedule time in their classrooms…rolling up my sleeves to model the teaching myself while staying connected to the classroom.

There were also quieter but equally important touchpoints: sitting with my lead teachers to ensure classrooms had the supplies they needed, walking side by side with teachers as thought partners on student learning, and connecting them with colleagues who taught the same students last year so we could reflect on what worked and what didn’t.

And threaded through it all was constant communication with our literacy coaches, ensuring that teachers had the resources, clarity, and confidence they needed to move forward with our shared priorities. These moments, big and small, reminded me that leadership isn’t about managing tasks, but about tending to people.

In the midst of it all, I was fortunate to sit on an evening virtual panel discussion on courageous leadership with an inspiring group of educators. The first question asked was: What is your “why” and how does that drive your current work?

My response was simple, but it grounds everything I do:

To help others recognize their gifts that they might not see in themselves. Every human being deserves a champion—someone who will lift them up, believe in them, and help them see what’s possible.

That belief anchors every part of my work. I want educators to know they are valued and capable, that their contributions matter, and that they can make an impact far beyond what they may realize in the moment. When we nurture the gifts of others, we create conditions where both teachers and students can flourish. That’s my why and it’s what keeps me grounded, even when the work gets hard.

What This Means for Us in Education

Education has its own seasons of work and lives. Some are heavy, some joyful, and many a mix of both. What grounds us is remembering that our work is deeply human. We cannot lose sight of presence, even in the whirlwind.

As Zac Mercurio writes in The Power of Mattering:

“If we want people to contribute, they must first believe they are worthy of contributing. If we want them to use their strengths, they must first believe they have them.

If we want them to share their voices, they must first believe their voices are significant. If we want them to care, they must first feel cared for.   

If we want something to matter to them, they must first believe they matter to us.”

That reminder is powerful, but belief alone isn’t enough. It’s what we do each day that helps people feel they matter. The way we structure our time, hold space for one another, and model presence shapes the culture around us.

Actionable Ideas for Leaders and Educators

• Pause to notice: Build intentional moments of pause into your day, even five minutes to reset.
  
  Example: Begin staff meetings with one round of “What’s one word that describes how you’re arriving today?” This small pause honors presence and helps people feel seen.
  
• Center relationships in the work:  Listening is often more powerful than solutions.
  
  Example: Partner with teachers in their classrooms to brainstorm approaches to student learning. Join their thought process rather than simply giving feedback.
  
• Connect across seasons: Learning doesn’t start and stop at one grade level.
  
  Example: Create structured opportunities for teachers to connect with the colleagues who taught their students last year to share strategies, insights, and observations that can smooth the transition and build continuity.
  
• Support through systems: Presence also means ensuring people have what they need.
  
  Example: Meet regularly with lead teachers to anticipate supply and resource needs, and follow up with literacy coaches to align support and priorities. Small actions like these remove barriers so teachers can focus on teaching and learning.
  
• Mark the moments: Celebrate wins, but also acknowledge the more difficult seasons. Reflection builds resilience.
  
  Example: Close a unit, quarter, or priority with a “glows and grows” circle, where both achievements and challenges are named and honored. This opens the door to the cross pollination of ideas.
  

Moving Forward

Seasons of our work and lives remind us that leadership is not only about what we accomplish but also about how we carry ourselves through each moment. The beginning and the end are not separate, they are part of the same circle. And in that circle, we find the courage to keep showing up.

As Gary Vee shared on Jamie Kern Lima’s podcast:

“Nobody’s happiness or comes at your expense.”

When we celebrate others, listen deeply, and show up in their season, we do not lose anything. We gain connection, perspective, and purpose. Another season will come, and when it does, we’ll carry the lessons from this one with us.

That is what it means to lead with courage in every season.
So I ask you, “What season are you leading through right now and how will you bring courage into it?”