Blog Posts - THE SAVVY EDTECH LEADER

Trust your gut

4/10/2025

Spring in the world of K–12 education technology is a season of transition—budgets, staffing, systems planning, project wrap-ups, and the ever-present question: What’s next?

For technology leaders, this season brings not only a long to-do list but also subtle pressure to make the right decisions, often with limited time and evolving information. Even in chaos, some leaders seem to move with confidence and clarity. They weigh the facts and take input from their teams, and then they just know what to do.

Many of those “quick” and effective decisions are guided by something that doesn’t appear in a strategy document. They’re listening to their gut instinct.

Gut Instinct Doesn't Just Happen

Let’s be clear: gut instinct isn’t some superpower only the lucky possess, nor is it blind guesswork. It’s the product of experience, observation, and pattern identification that lives just beneath our conscious awareness. It’s your internal decision-making assistant who’s been quietly keeping score while you’ve been solving problems, responding to crises, leading teams, and navigating complexity.

In fact, neuroscience supports the idea of the gut being a “second brain.” Our instincts are shaped by how we’ve processed past situations and outcomes. When something feels “off,” or a new idea pop into your head that feels right, your brain connects the dots at lightning speed, using a network of past experiences and data.

Future-Proofing Your Organization: Leading with Intentionality

4/7/2025

Edtech leaders today face unprecedented uncertainty, yet this very uncertainty can become your strongest ally.

Future-proofing your organization involves more than responding reactively; it's about anticipating challenges and proactively equipping your team with the tools, skills, and mindset needed to excel in shifting landscapes.

"Future-proofing isn't just preparing to weather storms —it's learning to harness uncertainty as a catalyst for innovation, resilience, and lasting growth." – Sheryl Abshire

The recent global disruptions underscored a crucial truth: adaptability is no longer optional. Leaders must foster environments where change is welcomed, innovation is encouraged, and continuous learning is normalized. This means redefining traditional success metrics and understanding that only a few roles drive the most organizational impact. Invest strategically in these roles and ensure your teams consistently build skills critical to future success.

Consider leveraging technology and people analytics to identify essential competencies for tomorrow's workforce. Prioritize internal growth—it's often more cost-effective and impactful to reskill existing talent rather than constantly hiring new staff. And remember, tomorrow's top employees crave more than good pay; they seek alignment with meaningful missions, inclusive cultures, and purposeful roles.

Leaders who embrace these strategies—prioritizing resilience, inclusion, continuous learning, and innovative thinking—will survive the future and shape it.

How is your organization intentionally cultivating adaptability and innovation among your leaders and teams today?

Why Networking Matters for EdTech Leaders

3/24/2025

"Networking isn't about collecting contacts; it's about cultivating connections that unlock opportunities, insights, and support—transforming challenges into successes."

— Dr. Sheryl Abshire

When I first became a Chief Technology Officer, networking seemed like an unnecessary distraction. I thought building my network was something I'd tackle after addressing urgent needs: infrastructure, staffing, and budgets. Yet, I quickly learned that my initial hesitation about networking as "exchanging favors with strangers" was limiting my potential.
Harvard Business Review emphasizes that successful leadership transitions demand leaders to rethink their roles, placing networking at the heart of their professional growth. Effective networking connects people to opportunities, ideas, and each other, making it essential rather than optional.

Persist with Consistency: Run consistent meetings

3/14/2025

In my last blog, I discussed the importance of building a cadence of essential meetings so collaboration and decision-making can occur promptly. How often have you said, “We should meet about that,” and it takes two weeks to finally have that meeting because everybody’s schedule was full and that was the soonest you could fit in the proposed meeting in?

By building a cadence of meetings and putting all non-negotiable dates on your key players’ calendars, you reserve that meeting time and must treat it as sacred ground. That’s the first part about getting things done.

To make the most of everybody’s time, it is essential to structure your meeting (persisting with consistency) to build efficiency and thoughtful decision-making. Here are some tips that can help create a structured meeting:

Multiplying Leadership: Elevating Others to Lead

3/12/2025

"True leadership isn't measured by the number of followers you have; it's defined by how many leaders you create." — Sheryl Abshire

Great leaders don't just guide; they inspire, mentor, and elevate others to lead. They understand that their actual impact isn't limited to their direct influence but is magnified through the leaders they develop. By transforming followers into leaders, they cultivate a culture of growth, innovation, and sustainability within their organizations.

Why Multiplying Leadership Matters

An organization's growth is tied to its members' leadership capacity. A leader focusing solely on guiding followers will always be constrained by their personal reach. However, a leader who prioritizes developing leadership skills in others creates an exponential impact. Multiplying leaders don't just direct change, they empower others to drive it.

Research from Wharton Executive Education highlights the importance of leadership development, particularly in challenging times. Leaders who anticipate needs, take decisive action, and continuously learn to ensure long-term success for themselves and their teams. The ability to lead through others distinguishes great leaders from good ones.

Strategies to Multiply Leadership

Identify Potential Leaders – Look for individuals with a positive attitude, loyalty, a drive for self-improvement, and a desire to support and uplift others.
Provide Leadership Development Opportunities – Create training programs, mentorship structures, and real-world experiences that allow emerging leaders to grow.
Foster a Leadership-Oriented Culture – Encourage responsibility, decision-making, and collaboration, ensuring that leadership is not just a title but a mindset.
Exemplify Key Leadership Traits – Be a role model in accountability, gratitude, mission-driven action, kindness, clarity, mentoring, and problem-solving.
Commit to Continuous Growth – Leadership multiplication is an ongoing process. Provide regular feedback, adjust strategies, and embrace innovation to maintain momentum.

The Lasting Legacy of a Multiplying Leader

The most influential leaders don't just leave behind successful teams; they create a leadership pipeline that sustains growth and transformation long after they move on. By multiplying leadership, you ensure that your impact extends far beyond your immediate circle, fostering an organization that thrives on collective strength and shared vision.
Authentic leadership isn't about power, it's about empowerment.

The question is, how many leaders are you creating today?

It's Lonely at the Top: The Solitude of the K-12 EdTech Leader

2/26/2025

"It’s lonely at the top. That’s why a leader needs to keep good company."
– John C. Maxwell

In K-12 education, leadership can be isolating—but for those at the helm of technology, that isolation is even more profound. As the Chief Technology Officer (CTO), Chief Information Officer (CIO), or Technology Director in a school district, you operate in a space where few truly understand your daily challenges. You are the translator between the world of technology and the world of education, expected to be fluent in both while navigating budget constraints, cybersecurity threats, and ever-evolving instructional demands.

While superintendents have their leadership networks and curriculum leaders can collaborate with their peers, the technology leader often stands alone in the rarified air of edtech decision-making. Your team may support your vision, but ultimately, the weight of responsibility falls squarely on your shoulders.

Transitioning from Peer to Authentic Leader

2/25/2025

The Shift. Once in a leadership role, you will quickly notice a shift in your relationship with your former colleagues or individuals with a role like your previous position. You are very comfortable with their responsibilities because they were once your responsibilities. Sometimes, it is difficult to let go of tasks that we are comfortable doing even though they are no longer a part of our new leadership role. Your team members are no longer peers; you now must manage, support, and sometimes make difficult decisions that affect them.

I remember when I first became the CTO in my last district. I would go to lunch with the school tech coordinator across the street at one of the elementary schools. I enjoyed our conversations since we were similar in age and had similar outside interests. I enjoyed the company of the other school coordinators; however, she was conveniently located across the street, and we could walk to lunch.

Little did I know that regularly having lunch with one team member could cause so much friction. I soon learned that I could drive and have lunch with each team member individually, with different groups of team members, or lunch with the entire team, but I should not consistently single out one team member for lunch, no matter how convenient it was!

Leadership and Governance: Navigating An Award-Winning Goal Standard

2/23/2025

Leadership in the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Performance Excellence System is recognized as the gold standard because it is a structured, holistic approach that fosters organizational success, continuous improvement, and long-term sustainability.

This blog proposes a design for creating a leadership system that promotes peak performance by eliminating distractions and prioritizing the essential leadership processes and key performance indicators (KPIs) that truly drive results. This is blog post #3 of a 10-part blog series, "Unlock Performance Excellence."

As an EdTech leader, how would you describe your leadership and governance structure? Can you define it? Is it based on a framework, or is it your experience from the school of hard knocks? Here’s the real question: Is your leadership built to last? Are you continuously improving and actively developing the next generation of leaders?

What if you cut out all the noise and, as the highest priority, focused on these SIX performance excellence leadership processes and key performance indicators (KPIs) that drive results?

Let's give it everything we got! The next generation of Savvy EdTech Leaders deserve a robust leadership blueprint.

The Importance of Influence in EdTech Leadership

2/21/2025

Why is it essential for a leader to cultivate influence rather than merely wield it?

People decide each day how much effort and dedication they bring to their work. True leadership provides only a limited level of influence on its own. The most effective leaders understand that they cannot rely solely on authority and directives. The outdated command-and-control approach is rarely successful and often breeds resistance.

As Ken Blanchard wisely stated, "The key to successful leadership is influence, not authority."

How to Minimize Distractions and Maintain Focus

2/21/2025

In the fast-paced world of EdTech Leadership, staying focused amidst countless responsibilities can be a real challenge. Whether managing teams, handling technology initiatives, or juggling meetings, finding the time to do it all can be overwhelming.

Regardless of what we call it, the ability to avoid being consumed by the vast responsibilities of today’s Edtech Leader is a common goal for most, and it can be challenging to accomplish.

No matter how hard we work, how many hours we commit, how organized we are, or how capable we are, there are often simply not enough hours in the day. I believe using strategies to be more efficient, minimize distractions, and maintain focus can lead to a less stressful and productive work life. A less stressful work-life WILL directly affect our personal life. For strategies for balancing home life and work, check out Chapter 7’s section, Achieve Work-Life Balance Without Guilt, in The Savvy EdTech Leader.

Whether during a CoSN K-12 CTO Academy session, at an EdTech conference, or over a beverage or food with colleagues, minimizing distractions at work and finding time to focus on the “Big Work” is always a topic of discussion. With input from colleagues and friends, I have compiled my Top 30 Strategies to Minimize Distractions and Maintain Focus at Work.

Next posts