Episode Details

A quick note to listeners: 

Before this week’s interview, Jen Schwanke and Will Parker answered a listener question in a 5-minute response. 

The question is: How do you navigate bureaucracy, especially with frequent shifts in focus that make previous efforts seem irrelevant?

Listen in for our response and thank you for doing what matters!

Meet George Couros

George Couros is a worldwide leader in the area of innovative teaching, learning, and leading, and has a focus on innovation as a human endeavor. Most importantly, he is a proud father and husband. His belief that meaningful change happens when you first connect to people’s hearts, is modeled in his writing and speaking. 

In his 20-plus years in the field of education, he has worked at all levels of school, from K-12 as a teacher, technology facilitator, and school and district administrator, and is currently an Adjunct Instructor with the Graduate School of Education at the University of Pennsylvania. George is also the author of the books, The Innovator’s Mindset; Empower Learning, Unleash Talent, and Lead a Culture of Creativity, Innovate Inside the Box, and Because of a Teacher and Because of a Teacher 2.

His newest book is What Makes a Great Principal: The Five Pillars of Effective School Leadership by George Couros and Allyson Apsey.

In this week’s episode of Principal Matters Podcast I had an enlightening conversation with George Couros about his latest book, “What Makes a Great Principal,” which he co-authored. Our discussion wasn’t just about the book; we delved into various topics, reflecting George’s deep-seated philosophy about leaving a legacy his children can be proud of. This philosophy has guided his evolution as an educator, leader, author, and speaker, particularly in his commitment to being present and focused, especially over the last few years.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a brief period when educators were widely celebrated, but this appreciation was quickly overshadowed by the chaos and outcry on social media. George applied the same celebratory writing model he used in his previous work, “Because of Teachers,” to his new book. Alongside Allyson Apsey, he explored effective school leadership practices not only in the U.S. and Canada but globally, identifying five key pillars: 

• Relationship Builder
• Continuous Learner
• Talent Cultivator
• Resource Maximizer
• Visionary

Our conversation touched on several of these pillars, starting with the crucial role of being a Relationship Builder. Effective educators and leaders must excel in communication and listening, but it’s also vital to understand the underlying principles of leadership without prescribing specific actions. 

As an example of a continuous learner, George shared how he developed his own digital portfolio to encoura