Episode Details

Developing the Leader Within with Christopher Grode

School leaders can spend an entire day solving problems and still have little time for the leadership work they want to do. Mike Caldwell talks with Christopher Grode, Ph.D., about creating routines that make room for that work and finding people who can offer an honest outside perspective.

Drawing on 19 years as an Illinois superintendent and his research with executive coaches, Chris describes how his view of leadership development changed. He shares his monthly "90 for 90" review, a five-minute morning journal, and the habit of revisiting earlier entries to see what mattered over time. They also discuss his "leadership gateway" of attitudes, behaviors, practices, identity, and purpose, along with the challenge of separating your identity from your job during retirement.

Practical ideas from the conversation

• Track how much of your day goes to reacting and managing, then consider where you want to make more room for leading.
• Try "90 for 90": spend 90 minutes each month reviewing the next 90 days, including family time and personal commitments.
• Use a weekly review to see what got in the way and choose priorities for the week ahead.
• Keep a short morning journal: name three priorities, then return the next day to record what happened.
• Review past journal entries to put today's pressures in perspective and notice changes in your leadership.
• Find a coach, mentor, or trusted peer who can ask honest questions and help you examine your assumptions.

About the guest

Christopher Grode, Ph.D., is a retired Illinois superintendent who served in the role for 19 years. He also worked as a teacher, principal, and assistant superintendent for finance. His doctorate is in industrial-organizational psychology, and his dissertation examined executive coaching strategies for superintendents. He is the author of The Leader Within.

Resources

• Christopher Grode on LinkedIn
• The Leader Within at Bloomsbury

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