Leadership Rules with Dr. Doan Winkel

Leadership Rules with Kristy Volesky

🎧 Leadership Rules with Kristy Volesky Title: Finish Doesn’t Equal Ready What if school was designed less around compliance… and more around real life? In this episode of Leadership Rules, Nick and Marnie sit down with educator, consultant, and CTE Reimagined co author Kristy Volesky to explore what it really means to prepare students for the future. Kristy challenges many of the assumptions schools still operate under, including the idea that students should spend years “practicing” without ever doing meaningful work that connects to the real world. In this conversation, we explore: • Why “finish” does not equal “ready”  • How schools can connect learning to real opportunities and real community impact  • Why durable skills cannot be taught once and checked off a list  • The danger of locking students into career paths too early  • How communities and schools can work together instead of operating in silos  • Why students crave meaningful experiences, not pretend projects Kristy also shares practical examples of how schools can rethink partnerships, create authentic learning experiences, and help students build the confidence and adaptability they will need in a rapidly changing world. If you care about leadership, education, workforce development, or preparing young people for what comes next, this conversation will challenge how you think about learning. 📍 Learn more and connect with Kristy Volesky  🌐 https://valeskyconsulting.com [https://valeskyconsulting.com] 💼 LinkedIn → Kristy Volesky 📘 CTE Reimagined available online Subscribe for more conversations about leadership, learning, and building a future where people are truly ready for what’s next. #LeadershipRules #KristyVolesky #CTEReimagined #EducationLeadership #CareerReadiness #FutureOfEducation #DurableSkills

Leadership Rules with Jeff Utecht

🎧 Leadership Rules with Jeff Utecht Title: AI Can Predict. Humans Must Decide. AI is moving fast. But are we moving thoughtfully? In this episode of Leadership Rules, Nick and Marnie sit down with Jeff Utecht, educator, speaker, and author of Human Still Required, to explore what leadership looks like in a world increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence. Jeff brings a powerful reminder: the real risk is not that AI replaces us. It’s that we stop thinking for ourselves. In this conversation, we explore: • Why “cognitive surrender” is a growing concern in the age of AI  • The difference between prediction and true understanding  • Why judgment is the one skill AI cannot replace  • How leaders should rethink effort, productivity, and performance  • What it means to lead through a double transition in the workplace Jeff also shares why listening may be the most underrated leadership skill right now—and how staying curious is the key to navigating rapid change. If you care about leadership, education, or staying human in a tech-driven world, this episode will challenge how you think about both AI and your role in it. 📍 Learn more and connect with Jeff Utecht  Website → https://jeffutecht.com [https://jeffutecht.com] Book → https://humanstillrequired.com [https://humanstillrequired.com] Podcast → Shifting Schools [https://www.shiftingschools.com/podcasts] Subscribe for more conversations on leadership, learning, and what it takes to thrive in a rapidly changing world. #LeadershipRules #JeffUtecht #HumanStillRequired #AILeadership #FutureOfWork #CriticalThinking #StayHuman

Leadership Rules with Matt Miller

🎧 Leadership Rules with Matt Miller Title: Keep the Main Thing the Main Thing AI is everywhere. So what actually matters now? In this episode of Leadership Rules, Nick and Marnie sit down with Matt Miller, educator, author of AI Literacy in Any Class, and creator of the Ditch That Textbook movement, to talk about how teaching and leadership are evolving in an AI saturated world. Matt challenges the idea that we need more tools and instead focuses on something more important. Better thinking. In this conversation, we explore: • Why “ditch the textbook” is really about ditching passive learning  • How AI literacy shows up in everyday classroom moments  • Why students don’t need to master the tech, but must learn to question it  • The risk of going all in or all out on technology  • Why critical thinking, discernment, and creativity matter more than ever Matt also shares practical ways to bring AI into the classroom without losing the human element, including how to use imperfect AI outputs to spark deeper thinking and discussion. If you care about education, leadership, or preparing students for a future we cannot fully predict, this episode will reshape how you think about both technology and teaching. 📍 Learn more and connect with Matt Miller  Newsletter → https://ditch.link/join  Book → AI Literacy in Any Class available on Amazon Subscribe for more conversations on leadership, learning, and what it takes to thrive in a rapidly changing world. #LeadershipRules #MattMiller #AILiteracy #EducationLeadership #CriticalThinking #DitchThatTextbook

Leadership Rules with Scott Martin

🎧 Leadership Rules with Scott Martin Title: Success Isn’t the Goal. Flourishing Is. What if the goal of school wasn’t just success… but flourishing? In this episode of Leadership Rules, Nick and Marnie sit down with Dr. Scott Martin, Executive Director of the Odyssey Leadership Academy, to talk about how leadership can create environments where both students and educators truly thrive. Scott believes that leadership is both art and science, and that great leaders carry a deep responsibility to care for the people in their community. He also challenges many traditional assumptions about school, including grades, agency, and what real learning looks like. In this conversation, we explore: • The difference between leadership and management  • Why the leader sets the “nervous system” of an organization  • How flourishing can become a school’s North Star  • What happens when students are given real agency in their learning  • Why resilience grows when students create learning instead of just consuming it Scott also shares how Odyssey Leadership Academy empowers students to design projects, teach classes, and even build real-world solutions like a student-built tiny home. If you care about leadership, education, and building cultures where people thrive, this episode will challenge the way you think about success. 📍 Learn more about Odyssey Leadership Academy  https://OdysseyLeadershipAcademy.org [https://OdysseyLeadershipAcademy.org] Subscribe for more conversations about leadership, character, and building organizations where people flourish. #LeadershipRules #ScottMartin #EducationLeadership #HumanFlourishing #SchoolLeadership #StudentAgency

Leadership Rules with EJ Carrion

🎧 Leadership Rules with EJ Carrion Title: Think in Decades, Not Days What does it mean to lead in a world where students are living three lives at once? Personal life. School life. Phone life. In this high energy conversation, EJ Carrion challenges us to rethink education, leadership, and what it means to prepare young people for a future that looks nothing like the past. EJ is the co founder of Student Success Agency, a first generation college graduate, Gates Millennium Scholar, and someone who believes schools must evolve from Blockbuster to Netflix if they want to stay relevant. In this episode, we talk about: • Why the phone is not just a distraction but a door • What a “digital YMCA” could look like for students • How to build agency in young people • Why leadership is art, not science • What it means to be a pirate ship leader instead of the Navy • And why selflessness is compound interest EJ also shares three principles that guide his leadership: Think in decades instead of days Selflessness is compound interest Choose we instead of me If you care about student success, digital culture, human connection, or the future of public education, this one will stretch your thinking. 📍 Connect with EJ Carrion LinkedIn → EJ Carrion [https://www.linkedin.com/in/ejcarrion/] Subscribe for more conversations that challenge how we lead, learn, and live. #LeadershipRules #EJCarrion #StudentSuccess #EducationLeadership #DigitalAge #ThinkInDecades #WeInsteadOfMe