In this episode of the Independent School Moonshot Podcast, Cara Gallagher, founder of CGC Consulting and an expert in psychometric insights and organizational behavioral methods, which she applies to help schools be more effective, explores the early signs of organizational misalignment, especially invisible resistance.
Learn how passive behaviors like silence in meetings, missed deadlines, or disengagement often signal deeper clarity issues, not just attitude problems.
Cara shares how turnover is rarely an isolated event. It’s social, contagious, and often preventable.
Leaders who know how to “listen differently” and gather structured feedback can get ahead of burnout, disengagement, and failed change efforts.
The episode highlights why independent schools must prioritize internal diagnostics and roles like Chief People Officers to build cultures where innovation can take root.
This episode is a must-listen for leaders ready to move beyond reaction and toward strategy.
What You'll Learn from Cara Gallagher:
- Invisible resistance is an early warning sign, not defiance. Passive resistance-like silence or minimal engagement-usually signals confusion, fatigue, or fear, not sabotage.
- Turnover is social and contagious. When a well-respected faculty member leaves, it often triggers a ripple effect of doubt and disengagement across the school.
- Silence ≠ Satisfaction. The absence of complaints isn’t proof that things are working. It might mean your team has checked out.
- Survey fatigue is a myth. People don’t mind being asked for input; they mind it when nothing is done with it. Frequent pulse checks are effective when followed by transparency.
- Great retention starts with clarity, not just culture. If your team doesn’t understand the “why” behind the change, they won’t support it. Real buy-in starts with alignment and communication.
Discussion Prompts
- What signs of invisible resistance might already be present in our school? Are we naming them?
- How might turnover in our school be socially influenced rather than purely individual?
- Are we truly listening to faculty and staff or just collecting data with no follow-up?
- How might a lack of clarity or buy-in have impacted our last significant change initiative?
- What structures do we need to ensure the employee voice is heard consistently and acted upon?
