For this month’s episode, we hosted Dr. Les Stein, who came to see us at our new office in Knightdale, North Carolina to talk all things leadership. Dr. Stein is a retired colonel in the Marine Corps, and has been the school leader at charter and private schools in Raleigh, Durham, and Burlington, NC. Dr. Stein has taught at Meredith College and Northeastern University in Boston. He is also an author of an amazing book Education Disrupted, which is available on Amazon, in which he discusses the school transformation process, one that he saw through in two failing schools with great results. Together we talked about school leadership and military leadership, what it takes to turn around failing schools, and what Dr. Stein likes to focus on when building a staff and a culture in a school. Dr. Stein is a wealth of knowledge, and we are pleased to bring to you on the principal's office podcast, our conversation with Dr. Les Stein.
2:22 What can you tell us about leading a school in comparison to leading in the military?
6:20 Do you think that school report card grade accurately indicates school quality?
8:36 The warning signs of school failure
13:35 What role does the school’s leader have in the failure or recovery of schools?
18:00 The failure of many principals today
21:05 Why is it so hard to find and retain quality leaders?
25:50 What qualities do you seek in your team when rebuilding a school?
29:40 What role do the kids have in school turnaround?
36:11 The best advice Dr. Stein gave Tom 5 years ago
41:55 How would you recommend that any educator would use your book?
48:15 How would you define success in a school?
53:22 What has changed in what you have learned about education leadership?
58:05 How do leaders make sure that they sustain leadership after you leave?
1:04:05 Thoughts on tolerance of personal agendas
1:09:50 Advice on launching your new school year
If you like what you hear, please learn more about what we do at Leaders Building Leaders, where we aim to be the difference maker in the leadership development of individuals and organizations. We work across the charter school landscape in North Carolina and beyond to support the governance, academics, operations, and leadership of schools that want to grow. Learn more at www.leaders-buidling-leaders.com
