 |
An Imperfect Leader: The Superintendents and Leadership PodcastAuthor: Peter Stiepleman
Welcome to An Imperfect Leader: The Superintendents and Leadership Podcast, a series of conversations with leaders who look back at decisions they made and consider: * What happened? * What got overlooked? * What did they learn about relationships or what new relationships were formed? * What frustrated them? * What could they have done differently? * And in the end, what was something good that came out of their experience because it is through one's mistakes where the greatest learning takes place. I'm Peter Stiepleman. I'm your host AND I'm an imperfect leader. I spent more than 20 years teaching and leading, first in the Oakland Public Schools in Oakland, CA and then in the Midwest Missouri, to be exact where I was a teacher, a principal, an assistant superintendent and the superintendent of the 4th largest school district in a state of more than 500 districts. I am constantly striving to learn from my experiences and from the experiences of other leaders. The aim of this podcast is to lift the learning and lift the imperfect leaders up. That way, when you hear the term imperfect, you'll see strength, strength from the candor needed to recognize imperfection as a real advantage. Language: en Genres: Education, Relationships, Society & Culture Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
Listen Now...
Ahead of the Curve: Heather Naro on Personalizing Learning and Human-Centered Leading
Episode 30
Tuesday, 24 March, 2026
I am thrilled to share my latest conversation with Dr. Heather Naro, Head of School at Schutz American School in Alexandria, Egypt. Heather brings over three decades of experience in international education to a discussion centered on inclusion, culture, and the pursuit of better. Here are three key themes from our conversation: The Radical Shift Toward Inclusion: Since 1992, the number of international schools has grown from fewer than 1,000 to nearly 15,000. More importantly, the philosophy has shifted from "exclusive" environments to more inclusive systems. Human-Centric Leadership: Heather advocates for a people first leadership style, especially in international settings where staff often live and work in close proximity. By caring for the whole beings of her teachers (from airport pickups to shared Thanksgiving dinners), she fosters a collaborative culture where educators feel valued and empowered to go the extra mile. The Necessity of Intercultural Competence: Leading across borders requires a deep understanding of one's own cultural lens. Heather is intentional about helping her teams navigate the continuum of cultural competence, ensuring they understand the unique norms of their host country. A huge thank you to Lori Boll of SENIA International for this introduction to a new colleague and friend! Check out the full episode to hear Heather deconstruct the challenges of Head of School transitions and why she believes that if you aren't an imperfect leader, you're doing something wrong. @Academy for International School Heads (AISH) #InternationalEducation #Leadership #Inclusion #InterculturalCompetence #ImperfectLeader #SchoolCulture #PersonalizedLearning #EducationGrowth ------- Follow Host Peter Stiepleman on: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-stiepleman-76004819a/ Website: https://imperfectleader.com/ YouTube (video of conversation): https://youtu.be/VkKiXpczSEAhttps://www.youtube.com/@animperfectleaderleadershi5144/featured Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/animperfectleader/ Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@animperfectleader Follow Co-host Jamie Almanzán on: Connect with APC Leadership Collaborative for support in navigating complex leadership situations: https://www.apccollab.com ------- An Imperfect Leader is sponsored by IXL. Boost learning with a platform proven to deliver results. IXL gives educators a complete K–12 curriculum and personalized learning plans that adapt to every student. Trusted by over 1 million teachers and 96 of the top 100 school districts, IXL helps schools outperform on state tests, and helps teachers focus on what matters most. IXL: Powerful data. Personalized learning. Real progress. Discover what IXL can do for your school at IXL.com/imperfect ------- An Imperfect Leader is sponsored by Yondr. Schools around the world are seeing the damaging effects of phones on student engagement, social development, and mental health. Yondr has developed a unique product and program to allow schools to become phone-free, from arrival to dismissal. Learn why 1 Million Students use Yondr every day. MINIMIZE DISTRACTIONS. MAXIMIZE LEARNING POTENTIAL. Go to overyondr.com to learn more. ------ The Mosaic Project, one of our favorite organizations, has over 25 years of experience empowering students to celebrate differences, communicate assertively, and resolve conflicts peacefully at their outdoor school. Their innovative SEL curriculum is now available to An Imperfect Leader listeners at a 10% discount through their new documentary film-based Mosaic Classroom Project! The Project's ready-to-use lesson plans include film, original music, "gametivities", and real conversations. We're proud to partner with The Mosaic Project in helping educators build inclusive, peaceful learning communities! Just mention An Imperfect Leader during the onboarding process to receive the 10% discount. Learn more about The Mosaic Classroom Project. ------ Think differently. Think in systems. Reach out to The Waters Center for Systems Thinking to learn more about how systems thinking capacity building can strengthen your team and organization. Homepage: www.waterscenterst.org Thinking Tools Studio: https://thinkingtoolsstudio.waterscenterst.org ------ An Imperfect Leader: Leadership in (After) Action is supported by ILAA, LLC, a firm dedicated to supporting aspiring, new, and established leaders. For more information, please find them at imperfectleader.com. Music for An Imperfect Leader was written and arranged by Ian Varley. Sam Falbo created our artwork, a wood-print inspired daruma doll butterfly.
