"With People, Not To People" with Matt Hillmann, Executive Director, Minnesota Association of Sch...

How do communities build trust, navigate disagreement, and make difficult decisions that people can genuinely support? After nearly a decade as superintendent of Northfield Public Schools, Matt Hillmann is preparing to lead school administrators across Minnesota as the incoming Executive Director of the Minnesota Association of School Administrators. Reflecting on his leadership journey, he shares why meaningful progress depends less on having the right answers than on creating processes that invite people into the work itself. In this conversation, Hillmann explores how community organizations can align around shared goals, why student voices deserve a genuine place at the table, and how leaders can transform difficult decisions by doing things with people rather than to them. He also offers a thoughtful perspective on the role of forgiveness, trust, and civic dialogue in creating communities where people are willing to participate, learn, and lead together. Whether you're leading a school district, local government, nonprofit, or neighborhood initiative, this conversation offers practical insights into building stronger communities through participation, humility, and shared ownership. LINKS Ask a Question or Leave a Comment: 602-688-2724 Send Matt a Note: [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) Apply to Be a Podcast Guest: CatalystGuest.us (http://www.catalystguest.us) On Substack: Democracy Runs on Dialogue™ (https://mattlehrman.substack.com/) Connect on LinkedIn: MattLehrman (  / mattlehrman  ) Produced by Social Prosperity Partners (https://socialprosperity.us/)