Laser Focus: James Lane and Cutting Through Initiative Fatigue to Save the Learning Moment

What happens when you trade a massive suburban district for a rural community with only 1,200 students? According to my latest guest, it might just be the best career move you’ll ever make. I recently sat down with Dr. James F. Lane, former acting Assistant Secretary of the US Department of Education and author of Leading with Laser Focus. James shared how cutting his teeth in a small rural district forced him to do "every job"—from HR and finance to literally walking through the mud to assess construction sites. We went deep on how that "boots on the ground" experience prepared him for state and national leadership, and why he believes the best leaders are simply "the best at getting better." Three takeaways you won't want to miss: Innovation = Newer AND Better: James challenges the educational platitude of being innovative. He notes, "We tend to get caught up in what's newer and forget to actually make sure it's better." If it’s not improving outcomes for kids, it’s just a "new shiny thing" contributing to initiative fatigue. The Voice for Students Guardrail: Whether in a principal's office or the US Department of Ed, James’s North Star was being a voice for students. Humility as a Team Sport: No leader is perfect, and James embraces that. His advice? Surround yourself with people who fulfill your imperfections so you can be as close to perfect as a team as possible. If you are a leader struggling with "initiative fatigue" or trying to navigate a career transition with grace, this conversation is for you. #EducationLeadership #SuptChat #EdChat #RuralEducation #K12 #Innovation #LeadingWithLaserFocus #AnImperfectLeader #PublicEducation ------- Follow Host Peter Stiepleman on: LinkedIn:   / peter-stiepleman-76004819a   Website: https://imperfectleader.com/ YouTube (video of conversation): https://youtu.be/VkKiXpczSEAhttps://w... Instagram:   / animperfectleader   Tiktok:   / 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 3 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.waterscen... ------ 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.