192 steps...the distance from my house to the campus I served for twelve years. One Saturday morning I woke up early and did not want to wake my family. You see, I can be loud at times. Never could I have imagined that one walk would turn into the most impactful practice of my professional life - a practice I would continue each week for the next few years. Those walks gave me a weekly purpose. Why? Because I had screwed a ton of stuff up. They changed how I viewed interactions with students, staff, families, and our community, and they forced me to see every situation through a different lens; a lens I wanted to share with other leaders so they wouldn't have to experience the same struggles I did. These walks also helped me lean into what was important about the reflection process - making change! We learn by doing, we learn more by reflecting on what we've done, and we learn the most when that reflection leads to action and a better situation for those we serve.
Finding purpose in 192 steps and the reaction to the ideas they generated is one of the biggest highlights of my career. It is an honor to share a few of them with you. I hope this book does more than just help you reflect. I hope these walks inspire you to push yourself to lead at the highest level, the same way they pushed me.