The last few days have gotten me pretty demoralized and upset. Walls on the border with Mexico, a Muslim ban, the demise of affordable health care… I often flash back to 2010-2011, the year I taught high school outside of Amman, Jordan where it took 5 hours to travel 40 miles across the politically charged border of Jordan and Israel. Are we going to become a country of impenetrable borders?

More than anything, this climate reminds me of why I wrote The Listening Leader in a journey that began nearly 20 years ago. I learned to listen as a young teacher wrestling with how to serve and empower disenfranchised students—bright, passionate youth who faced systemic barriers to success. I learned early on, and often the hard way, that teaching is about the relationship first and the lesson plan second. I learned that stories are the primary text of powerful teaching and learning, and that listening is the best way to bridge divides of race, class, language, and gender.

Right now, our country needs hope, healing, and unity across difference. I know of no better way forward than through listening. My book attempts to break down this seemingly simple skill into an elegant and comprehensive art.

I come at listening through multiple angles:

  • Purpose: Why should educational leaders focus on listening?
  • Neuroscience: Why does the brain call for a listening approach to transforming schools?
  • Equity: How do we tune our ears to structural racism, unconscious bias, and cultural difference in our schools?
  • Mindfulness: What are the stances and practices of an artful and mindful listener?
  • Adult Learning: How can a Listening Leader design humanizing and engaging professional learning?
  • Complex Change: How can listening help you navigate and influence complex organizational and cultural change?

The book weaves together stories from the field—my own as well as those of the many leaders I have coached—with accessible theory and practical tools. It has been a labor of love, and I am excited and deeply humbled to share it with you.

The Listening Leader is available for pre-order on Amazon and goes live on April 3rd. Please let me know your thoughts, questions, and reactions as you read.