Dear Leaders,
One of the things I appreciate about Publix is the consistent experience. The stores are clean. The staff is visible. Help is easy to find. The service feels intentional. I find myself choosing Publix because of the shopping experience I have there, even though it may be more expensive than some competitors. It is clear to me that their focus is on the customer experience.
As leaders in education, it is both our moral and professional imperative to ensure our focus remains on the student experience, especially in an age when families have more choices than ever about the experience they want for their children.
And while schools are not grocery stores, there is something leaders can learn from that kind of consistency. Excellence is not accidental. It is not dependent on who happens to be working that day, who is watching, or whether things are easy. Excellence is the result of clearly defined values, consistent expectations, accountability, and a culture where people understand what matters most.
In my opinion, this is what separates premier leaders from average ones. Average leaders may care deeply and work hard, but premier leaders are clear about their values, explicit about expectations, and disciplined enough to hold themselves and others accountable to the standard they say matters. They create a culture of excellence with intention. I challenge leaders everywhere to reflect on this concept of premier leadership. Ask yourself:
Have I become complacent in my leadership efforts?
Do the people I serve know the standard of service I expect?
Have I allowed the standard to fall below excellent?
Do I model the values I hold dear as a leader?
Am I settling for status quo leadership and a status quo culture?
How do I want people to remember my leadership legacy?
If those questions make you feel seen, I urge you to take action. Your leadership legacy is on the line each time you make a decision, tolerate the status quo, or avoid the conversation that reinforces a culture other than the one you intend to establish.
Deep reflection requires taking an honest look at your leadership values, your daily behaviors, and your decisions. It also requires the courage to make changes when those values, behaviors, and decisions are not aligned.
Here’s what I believe premier leaders do differently:
1. Premier leaders define the standard.
They do not assume people know what excellence looks like. They name it, model it, teach it, and return to it often.
2. Premier leaders make their values visible.
Core values cannot live only on a website, in a handbook, or in a strategic plan. They have to show up in decisions, conversations, feedback, and daily operations.
3. Premier leaders center the student experience.
In education, students must remain at the center. Premier leaders consistently ask, “Is this decision in the best interest of children?” even when the answer is inconvenient.
4. Premier leaders protect the culture through accountability.
Accountability is not punishment. It is how leaders protect the standard. When leaders tolerate actions that conflict with stated values, the culture becomes average.
5. Premier leaders are courageous and consistent when it is hard.
The Publix standard does not waver because the store is busy. In the same way, leadership standards cannot disappear under pressure, conflict, fatigue, or competing demands. Premier leaders are driven by their values and do not avoid accountability. They understand the cost to the culture when hard conversations are not held, low expectations are tolerated, and decisions are made without keeping students first.
I want to be clear that premier leadership is not some grandiose, aspirational concept, and it is not about perfection. It is simply about refusing to become casual with the standard or allowing complacency to become the culture. It is about deciding that the people we serve, especially students, deserve more than average effort, average expectations, average follow-through, or average service.
For those who want to reach their highest leadership potential, we must be willing to become five-star leaders. We must be leaders who are clear about what we value, consistent in how we lead, courageous enough to hold the standard, and committed enough to make every decision with students at the center.
Every day, I ask myself a simple question: Did my leadership create an experience marked by the same clarity, care, consistency, and excellence I appreciate when I walk into Publix? That is the goal. Premier leadership every day, for every stakeholder I serve.
Keep leading with heart, soul, and from the inside out!
Yours in Leadership,
Latoya