Author: Latoya Dixon, Ph.D.

Dear Leaders,

Over the past few weeks, I’ve been thinking about how the motivation behind a person’s desire to lead shows up in their mindset, attitude, and interactions with others.

I’ve reflected on why I chose leadership, and I continually return to the same answer: to help others. And if I’m being honest, I’m not sure I chose leadership at all. Most days, I feel as though leadership chose me.

Most people do not realize just how much of an introvert I am. Nothing pleases me more than recharging my social battery with a good book and a nap on the couch. I prefer small groups over large crowds, and I would rather have dinner with a few good friends than attend a gathering filled with people.

As my friend Stephanie has said to me on more than one occasion, “You’re an introverted extrovert.”

The first time she said it, I thought, That is so accurate. Why haven’t I thought of that before?

My extroversion is fueled by my desire to help others. I love being a sounding board, helping people brainstorm and solve problems, and working collaboratively with a team to navigate complex challenges.

My days as a high school basketball player taught me a great deal about the game, but they taught me even more about leadership and what it truly requires: bearing responsibility, accepting criticism, sacrificing for your teammates and the good of the whole, and putting yourself last so others can succeed.

Even with all the difficulty and responsibility that come with leadership, I still find great joy in helping others. That is why I continue to choose to lead.

I’ve often heard educators talk about the importance of knowing your “why,” and I believe it is equally important for leaders. A leader’s why should be rooted in service: caring for others, investing in people, meeting their needs, and remaining willing and available to support them along their journeys.

Those who choose leadership primarily for a title, status, power, or the way they hope to be perceived will quickly discover that leadership and ego do not mix well.

There are countless hours of work behind the scenes and conscientious efforts that many people will never see. Sacrifices are made daily to support the success of the people being served and the organization as a whole. A desire to lead cannot remain pure unless it is grounded in service to others.

When leadership is truly about serving, apologizing after making a mistake becomes natural. Taking responsibility becomes necessary. Making things right matters more than protecting one’s image because the work was never supposed to be about the leader.

I want to challenge leaders everywhere to take a sincere, honest look at their why.

Most of us will find at least a few remnants of ego within ourselves. The work is to recognize them and refuse to allow them to drive our leadership. A desire to be perceived as important or powerful, or the belief that a title will somehow elevate our value, cannot be the foundation upon which we lead.

Whatever we believe leadership should be eventually shows up in our attitude, our mindset, our priorities, and the way we speak to and treat others.

The evidence of our intentions can be found in what we are willing or unwilling to do, what we deem important, and where we place our time, attention, and focus.

Leaders with the purest intentions are focused on two things: helping people and making things better.

Each day, I ask myself, What have I done today to help someone else or make our organization better?

Approaching my daily work with that mindset keeps me grounded, focused, and centered in the reasons I chose this journey.

Make it your business to become so deeply rooted in your leadership why that you are not distracted by setbacks, obstacles, recognition, or unexpected challenges. When you know your purpose, you can continue to operate in it without missing a beat.

Keep leading with heart, soul, and from the inside out!

Yours in Leadership,

Latoya

Dear Leaders,

I’ve been thinking about a phrase I’ve used in several recent leadership coaching conversations. In each conversation, my goal was to listen deeply and learn about each leader’s strengths and opportunities for growth. Although every individual was different, I found myself returning to the same phrase again and again.

At the end of each conversation, I offered this advice from my own leadership journey:

“One of the best things I ever did as a leader was work on myself.”

As leaders, we cannot underestimate the impact our personal struggles can have on our effectiveness. Whether we struggle with vulnerability, organization, focus, managing our emotions, or bouncing back after failure, it is essential that we work on ourselves so we can better serve the people we lead.

And working on ourselves does not have to be done alone.

For years, I’ve read self-help books, practiced prayer and meditation, journaled, and relied on people who I know care about and love me enough to call me out when I fall short of who I am striving to become. By no means do I have it all figured out. But with each job change and new leadership experience, I have improved my ability to lead others and much of that growth has been fueled by the work I’ve done to improve myself.

Over the years, I’ve learned a few lessons I want to share with leaders everywhere. These lessons may not be anything you haven’t heard before, but with experience and time, they have become increasingly clear to me:

1. Internal angst will show up in how you lead. Anxiety, fear, and resentment rarely remain hidden. Don’t pass your angst on to others. Energy is contagious, so find a way to pursue peace every day.

2. Confidence doesn’t come from caring less. It comes from caring deeply while being secure in who you are and what you bring.

3. Courage is not the result of being fearless. It is the byproduct of being afraid, nervous, or even anxious—and moving forward anyway so you can live according to your values and truth.

4. Everything that happens and every way someone responds to you isn’t necessarily personal. More often than not, their response reflects where they are in their journey at that particular moment.

5. Accepting that you will make mistakes and being willing to own and correct them works better than trying never to mess up. Attempting to lead without making mistakes is unrealistic and exhausting.

6. Knowing who you are, what you believe, and what you stand for is one of the most important parts of leadership. When you are unsure of yourself, others may become unsure of you too.

7. Never stop trying to improve yourself. We are imperfect human beings, and there is always room to become better. No matter how much you achieve, keep working to become the best version of yourself. The benefits will show up in every area of your life.

Technical knowledge can and will improve your skills and abilities, but self-awareness and personal growth are essential aspects of effective leadership. The best leaders I know have keen insight into who they are, how they show up, and how others experience them.

I want to encourage leaders everywhere to practice the kind of honest reflection that leads to meaningful change.

Leading others starts with leading yourself.

Until next time, keep leading with heart, soul, and from the inside out!

Yours in Leadership,
Latoya

Dear Leaders,

When I think about some of the most impactful lessons I have learned as a leader, I am reminded that many of them are connected to mistakes I have made along the way.

In my early days of leadership, I worked hard to avoid making an error of any kind. I held myself to an unrealistic standard and believed that strong leadership meant getting it right all the time. Of course, I never achieved that impossible goal. With time and experience, I came to understand that the goal was not to avoid mistakes altogether. The goal was to learn how to practice resilience, vulnerability, and accountability when mistakes happened.

Owning my mistakes, admitting when I was wrong, and taking meaningful action to make things right have done more to strengthen relationships, build trust, and establish credibility than almost anything else in my leadership journey. Humanizing myself as a leader has helped others see my heart beyond any title I may have held.

Two of the most powerful words any leader can offer are, “I’m sorry.”

When we own our errors, we give those we serve the opportunity to see humility in action. We demonstrate openness, honesty, and a willingness to admit when we do not get it right. In turn, our example creates space for others to be human, too. It helps build a culture where perfection is not required, growth is expected, and authenticity is honored.

In this season of leadership, I am thankful for my journey and for every lesson I have learned as a result of the mistakes I have made along the way. Each one has helped me grow, support others more effectively, and sharpen my skills for the next group of people I have been honored to serve.

I am grateful to be free from the pressure to be perfect. I am far removed from those early leadership days when I thought perfection was the goal. I may not be certain of many things, but I am sure of this: owning mistakes, learning from them, and allowing them to shape us is a much more productive focus than perfectionism.

So this week, I want to encourage leaders everywhere to take stock of both your gifts and your opportunities for growth. Reflect on the mistakes you have made throughout your leadership journey. Think about how you practice resilience, ownership, and humility when you have made a poor decision or fallen short. Consider how your actions can build trust, strengthen connections, and deepen your relationships with your team.

Vulnerability is the currency of trust. Every time a leader practices it with sincerity, their leadership is strengthened. While it may feel risky, vulnerability remains one of the most powerful tools a leader has to build meaningful connection.

Keep leading with heart, soul, and from the inside out.

Yours in Leadership,
Latoya

Dear Leaders,

There are moments in leadership that remind us why the work matters.

This week, I had one of those moments as I watched students walk across the graduation stage. Some walked with confidence. Some walked with joy. Some walked with relief. And some walked with a story that most people in the room may never fully know.

As I watched them, I could not help but think about the students who fought tooth and nail to get there. The students who had to overcome obstacles, setbacks, doubt, disappointment, hard days, difficult circumstances, and moments when it may have been easier to give up than to keep going. But they kept going.

They showed up. They tried again. They leaned on the people who believed in them. They made it to the finish line.

And as each name was called, I was reminded that leadership is not just about the decisions we make, the meetings we attend, or the responsibilities we carry. Leadership is about people. It is about the lives impacted by the work we do every day, often in ways we may not immediately see.

It was also an incredible honor to hand my niece her diploma as she completed this chapter of her journey, finishing number seven in her class. In that moment, I was not only proud as an educator and leader. I was proud as her aunt. I saw her hard work, her discipline, her determination, and the many people who helped shape, support, encourage, and guide her along the way.

That is the beauty of this work.

We do not lead for recognition. We do not lead simply to complete tasks or manage systems. We lead because what we do has the power to open doors, create opportunities, provide support, and help others see what is possible for their lives.

Leadership is about something bigger than ourselves.

It is about the student who needed one more person to believe in them. It is about the family who needed reassurance. It is about the teacher, coach, counselor, bus driver, assistant, administrator, or staff member who made a difference along the way. It is about the collective effort of people who choose to show up with purpose, even when the work is hard.

Graduation is a powerful reminder that the work we do matters. Every conversation, every intervention, every act of patience, every expectation held with love, every second chance, every moment of encouragement, and every decision made in the best interest of students contributes to something bigger.

We may not always get to see the full impact of our leadership in the moment. But every now and then, we get a glimpse.

This week, I saw it on the faces of students crossing the stage.

I saw it in the pride of families present to share in this important moment for their children.

I saw it in the perseverance of students who refused to quit.

And I saw it in the joy of handing my niece her diploma and celebrating not only what she accomplished, but who she is becoming.

So this week, I hope you are reminded that your leadership matters deeply. The work may be demanding, but it is also sacred. It reaches beyond us. It extends into the lives, futures, and possibilities of others.

Keep leading with purpose. Keep showing up. Keep believing in what is possible.

Because leadership is never just about us.

It is about the people we serve and the difference our leadership makes in their lives.

Let’s keep leading with heart, soul, and from the inside out!

Yours in leadership,

Latoya

Dear Leaders,

Leadership can be demanding. There are decisions to make, problems to solve, people to support, and responsibilities that can feel heavy at times. But in the middle of all that leadership requires, I hope we do not forget that leadership can also bring joy.

There is joy in seeing someone grow, watching a team come together, or solving a problem that once felt impossible. As leaders, we have the unique opportunity to show up in ways that can help make someone’s load a little lighter or their path a little clearer.

I often find joy in remembering why the work matters. While the importance of the work can feel like an overwhelming responsibility, I choose to experience it as an extraordinary opportunity. I find joy in small wins, meaningful conversations, moments of progress, and reminders that our leadership is making a difference.

So this week, look for the joy in leadership.

Celebrate the things you’ve overcome, the problems you’ve solved, and the challenges you have faced with dedication and commitment. Sit with the joy that comes from knowing your work has purpose, and that your leadership is central to the success of the organization and the people around you.

Keep leading with heart, soul, and from the inside out.

Yours in leadership,

Latoya

Dear Leaders,

There will be seasons when leadership feels exhausting. There will be moments when the work is heavy, the decisions are difficult, and the impact of your efforts is not immediately visible. But when our desire to lead is rooted in service, we are reminded that the work is still worthy.

I have always been drawn to leadership because I love helping people. For me, leadership is about serving others, helping them grow, offering steadiness in moments of uncertainty, and leading with humility, courage, and compassion.

That kind of leadership often means working hard behind the scenes. It means doing significant work that may never be publicly visible. It means having difficult conversations privately in order to protect the mission. It means showing up for others, supporting the goals of the organization, and keeping a heart for service at the center of the work.

Servant leadership may not always be visible or out front, but it always makes a difference. When we focus on how we can meet the needs of others, we stay grounded in our purpose and true to the reason we chose to lead in the first place.

So this week, I hope you are reminded that your leadership matters.

Every thoughtful decision, every act of support, every moment of patience, every effort to solve a problem, and every choice to serve others well is part of the larger impact you are making.

Outward recognition will never be more fulfilling than the inward satisfaction of knowing you are aligned with your purpose as a leader: to serve others.

As you go about your week, focus on serving well. Ask yourself:

Who needs your encouragement this week?

Where can you help?

Whose load can you make a little lighter?

The best leadership is not simply about being seen. It is about being faithful to the responsibility of serving others well.

So keep showing up. Keep helping. Keep serving. And keep leading with heart, soul, and from the inside out.

Yours in Leadership,
Latoya

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

Dear Leaders,

I can remember my Momma telling me and my sisters many things that didn’t quite make sense to me until I was much older. One of those sayings was this: “A little bit of information is a dangerous thing.” When I think about that in terms of leadership, I think about the danger of making assumptions.

Assuming can cause us to believe we are seeing a situation clearly simply because we are seeing it from where we stand. But where we stand is rarely neutral.

Our perspectives are shaped by our experiences, beliefs, frustrations, preferences, and even our biases. That alone is not what makes assumptions dangerous. What makes them dangerous is when the invisible filters through which we see people and situations cause us to mistake our interpretation for truth, even when we do not have all of the facts, context, or information.

I want to be clear. I am not suggesting that leaders can simply stop themselves from making assumptions. Assumptions are part of the way the human mind works. We make inferences to inform our decisions, make sense of situations, and keep ourselves safe both physically and psychologically.

However, the best leaders I know check themselves when they find themselves assuming.

They ask, What am I missing or not seeing in this situation?

They seek multiple perspectives. They consider angles beyond their own, including perspectives that may challenge their original opinion or view. In doing so, they open themselves up to ideas, explanations, and decisions they may not have otherwise considered. They understand that unchecked assumptions limit perspective instead of broadening it.

They ask, What information might I not have that would better inform my understanding?

They trade judgment for curiosity. When they find themselves jumping to conclusions, they pause long enough to ask questions. They get curious not only about the situation, but also about their own thinking. They check their bias because they recognize that bias can significantly impact who we give the benefit of the doubt to, who we question more quickly, whose tone we critique, whose mistakes we define as character flaws, and whose context we fail to consider.

They ask, What questions do I need to ask myself before I proceed?

The right questions can help leaders reflect more objectively before acting on assumptions. Questions such as:

• What story am I telling myself about this person or situation?

• What evidence do I actually have?

• What context might I be missing?

• How might this look from another perspective?

• Am I responding to what happened, or to what I have assumed it means?

• Who am I giving grace to, and who am I withholding it from?

The best leaders are not assumption-free, but they are self-aware enough to examine their assumptions before acting on them. That’s the key.

Leadership is not just about making decisions. It is also about making sure the way we show up and interact with others is not being driven by unchecked assumptions. Before we judge, respond, correct, dismiss, or decide, we owe it to the people we serve to pause, get curious, and seek understanding. Because the way we interpret others often shapes the way we treat them.

I urge leaders everywhere to practice these reflective questions when you find yourself drawing conclusions before having all of the facts, judging a situation before seeking context, or forming an opinion before practicing curiosity. Don’t allow your assumptions to become the basis upon which you filter your thoughts, decisions, and interactions.

You just might be missing something.

Keep leading with heart and soul, from the inside out!

Yours in Leadership,

Latoya

Dear Leaders,

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the role leaders play in building culture. Establishing a culture of excellence goes far beyond mission, vision, and values. Culture is the one thing that isn’t always evident in the data. That’s because it’s established, reinforced, and refined by what leaders tolerate and decide far more than by what they say. When words and actions fail to align, leaders who intend to create a culture of excellence should sound the alarm with urgency.

Leaders are tasked with making a variety of decisions about so many things, both large and small. Whether those decisions are about expectations, resources, recognition, or accountability, they send a clear message to members of the organization. It is often the implicit messages, not the explicit ones, that set the tone for an organization’s culture, and the leader is ultimately responsible for every message communicated. Some messages build trust, clarity, and alignment. Others reinforce low expectations, reduce accountability, and emphasize complacency.

Whether leaders realize it or not, people are paying attention. They notice what we prioritize, what we protect, what we address, what we ignore, and what we allow to continue. Over time, those decisions become more than isolated choices. They become signals. And those signals shape culture. Every decision matters, whether large or small, when building a culture of excellence or dismantling one of complacency and apathy.

As leaders, we must stay mindful of how our decisions, actions, or neglect can impact our efforts to cultivate a culture that truly represents who we are as leaders. As we think about our decisions, here are some key points to keep in mind when it comes to culture building:

1. Decisions reveal priorities.
If we say stakeholders matter, but never protect time to listen, support, or follow up, our decisions may communicate something different.

2. Decisions shape expectations.
What leaders address consistently becomes part of the standard. What leaders avoid can quietly become accepted practice. Culture is often formed in the gap between what we say we value and what we actually reinforce.

3. Decisions build or weaken trust.
People may not always agree with every decision, but they are more likely to trust leaders when decisions are thoughtful, consistent, transparent, and connected to a clear purpose.

4. Decisions create the lived experience of culture.
Culture is not just what is written on the wall. It is what people experience every day through communication, accountability, fairness, support, and follow-through.

Leadership requires us to remember that decisions are never neutral. They either reinforce the culture we want or contribute to the culture we may later have to repair. As leaders, it is important that we reflect often on how our decision-making impacts the culture we are building in our organizations. Ask yourself:

• What message are my recent decisions sending?

• Do my decisions reflect the values I say matter most?

• What am I currently protecting through my decisions?

• What am I unintentionally permitting through my silence or delay?

So this week, I encourage you to pay attention to the messages your decisions are sending. Not just the major decisions, but the everyday ones too. The meeting you keep. The conversation you have. The issue you address. The standard you uphold. The person you support. The follow-up you complete. Because over time, those decisions tell the story of what we value.

And that story becomes the culture.

Keep leading with heart, soul, and from the inside out!

Yours in Leadership,
Latoya

Dear Leaders,

When I think about the leaders who most influenced my journey, I am reminded that they were individuals who modeled the qualities, characteristics, and skills I wanted to embody as a leader. Even today, I continue striving to reflect those same qualities because they shape a leader’s ability to positively influence the actions, mindset, and practices of others.

Some were people of few words, but all of them modeled steady decision-making, wise counsel, a calm presence, and high expectations coupled with respect and dignity for the people they served.

None of them relied on positional power to move people to action or bring a team together. Rather, they reminded us of the moral imperatives and professional responsibilities that come with our work, and those reminders helped many of us stay grounded in our values, ethics, and purpose. Their focus was always on solving problems and working through challenges collaboratively. They cared more about doing what was right than being right. They never placed ego or personal interest above the mission.

They embodied humility, integrity, authenticity, and kindness. They were conscientious, honest, trustworthy, and deeply respectful of others. They understood the importance of confidentiality, especially in sensitive situations, and they handled both people and problems with care. No matter the issue, they remained grounded in their values and treated others with dignity and respect.

As I reflect on how I show up as a leader, I ask myself these questions:

1. Does my presence bring calm to high-stress situations, or does it fuel tension?

2. Do the people I serve feel seen, heard, respected, and valued in the way I interact with them?

3. Do I put my personal feelings aside and approach situations objectively to help ensure the right decisions are made?

4. Do I model the high expectations I set for others while treating every person with respect and dignity?

5. Do I practice humility, integrity, and kindness in all situations?

I want to encourage leaders to take an honest look at themselves and reflect on how they show up each day for the people they serve. If you are really brave, ask your team to answer those same questions about you. Then reflect honestly on their responses and make changes if their perceptions are misaligned with how you intend to lead.

Remember, leadership is never really about the leader. It is about the influence we have and the impact we leave on the people we serve.

Keep leading with heart, soul, and from the inside out!

Yours in Leadership,
Latoya