WHY A COMMUNITY OF PRACTITIONERS MATTERS FOR SCHOOL LEADERS

Leadership is lonely

There’s no doubt about it

When the buck stops with you and there is no one else left to make the hard decisions, the top gets awfully lonely awfully quick

If you’ve been in educational leadership for any length of time, you’ve certainly felt it

That gnawing sense of being the only one holding everything together.

The late nights after everyone’s gone home.

The big decisions that keep you up.

The weight of expectations

Despite being surrounded by people all day, school administrators frequently find themselves emotionally and intellectually isolated.

You’re not just running a school—you’re carrying stories, managing crises, negotiating conflict, and helping shape a culture that inspires and encourages others

The loneliness doesn't always come from the absence of people, but from the absence of peers who understand the peculiar, complex, and deeply human work of leadership in education.

You’re not just managing people. You are in the business of human formation…a role that carries far more weight than mere management.

Perhaps this is why school administrators report higher levels of job related stress than any other working adult

As one school principal stated, “The best way to describe it is walking up to the edge of a cliff, with one foot solidly placed on the ground and the other foot ready to go over the edge”.

If you’ve been in educational leadership for any length of time, you’ve probably felt it: the quiet weight of responsibility, the sense that everyone’s looking to you for answers, and the loneliness that can come from carrying a role few fully understand.

Leadership in schools is paradoxical.

We’re surrounded by people all day—students, staff, parents—yet the deeper work of decision-making, vision-casting, and navigating change often happens in solitude.

And let’s be honest: it can be exhausting, disorienting, and even isolating.

Somewhere along the way, many of us internalized the myth that leaders are supposed to be self-sufficient. Unshakable. All-knowing. Invincible

But the truth is:

Real leadership doesn’t happen in isolation—it happens in relationship.

Why a Community of Practice Matters

The most transformative school leaders I know are not just brilliant—they’re connected.

They’ve learned that the way through the loneliness of leadership isn’t to tough it out, but to walk together.

Leadership doesn’t have to be a solo climb up the mountain. It can be a shared journey—one where we take turns leading, guiding, and encouraging each other along the way.

You don’t need to have it all figured out. You just need people who are figuring it out alongside you.

Because none of us makes it alone.

We often say education is relational—but so is leadership.

We need communities of trust where we can wrestle with the big questions, reflect on our practices, and be reminded that we’re not alone.

Community for school leaders isn’t a luxury; it’s a lifeline.

That is why school leaders, perhaps more than anyone, desperately need a community of practice—a group of leaders just like them who understand the unique challenges, special burdens, and particular weight of leading schools and shaping lives

For school leaders, a community of practice can be a safe space for those who are drawn together by their common passion to see lives changed through the power of education.

A community of practitioners can offer:

• Perspective when we’re too close to a problem.

• Accountability to help us stay aligned with our deepest values.

• Encouragement in seasons of fatigue and frustration.

• Inspiration to keep growing and dreaming.

• Regular Interaction in ongoing conversations, workshops, and other activities to share knowledge and learn from each other. 

• Collaborative Learning where members learn from each other's successes and failures, leading to continuous improvement. 

• Focus on Practical Application by addressing real-world challenges and problems faced together

• Advancement of Expertise where, through collective learning and sharing, members deepen their knowledge and skills. 

When we’re part of a trusted group of fellow leaders, the work becomes more sustainable. We can risk vulnerability because we know we’re not being judged—we’re being supported.

I’ve spent time working with school leaders across the country, and here’s what I’ve discovered: The ones who thrive are the ones who refuse to go it alone. 

They’ve built circles of trust, sought out wise guides, and intentionally created rhythms of reflection, renewal, and growth.

Leadership is too complex, too human, and too high-stakes to be done in a vacuum….especially school leadership!

That’s why I believe every school leader needs a community of practice—a space where you can be honest, vulnerable, creative, and inspired.

A space where you can be reminded that you're not crazy, you're not alone, and you're not the only one trying to lead with heart in a system that is daunting at best

More than ever, we as educational leaders need spaces to:

• Wrestle with the big questions

• Rediscover our purpose and passion

• Dream and design bold, hopeful futures for our schools

And sometimes, we just need someone to walk that road with us.

A Guide for the Journey

There is a dire need for a network of support, encouragement, inspiration, and hope to come alongside school administrators to not only keep them in the game long term, but to provide them the ability and capacity to do the work they love with purpose and meaning

Someone who will stay in contact with you to cheer you on.

To offer a safe space to vent. A shoulder to lean on. A place to dream big dreams!

That’s why I do what I do.

As a coach for school leaders and a consultant for schools, I walk alongside those who are ready to move beyond survival and into a life of purposeful, visionary leadership.

Whether you're navigating a season of change, trying to rekindle your passion, or designing a new way forward for your school, I’m here to help.

Together, we’ll build a path that’s sustainable, creative, and deeply human.

Here’s how I work with school leaders:

• 1:1 Leadership Coaching – Personalized, confidential coaching for clarity, resilience, and renewal

• Vision-Centered Strategy – Intentional support for transforming your school culture and leadership practices

• Leadership Retreats & Workshops – Restorative experiences that reignite passion and deepen purpose

• Custom School Design – Helping schools and districts reimagine professional learning around flourishing and purpose

• Keynote Speaking—Inspiring your educational community to find meaning and purpose in the sacred work of education

Let’s walk together

You don’t have to keep carrying it all alone. If you’re looking for a trusted companion for the road ahead, I’d love to connect.

Because leadership should never be a lonely journey.

I am opening up the next administrative leadership cohort for the 2025/26 school year

I work with school leaders to help them find greater fulfillment, meaning, purpose, and connection in their work as educational administrators.

If you would like more information on joining us, visit https://www.drscottamartin.com/ to learn more or reach out directly to schedule a free call to chat

TESTIMONIAL: “Dr. Scott Martin has been a generous and insightful guide in our journey to build Evergreen Academy. His experience, humility, and heart for transformation make him a valuable partner for any leader reimagining education” --Matina Hunnell Co-founder, Evergreen Academy