Why do some schools seem to innovate without losing who they are… while others lose their identity in the process?

In this episode, we explore the Jim Collins concept behind the necessity of preserving the core (holding tightly to your mission, values, and distinct identity) while also stimulating progress (relentlessly pursuing new ideas, methods, and programs to stay relevant and effective).

Innovative programs like entrepreneurship, STEM, or design thinking make learning feel exciting, real-world, and future-focused. These aren’t just electives — they are powerful vehicles for students to apply knowledge, solve real problems, and discover their unique strengths. When students build a business prototype, code a solution, or tackle a design challenge, the walls of the classroom expand — suddenly, learning has purpose and relevance. It’s in these moments that students aren’t just preparing for the future — they’re actively shaping it.

The caution is if we only preserve the core without progress, we get stuck. If we only chase progress without preserving the core, we lose trust and clarity.

There are four ideas for how to do this in the school setting:

1. Redesign Learning Spaces for Collaboration

2. Integrate Real-World Partnerships

3. Shift from Content Coverage to Competency Development

4. Empower Student Voice and Choice

And all of this matters because the future belongs to schools—and students—that know who they are and where they’re going.

Dr. Joel Hazard, the Head of Academic Collaboration and Culture at Fellowship Christian School in Roswell, Georgia, has amazing insights when it comes to transforming the school experience around true collaboration. On a mission to provide the best possible Christian education, Dr. Hazard explores how we, as teachers and school leaders, need to get used to being uncomfortable.

He recommends implementing After Action Reviews (AARs) for a culture of continuous improvement that focuses on 1) what went well, 2) what didn't go well, and 3) what can we do to enhance going forward?

Additionally, Dr. Hazard explores how true collaboration is different than cooperation, and schools need to step into this space to make sure true collaboration is taking place. This means learning to "fail cheaply" through trying new, innovative things in the classroom. It also means getting feedback, providing differentiated learning, creating physical movement in the classroom, and given choices to students.

With an emphasis on "relationship first," Dr. Hazard has fantastic content that can e immediately applied to K-12 schools across the nation.

You can follow him on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-joel-hazard-797703126/ and you can learn more about Fellowship Christian School by visiting https://www.fellowshipchristianschool.org/

Connect with me, Stephen Carter, at Stephen@seedtreegroup.com

After a chance encounter with Chris Voss, author of Never Split the Difference and CEO of the Black Swan Group, I walked away with a valuable lesson around negotiation tactics.

Voss suggested that the key to a negotiation is to get what you want with the other person saying "no." The reasoning is that it feels considerably safer to say "no" than to say "yes" and therefore you are more likely to close the deal or make the sale if you can get what you want while the other person feels they can say "no."