WEBVTT NOTE This file was generated by Descript 00:00:12.004 --> 00:00:18.064 Welcome to Transformative Principal, where I help you stop putting out fires and start leading. 00:00:18.574 --> 00:00:20.074 I'm your host, Jethro Jones. 00:00:20.074 --> 00:00:22.774 You can follow me on Twitter at Jethro Jones. 00:00:22.774 --> 00:00:22.834 Okay. 00:00:34.993 --> 00:00:37.363 Welcome to Transformative Principal. 00:00:37.363 --> 00:00:42.643 I'm your host Jethro Jones, and I'm very excited to have Mike Caldwell with me on the program. 00:00:43.003 --> 00:00:46.093 Mike is the founder of Linked Leaders. 00:00:46.153 --> 00:00:48.133 You can check that out@linkedleaders.com. 00:00:48.133 --> 00:00:55.128 In fact, you can go there and sign up for a free account and, and, uh, what's it called? 00:00:56.713 --> 00:00:57.253 Hall pass. 00:00:57.253 --> 00:00:57.673 That's right. 00:00:57.673 --> 00:00:58.003 Yeah. 00:00:58.303 --> 00:01:04.453 So you get a hall pass or free, uh, and you, you can use a, you can go on the hall pass as much as you need to. 00:01:04.453 --> 00:01:09.703 Not like my kid's school where you're only allowed three per semester per period, which is just, 00:01:10.064 --> 00:01:10.784 Is that true? 00:01:11.173 --> 00:01:12.193 It's so stupid. 00:01:12.253 --> 00:01:13.003 I hate it. 00:01:14.143 --> 00:01:15.913 I don't know what these teachers are thinking. 00:01:16.813 --> 00:01:20.353 they're punishing the good kids because they don't know how to manage the bad kids. 00:01:20.353 --> 00:01:21.703 That's what I don't understand. 00:01:24.599 --> 00:01:28.844 You should have, you should have one of those teachers on your podcast and get, get to the bottom of it. 00:01:29.818 --> 00:01:43.228 I should, I don't know if that'll get to the bottom of it though, but, uh, Mike, why don't you tell us a little bit about yourself, where you came from, um, and what you've been doing before you started Linked Leaders, and then we'll get into Linked Leaders. 00:01:44.194 --> 00:01:44.964 Yeah, you bet. 00:01:45.344 --> 00:01:45.564 Um. 00:01:46.979 --> 00:01:48.359 Was it about a year ago, by the way? 00:01:48.359 --> 00:01:54.209 I was just thinking like that we, that you and I met, I mean roughly about a year ago it feels like maybe. 00:01:54.223 --> 00:02:04.988 You know, because I am a nerd, I can actually tell you we had our first meeting, which was on November 19th, 2024 at 9:37 AM 00:02:06.929 --> 00:02:07.739 You are such a nerd. 00:02:07.739 --> 00:02:10.829 I wanna know how you, how you did that, but, uh, that's cool. 00:02:10.859 --> 00:02:12.239 Yeah, I knew it was roughly a year. 00:02:12.328 --> 00:02:12.618 Yeah. 00:02:12.749 --> 00:02:12.959 yeah. 00:02:12.959 --> 00:02:19.379 Mike Caldwell, um, I live in the Rocky Mountain Northwest, similar to Jethro. 00:02:19.379 --> 00:02:21.479 So, uh, I'm in Boise, Idaho. 00:02:21.809 --> 00:02:22.979 Been in, um. 00:02:23.649 --> 00:02:24.549 Idaho. 00:02:24.929 --> 00:02:29.369 Pretty much all my life, Idaho, Montana, um, but my entire career has been in Idaho. 00:02:29.369 --> 00:02:34.289 I was a math teacher for several, a few years, I should say. 00:02:34.349 --> 00:02:37.199 Um, and then quickly went into administration. 00:02:37.229 --> 00:02:45.389 Um, that wasn't necessarily my plan, but it happened as a assistant principal for a couple year or a few few years, and then was a director for our state online program. 00:02:45.389 --> 00:02:49.049 And then, um, went back to the school where I was an assistant principal. 00:02:49.484 --> 00:03:01.874 Served as principal for nine years, and then over the last two years I've been working for a nonprofit, um, as a mentor, leadership coach, um, for charter school leaders here in Idaho. 00:03:02.294 --> 00:03:14.054 And, um, in parallel, about a year ago, um, conceived or was working on the conception of this idea of linked leaders. 00:03:14.084 --> 00:03:17.564 And now I'm essentially doing that full time. 00:03:17.834 --> 00:03:18.374 So. 00:03:18.824 --> 00:03:19.274 Here we are. 00:03:19.423 --> 00:03:20.953 How, how awesome is that? 00:03:21.283 --> 00:03:27.463 A year ago you had this brainchild and then now it's mature already and you're doing it full time. 00:03:27.463 --> 00:03:34.003 So tell us about what Linked Leaders is and then um, well actually, I'll tell you what I love about it. 00:03:34.543 --> 00:03:40.303 Uh, I've been coaching principals for years now, and it's been really great. 00:03:43.003 --> 00:03:46.093 I, I'm pretty good at it, but there are some things that 00:03:46.129 --> 00:03:48.464 Good at I will, I will attest to that. 00:03:48.464 --> 00:03:49.484 I've, I've, I've written. 00:03:50.263 --> 00:03:53.383 Um, but there are some things that I just don't know the answer to. 00:03:53.623 --> 00:03:58.573 And as arrogant and prideful as I am, I realize that I don't have all the answers. 00:03:58.873 --> 00:04:04.903 Even though you give me any situation, I feel like I can answer it and give a pretty decent answer. 00:04:05.293 --> 00:04:11.923 Um, but what I love about it is that it allows you to get the support you need from someone who does know the answer. 00:04:12.358 --> 00:04:13.948 Like right away. 00:04:14.128 --> 00:04:16.318 And I think that is just incredibly powerful. 00:04:16.318 --> 00:04:19.438 So give us your overview of what Linked Leaders is. 00:04:21.014 --> 00:04:22.219 I think the, the. 00:04:23.474 --> 00:04:28.004 The genesis is really kind of similar in kind of the root of what you just said. 00:04:28.424 --> 00:04:34.214 I was voluntarily working with some school leaders after a Facebook post. 00:04:34.214 --> 00:04:38.774 I think I've shared that story a number of times and from, from all over the country. 00:04:38.774 --> 00:04:46.664 And while also in my real job, you know, at the time, um, was coaching school leaders and, and, um, what I was. 00:04:47.354 --> 00:04:54.194 What I realized is, you know, I'm working with, you know, let's say Nicole over in Maine, you know, if you're listening, Nicole, hi. 00:04:54.524 --> 00:04:55.694 Um, miss ya. 00:04:55.814 --> 00:04:58.964 Um, but working with this elementary school principal, right. 00:04:59.354 --> 00:05:12.554 And my entire career has been in, in high school and so I'm talking to her and I've also had a lot of private school experience and she's struggling with some special ed issues and, and things and you know, and private school, special ed. 00:05:13.104 --> 00:05:13.644 It looks different. 00:05:13.644 --> 00:05:18.384 Not that I haven't been in public schools, but I just felt like, you know, she really needs help. 00:05:18.384 --> 00:05:27.204 I, I, I would love to be here for her and I want to be, but I think there's better people that would fit better, you know, for what, what she's looking for. 00:05:27.624 --> 00:05:29.484 And so I think that's. 00:05:30.139 --> 00:05:48.349 What occurred to me, like, what if, you know, what if we just made a really easy way for leaders like Nicole or or Melissa or whoever, all these people I was working with at the time, to go and find the right match for them, find the right from their context for the issues that they're dealing with. 00:05:49.139 --> 00:05:52.469 Find somebody, but we just make it super simple and easy. 00:05:52.469 --> 00:06:01.829 And that's been kind of the goal for Link Leaders over the last year is, is building a library of, of great talent, um, like yourself that's, that's available. 00:06:02.189 --> 00:06:07.324 And, um, and then just clearing it as many roadblocks as possible so that that person that needs help. 00:06:08.504 --> 00:06:09.794 Can find the person. 00:06:10.184 --> 00:06:14.324 And I haven't really counted the clicks, but I like to say about three clicks. 00:06:14.474 --> 00:06:16.214 They have a meeting set up with them. 00:06:16.514 --> 00:06:19.244 Um, and it's super slick and and simple. 00:06:19.244 --> 00:06:20.114 And that's been the goal. 00:06:20.294 --> 00:06:25.424 The feedback I've received, um, from users is it is super simple and, and slick. 00:06:25.754 --> 00:06:27.584 Um, and we have some great talent. 00:06:27.584 --> 00:06:31.004 So, um, I'd love to see it used more because the. 00:06:31.069 --> 00:06:39.769 People like you are out there and available for, for, for people that are, that are maybe just challenged and struggling and or just need someone to chat with that's been there and done that. 00:06:40.853 --> 00:06:50.863 Yeah, and the focus that I've had for the last several years is doing principal masterminds where you get, you get the help every two weeks when, when we meet, but there's. 00:06:51.718 --> 00:06:55.228 good about this is that those can still exist and they do exist. 00:06:55.228 --> 00:07:03.898 And if you're interested in the Mastermind, you should go check out my profile on Linked Leaders and join it, because now it's free through the platform. 00:07:04.258 --> 00:07:08.428 But then if somebody needs something with me, this is a really easy way. 00:07:08.708 --> 00:07:12.668 To give that to them and say, Hey, I just need 30 minutes of your time. 00:07:12.668 --> 00:07:17.108 Like, I don't wanna join the whole mastermind, but I would love to pick your brain for 30 minutes. 00:07:17.168 --> 00:07:20.798 And this provides a way for them to be able to do that one and two. 00:07:21.613 --> 00:07:33.553 For me to be able to serve people and help them out in a way that values and respects my time and my expertise without it being like, uh, okay, let me send you an invoice for this. 00:07:33.853 --> 00:07:36.643 You know, because that's all built into the program. 00:07:36.643 --> 00:07:42.493 And so people have credits that they can use and, and spend to, to meet with mentors and that's great. 00:07:42.883 --> 00:07:46.603 And what I really like is there are a lot of times where somebody has like. 00:07:46.978 --> 00:07:52.798 A small question and they want to spend, you know, 30 minutes just talking through that. 00:07:53.218 --> 00:07:58.228 And I'm fine to, um, give that up and, and help people. 00:07:59.248 --> 00:08:01.798 but the challenge is always like, when do we do that? 00:08:01.858 --> 00:08:10.138 And if you don't already have my cell phone number, then you can't just, uh, call me up, which is honestly, what I love is just talking on the phone with people. 00:08:10.138 --> 00:08:12.838 So, uh, people could do that too, but, mm-hmm. 00:08:13.183 --> 00:08:21.343 But the other thing is, you know, there's, there's somebody who may have the exact answer you need and you don't need six hours of professional development. 00:08:21.343 --> 00:08:26.023 You need one 30 minute conversation with somebody and, and that is really powerful. 00:08:26.023 --> 00:08:34.783 And I can't tell you in my life how many times I've talked to somebody for just a short time and then it just like unlocked all these different things. 00:08:35.203 --> 00:08:40.753 Uh, and made, made it possible for me to find, uh, success in what I was trying to do. 00:08:40.873 --> 00:08:53.143 And one of those things was a podcast conversation that I had with somebody or a conversation I had about podcasts with somebody that made me finally decide to start this podcast, which has now been going for 12 years. 00:08:53.143 --> 00:08:53.983 Isn't that wild? 00:08:54.804 --> 00:08:55.409 It's crazy. 00:08:55.559 --> 00:08:58.319 Uh, yeah, I can't believe you've been doing this for 12 years. 00:08:58.319 --> 00:09:00.839 That's, that's, that's a feat in itself. 00:09:01.439 --> 00:09:15.449 Um, but yeah, for sure I. Mean, I, I, I think one of the, I think, you know, foundational kind of truths with in school leadership is you never have enough time, period. 00:09:15.449 --> 00:09:20.099 Like there is never enough time to do all the things that are expected of you as a school leader. 00:09:20.489 --> 00:09:27.569 So that, so when you need assistance, you need help, or you need an answer to, to a challenge or whatever else. 00:09:27.929 --> 00:09:28.739 Um, it. 00:09:29.389 --> 00:09:34.789 We need to cr we, we need a system where it doesn't take a lot of time to go get that help. 00:09:34.789 --> 00:09:42.379 And you're right, like, you know, the, the research says the traditional PD really doesn't have lot lasting impact in, in practice. 00:09:42.439 --> 00:09:44.149 What really makes a difference is that. 00:09:44.219 --> 00:09:49.589 Personalized coaching, um, where you're getting exactly what you need, when you need it. 00:09:50.039 --> 00:10:01.679 Um, and that's, that's really the goal with Link Leaders is, is to, to be able to create that opportunity where without a lot of hassle, I can go and get the support I need right away. 00:10:02.834 --> 00:10:09.434 Oftentimes you might have that in your, you know, if you're in a, a larger district or you might have that built in. 00:10:10.064 --> 00:10:28.544 But what I've heard from many people, even if they do, it's sometimes really valuable to have outside perspective, to have another source to go to where there is no judgment, there is no, um, kind of inside, I guess, um, you know. 00:10:29.864 --> 00:10:48.344 Trust issues, whether it's that or, or you know, could be that, it could be just, I just want an outside perspective, somebody that's do been doing this, but maybe not in my district, because we kind of get sometimes locked into the, the way of thinking that, you know, we, we know and, and, and sometimes it's hard to break outta that. 00:10:48.344 --> 00:10:51.344 And so I think the other value in this is to. 00:10:52.004 --> 00:11:01.484 Talk to somebody that's outside of your district, outside of your school, outside of your state, you know, or whatever, and, and get that fresh perspective. 00:11:01.484 --> 00:11:05.804 And, uh, so I think that's a, that's a healthy aspect of what we're trying to offer as well. 00:11:05.949 --> 00:11:06.069 I. 00:11:06.418 --> 00:11:07.603 And here's the other thing. 00:11:07.843 --> 00:11:15.643 In schools, there are politics and there are like people who may want to see you fail. 00:11:17.083 --> 00:11:19.303 would not give you the answers that you want. 00:11:19.753 --> 00:11:27.223 And sometimes that's intentional, and other times that's just naivete and not realizing that that's a really messed up thing to do. 00:11:27.523 --> 00:11:28.783 But that's a very real thing. 00:11:28.783 --> 00:11:35.833 And one of the things that's been so great about the masterminds over the years is that people have said repeatedly, there's no politics here. 00:11:35.923 --> 00:11:37.873 Everybody only cares about my success. 00:11:37.873 --> 00:11:45.793 Nobody cares about like, Uh, the narrative that's been going on in our district or whatever else could be going on. 00:11:45.793 --> 00:11:53.263 They're just excited for me to, to do my best and, and be successful, and that, that is really powerful. 00:11:53.263 --> 00:12:05.623 And if you've never talked to somebody who has no interest in anything that's going on except just helping you in that moment, that is really powerful and, um, and, and it really does make a big difference. 00:12:06.989 --> 00:12:10.769 I had the pleasure and I haven't done it consistently. 00:12:10.769 --> 00:12:18.779 Um, but I, I want to but to go into one of your masterminds when you were meeting with, um, Jeff and Kenny, I think, I think with the. 00:12:19.214 --> 00:12:34.094 Two different school leaders that you've been working with on link leaders and, um, the way you set it up and, and kind of zeroed in on, on one of the leaders' particular challenges, and they got to sh kind of be vulnerable and share kind of what they were they were struggling with. 00:12:34.094 --> 00:12:38.354 And, and then, you know, yeah, it was, it was pure support. 00:12:38.684 --> 00:12:41.924 Like everybody was there to kind of like, you know, get clarity. 00:12:42.464 --> 00:12:47.594 Get clear on the, on the challenges and, and, and offer perspective and support. 00:12:47.594 --> 00:12:50.534 And I think in my experience, you know. 00:12:51.254 --> 00:12:55.964 Participating in that, it was like, this is really powerful professional development. 00:12:55.964 --> 00:13:00.374 'cause it's like you take something that's top of mind for you, like, this is where I'm struggling. 00:13:00.674 --> 00:13:01.964 Put it on the table. 00:13:02.264 --> 00:13:09.944 Let some other people that are, that are very interested in, in helping you kind of solve that, that challenge. 00:13:10.004 --> 00:13:12.254 And you walk away, I think with. 00:13:12.469 --> 00:13:17.269 You know, clarity and new perspective, new ideas, and this weight that comes off of your shoulders. 00:13:17.269 --> 00:13:20.509 I followed that similar model where we do in every other week. 00:13:20.899 --> 00:13:21.439 Um. 00:13:22.439 --> 00:13:29.039 Superintendent, or we call it district leader because it's superintendents, assistant superintendent, whoever wants to show up, but a district leader think tank. 00:13:29.129 --> 00:13:36.419 Um, but the last couple times we've been doing it, we've been doing it kind of using the mastermind model that, that I learned watching, watching you. 00:13:36.779 --> 00:13:38.699 Certainly not the, the expert that you are. 00:13:38.699 --> 00:13:40.109 I haven't been doing it long enough. 00:13:40.169 --> 00:13:42.539 Um, but, um, but very similar. 00:13:42.539 --> 00:13:46.769 I mean, we had one of our district leaders share, you know, he had to cut, I think he said. 00:13:47.069 --> 00:13:50.249 10% or something like that of their budget over the next two years. 00:13:50.249 --> 00:13:55.469 And, and we had, I think seven district leaders, um, in addition to him. 00:13:55.529 --> 00:13:56.549 And it was just like. 00:13:57.464 --> 00:14:11.624 S so many different like ideas, perspectives, empathy, um, also a lot of affirmation because that school leader, you know, shared their problem, what they were trying to deal with, but also what they were already doing. 00:14:11.969 --> 00:14:20.549 It's kind of in their process to, to to get, you know, buy-in or not buy-in, but, uh, understanding of the challenge, you know, with, with their stakeholders and things like that. 00:14:20.549 --> 00:14:27.449 And so it was also just affirmation that, hey, you're doing a lot of the right steps, um, but here's some other ideas. 00:14:27.449 --> 00:14:28.019 And so, uh. 00:14:28.584 --> 00:14:29.484 It was, it was fun. 00:14:29.484 --> 00:14:32.304 I mean, I, I love, and that's what we're doing in the fireside chats. 00:14:32.304 --> 00:14:34.404 You know, we have a lot of those going every week. 00:14:34.404 --> 00:14:47.634 And, uh, so the great opportunities for leaders to come together and, and in addition to the one-to-one mentorship, get that peer to peer kind of, um, support that we, we so desperately need as school leaders. 00:14:48.718 --> 00:14:50.328 Yeah, so you mentioned fireside chats. 00:14:50.328 --> 00:14:56.928 Talk about the, the features that are available and how people connect with others within the platform. 00:14:56.928 --> 00:14:57.588 What does that look like? 00:15:00.154 --> 00:15:01.869 I'll start with kind of our, our core. 00:15:03.574 --> 00:15:09.334 Um, philosophy with, with link leaders is about, you know, real human connection. 00:15:09.334 --> 00:15:20.224 So right now, and, and this might change what we'll add, but right now there's, it's not a library of like content where you go and watch a video or you go through, you know, an asynchronous course. 00:15:20.224 --> 00:15:23.329 It's about what are different ways that we can connect. 00:15:24.304 --> 00:15:27.394 Person to person, leader to leader in real time. 00:15:27.394 --> 00:15:38.164 So we talked about the human library, the mentorship hub, where you can go and find, find somebody in your context and, and click, you know, two or three times and, and have a meeting with them. 00:15:39.094 --> 00:15:47.074 But yeah, the other couple features that we have to connect leaders, uh, more in that peer to peer with a facilitator is our fireside chats. 00:15:47.074 --> 00:15:49.279 And those are, um, you know, the. 00:15:50.014 --> 00:16:05.824 Core idea of those is center around a topic that, um, people identify as, as, as an interest and common, maybe a challenge, bring people together, have a facilitator that's there to, uh, to kind of guide the conversation around that, that particular topic. 00:16:05.824 --> 00:16:07.654 But it's not a sit and get webinar. 00:16:08.134 --> 00:16:10.744 Um, I think people are tired of those overall. 00:16:10.744 --> 00:16:17.914 I think there's still a place for that, you know, to where, where you have an expert that's sharing, you know, expertise, but that's not what the fireside chats are meant to be. 00:16:18.154 --> 00:16:34.294 They're meant to be really a facilitated conversation and really the visual I always go back to just in the name, it's like, you know, when you get around a fire with five or six of your, you know, colleagues or whatever are around the table and you're talking about a common challenge, there's a lot of value in that. 00:16:34.294 --> 00:16:34.984 So that's one. 00:16:35.434 --> 00:16:37.174 Um, we're doing book studies. 00:16:37.533 --> 00:16:41.553 chats, we're gonna do one of those this weekend when we're together in Wyoming. 00:16:42.213 --> 00:16:46.503 With me, you and the Kel Keys, it's, I'm looking forward to that fireside chat. 00:16:46.533 --> 00:16:47.793 'cause one the, it's gonna 00:16:47.854 --> 00:16:48.074 It. 00:16:49.023 --> 00:16:53.763 and two, we're gonna be talking about all this stuff, which is gonna be really awesome as well. 00:16:54.319 --> 00:16:56.569 So stoked to to, yeah. 00:16:56.569 --> 00:17:05.569 I, I've, I've known you for now almost a year, and we've never been in the same room at the same time, but a lot of zoom time, or in this case descrip time, but whatever. 00:17:06.314 --> 00:17:09.044 Same with Alkis, Eric and Aaron and, and Jeff. 00:17:09.044 --> 00:17:12.764 And yeah, it's, it's gonna be great to, to connect with them. 00:17:13.394 --> 00:17:14.054 Um, but yeah. 00:17:14.054 --> 00:17:33.854 And then the, the book studies that we're offering, you know, we both, we have kind of your standard book study, um, meet two or three times discussed the book, but we just launched this last week or so, uh, book study workshops where we're now offering, um, kind of book study premiums where you can go in and, and actually subscribe. 00:17:34.819 --> 00:17:41.989 And, and reserve, you know, a space on one of these book studies, but you get two, um, continuing education credits. 00:17:42.019 --> 00:17:44.119 Uh, right now it's through Boise State University. 00:17:44.179 --> 00:17:53.479 Um, so if you're in a state that need where you need to recertify, like Idaho, what's the Washington, um, recertification requirements, Jethro. 00:17:53.853 --> 00:18:06.333 To be honest, I don't know because I only have my initial principal license here and I haven't bothered, well, I haven't gotten a job and that's what you need to get to, to move up to the next level, so I have never figured that out. 00:18:07.039 --> 00:18:07.429 Okay. 00:18:07.489 --> 00:18:07.789 Yeah. 00:18:07.789 --> 00:18:08.839 Every state's so different. 00:18:08.839 --> 00:18:12.769 I've, I've, I've been surprised as I learned that, but in Idaho, every. 00:18:13.059 --> 00:18:22.869 Five years to recertify, you have to have six um, credits and other, you know, which equates to whatever that is, 180 hours of continuing education time. 00:18:23.379 --> 00:18:36.189 Um, so yeah, so our book study workshops, um, you meet five times live, um, to discuss the, the various chapters for that particular module and do some online. 00:18:36.249 --> 00:18:36.579 Um. 00:18:37.114 --> 00:18:56.824 You know, discussions, but one of the things that we built, we, we try to build into all these workshops is some of this time is actually doing tasks that you're already doing in the school, but relating that or tying that back to the readings of the book to reinforce kind of the book, um, content, what we're, that we're reading. 00:18:56.824 --> 00:19:03.334 So those are, you know, just another way to connect leaders around a particular, um, leadership book and, uh. 00:19:03.724 --> 00:19:04.474 And so that's new. 00:19:04.474 --> 00:19:11.854 And then, uh, online discussions, resource sharing are, are some of the other things that we, we have currently and with some other ideas down the road. 00:19:13.588 --> 00:19:13.828 Yeah. 00:19:13.858 --> 00:19:14.908 Lots of cool stuff. 00:19:14.968 --> 00:19:21.958 And uh, and as I think back over what we have talked about, uh, with this over the last d. Year. 00:19:22.048 --> 00:19:27.508 Um, it's been, it's been really interesting to see how this has morphed and changed. 00:19:27.508 --> 00:19:41.938 And, uh, and if you would talk a little bit about how powerful AI has been in helping you, uh, create the website itself, because that is one of the things that, I, I think you said a couple weeks. 00:19:41.938 --> 00:19:47.908 So like you could have never gotten this accomplished if you didn't have those tools available. 00:19:47.908 --> 00:19:49.318 So talk a little bit about that too. 00:19:50.294 --> 00:19:50.954 Oh my gosh. 00:19:50.984 --> 00:19:51.404 Yeah. 00:19:51.464 --> 00:19:55.094 Um, you know, timing matters and to, to do this. 00:19:55.154 --> 00:19:57.224 Five years ago, I would've never. 00:19:58.234 --> 00:20:07.384 Been able to, honestly, I mean, it would've been, you know, several hundred thousand dollars to be, to try to build what, what we have now with this full stack web application. 00:20:07.864 --> 00:20:17.524 But yeah, so when we launched, um, in January, you know, it was a Frankenstein kind of system where I had a WordPress that I threw together that was super ugly. 00:20:17.764 --> 00:20:21.244 I licensed a mentorship platform that was okay. 00:20:21.649 --> 00:20:23.899 But I had no control over it whatsoever. 00:20:23.899 --> 00:20:27.619 It was like, you get what you get and, and even when I threw a fit, it didn't matter. 00:20:27.679 --> 00:20:29.749 Um, so you just had that Right. 00:20:29.749 --> 00:20:37.459 But that's gave us an opportunity to kind of quick launch in January and uh, got some, you know, experience and kind of feeling things out. 00:20:37.789 --> 00:20:42.829 But it was like, yeah, in March, I think it was where I realized like, we gotta do something different. 00:20:42.829 --> 00:20:43.819 You know, we have to. 00:20:44.524 --> 00:20:50.854 Be more, you know, create more opportunities for engaging leaders to leaders in, in addition, just to, to the mentorship. 00:20:50.854 --> 00:21:08.284 And so, um, started looking and researching and ultimately discovered, um, bolt, um, which is a, a, uh, Claude based AI development platform and started playing with that. 00:21:08.344 --> 00:21:13.654 And, um, over the course of March through May, um. 00:21:14.539 --> 00:21:32.719 Was able to build a lot of this platform, including the backend database without, I mean, my coding background was some basic self-taught H-T-M-L-C-S-S just enough to like know and little but very, very little code and, um. 00:21:33.784 --> 00:21:35.314 Built a, a bunch of it. 00:21:35.314 --> 00:21:44.794 And then, um, hired a couple interns from Boise State University, um, that are in their fourth year as, as CS students. 00:21:44.854 --> 00:21:57.274 And I've been working with, with a couple of them since May of last year, still working with, with them, um, paying them, you know, modest wages, uh, if you will. 00:21:57.304 --> 00:22:01.084 But they're happy to have the work and they've been great to work with. 00:22:01.444 --> 00:22:02.434 And, uh. 00:22:02.884 --> 00:22:04.984 And Yeah, and we continue to iterate. 00:22:05.104 --> 00:22:10.624 Literally every week we, we meet, I mean, every week we've met since I think the 1st of May. 00:22:11.164 --> 00:22:16.114 Um, and just working on different aspects, different features. 00:22:16.174 --> 00:22:24.004 Um, we just built, built out what we call, what we're now calling the Community Suites model. 00:22:24.244 --> 00:22:25.294 See, that's new to you? 00:22:25.473 --> 00:22:26.098 That's new to. 00:22:26.518 --> 00:22:26.758 Uh, 00:22:27.244 --> 00:22:27.724 Yeah. 00:22:27.838 --> 00:22:31.443 listening to this, you're getting fresh stuff because I have never heard of this before. 00:22:32.479 --> 00:22:35.179 Presses and what Community Suites. 00:22:35.509 --> 00:22:37.879 The idea behind Community Suites is right now. 00:22:37.879 --> 00:22:54.799 We, there's organizations, whether you're a district, you're a. A charter management organization, you're a state association that you're already do trying to dabble and do a little bit of mentorship, and you're trying to connect leaders similar to what Link Leaders does with our Community Suites model. 00:22:54.799 --> 00:22:58.669 Basically you, we can onboard you as an organization. 00:22:59.074 --> 00:23:02.314 And you have kind of your own floor of Link leaders. 00:23:02.314 --> 00:23:08.374 So think of Link Leaders as the building and, and as an organization you can have your own floor of the building. 00:23:08.644 --> 00:23:12.274 What I love about it is it's not an or. 00:23:13.729 --> 00:23:22.009 You know it's not, or it's not either or It's, and you can have your own floor of comm of link leaders where you onboard your own mentors. 00:23:22.009 --> 00:23:26.659 You, you do your own private fireside chats, book studies, et cetera and so forth. 00:23:27.409 --> 00:23:36.289 And in one click of the button, you're in the common area of the building and you have access to all the mentors and all the fireside chats. 00:23:38.659 --> 00:23:47.569 I don't know if there's something, anything like that where you can, where you can have your own private space and then also have access to everything else. 00:23:47.599 --> 00:23:58.939 And so what I see is as we add more organizations, the value of of, of the connection and, and, and, you know, the network effect becomes the. 00:24:00.019 --> 00:24:17.509 Increasingly, if not exponentially, more valuable because if one organization joins, another organization joins now, the content that they're offering within their organization now becomes accessible if they choose to with two other organizations as well, as well as mentorships and things. 00:24:18.079 --> 00:24:21.919 So I, yeah, I'm, we're really excited about, about where that can go. 00:24:22.323 --> 00:24:23.433 Yeah, that's very cool. 00:24:23.433 --> 00:24:32.853 And there's, there's a lot of other great stuff once you get in there and see what, what exists, resources that people can share and other things like that. 00:24:32.853 --> 00:24:42.243 So, uh, if you haven't, uh, checked it out yet, please go check out Linked leaders.com and, uh, I'm gonna give you a little softball here. 00:24:42.243 --> 00:24:42.723 What, uh. 00:24:43.593 --> 00:24:48.453 is one thing that a principal can do this week to be a transformative leader like you? 00:24:48.453 --> 00:24:48.873 Mike? 00:24:54.099 --> 00:24:55.209 Love your questions. 00:24:55.599 --> 00:25:00.759 Um, one thing this week is be curious and go learn something new. 00:25:01.849 --> 00:25:06.319 Um, I think, I know it's, we're always strapped for time. 00:25:06.409 --> 00:25:09.829 My tagline on every email forever has been always learning. 00:25:09.859 --> 00:25:17.689 And I think as long as we're, we stay curious and want to learn more, um, whether it's. 00:25:18.634 --> 00:25:20.524 You can take that in so many different directions, right? 00:25:20.524 --> 00:25:27.634 Go learn more about one of the teachers in your building that you didn't know about, or go learn a new technology that's gonna make you more efficient as a leader. 00:25:27.964 --> 00:25:32.104 Pick, pick, pick your poison, but just stay curious and keep learning. 00:25:32.748 --> 00:25:34.608 Yeah, I, I think that's great advice. 00:25:34.608 --> 00:25:40.908 And, and if you have that curious and learning mindset, opens so many doors for you in so many ways. 00:25:40.968 --> 00:25:43.518 And you know, I was it. 00:25:44.553 --> 00:25:50.943 Like I said, I coach a lot of principals and, and one of them recently was asking me like, how do I deal with this situation? 00:25:51.093 --> 00:25:57.423 And, uh, it's complex and it's complicated and like feelings are gonna get hurt and it's gonna be difficult. 00:25:57.423 --> 00:26:00.183 And it's like, you know what, just be curious. 00:26:00.573 --> 00:26:02.853 Just like say, Hey, what's going on here? 00:26:03.153 --> 00:26:08.583 And instead of being like, you really screwed this up, or You're a terrible teacher, or whatever, just be like, Hey. 00:26:09.003 --> 00:26:10.113 I saw this. 00:26:10.443 --> 00:26:11.643 I don't know how to interpret it. 00:26:11.793 --> 00:26:12.303 Tell me. 00:26:12.483 --> 00:26:14.613 And, and that's a really powerful thing. 00:26:14.613 --> 00:26:17.313 So, uh, thank you very much for being here, Mike. 00:26:17.343 --> 00:26:19.023 Thank you everyone for listening. 00:26:19.023 --> 00:26:25.053 Please go to link leaders.com, go check it out, sign up for a free hall pass and give it a shot. 00:26:25.053 --> 00:26:31.563 Come to one of my Mastermind firesides and just hang out with me for a bit and let's talk about some school problems and how we can solve them. 00:26:32.163 --> 00:26:33.573 Uh, thanks so much for being here, Mike. 00:26:33.573 --> 00:26:34.233 Appreciate you. 00:26:34.233 --> 00:26:35.193 Have a wonderful day. 00:26:35.709 --> 00:26:36.939 Appreciate you, Jethro. 00:26:36.939 --> 00:26:38.254 Thank you as always.