Several weeks ago, I had the privilege of joining Dr. Peter Stiepleman on The Imperfect Leader Podcast—and I had a lovely time. The conversation moved in the way the best conversations do: curious, honest, and grounded in the real work of leading human systems.
We covered a lot of terrain—mental models and why they quietly shape what leaders see (and miss); my work with Partners for Educational Leadership; what it means to facilitate superintendents’ networks in a moment where the demands on public education feel both exhilarating and daunting; and the lifelong practice of learning from our own imperfections rather than trying to hide them.
What I appreciated most about Peter is that he is a generous, incisive interviewer. He asks the kinds of questions that do not just elicit answers—they invite real-time thinking. If you care about educational leadership, leadership development, or the daily reality of trying to do good work in complex conditions, I think you will find this episode worth your time.
If you want to listen (or watch), here are the links (or find it where you get your podcasts):
In Partnership,
Richard Lemons
Executive Director
Partners for Educational Leadership
rlemons@partnersforel.org
