Welcome to
The Resilient Leaders Project

You aren't meant to lead alone.

You've heard the phrase, "Leaders aren't born, they are made". Few people know that the quote goes on to say that leaders "are made by hard effort". If you're here, it's probably because you know the hard effort it takes to be a good leader, but you also know it can be draining and exhausting. This job is often so difficult that 1 in 10 Principals leave the profession every year (Blad, 2023).

"Leaders aren't born, they are made. They are made by hard effort, which is the price which all of us must pay to achieve any goal which is worthwhile."

Vince Lombardi

One of the factors driving leaders to leave education is loneliness. We often do this job in isolation, and we don't have people to connect with. We experience unique stresses that come with the demands and responsibilities of the position (Stern & Patti, 2024).

With those demands, we fail to make connections with other leaders. Making connections with other leaders is important because "leaders who effectively collaborate across boundaries in the workplace have the advantage when faced with solving problems, creating innovative solutions, and evolving to thrive in today's independent, complex world" (Center for Creative Leadership, 2025).

"[Principals] feel the loneliness and isolation of having the sole responsibility of making difficult decisions that impact children's lives...these decisions take their toll on the leaders' emotions, often detrimentally affecting their health and well-being."

Robin Stern & Janet Patti

So how does this work?

Communities of Practice

You will be placed in a Community of Practice - a small group with other administrators, led by a Resilient Leader. Groups will meet once a week to discuss problems of practice, current events impacting school life, and connect with each other. Resilient Leaders will also be available to check in via email or messaging outside of the weekly meetings.

As our Communities grow, you will have the chance to move between different communities. This may be beneficial to meet new leaders or to focus on specific issues.

Mentoring & Coaching

You can also choose to receive one-on-one coaching by a Resilient Leader. This allows you the opportunity to delve deeper into your problems of practice with someone that has your undivided attention.

You can receive coaching from the same Resilient Leader as your Community of Practice, or your Resilient Leaders can be different, depending on your needs.

Is there a cost?

There is a cost to participate in The Resilient Leaders Project. Costs to participate in a Community of Practice are lower so that all leaders can afford to take advantage of it. Coaching costs are higher, and are set by each individual Resilient Leader, but the advantage is that you will receive more personalized attention.

Your school district may have funds available for you to participate, and this could potentially be considered as a professional learning experience. If you believe your district would pay for your participation, you can either have us connect with them, or you can share our information and ask them to reach out to us.