At its heart, the mastermind is an authentic community that challenges and inspires. Thank you, Daniel, for bringing the mastermind concept to the education field and creating a space for leaders to learn from and be supported by one another.

Daniel Bauer has the ability to deeply engage others in how to be better leaders, share what he has learned in the process, and offer it in a book. Mastermind is not just engaging from the first sentence; it offers research and practice that can help us have a deeper impact on leading and learning.

Though Bauer’s book is about how masterminds allow K–12 leaders to reach their potential, I recommend it for those in higher education as well. As a college president, I rely on the tools Bauer highlights: opportunities for mentorship, investment in personal growth, a push for innovation, support networks, and the capacity to see challenges and issues through multiple perspectives.

As a university professor devoted to teaching excellence, I’d heard of masterminds but didn’t know what they did or value. Daniel Bauer explains them, who does them, why, how, and what to expect from them, illustrated with stories from principals and educators who did them. Now I want to do one. I wish I’d read this book a long time ago.