How Molly swapped consistently “Frustrating Days” for “Powerful Days” (And you can too) …

Molly

School leadership is no joke!

The work keeps coming and coming.

Most days it feels like drinking from a firehose …

And that is EXACTLY how my RUCKUS MAKER client, Molly Dandelet, felt most days.

Molly is AMAZING and it is my privilege to share how this courageous single mom of three boys (one in high school, two in college) shifted her experience from consistently frustrating days …

To consistently POWERFUL days.

The best part … (you can do it too).

More on that in just a second …

When I met Molly, she knew that SOMETHING had to change. 

She lacked prioritization because the tasks that came across her desk became her priorities every day.

Which meant that she was pulled in 100 different directions every single day.

Then would go home (super late at night of course).

Grab something that passed as dinner …

Follow up with a few dozen emails …

Crash …

And get up the next day to do it all over again.

This kind of leadership was UNSUSTAINABLE for Molly.

And not only was this kind of leadership unsustainable but it was also misaligned with her Zone of Genius.

You see, Molly’s superpower is being a visionary and lifting up her colleagues. 

In Molly’s words, “Quite honestly, when I’m not doing those things, it has a negative effect on my well-being.”

Molly really cares about not only her well-being, but that of her colleagues as well. 

She calls her school a “teacher-powered” school and she knew that she had to address her focus and organization if she was truly going to care for her faculty. 

In the past, Molly tried a number of free opportunities that made bold promises that offered her balance, purpose, better results, and so on …

But Molly knew she needed SKIN IN THE GAME to take her development seriously.

This was a scary endeavor for Molly. 

Her charter school PD budget was much smaller than her public school colleagues. 

Investing in herself was a hurdle. It was a scary endeavor.

The financial aspect was frightening but even scarier was her investment of time.

As a single mom with a son still in high school and leading a school …

Molly needed all the time she could get.

Unless she could figure out how to use her time better …

Molly had been listening to my podcast for years. She felt aligned with how I show up and serve school leaders. 

And unlike the other free opportunities she participated in before, she experienced REAL results by reading and taking action on some of the books I recommended to her.

So she joined my newest program, The Principal Success Path™. 

There she learned in LESS THAN 30-DAYS how to go from consistently frustrating days to consistently powerful days.

She calls those powerful days her “Monday Moment.”

She found how to create Monday Moments by implementing an idea I taught her in The Principal Success Path™. 

Every Sunday I challenged Molly to set her goals and intentions for the week. 

I also asked her to create an IDEAL WEEK and do it. 

This changed EVERYTHING in Molly’s leadership. 

Molly told me, “I literally remember experiencing my first ‘Monday Moment’ after implementing what you taught me, Danny. It was my very best day as a leader and I rocked a Monday like I’ve never rocked one before.”

I asked her what “rocking a Monday” looked like …

“I was working in my areas of strength. Creating programming, working on vision, helping my staff grow their strengths. I experienced something totally new. And I realized at that moment, if I could do this consistently I would LOVE my job.”

And not only did Molly experience flow and do so much more for her school in one day …

She also left work at 5pm.

This might not seem like a big deal to you.

There is a very UNHELPFUL leadership MYTH going around …

That a leader has to be the FIRST one to work each day and the LAST one to leave.

That is total BS. 

And for the first time that Molly could remember, she left work before 8 or 9 pm. 

(Kind of important for a single mom with a kid still in high school. Also important if she wanted to honor her own well-being.)

Now she had a system that could produce powerful days consistently.

But that wasn’t all Molly learned in The Principal Success Path™.

Molly also implemented the idea of a 90-day plan. 

She didn’t stop there though. 

Molly taught the idea to her staff and asked them to take action.

She posted her goals visibly in public (and even had custom stickers made so she could look at her goals every day while working on her laptop).

I asked her about the IMPACT this had on her staff:

“I see people who are sticking with their 90-day plans. The goals are visible. They are structured. My staff is much more ready for the year than I have ever seen. They are using their time differently than they have in the past because the 90-day plan does a great job of making our shared goals visible and identifying all the tiny steps that will help us accomplish our big goals.”

And the impact on her staff isn’t even THE BEST PART. 

The BEST part is that nowadays Molly doesn’t feel like she has to work as hard. 

Amazing how a simple plan, referenced regularly can help you ELEVATE your impact as a leader.

Now school leadership hasn’t become easy, but it has certainly gotten EASIER after Molly took action on the ideas she learned in The Principal Success Path™. 

It has created the space to tackle new opportunities like learning how to successfully navigate a difficult relationship with a board member. 

And by learning this approach to the relationship, she has opened up a whole world of possibilities before her …

I wonder what YOU might accomplish if you created space to get out of a REACTIVE mode of leadership and could operate PROACTIVELY?

So what advice does Molly have for you?

“Prioritize yourself like you prioritize your staff.”

I agree 100%.

School leaders are so good at taking care of their staff at the expense of themselves. 

After all, educators are the most compassionate group of people I’ve come across.

But listen to Molly. 

And take care of yourself.

YOU are WORTH IT. 

Molly figured out that she is worth it. 

And I am PROUD to share with you that she decided to join the mastermind after experiencing the MAGIC in The Principal Success Path™. She’s covering the cost of her membership out-of-pocket too. 

Because Molly is worth it.

And so are you …

Ready to Level Up?

What if leadership could be easier?

What if you could turn consistently FRUSTRATING days into consistently POWERFUL days?

Molly did and so can YOU.

I taught her how in The Principal Success Path™.

I run this program twice a year.

Apply to The Principal Success Path™ here and someone from my team will reach out to connect with you regarding this AMAZING opportunity.

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Danny Bauer

Daniel Bauer

As a chronically late student, Danny Bauer once told his Chemistry teacher a fib about saving an entire girl scout troop from a burning building to get out of a tardy.

Danny is not sure if it was the very made up story, the very real cookie he offered his teacher, or a combination of both that got him out of a detention that day …

That experience taught him it pays to develop your storytelling skills.

Danny has been telling stories since then, most recently on the Better Leaders Better Schools podcast, ranked in the TOP 0.5% of 3 million global podcasts, and via his two bestselling books, Mastermind: Unlocking Talent Within Every School Leader and Build Leadership Momentum: How to Create the Perfect Principal Entry Plan.

He also loves telling stories while facilitating in person leadership workshops at national conferences and for school districts.

Danny’s mission is to help Ruckus Makers Do School Different™.

Soniya Trivedi

Soniya Trivedi

Soniya, hailing from the culturally rich land of India, is a dynamic professional in the field of web services, crafting digital landscapes. Soniya’s journey into the world of technology is a testament to her unwavering passion and commitment to excellence, transforming ideas into impactful online realities.

Since 2022, Soniya has played an important role in supporting BLBS with her comprehensive website services.

She loves to travel and cook new recipes.

Dragan Ponjevic

Dragan Ponjevic

Music is an inspiring art form. Sound is conveyed via the air to the ears of living beings, and each being perceives it in its own unique way, eliciting a certain feeling. Dragan feels the same sensation every time he hears music, from infancy to now, as if it were a part of his existence that he couldn’t fathom living without. Dragan opted to deal with sound his entire life despite his formal degree, and today he is one of the most passionate audio producers you can meet and chat to about sound and music all day long. His enthusiasm for audio production, student-like thinking, and curiosity keep him continually mobile in generating new, quality, and enjoyable sound on a regular basis.

Dragan has been producing BLBS audio and video content since 2020.

Christina

Christina

My passion for both baseball and literature was the initial catalyst that led me into education. Growing up as a softball player and a die-hard fan of the Chicago Cubs from the North Side of the city, I developed a profound appreciation for the South Side of Chicago, not enough to convert me into a White Sox fan. As a National Board certified teacher, with over 16 years of experience on Chicago’s South Side, my journey as an educator has taken me from my roots in the Windy City to Virginia, as an instructional coach.

From the very beginning, I have been an unwavering believer in the philosophy of BLBS. My journey alongside Danny has been one of daring innovation and audacity, right from the moment he challenged me to say, “boom” and drop the mic during our initial city-wide professional development event. He has cultivated a team capable of winning a World Series, and I am deeply honored to be a part of this community of individuals who consistently push the boundaries and endeavor to make a meaningful difference in the lives of others.

Premaria Mutambudzi

Premaria Mutambudzi

Premaria Mutambudzi is the BLBS Office Administrator, This is her 2nd year, she has served in the administrative field for 5+ years, Prim is originally from Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. She has been married for 7 years to her husband Takunda, and is blessed with two children.

Prim loves meditation, creative writing, poetry, and reading. In her spare time, Prim is a talented and creative Makeup Artist.

Sofia Hughes

Sofia Hughes

– Head Coach

Sofía’s lifelong search for a profession that would “leave the world a little better than she found it” led her to study philosophy and comparative religions, become a teacher, lead schools and educational projects, work for the Argentine Ministry of Education, contribute as a volunteer in various NGOs and become personally committed to causes that raised awareness about the world’s challenges and the potential of education to overcome them.

She is a practically-minded idealist, a profound believer in people and their potential for good, committed to collaborative leadership environments, and instinctively and naturally drawn to create order and systems in seemingly chaotic contexts.

After more than 30 years in the classroom and almost 20 as a school leader, Sofía now divides her time as Schools Development Manager for Cambridge University Press and Assessment, Executive Secretary for the International Confederation of Principals, Facilitator for the ESSARP Teacher Training Centre in Argentina and BLBS Mastermind Coach.

Each of her current roles allows her to travel near and far while contributing to her own lifelong learning, and that of school leaders across the world, in the slow way she cherishes: one experience, one adventure, one conversation and one relationship at a time.

Dan Watt

Dan Watt

– Head Coach

Once a roller derby ref, now enjoying “retirement”, Dan’s got some wild tales from the track. Picture this: Dallas, a Division 1 tournament, and Dan’s zipping around as an “outside pack ref” when suddenly, BAM! He gets bulldozed by “Ruthless Red” charging out of the penalty box. But did he stay down? Not a chance! Dan bounced right back up, finished the game like a champ, and jetted off to Barcelona for the World Cup, broken tailbone and all.

Bruises and broken bones couldn’t keep Dan out of the action. Those derby days weren’t just about dodging collisions—they taught him about grit, resilience, and leadership skills that he’s been flexing for 15 years as a school leader. Whether he’s coaching leaders as part of The Ruckus Maker Mastermind™ team or dodging freight trains in the fast-paced world of roller derby, Dan is always willing to lean into the next challenge.

Jason Dropik

Jason Dropik

– Head Coach

Jason P. Dropik (Babaamii-Bines / Eagle Clan) is the School Administrator for the Indian Community School (ics-edu.org), in Franklin, WI, which serves Native students in the metro Milwaukee area. A member of the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians (BadRiver-nsn.gov), Jason is committed to supporting students, families, staff, school/community leaders, and the community both near and far.

Having recently completed a two-year term as President of the National Indian Education Association (NIEA.org), he advocated for and spoke on the importance of tribal sovereignty, policy, appropriations, and student support across the country. As a Board Member of NIEA, Jason continues with that work, championing training and providing information for schools and community organizations, while creating visibility and understanding of Indigenous perspectives.

His greatest passion is creating welcoming spaces for students to develop their identity, take pride in their language and culture, and to celebrate the rich legacy and the promising future of Indigenous communities.

Gene Park

Gene Park

– Head Coach

First and foremost, I’m a husband, father and son. I’m someone who is driven by my faith. I’m the Principal of A. Russell Knight Elementary in Cherry Hill, NJ. The Parks are animal lovers. We have 3 dogs and 2 cats. Some things that I’m loving at the moment is playing Pickleball and cooking for my friends and family. I also have the privilege and joy of serving as a BLBS Mastermind coach.

Jesse Rodriguez

Jesse Rodriguez

– Head Coach

Back in high school, Jesse used to painstakingly unthread the logos from his clothing and hats so that he wouldn’t be seen as part of the status quo.

He didn’t know it then, but that was the start of his journey as someone who finds unique ways of communicating ideas.

Then when he discovered his connection to youth with disabilities, he realized that he was among experts who’ve been finding ways to do things differently all their lives.

Leaning into these connections has brought him to become the Innovation Lead for a statewide project called I’m Determined – developing and producing animated videos and feature-length movies, facilitating events and building tools and resources for youth, families, and educators – all as ways to help students ink their journeys for the world to see.

As a leadership coach, Jesse is someone whose consistent presence is there to listen and add value and belonging.

Paige Kinnaird

Paige Kinnaird

– Head Coach

Leadership skills were evident as early as first grade for Paige Kinnaird when the teacher pointed out that “Paige is an eager beaver who completes her own work and then monitors what everyone else is doing.”

This taught Paige the importance of servant leadership. To never expect work from others that she is not fully committed to also putting forth the effort to accomplish.

Paige has used this as the central driving force of her work ever since… a willingness to be part of the work, not just driving the work.

Karine Veldhoen

Karine Veldhoen

– Head Coach

Karine Veldhoen, M.Ed., is the founder of Learn Forward™ and a creative force in education. While her name may be difficult to pronounce, her mission is simple, to champion extraordinary potential. As an educational leader (15 years) she created the first model Learn Forward™ school while simultaneously founding and serving as Executive Director of Niteo Africa. She’s taught Teacher Candidates at both UBC-O and UNBC and serves as a coach for Better Leaders Better Schools.

In all of her roles, she considers herself a modern-day pilgrim who stands for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion.

Now, she dedicates her professional practice to championing EdLeaders to design thriving schools. When Karine is not carving new paths for education, you’ll find her with her husband and three children, her heart-song.