In Consideration of Leadership / A Next Generation Response

Dan Evans

In Consideration of Leadership / A Next Generation Response

Posted on April 3, 2022

The intrinsic sense that all people are connected to each other and to some grand opera is what some might call “spiritual.” I say this only to make this assertion: Across all generations and cultures there has been a common quest to uncover that mysterious thing within ourselves that is hard to define and yet defines us nonetheless. This thing evolves within us over time and speaks to us through an inner voice that shapes our core beliefs and our actions. We cannot deny it, even if we are not sure from where it derives. Whatever we call this connection between things, between every single thing, it has not yet been adequately explained yet by scientists. It is an equation yet unsolved. Still, scientists, philosophers,…

Dan Evans

School Systems: In Search of Competence and Connectivity (Part 2)

Posted on June 7, 2020

School systems are social systems or what some call “human systems.” The entire structure is built around people, with planned social interactions and (get this) with a common sense of purpose. School systems, neighborhood associations, and even political parties are social systems that (if fully functioning) are designed to produce a great deal of energy and, hopefully, synergy around a common cause that brings together people and processes in connected and meaningful ways. Let us be clear that no system can be fully mature (self-actualized) until it is fully competent and fully connected. To frame what this means, let us imagine what a school or school district would look like if it was functioning adequately per its day-to-day operations, but was not truly inspiring its…

Dan Evans

School Systems: In Search of Competence and Connectivity (Part I)

Posted on May 31, 2020

The secret recipe for all successful ventures is three parts innovation, two parts resourcefulness, and at least one part sheer trust and will. The lessons learned from successful corporate ventures, inspiring civic endeavors, and superstar public schools are the subject of countless books and movies in our never-ending fascination with what works. Though we may debate the attributes of success, most of us know it when we see it. There is something about hard-won victories that is so alluring that we find it difficult to avoid staring at them and wondering how they did it. In truth, the greatest of great ventures have always found success in transformative places that exist somewhere beyond corporate structures, business plans, and spreadsheets. In one form or another, such…