SummaryHospitality is not a department. It is a posture.That was the thread running through our conversation with Mia Berloni, CEO of Teatro Group, as Garth and I dug into the idea of unreasonable hospitality and what it actually asks of a leader. Mia has spent her career inside rooms where the smallest gesture, a remembered name, a note passed at the right moment, can matter more than the meal itself. What she has learned in those rooms translates directly to how schools and organizations build culture.We talked about clarity as an act of kindness rather than its opposite, and how feedback delivered with care becomes one of the most generous things a leader can offer a team. Mia's approach to hiring is not built around credentials first. It is built around who fits the culture and who will carry it forward, because culture is not something you announce, it is something you practice in a hundred small decisions a day.What stayed with us was her insistence that kindness has to hold even when it is inconvenient, even when it costs you time or comfort in the moment. That is where unreasonable hospitality stops being a nice idea and starts being a discipline.This is a conversation for any leader who wants their culture to be felt, not just stated.Chapters00:00 introduction to unreasonable hospitality05:47 Mia's journey into hospitality08:50 the role of culture in leadership11:51 hiring for culture and team dynamics14:49 leading with kindness and clarity17:56 feedback as a tool for growth21:00 rapid fire questions and final thoughts33:04 Beards Book Club outroKey TakeawaysUnreasonable hospitality means going beyond expectation in ways that are small, specific, and personal. It is not about grand gestures, it is about noticing.Clarity is kindness. Leaders who avoid hard conversations in the name of being nice are often doing the opposite of what their people need.Culture is built through hiring. Bringing in people who already carry your values forward is easier than trying to teach values after the fact.Feedback, given well, is a form of investment in someone's growth rather than a correction of their shortfall.Kindness that only shows up when it is convenient is not really a value. It becomes real in the moments it costs something.Sound Bites"Clarity is kindness.""Sometimes the smallest things are the biggest things.""Leading with kindness even when it's inconvenient."ResourcesUnreasonable Hospitality by Will Ghidara - https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Unreasonable+Hospitality+Will+GhidaraMia Berloni - Teatro Group - https://www.linkedin.com/in/miaberloni/

SummaryIn this inspiring episode, psychologist and author Dr. Jody Carrington shares insights on the importance of authentic connection, emotional regulation, and leadership in education. Discover practical strategies to foster social health, build resilient teams, and lead with heart in challenging times.Keywordsleadership, education, emotional regulation, social health, authentic connection, resilience, teacher well-being, school leadership, mental health, community buildingKey TopicsThe importance of feeling seen and deeply understoodNeurobiological wiring for connection and its implicationsThe impact of social health on happiness and performanceStrategies for leaders to regulate themselves and othersThe role of joy and vulnerability in building communityFeeling Seen: The Key to Connection in SchoolsHow Authentic Interaction Transforms EducationQuotes"We are neurobiologically wired for connection""The hardest thing is to look at each other""Misery loves miserable company"drjodykarrington.comChapters00:00 - Introduction to Lasso and Leadership05:07 - The Importance of Connection in Leadership08:08 - Understanding 'Feeling Seen' in Education11:01 - The Role of Educators in Emotional Well-being14:18 - Burnout and the Need for Rest in Leadership17:13 - Investing in Educators for a Better Future20:00 - The Importance of Social Health26:37 - Understanding the State of Education32:57 - Leadership Lessons from Ted Lasso

SummaryEvery school has a plan. Fewer schools have a strategy.That distinction is where Garth and I began our conversation with Tom Olverson, author of Leading Through Strategy and The Architect Leader. Tom has spent years helping organizations separate the two, and what became clear early on is that a plan is a list of things to do, while a strategy is a set of integrated choices about where you will win and where you will not even try.For heads of school, that reframe changes everything. It means naming a winning aspiration, understanding the culture you are actually working within rather than the one you wish you had, and accepting that saying yes to one direction means saying no to several others. Tom walks through five questions that help leaders get there, and we spent real time in the tension between honoring tradition and still being willing to move a school forward.What stayed with us most was Tom's language around the head as architect. Not the person who does the building, but the person who designs the conditions under which good building can happen. That shows up in how you hire, how you develop culture, and how much trust you place in talented people to do the work once the conditions are right.This is a conversation for heads of school and aspiring leaders who are tired of plans that sit on a shelf and want language for the harder, more honest work of strategy.Chapters00:00 introduction to leadership and strategy11:49 understanding strategy vs. planning17:39 balancing tradition and progress20:55 the role of heads in leadership27:55 common pitfalls in strategic planning32:25 leaders as architects36:08 hiring talented faculty40:05 the importance of faculty culture43:45 Beards Book Club outroKey TakeawaysStrategy is not the same as planning. A plan lists actions. A strategy makes a bet on where value will come from, and that bet requires real trade offs.A winning aspiration is the starting point. Before a school can build a strategy, its leaders need clarity on what winning actually looks like for that specific community.Heads of school are architects of systems, not just managers of tasks. The job is to design the structures and conditions that let good work happen, then get out of the way.Culture eats strategy without careful attention, which is why understanding the culture you already have matters as much as the plan you are trying to build on top of it.Hiring well and then trusting the people you hired is one of the clearest levers a leader has. Talent thrives inside the right conditions, and creating those conditions is leadership work.Sound Bites"Strategy is a set of integrated choices.""Your winning aspiration defines your vision.""Strategy is about making a bet on value."ResourcesLeading Through Strategy by Tom Olverson - https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Leading+Through+Strategy+Tom+OlversonResource Group 175 - https://resourcegroup175.comGuest LinksWebsite - https://resourcegroup175.comKeep Leading the Lasso Way.

ABOUT THIS EPISODEWe have been circling this topic for a while. AI is everywhere in our schools right now, and the loudest conversations tend to be about policy and tools, about what students should or should not be allowed to do. But in this episode, Garth and Jason slow down and ask a different set of questions: What is this moment actually asking of us as leaders? What does it mean to be literate when a machine can write? And how do we build the kind of trust in our communities that makes navigating all of this possible?This is not a how-to episode. It is more of a thinking-together episode. And we think that is exactly what this moment calls for.WHAT WE GET INTO00:00 - Setting the table: why this conversation, why now05:55 - What does literacy actually mean when AI can tell your story for you?08:20 - Revisiting mission, vision, and values through an AI lens11:28 - Coherency and clarity: the leadership work only humans can do14:17 - Why imperfection might be the most important thing we can model right now16:22 - Finding the balance: technology in service of connection, not instead of it18:34 - Where we go from here, and what we are still figuring outA FEW LINES THAT STUCK WITH US"What does it mean to tell your own story?""Trust is becoming more important in our society, not less. And schools are one of the few places that can actually build it.""How are we going to build trust through imperfection? Because that might be the whole game right now."KEY TAKEAWAYSThe question of AI in schools is not primarily a technology question. It is a values question. When we sat with that, it shifted the whole conversation.Literacy has always been about more than decoding words. It is about authorship: the ability to find your voice, to make meaning, and to put something of yourself into the world. AI makes that question urgent in a new way. If a student can generate a polished essay in 30 seconds, what are we actually teaching them to do, and why?What we kept coming back to was trust. Not just the institutional kind, but the deeper kind: the trust a student has that their teachers see them, that imperfection is safe, that taking a risk will not cost them everything. Schools that can build that kind of trust will be the ones that find their footing in this moment. And the leaders who model curiosity over certainty will be the ones worth following.

SummaryGarth and Jason have been asking a lot of questions this season on Beard's Book Club. Questions about what it means to lead well, to show up with intention, and to stay human in a world that keeps moving faster than most of us feel ready for.This conversation with Kate Arthur might be the one that reframes all of those questions.We have been thinking a lot lately about what it actually means to be literate. Not just able to read. Not just able to decode text on a page. But truly literate in a world where the machines generating that text are getting smarter by the day.Kate brought some of the most grounded thinking on this that we have encountered in Season 3. Her journey with literacy is personal before it is professional, and that is exactly what makes her perspective so compelling. She is not coming at AI with alarm or with uncritical enthusiasm. She is coming at it the way a thoughtful educator should: with open curiosity and a deep commitment to the humans in the room.What stayed with us from this conversation is her reminder that trust is built slowly and lost in a second. In a world flooded with AI-generated content, that is not just a philosophical observation. It is a design challenge for every school leader trying to build culture right now.If you are wrestling with how to approach AI in your school, or how to help your students and staff develop the discernment they need, this conversation is a good place to start.Chapters00:00 Introduction to literacy and AI06:08 Kate's journey and what literacy really means09:10 The kipu knots: a story about communication across cultures12:11 Foundational skills and the literacy gap15:09 AI literacy and understanding how machines think18:00 Trust, authenticity, and AI-generated content21:04 Mental health and the societal impact of AI24:16 Advice for school leaders navigating AI and literacy27:04 Closing thoughts and where this is all going30:07 Beard's Book Club outroKey TakeawaysLiteracy has always evolved. Kate traces this beautifully, from the kipu knots of the Inca to the printing press to the screen in your pocket. What counts as literacy has never been fixed, and leaders who understand that history are better equipped to navigate what is coming next.Foundational skills are not optional. Before students can think critically about AI-generated content, they need the foundational literacy tools to engage with any content. The gap between students who have those tools and those who do not is widening, and the arrival of AI is making it more urgent, not less.Open curiosity is a leadership stance. Kate frames this not as naive optimism but as a deliberate choice to engage with the unknown rather than retreat from it. That applies to how we lead our staffs, how we talk to students, and how we show up in our own professional development.Mental health is part of this conversation. The pressure that AI is placing on young people's sense of identity, authenticity, and belonging is real. School leaders need to be thinking about AI policy and student well-being in the same breath.Quotes"Trust is built slowly and lost in a second." — Kate Arthur"We need to protect mental health in the age of AI." — Kate Arthur"Open curiosity helps us navigate the unknown." — Kate ArthurConnect with KateWebsite: https://katewebsite.comSubstack: https://substack.com/@kate

SummaryThere is a question we keep coming back to.Not as a thought experiment. As a genuine, uncomfortable, sit-with-it question: where does the authority lie now?That is what Kate Arthur put on the table when Garth and I sat down with her for this episode of Season 3. Kate is a thinker at the crossroads of literacy, generative AI, and what it means to know something in a world where the answer is always a prompt away. Her book, Am I Literate?, is the kind of read that does not give you easy answers. It gives you better questions.What struck us most was not the AI conversation, honestly. It was the mental health thread running underneath it. Because if we are honest with ourselves as school leaders, the tools our students are using are changing faster than our understanding of what those tools are doing to them. Kate brought that tension into the open in a way we found clarifying.We talked about the role of storytelling in a generated world, what critical thinking actually demands now, and why you cannot shortcut your way to wellness. Not with a product. Not with an app. Not with AI.This one stayed with us. We think it will stay with you too.Chapters00:00 introduction to Beard's Book Club and a bit about where this conversation came from04:53 pulling on the mental health thread in education and why school leaders can't afford to look away09:40 the intersection of AI and literacy, and the question of where authority lives in a generated world16:03 how educators and leaders can navigate change without losing what matters most21:39 preparing students and systems for what learning actually looks like going forward24:06 Beard's Book Club outroKey TakeawaysGratitude is not a gesture. Kate's reminder that it needs to be specific, timely, and personal landed for us as a leadership reminder more than a wellness tip. We do a lot of general acknowledgment in schools. The specific stuff takes more intention, but it is the only kind that actually lands.You cannot generative AI your way to wellness. Full stop. This line came out of a conversation about mental health in education, and it is one we will be repeating. There is no tool, platform, or productivity hack that replaces genuine human connection. The shortcut does not exist.The authority question is real and it is unresolved. When Kate asked "where does the authority lie now?" in the context of AI-generated knowledge, we felt the room shift a little. As educators, we have built entire systems around the idea that we curate, evaluate, and deliver reliable information. Generative AI has complicated that arrangement in ways we are still working through.Literacy is not a fixed destination. What it means to be literate has always evolved, and Kate makes a compelling case that we are in one of those inflection moments right now. The question for school leaders is not whether to respond. It is how to build the critical thinking and self-regulation muscles that will outlast whatever the current tools are.Storytelling still matters. Maybe more than ever. In a world where content is generated at scale, narrative grounded in genuine human experience carries a different kind of weight. Kate made that case quietly and convincingly.Quotes"Make gratitude specific, timely, and personal." — Kate Arthur"You can't generative AI to wellness." — Kate Arthur"Where does the authority lie now?" — Kate ArthurResourcesAm I Literate? by Kate Arthur: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Am+I+Literate+Kate+ArthurKate Arthur on LinkedIn (G7 and government influence): https://www.linkedin.com/in/katearthurCIS Ontario Impact Report: https://cisontario.org/impact-reportConnect with Kate ArthurLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katearthurTwitter: https://twitter.com/katearthur

SummarySome leaders manage from a distance. Claude Silver leads from the inside out.As Chief Heart Officer at VaynerMedia, Claude has built a career around a simple but demanding premise: that how people feel at work is not a soft concern sitting alongside strategy. It is the strategy. In this conversation, Garth and I dig into what that actually looks like in practice, and what it demands of the person at the front of the room.What stayed with me was her clarity about self-awareness. Not as a personality trait you either have or do not have, but as something you build intentionally, day by day, through the way you start your morning and the way you show up when things get hard.This is a conversation for leaders who want to go deeper. Not just into their organizations, but into themselves.Chapters00:00 Introduction to leading with heart07:05 Claude Silver's journey and what authentic leadership actually means09:54 Knowing yourself and reading your context13:05 How to prepare for leadership before you are ready15:54 Juggling the demands that come with the role18:57 Setting intentions and building emotional intelligence as a practice22:03 Closing thoughts and a gentle challenge24:09 Beard's Book Club outroKey TakeawaysCulture is not a byproduct of strategy. Claude makes the case that culture is the strategy, and that leaders who treat it as a downstream concern are building on sand. Getting intentional about the environment you are creating is not a nice-to-have. It is the job.Self-awareness is a daily practice. Knowing your triggers, your tendencies, and your defaults under pressure does not happen through reflection alone. It happens through small, consistent rituals, including the way you choose to start your morning before the day starts managing you.Authenticity at work is not oversharing. Claude draws a helpful distinction between being real and being unguarded. Bringing your full self to work means leading with your values, not leading with your nervous system.Quotes"Culture is a strategy.""Start your day with a mantra of gratitude.""Lead with kindness and compassion."Connect with Claude Silver on LinkedIn or find her book Be Yourself at Work wherever books are sold.

Episode SummaryIn this episode of Lassoing Leadership, Jason and Garth sit down with Claude Silver, Chief Heart Officer at VaynerMedia and author of Be Yourself at Work.Claude has built her career around a simple but powerful belief: workplaces perform better when leaders focus on the humans first.Throughout the conversation, Claude shares what it means to lead with vulnerability, why emotional intelligence is becoming a core leadership skill, and how leaders can create cultures where people feel seen, supported, and empowered to do their best work.The discussion also explores neurodiversity in the workplace, practical ways leaders can listen more intentionally, and why creating psychological safety isn’t just compassionate — it’s a competitive advantage.If leadership is about influence, Claude reminds us that the most powerful influence often comes from authenticity, empathy, and courage.Key Take Aways:Why vulnerability is a leadership strength, not a weaknessHow to infuse empathy into workplace cultureSupporting neurodiversity and different ways of thinking at workCreating authentic, human-centered leadership environmentsPractical strategies for listening, connecting, and leading people wellVulnerability builds trust.The best leaders are willing to be human. When leaders show vulnerability, they create space for others to do the same.Empathy drives performance.A culture of care and emotional awareness leads to stronger engagement, retention, and results.Listen for patterns, not just problems.Great leaders listen deeply and notice recurring themes in what their teams are saying.Neurodiversity requires intention.Supporting different ways of thinking means creating systems, tools, and spaces where everyone can thrive.Leaders shape the emotional tone of their organizations.Leadership is not just about strategy — it’s about setting the emotional framework that allows people to succeed.Soundbites:“Vulnerability is the foundation of true leadership.”“Emotional fluency is the key to effective leadership.”“Keep leading the Lasso way.”Chapters:00:00 – Opening: Leadership lessons from Ted Lasso08:49 – Why vulnerability matters in leadership14:54 – Career transitions and finding meaningful work20:52 – Responding to real vs. manufactured crises26:44 – Final reflections on great leadership36:17 – Beard’s Book Club OutroClaude Silver is the Chief Heart Officer at VaynerMedia and the author of Be Yourself at Work. She is widely known for championing human-centered leadership, emotional intelligence, and workplace cultures where people feel valued, heard, and supported.

SummaryIn this episode of Lassoing Leadership, Jason and Garth explore what it really means to “be yourself at work” through the lens of Work That’s Worth It and the leadership philosophy of Claude Silver.Together, they unpack why authenticity in leadership is harder than it sounds, especially in environments where professionalism can sometimes become performance. The conversation explores emotional intelligence, psychological safety, vulnerability, and the importance of creating workplaces where people feel seen, valued, and safe enough to grow.From difficult conversations to emotional resilience during the busiest parts of the school year, Jason and Garth reflect on the idea that leadership is not just about driving results. It is about creating the conditions where people can thrive.Themes:Leadership, Emotional Intelligence, Psychological Safety, Claude Silver, Organizational Culture, Authentic Leadership, Trust, Compassion, Emotional Resilience, Heart-Centered LeadershipTake Aways:Why authenticity matters in leadershipPsychological safety and creating cultures of trustEmotional intelligence and emotional agilityThe role of vulnerability in leadershipNavigating hard conversations with care and accountabilityEmotional resilience during demanding seasonsBuilding workplaces where people can genuinely belongLeaders who model authenticity and vulnerability create stronger, safer cultures.Emotions are not weaknesses to suppress. They are signals worth paying attention to.Psychological safety fuels innovation, trust, and long-term organizational health.High care and high expectations are not opposites. They belong together.Emotional bravery and emotional efficiency help leaders remain steady during stressful seasons.The best leaders are intentional about the emotional temperature they create around them.About Claude Silver:The Power of Authentic Leadership: Be Yourself at WorkBuilding Trust, Resilience, and Psychological SafetyWhy Great Leadership Starts with AuthenticityLeading with Humanity in High-Pressure EnvironmentsSoundbites:“Ride the wave of emotions. Don’t drown in it.”“Set boundaries and live with them.”“The stories we tell ourselves shape the leaders we become.”“People remember how leaders make them feel long after they forget the meeting agenda.”“Psychological safety is not softness. It is the foundation for courage.”Chapters:00:00 — Introduction and anticipation for upcoming guest06:22 — Exploring the idea of being yourself at work09:13 — Psychological safety and the role of trust in leadership12:29 — Emotional intelligence and emotionally agile leadership15:20 — Emotional efficiency, resilience, and leadership strategies18:31 — Listener engagement and community connection21:17 — Final reflections on leadership and authenticity

SummaryTime is the one resource we cannot make more of. That is the uncomfortable truth sitting at the centre of Cassie Holmes' remarkable book, and it is the thread Garth and I pull on throughout this conversation.Cassie is a professor at UCLA Anderson School of Management, and her research does something rare. It takes happiness seriously as a subject of rigorous study. Not as a feel-good concept, but as something worth measuring, protecting, and designing your life around.What landed for us in this conversation was how directly her work applies to leadership. We spend a lot of time in schools talking about culture and well-being, but we do not always turn that lens on ourselves. This episode is an invitation to do exactly that.If you have ever felt busy but not fulfilled, productive but not present, this one is for you.Chapters00:00 Introduction to The Happier Hour08:40 The importance of time in leadership11:41 Strategies for effective time management14:56 Building happiness into your leadership practice17:50 The concept of time empathy20:52 Looking ahead30:10 Beard's Book Club outroKey TakeawaysThe time audit is where it starts. Cassie's research asks a simple but unsettling question: do you actually know how you are spending your time? Mapping it honestly, without judgment, is the first step toward changing it.Happiness stacking is not a luxury. Layering small moments of genuine enjoyment into your existing schedule is a practice, not an indulgence. Leaders who do this consistently are more present and more effective.Presence is the point. Being physically somewhere and actually being there are two different things. Cassie's work reinforces what we see in schools every day: the leaders who show up fully are the ones people remember.Time empathy matters. Understanding that the people we lead experience time differently than we do changes how we schedule, how we communicate, and how we build culture. It is worth sitting with.The 5AM club is not for everyone, but the principle is. Protecting some portion of your day for what matters most to you is non-negotiable if you want to lead sustainably.Quotes"Get out there and do a little bit of me-search on time."Cassie Holmes"Lead with your heart and be authentic."Jason Rogers"Leverage the power of the 5AM club."Garth NicholsResourcesThe Happier Hour by Cassie HolmesAtomic Habits by James ClearThe 5AM Club by Robin SharmaConnect with CassieLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/cassieholmesTwitter: @cassieholmesUCLA Anderson profile: anderson.ucla.edu