Leading When Everything Feels Impossible

Six real lessons from the hardest kind of leadership when there is no map to guide, no guarantee to succeed, and no room to fail

Leading a school today can feel like standing in the middle of a storm. Expectations rise, priorities shift, and just when you find your footing, something new demands your attention.

I know that feeling. I have lived it.

Years ago, I believed in something that did not exist yet. A public school with no walls. A place where students who often felt unseen could thrive, and teachers could teach with freedom and heart. That idea became Elite Academic Academy.We started with vision, grit, and a small team who shared a belief that learning could look different. As a charter school, our survival depended on student growth. It was not optional. The work demanded focus, courage, and a shared sense of purpose.

There were nights I sat in my office staring at numbers that said we might not make it. I questioned everything. Each morning, teachers still showed up ready to teach, and students logged in ready to learn. Together, we found a way forward.

When the pandemic came, education everywhere was tested. Teachers gave everything they had. Families stretched beyond what they thought possible. Students showed strength that reminded us what resilience really means. ( The picture above is how I chose to personally honor my staff during this time.)

For our team, that lengthy season proved that belief can be stronger than fear. Our students grew, our teachers stayed, and our mission held firm. The recognition that followed mattered less than the people who made it possible.

That experience taught me that leadership is not about certainty. It is about moving forward when you are unsure and staying focused when the world refuses to slow down.

Now, I lead through a new kind of challenge. Artificial intelligence, immersive learning, and constant innovation have changed what leadership looks like. Through Illuminate XR, I work with educators and partners who are redefining what learning can be. The tools are different, but the lessons that guide me have not changed.

Here are six truths that continue to shape how I lead when everything feels uncertain.

1. Pay Attention Before You Act

Leadership is not about hearing every voice at once.

It is about noticing what others overlook.At Illuminate XR, I pay attention to patterns. I watch where teams slow down, where energy builds, and where silence speaks louder than words. Awareness reveals more than any meeting agenda ever could.

When we built IXR’s immersive and AI tools, the goal was never to follow trends. It was to solve real problems that educators face every day. Too many systems with too little time and way too much noise. Clarity comes from careful observation, not from blindly chasing others’ opinions.

Leadership begins when you stop reacting and start seeing.

2. Build a Culture That Learns Relentlessly

Fear stops growth before failure ever can.

At Elite, professional learning was part of daily life. Teachers shared ideas, reflected, and refined their work together. We built a community that valued progress over perfection.That same mindset drives my work today. The best teams stay curious. They do not wait for permission to learn. They experiment, reflect, and adjust until they find what works.

Growth is not an event. It is a way of being.

3. Lead Thinking, Not Technology

AI can process information, but it cannot decide what matters. It can assist, but it cannot care.

Strong leaders do not chase every new tool. They choose what truly serves people. My focus is on helping educators and teams think critically about technology and use it responsibly, ethically, and with purpose. At Illuminate XR, we teach people to pause before they adopt. We ask what problem the technology solves and whether it supports human learning. The best innovations come from clarity, not speed.

Technology changes quickly. Wisdom does not.

4. Protect What Matters Most

Every decision about technology is also a decision about trust.

Before approving a new system or partnership, I ask one question: would I want my own child’s data stored here. If the answer is no, we move on. Integrity builds confidence. Confidence builds freedom. Freedom allows innovation to thrive.

When people trust your decisions, they give you room to lead.

5. Keep It Human

Technology can enhance learning, but it will never replace connection.

In every immersive experience we create at Illuminate XR the technology fades so curiosity can take the lead. Students learn through reflection, collaboration, and emotion. The more advanced the tools become, the more intentional our humanity must be.

6. Get Good Coaches and Keep Them

The best leaders never lead alone.

Throughout my career, I have worked with coaches and advisors outside of education who helped me see differently. They challenged my thinking, showed me blind spots, and reminded me that growth requires perspective.

CEOs of major companies rely on coaches because they understand that leadership demands self-awareness. Educators deserve that same level of investment.No one knows it all. The higher you rise, the harder it becomes to get honest feedback. Surround yourself with people who are wiser, more objective, and unafraid to tell you the truth.

Leadership is not about having every answer. It is about staying teachable enough to keep finding them.

The Journey Ahead

We cannot slow the pace of change, but we can decide how to move through it. Every leader I know carries more than most people realize. The work is heavy, the expectations are high, and the noise never stops. Yet even in that noise, there is still space for courage, reflection, and hope.

When I built Elite, I learned that impossible goals rarely fall apart because of lack of skill. They fall apart when people stop believing in what is possible. That belief carries me now as I lead IlluminateXR. It reminds me that leadership in the age of AI is still about people.

If we keep paying attention, keep protecting what matters, and keep leading with heart, we will find our way through this next exciting chapter together.