Episode 162

Episode 162: Uncommon Sense with Dr. Ryan Donlan

Published on: 22nd September, 2024

Are you ready to take your leadership and your team to the next level? As a leadership coach and speaker, I’m passionate about helping school leaders and leadership teams like yours gain the clarity you need to walk confidently in your purpose. I believe that when leaders are clear about their purpose, they can lead with more authenticity and create a ripple effect that impacts every level of their organization. If you’re ready to inspire your team, foster deeper connections, and drive meaningful change, I’d love to work with you.

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And now...about our guest this week on the show:

Dr. Ryan Donlan, Professor in the Indiana State University and Bayh College of Education’s Department of Educational Leadership, served for 20 years in K–12 education, most of that time as a Superintendent, as well as a school building leader. He has served in both traditional and charter schools and school districts. Dr. Donlan has taught for years at the college and university level and provides educational program reviews, speeches, presentations, and trainings for educators. Currently, he is a Board Trustee for the Mensa Foundation and Chair of the Editorial Advisory Board of the Mensa Research Journal. He has served prior as Acting Associate Dean of the Bayh College of Education and Chair of the Department of Teaching and Learning.

Once a frequent skydiver, Dr. Donlan today enjoys more conservative, contemporary pursuits, such as cooking, reading, and walking. He has written/co-written numerous articles and books, including Gamesmanship for Teachers: Uncommon Sense is Half the Work; The Secret Solution: How One Principal Discovered the Path to Success; Minds Unleashed: How Principals Can Lead the Right Brained Way; The Hero Maker: How Superintendents Can Get Their Boards to Do the Right Thing; The School Board Member’s Guidebook: Becoming a Difference Maker in Your District; All Other Duties as Assigned: The Assistant Principal’s Critical Role in Supporting Schools Inside and Out, Ensuring Teacher Matter: Where to Focus First So Students Matter Most, and Uncommon Sense for New Teachers: A Good Beginning is Half the Work.

You can follow Dr. Donlan on X, or visit him at www.ryandonlan.com and www.mindsunleashed.net

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About the Podcast

Leaning into Leadership
A Road to Awesome Podcast
We all want to see successes in both our personal and professional lives. Often, that requires strong leadership. In a time when leadership can be more challenging than ever, this podcast is dedicated to cultivating leaders by elevating the voices of leaders and promoting positivity. Join Dr. Darrin Peppard, lifelong educator and best-selling author, for this mixed platform podcast (some solo, some guest interview) for inspiration and insight, and some great leadership stories from those are living it, excelling at it, and celebrating it. Together, let's lean into leadership.

About your host

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Darrin Peppard

Darrin Peppard is an author, publisher, speaker, and consultant focused on what matters most in leadership and education. Darrin is an expert in school culture and climate, as well as coaching and growing emerging leaders, and is the author of the best selling book Road to Awesome: Empower, Lead, Change the Game.

Darrin was named the 2016 Wyoming Secondary School Principal of the Year by WASSP/NASSP and was the 2015 Jostens Renaissance Educator of the Year. In 2017, Darrin earned his Doctorate Degree in Educational Leadership from the University of Wyoming. Darrin was inducted into the Jostens Renaissance Hall of Fame in 2019.

Darrin now shares his experiences from over 25 years in education, specifically those learned as an education leader during the past 13 years. As a ‘recovering’ high school principal, Darrin shares lessons learned and effective strategies from over 25 years in public education to help leaders (both adults and students) to become more effective and positively impact the world around them. Connect with Darrin at roadtoawesome.net