Superintendents Leadership Podcast
Leadership isn’t about getting it right every time.
It’s about showing up, learning, and making better choices the next time. An Imperfect Leader: The Superintendents and Leadership Podcast is for superintendents and district leaders navigating the beautiful, messy work of public education.
On this podcast, we leave perfection at the door. Through real stories, candid conversations, and reflective after-action reviews, we talk about what happened, what was missed, what we learned — and what we might do differently next time.
If you’ve ever felt the pressure to be flawless in a complicated system, you’ll feel right at home here.
Hear from fellow superintendents and leaders on:
What actually happens behind the scenes
The frustrations no one talks about
The wins worth celebrating
And the tough calls that keep all of us up at night.
Latest Episodes
Restorative Practices and Reevaluated Attendance Practices in Baltimore – Matt Hornbeck
Book Update! You can preorder my forthcoming book, Or if there is no hyperlink, go to peterstiepleman.com and order it there. Imperfect Leaders! This week, Matt Hornbeck is my guest. He is the principal of in Baltimore, Maryland. In…
The Epitome of Human-Centered Leadership with Dr. Adam Swinyard
Hello Imperfect Leaders! This week, is my guest. Adam is the superintendent of the Spokane Public Schools in Spokane, Washington. The first part of our conversation is dedicated to Adam’s dissertation research and how there is a correlation…
An Unfinished Leader is Nearly Finished By His Decision! – Dr. Nick Polyak
is my guest. Nick is the superintendent for Leyden Community High School District in Cook County, Illinois. During our conversation, we talk about , a book he has co-written with colleagues (they’ve written a few!). He also describes a community…
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If you’re a superintendent or district leader navigating these same tensions, we’d love to support you.
Thanks for joining us on this imperfect journey.
You’re not alone — and you don’t have to carry it alone.