Happy Friday Reader

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We’re at that point in the year, aren’t we?

Those change initiatives you launched with such energy back in September… how are they going? If you’re feeling like some of them have lost momentum, or never quite got the traction you hoped for, you’re not alone.

Here’s a question that might sting a bit. What percentage of the change initiatives you’ve led in your career actually improved anything in a meaningful way?

When James Mannion asks school leaders this question, they laugh before they answer. Not because it’s funny. Because the answer is uncomfortable. Most people say 10 to 20 percent. And when he pushes them on sustainable change with actual evidence? It drops to nearly zero.

I was properly giddy to have James on the podcast this week. He’s been a change hero of mine for years, and given my obsession with getting change right (you know, the whole reason I wrote a book about it), this conversation felt long overdue.

What struck me most was his concept of slice teams. The idea is simple but powerful: instead of top-down change driven by senior leaders, you create a diagonal cross-section of your school. Different roles, different levels, different perspectives. All working together on a specific improvement area.

The magic? People don’t resist change they helped create.

James’s book “Making Change Stick” came out around the same time as mine, and I love how practical his approach is. If your mid-year review is revealing some stalled initiatives, both books might help you figure out why and what to do about it.

Have a listen and let me know what you think. Hit reply and tell me: what change are you struggling to get traction on right now?

Shane