314. The Community Habit Every School Leader Needs

What if the thing that finally moves the needle in your school isn't a new system, but a phone call?This is the final episode in our three-part series on the power of community, and today we're bringing it all together: thriving together, the strength of collective wellness. We're talking about how the people you surround yourself with shape your health, your growth, your business, and honestly, your whole trajectory as a leader.I open with a quote from Jim Rohn: you are the average of the five people you spend the most time around. And once you sit with that for a second, it explains so much — why the mindset in the room rubs off on you, why a struggling season can start to feel “normal,” and why getting around leaders who are further ahead can shift everything without you doing anything differently at all.I walk through real, specific examples of what that's looked like inside our own community: a member who sold her school to another member she met inside the program, a director who got connected to her next regional manager role after a cross-country move, a leader who was saved from a construction nightmare by another member's architect referral. None of these people joined community hoping for those outcomes. That's exactly the point.What You'll Learn In This Episode:Why the five people you spend the most time with shape your beliefs, habits, and results — whether you're aware of it or notThe difference between a community that creates collective wellness and one that spreads collective distressWhy “your network is your net worth” isn't just a nice phrase — it's access to opportunities, knowledge, credibility, and long-term relationshipsA simple travel habit that keeps you exposed to new ideas outside your usual laneReal, anonymized stories of what happens when school leaders build genuine community — from business sales to job placements to saved timelinesWhy investing in community without an immediate ROI is still worth it — and why waiting until you're desperate is the wrong move Connect With Us:Join us on Substack: https://chaniewilschanski.substack.com/