“Competence isn’t about what you know. It is about how you use what you know,” shares Tim Kight.

Earning technical trust is the difference between inspiring and managing. We’ve all worked with leaders who simply manage. They handle the day to day operations by the books. In a school setting, managerial leaders do no harm; they stay the course every day.

Inspirational leaders, those people who earn our trust and move organizations forward, facilitate learning and growth. We’ve all worked with, or for, leaders that motivate us to perform at a higher level. We’d run through walls for these people. Great leaders aren’t always right – they don’t have all the answers. Elite leaders acknowledge what they don’t know. They build credibility through humility and authenticity.

To earn technical trust, leaders tap into the knowledge and experience of the entire team. Covid-19 has expanded our teams; school leaders are working with health commissioners and epidemiologists daily. Not only do we listen to these scientists, we ask questions and share our expertise. We’ve built teams – teams balancing details about infectious diseases with the social-emotional needs of students. When elite leaders from different fields come together with a common purpose, everyone benefits.