Part 1: The Admin-Amnesia Effect
You swore you wouldn't be "that" admin. Now you're doing the same things. Why?
They all said the same thing: "I'll never forget what it's like to be in the classroom."
And yet, here we are.
Teachers roll their eyes when the email goes out—another compliance ask, another canceled planning period, another PD that doesn't match their needs. The worst part is that it's coming from someone who once stood in exactly the same place. Someone who once said, "When I'm in charge, I'm going to do it differently."
Welcome to the Admin-Amnesia effect (or Admin-nesia, for short)—the phenomenon where leaders forget the very pain points that once shaped their resolve. It's not that they don't care. It's not that they meant to sell out. It's that leadership inside a system often feels like trying to fly a plane while it’s still being built—with passengers already aboard, a storm on the radar, and the manual written by someone who's never flown before.
This series explores the reasons behind forgetting. Why do good people—great teachers, brilliant mentors, passionate advocates—become the very leaders they once distrusted? We'll explore:
The seven reasons well-meaning leaders fall into the same traps
How power subtly and profoundly distorts identity
What admin-nesia sounds like in everyday leadership decisions
Practical strategies to resist forgetting and return to your values
A manifesto for remembering who we are and what we came to do
Every system is perfectly designed to produce the results it gets—and every leader is shaped by that system more than they want to admit. -Expanded from W. Edwards Deming
Join us! Do you consider admin-nesia a significant issue in your context?
Seeking Beta Readers
I’m inviting a small group of readers to be beta readers for a single chapter of my upcoming book, Burn the Script: How Great Coaches Disrupt Mindsets and Transform Practice.
This is your chance to read an early chapter, offer feedback, and shape the direction of the final book—before it hits shelves.
If you’re interested, I’ll be hosting a FREE webinar on Tuesday, July 22 at 6:00 PM Central to walk through the chapter together, answer questions, and gather your insights.
Here’s the link to join:
👉 https://meet.google.com/atj-xgjj-xho
What to do next:
Take this quick poll so I can anticipate numbers
Reply to this email to let me know you’re in
I’ll send you a calendar invite with everything you need
Whether you're a coach, a leader, or just someone who loves transformational work—I’d love to have your voice in the room.
(Ba ha ha… I realized that you guys probably think I’m a total pyro with all of these fire references)
