William DeJean: How to Lead Schools in the Era of Overwhelm

In this episode, I sit down with Dr. William DeJean, CEO of Unleash Learning, to unpack a reality many school leaders are feeling but struggling to name: we’re in an era of overwhelm.

We explore why traditional approaches to leadership—compliance, checklists, and even strategy overload—are no longer enough.

Instead, William makes the case for systems thinking: grounding schools in a clear teaching and learning mission and a stable instructional “system” that can absorb new initiatives without overwhelming staff.

We discuss:

• Why leaders are losing focus on teaching and learning
• The difference between compliance, strategies, and systems thinking
• What it actually means to “make learning stick for everyone”
• How student engagement works like “lifting weights” for the brain
• Why too many initiatives increase cognitive load instead of improving practice
• The importance of shared language and modeling at the leadership level

Key takeaway: In a world where educators can’t keep up with everything, strong systems reduce overload and refocus schools on what matters most—learning that sticks.

William DeJean LinkedIn Page

Unleash Learning Website

A New Way Forward for Schools - Book

Unleash Learning TV

Music by Aylex