Middle school leadership is a journey of high stakes and higher hormones. Randy Lindquist sits down with Joshua Smith, Principal of Orchard View Middle School in Muskegon, Michigan. With nearly a decade of experience in the same building, Josh shares his "belonging-first" philosophy and explains why authenticity is the currency of leadership. Whether you are leading a classroom or an entire district, this episode offers a masterclass in building trust before asking for change and treating relationships as the work, not just an addition to it.
The Power of Belonging: Why "belongingness" is the guiding light for every decision at Orchard View.
Capacity Management: The "plate" analogy—why leaders must take inventory of what they are asking of their staff before adding more.
Restorative Leadership: How modeling restorative circles for staff leads to better conflict resolution with students.
The Three Buckets of Influence: Analyzing whether your team views you as a support, an obstacle, or nothing.
Slow Down to Speed Up: Why new leaders must cultivate the "soil" of trust before planting seeds of innovation.
LINKS:
Orchard View Middle School – Muskegon, MI.
James Clear – Atomic Habits.
Ryan Holiday – The Obstacle Is the Way, Ego Is the Enemy, and Stillness Is the Key.