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 not
• The difference between a community that creates collective wellness and one that spreads collective distress
• Why “your network is your net worth” isn't just a nice phrase — it's access to opportunities, knowledge, credibility, and long-term relationships
• A simple travel habit that keeps you exposed to new ideas outside your usual lane
• Real, anonymized stories of what happens when school leaders build genuine community — from business sales to job placements to saved timelines
• Why 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/