Aligned Leadership

There’s a little window of magic in a Midwest summer evening, the kind that hits just right after a long day. The temperature cools. The sun dips low. The world seems to exhale.

And for me, that’s often when I hope to find myself in the driveway… rebounding basketballs.

One of my kids is out shooting. Sometimes it’s my 11-year-old daughter, sometimes my son, sometimes the older daughter who still wants those quiet moments. I don’t have a clipboard. I’m not barking orders. I’m not breaking down footwork. I’m just there – tossing the ball back, listening, smiling, being present.

That’s it. And somehow, it’s everything.

I’ve come to believe that leadership, when done well, looks a lot like rebounding.

We’re not always the one taking the shot or calling the play. We’re the one catching the bounce, passing it back, and saying, “You got this. Keep going.”

Sometimes we offer encouragement:
“That was a great follow-through.”
Sometimes we celebrate the moment:
“Yes! Nothing but net!”
And sometimes, we just listen as they shoot and talk about whatever’s on their mind: friend drama, what they want for dinner, or how school “was fine.”

It’s tempting, as a parent or a leader, to want to coach every moment. But, I’ve learned (the hard way) that when I start over-structuring or giving advice too quickly, the shots stop. The driveway empties faster. And the connection, the real stuff, is lost.

This driveway lesson hits me deeply in my role as a middle school principal.

When I’ve tried to lead from the top-down, build the agenda before I’ve heard the heartbeat of the staff, I’ve missed the mark.
But, when I stop to listen…
When I build systems that respond to real needs…
When I trust others to shoot and just position myself to rebound and support…

That’s when the culture shifts. That’s when the wins start adding up, even if the scoreboard doesn’t always show it.

I’m not sharing this because I’ve figured it out. I’m still learning every single day.

Some days I’m the rebounding dad. Some days I’m too distracted, rushing dinner, glancing at emails, trying to do too much.

Some weeks I’m the servant leader. Some weeks I’m just surviving, forgetting the fundamentals.

But I want to get better. I want to lead with more presence and less pressure.
I want to listen before I lead.
And I want to rebound more shots, both in my driveway and in the halls of my school.

So wherever you are today – leading a school, a business, a family, or just yourself – I hope you find a few moments to rebound for someone.
Not because it’s flashy.
Not because anyone will notice.
But because showing up quietly in support is often the most powerful kind of leadership there is.

We’re all just trying to get a little better.
And maybe, just maybe, we do that best… one rebound at a time.

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Aligned Leadership | Lead With Purpose. Live With Alignment.