Unshakable

Whether you’re the president of a nation, the CEO of a Fortune 500 company, a schoolteacher or leader, a farm owner, or a grocery store manager, one reality is universal: you will face a crisis at some point. The frequency and scale may differ, but the certainty does not. In those moments, messages of inspiration and clarity can transform us—helping us grow as leaders, better serve those in our care, and ultimately achieve stronger outcomes.
Which means your job is not just to get through the crisis.
It is leading through it with an unshakable spirit.
That’s where this book comes in.
This is a collection of unshakable truths, tested in fire.
Each entry is short, direct, and grounded in real-world leadership.
They were born in one of the most high-pressure leadership roles in the country—running a large urban public school district during what many described as an unprecedented political and humanitarian crisis. But they’ve been rewritten here for anyone who leads teams, classrooms, companies, organizations, families, churches, themselves.
These messages are not soft. They’re not vague. And they don’t hide from pain. But they are drenched in radical empathy.
You’ll see that phrase throughout the book.
Because if we want sustainable solutions in the middle of crisis, we must understand deeply and act decisively. That’s what radical empathy does. It connects. It empowers. And it keeps us human when we’re under pressure.
Here’s a good place to be reminded of the African proverb: “If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together.” This book is not a sprint. It is not meant to be consumed in one sitting, nor is it designed for passive reading. It is a journey—a relay, in many ways. You are holding something that was written not just to inspire, but to equip. And the real benefit comes when you do more than read: when you reflect, respond, and reach out.
This isn’t just a collection of weekly messages or inspirational thoughts. It is a tool, a mirror, a companion. And, most importantly, it is a gift. Not just to you, but through you—to the people you lead, the communities you belong to, and the future you’re helping to build. That means this book isn’t just for leaders with titles. You don’t need to be a superintendent, a CEO, or a department head. If you are responsible for lifting the spirit of another human being—a student, a colleague, a neighbor—then this book is yours.
Don’t be misled by the title. You do not have to be in a formal leadership role to reap the immense benefits of cultivating an unshakable spirit. The truths in these pages are designed to meet you where you are. In fact, the optimal transformative benefit comes not just from reading, but from sharing these messages. Share them with your team. Share them with your supervisor. Share them with your church, mosque, or synagogue. Share them in your group chats and social circles. The content will come alive in dialogue and community.
Each of the reflections in this book is built with four key components:
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3. An Inspirational Story
4. – The stories shared are some that you may have encountered on your journey. They are stories of real experiences of individuals who have not only experienced crisis, gone through storms, and like you have demonstrated that they too can be unshakable. These
5. are drawn from lived experiences—mine and others. They are moments of clarity, confrontation, joy, sorrow, and breakthrough. Some you may recognize. Some you may see yourself in. All are offered with vulnerability and intent.
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12. A Leadership Lesson
13. – After each story, we distill the principle. These aren’t abstract theories. They are pragmatic, saturated with wisdom, time-tested, and rooted in the real-world messiness of leadership. This section distills the meaning —the takeaway—something you can carry
14. into your next meeting, classroom, or conversation. These can inspire you to become the very best leader you aspire to become.
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A Call to Action – Inspiration without action is just noise. Here, you’ll be prompted to reflect on what you will do with what you’ve just read. What action will you take next? What will you change? What will you try? How will you show up differently tomorrow? The book Culturally Responsive Leadership provides a framework to support your call to action: ARDAC, which stands for awareness, reflection, decision, action, and check. When desired, please refer to the resources to dig deeper into any call to action.

Before the lightning and thunder hit, there’s often a stillness. It is a moment—sometimes seconds, sometimes seasons—when we look around and ask, “What is mine to hold?” This section is born from that question, not as a philosophical luxury but as a leadership imperative.
At the time this book is being finalized, I am not seated behind a desk, delivering a keynote in Times Square, or standing at a podium in front of my team. I am in a county jail in Polk County, Iowa, held in ICE custody. That may seem like the storm, and it is, but it is also just one of many. Over the course of three decades in public service, I’ve led teams through the deaths of students, the violent murders of colleagues, contentious school board elections, global pandemics, acts of racial violence, and school shootings. I’ve sat with parents in their grief. I’ve walked the halls of schools, still echoing the trauma of the day before. I have spoken at funerals of students who were killed and sat with their parents to offer comfort during bereavement. Through all of that, I’ve held fast to one truth: Crisis does not define us. It reveals us—reveals who we are.

In these pages, you will encounter stories that challenge the binary of strong or soft. How empathy is not merely a mood but a mode of leadership that demands more of us precisely when it would be easier to disengage. ]