Over the past year, two ideas have really shaped how I’ve been leading: planning before doing, and paying closer attention to the level at which improvement conversations are happening. In my experience, strong teams don’t struggle because they lack ideas. They struggle when the pace moves too fast, planning gets skipped, and people end up talking past one another. That’s where the Elevator Framework and the Runway Framework have been helpful for me.
The Elevator Framework gave me language for something I see often in schools. When teams are trying to solve problems from different floors, the work quickly becomes messy. Alignment matters, but I’ve also learned that alignment by itself isn’t enough. Without a clear runway for improvement, even aligned teams can stall or bounce from one priority to the next.
That’s where the Runway Framework comes in. It helps create a steady path forward. AKA, a runway. It slows the work just enough to build readiness, and it helps teams move at a pace that makes sense. It creates space to look closely at where we are, understand what we’re seeing, set goals, take action, monitor progress, and make adjustments along the way. When that rhythm is in place, the work feels more intentional and less reactive.
I’ve seen too many school and leadership teams rush straight into doing. When that happens, planning fades into the background, energy starts to drain, and urgency replaces clarity. So here’s the invitation I keep coming back to as a school leader. Before launching the next initiative, pause. Get clear on the purpose. Check for alignment. Ask your team which floor they’re standing on, and really listen.
Build the runway before you ask people to take off. For me, the goal is clarity. When clarity comes first, the work feels lighter. The doing sticks. And teams are able to move forward together.
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