How to stop arguing with the signal — and create space for clarity before you try to fix anything.
Listen on Apple Podcast | Listen on Spotify
Episode Overview
There’s a moment in school leadership that rarely gets named.
It’s not burnout.
It’s not failure.
It’s not collapse.
It’s the quiet moment when everything looks “successful” on the outside — but something inside you feels tight, constricted, or unsustainable.
In this episode of the Schools of Excellence Podcast, Chanie opens a new conversation inspired by her upcoming book, This Can’t Be Normal. She invites school leaders to slow down and listen — not to fix, optimize, or pivot — but to notice what the signal is trying to say.
This episode is not a lesson.
It’s not a framework.
It’s a place to stand inside yourself for a few minutes without managing the truth.
If you’re a school owner, director, or leader who has learned to normalize pressure, sacrifice, and endurance — this conversation offers permission to stop arguing with the signal and let clarity emerge at its own pace.
In This Episode, You’ll Hear:
- Why “success” can quietly start to feel like survival for school leaders
- The difference between naming something and deciding what to do about it
- How leaders learn to mute their own internal warning signals
- Why clarity doesn’t come from moving faster — it comes from pausing
- How creating space for truth restores leadership steadiness and discernment
Discover your school's hidden breaking points
Stop Guessing & Start Knowing
with The 5 Gears Diagnostic
A Reflection to Sit With
What if leadership feels heavy not because something is broken —
but because something true has gone unnamed for too long?
Resource Mentioned
If you want language for what you’re already experiencing, Chanie wrote Chapter One of her upcoming book specifically for leaders standing in this place.
You can download it here, if and when it feels right: https://thiscantbenormal.com
There’s no urgency.
No expectation.
Just an invitation to read slowly — or simply sit with the moment.
About Chanie Wilschanski & Schools of Excellence
Chanie Wilschanski is the founder of Schools of Excellence and a sought-after mentor for early childhood and private school leaders. Her work is grounded in building operational systems, emotionally intelligent leadership, and sustainable rhythms for long-term success. Through her podcast, trainings, and membership program, Chanie helps private school and ECE leaders lead with confidence, build high-functioning teams, and step into their full leadership potential—without burnout or chaos.
If this episode resonated with you, share it with another school leader ready to move beyond survival mode and into intentional, systems-driven leadership.
