What if we lived like the masterpiece was already within us?

Not something to chase.
Not something to prove.
But something to uncover: one brushstroke, one note, one word, one choice at a time.

Every student.
Every educator.
Every human.

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Brushstrokes of Belief

I think about the times I’ve compromised this mindset. When I was told I dreamed too big. When I was advised to play it safe. I think of the moments when I silenced the masterpiece inside me and gave in to the ease of the status quo. I remember the opportunities I allowed to slip by: ideas that could’ve blossomed into impact because I chose comfort over courage.

As leaders, we must stay grounded in our core. We must also recognize and nurture the masterpiece within the people we serve. Every child, every teacher, every staff member-each one carries the potential for something extraordinary. And it’s our role to invite them into that mindset by stewarding a culture of trust and belonging.

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The Invitational Question

As the school year begins, it’s easy to get swept up in to-do lists, calendars, classroom setups, and kickoff meetings. We aim for a smooth start. We hope for a clean slate and an open horizon.

But what if we paused and started the year with one powerful, invitational question?-

How might we co-create a masterpiece in our schoolhouse: one that uplifts our students and each other?

Let that question be your catalyst.
Maybe it’s what your team needs to hear from you.
Maybe it’s what you need to hear from yourself.
Let it refuel your purpose. Let it restore your voice. Let it help you walk in your truth.

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Rewriting the Lesson Plan Narrative

In The Pepper Effect, I write about believing in your school’s masterpiece. Just like The Beatles banded together to create Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, a masterpiece isn’t made in isolation—it’s built in collaboration and powered by belief.

At one school where I served as principal, we embraced this mindset in an unexpected place: lesson plans.

Too often, lesson plans become compliance checklists, stifling creativity and reducing the work of educators to mere documentation. Some principals use them as instruments of what Stephen M.R. Covey calls “Command and Control” leadership.

We flipped the script.

Instead of just turning in lesson plans, teachers would highlight a Masterpiece Moment: a singular experience they crafted with passion and intention. It might be a writing prompt, a science experiment, a read-aloud, or a student-led discussion. It didn’t have to be perfect: it had to be purposeful.

In faculty meetings, these moments were shared and celebrated. One teacher compared her lesson to Georgia O’Keeffe’s Sky Above Clouds. Another likened hers to a jazz solo-improvised yet deeply moving.

That small practice opened space for connection, creativity, and belonging. And it reminded us that teaching, like art, is about resonance not replication.

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Beethoven’s Ninth and the Schoolhouse

When Beethoven composed his Ninth Symphony, he was completely deaf. Yet, out of silence, he created one of the most profound masterpieces in human history, a work that transcends time, language, and boundaries. The Ode to Joy finale still brings audiences to their feet in awe. It always brings me to tears.

What does that have to do with school leadership?

Everything.

Sometimes leadership feels like working through silence. This can occur when feedback is absent, progress feels slow, or inspiration wanes. And yet, like Beethoven, we still compose. We still create. We still believe. Because the masterpiece is not in the noise, it’s in the conviction, the resilience, and the courage to keep going.

Your school can be your Ode to Joy—crafted not out of perfection, but out of perseverance and purpose.

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Four Moves to Practice Masterpiece Leadership All Year Long

1. Curate “Masterpiece Moments” Monthly
Set aside 5 minutes during staff meetings to highlight one standout teaching moment from a colleague. Let them share what made it special. Invite joy, not judgment.

2. Embed the Question Into Coaching & Walkthroughs
Use the question “What part of your instruction this week feels like a masterpiece?” as a reflection prompt in coaching conversations or feedback forms.

3. Display Masterpiece Boards
In a shared space, physically or virtually, let staff (and students!) contribute their own “masterpiece” moments throughout the year. This builds a gallery of impact, belonging, and belief.

4. Model It as a Leader
Share your own masterpiece moments as a principal—an email to families, a conversation with a student, a restored partnership. Let your staff see your brushstrokes, too.

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The Masterpiece Within

A true masterpiece is timeless and universal. It’s not about accolades or applause; rather, it’s about meaning. It connects us to our humanity. It sparks new ideas. And in leadership, that’s our calling: to ignite that mindset in others.

Especially on the days filled with deadlines, meetings, emails, and decisions—remember:

You are the catalyst.
You carry the brush, the baton, the pen.

We all carry a masterpiece within us.
What if that belief became the prevailing mindset—in our schools, in our leadership, in our lives?

Let’s lead from that place.
Let’s teach from that place.
Let’s be that place.