Sarah Sirgo, Ph.D.

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As leaders, we will inevitably make decisions that don’t align with what someone hoped for. We will say no. We will choose one direction over another. We will prioritize, and in doing so, something else won’t be prioritized. That doesn’t mean we’ve failed people. It means we’re leading. The work isn’t to avoid disappointment at all costs. Because trying to meet every expectation, spoken or unspoken, doesn’t make us better leaders. It makes us smaller ones. So no, I don’t think leadership is about being “okay letting people down.” I think it’s about being willing to disappoint when necessary, without losing your integrity in the process. And there’s a difference.🤍

Sometimes I hear people say, “You have to be okay letting people down.” And I’ve never fully been comfortable with that. Because as a leader, I don’t wake up aiming to let anyone down. I care deeply about people. About trust. About showing up in ways that matter. But I’ve come to realize this: There’s a difference between letting someone down and not meeting an expectation that was never aligned, communicated, or possible in the first place. And there’s a difference. (Pt.1)🧵⬇️

People say it’s who you know. Knowing people is important, but knowing your work matters more. The way you prepare. The way you show up, People seek out what they’ve seen you do, not just because they know you. Relationships matter. They always will. So instead of asking, “Who do I need to know?” Ask, “Who has seen what I can do?” That’s what travels. That’s what opens doors.

Strong teams are built in the quieter moments…in how we respond to disagreement, and in whether people feel safe enough to say, “I see this differently.” Last week, someone on my team and I didn’t agree. There was friction. It wasn’t perfectly smooth. Later, they called to apologize, but that wasn’t what I wanted or expected. Because the goal isn’t agreement. And it’s not about being right or wrong. It’s about getting clear. As we talked, we realized we weren’t even disagreeing about the same thing and once we understood that, we found our way to the middle. That only happens when people feel safe enough to speak honestly. I don’t need a team that tells me I’m right. I need a team that’s willing to tell me the truth. That’s how we get better. All of us. Including me. 🤍

A wonderful afternoon in Middletown as we celebrate the groundbreaking for the co-located elementary and middle school buildings! @FCPSMaryland

Never forget what it feels like to stand in front of students. Be the boss you once needed. Your title isn’t your power; your ability to bring out the best in others is. Create the conditions where people can thrive. It will feel heavy in the everyday moments, but powerful in the legacy it leaves.

Are you pausing to think or postponing to avoid? Because not all waiting is the same. Some waiting keeps you safe, but stuck. Some waiting keeps you grounded, but moving with intention. One feels like alignment. The other feels like resistance. And that feeling? That’s your answer.

For years we talked about careers as ladders,,.climb higher, step by step. But most meaningful careers don’t look like ladders. They look like quilts. A patchwork of experiences, risks, mentors, mistakes, opportunities, and unexpected turns. Each square tells a story. Each stitch connects something you learned to something you will do next. The beauty isn’t in a straight line upward. It’s in how the pieces come together. Build your quilt well.🤍

Here’s to hoping this Friday the 13th is a little less historic. The pandemic changed me for the better, but it was also the hardest thing I’ve ever done. Funny how growth and struggle can live in the same place.🤍

Six years ago today, many of us were preparing for what we thought would be a two-week school closure. I remember sitting at home with two elementary-aged kids, neighbors checking in on each other, and everyone trying to make sense of what was unfolding. None of us knew how long that “two weeks” would really last. Looking back now, the pandemic changed more than our schedules…it changed us. It asked educators, families, and communities to be braver than we expected. It deepened our empathy for one another. And for me, it sharpened my sense of purpose about the role education plays in the lives of children and families. Six years later, I’m still grateful for the lessons from that moment that shape how we lead, support one another, and show up for students every day.

Every job and position has moments that test us. There are many days when the work seems heavier than the results. We feel discouraged when the results we are after seem far away or we confronted hurdle that we didn’t expect or leaves us feeling disappointed. It’s in those moments, where our brain tells us to stop or to pause, that we actually need to keep going ahead because feeling discouraged is a signal that what you’re after is worthwhile. Sometimes the most powerful leadership move is to regroup and just keep going. 🤍

Pivot isn’t just a fun scene from 1999 and season 5 of Friends.😎 We’re often taught that persistence means staying the course no matter what. But wisdom is knowing when the path you started on is no longer the one that will get you where you need to go. Great leaders read the terrain. They listen to new information, watch what’s working (and what isn’t), and adjust. They don’t cling to a decision just because it was the first one they made. Maybe pivot a bit more today.

It’s easy to repeat what’s familiar. The same routines, the same responses, the same thinking. Doing things differently doesn’t always mean doing something dramatic. We all face moments where the old way stops working, when we need to ask… What if we tried this another way?” A different choice may be wall you need to open a different outcome. What will you choose today?

Are you sure about that? Let’s be honest…sometimes complaining does feel good. It releases a little pressure. It lets us name what’s frustrating. But the truth is, it rarely changes the outcome. So yes. vent if you need to. Text your friend. Have your moment. But don’t build a house there. Because complaining might make us feel better for a minute, but action is what actually makes things better.

There are some things no one can coach. Coaches can guide you.
Mentors can advise you.
But execution always belongs to you. At some point, every lesson has to be internalized. Every piece of feedback has to be translated into action. Every opportunity has to be met with the right mindset. Because in the end, your coach can teach you the play. But only you can run it.

@PrincipalProj I have two phrases my team teases me about using often. 💠”Get to yes” as a sign of my commitment to meeting people’s interests as best we can and 💠 “Research suggests” to always frame our thinking in what we know to be evidence based and true.

Share a catchphrase that’s uniquely you! 🗣️

No perfect option. No guarantee. Just a moment where you have to pick a direction and move. We often wait for certainty. But life doesn’t always work that way. So many of the biggest moments aren’t about solving a puzzle with one correct solution. They’re about deciding what matters most and stepping forward. Some days the right answer isn’t the obvious one. It’s simply the one you had the courage to choose.

Hello, March. You’re confusing. It snowed yesterday. By Saturday it’s going to be 80 degrees. And honestly? This month feels like life. March teaches us that change doesn’t arrive all at once. It wobbles in. It retreats. It tries again. Just because yesterday felt heavy doesn’t mean Saturday won’t feel light. So if this season feels confusing… If your life feels caught between chapters… Maybe you’re not lost. Maybe you’re in March 🤍

We are all wrong sometimes. The question isn’t if. It’s whether we’ll acknowledge it. Leadership doesn’t exempt you from mistakes. It just puts them in brighter light. And when leaders refuse to admit missteps, teams learn something dangerous…hide yours. Protect yourself. Defend at all costs. But when a leader says: “I missed that.” “I handled that poorly.” It shifts the room. Those words lower defenses. They calm the nervous system. They make it safe to tell the truth. Admitting you were wrong doesn’t make people lose confidence in you. It makes them trust you more. Because now they know you value integrity over image. The strongest leaders don’t pretend perfection. They model accountability.🤍