In this episode of Leaning Into Leadership, Darrin sits down with Bobby Canosa-Carr, a leadership coach, former principal, mindfulness teacher, and author of Can I Go to the Bathroom? and Other Asinine Questions We Ask in School.
They dive deep into how disempowerment impacts school leaders, teachers, and students—and what we can do about it. Bobby shares his journey from principal to leadership coach, the lessons he learned along the way, and why the behaviors we model as leaders shape school culture more than anything else.
🔹 Before the episode starts, Darrin shares some BIG NEWS!
His new book, Culture First Classrooms: Leadership, Relationships, and Practices that Transform Schools, co-authored with Katie Kinder, is coming in March! Stay tuned for sneak peeks, exclusive pre-order bonuses, and powerful insights from 23 amazing educators. 📚✨
✅ The disempowerment many school leaders feel—and how to reclaim authority over your leadership.
✅ Why school culture is built through modeling, not mandates, and how leaders’ behaviors directly impact teachers and students.
✅ The flaws in traditional teacher evaluations and how school leaders can rethink professional learning to empower educators.
✅ How we can shift away from compliance-based leadership and focus on trust, collaboration, and meaningful change.
✅ Practical strategies for showing up as an empowering leader who nurtures talent instead of micromanaging it.
Bobby Canosa-Carr is a leadership coach, mindfulness teacher, and former school principal who has dedicated his career to transforming school culture. As a principal, he led the turnaround of a large high school in Los Angeles and later founded a charter school in San Pedro, California. He has worked in nonprofit organizations supporting hundreds of school leaders across 40 states as they navigate school transformation.
Bobby is the author of Can I Go to the Bathroom? and Other Asinine Questions We Ask in School, a book that challenges the power dynamics, rules, and rigid structures in education that often disempower students, teachers, and leaders alike.
📖 Get Bobby’s Book: Available on Amazon
🌐 Connect with Bobby: EnlightenedCoaching.us
⏳ [00:00] – Introduction & Book Announcement: Culture First Classrooms is coming soon! 🚀
⏳ [03:15] – Introducing Bobby Canosa-Carr and the inspiration behind his book.
⏳ [07:30] – Why school leaders feel disempowered—and how Bobby discovered the power of coaching.
⏳ [12:45] – The impact of adult behaviors on school culture and why modeling is everything.
⏳ [17:20] – Rethinking teacher evaluations and professional learning—what’s really effective?
⏳ [24:00] – “What’s for Lunch?”—How sterile curriculum and professional development fail our schools.
⏳ [28:45] – The importance of leading with curiosity rather than always having the answer.
⏳ [31:30] – Bobby’s final insights on leaning into leadership through thoughtful questioning.
📚 Darrin’s New Book! Culture First Classrooms: Leadership, Relationships, and Practices that Transform Schools – Coming March 2025! Stay tuned for exclusive updates.
📖 Bobby’s Book: Can I Go to the Bathroom? and Other Asinine Questions We Ask in School – Get it here
🌍 Connect with Bobby: EnlightenedCoaching.us
📲 Let’s Connect!
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🚀 Until next time, keep leaning into leadership!