🎧 Leadership Rules with Kristy Volesky
Title: Finish Doesn’t Equal Ready

What if school was designed less around compliance… and more around real life?

In this episode of Leadership Rules, Nick and Marnie sit down with educator, consultant, and CTE Reimagined co author Kristy Volesky to explore what it really means to prepare students for the future.

Kristy challenges many of the assumptions schools still operate under, including the idea that students should spend years “practicing” without ever doing meaningful work that connects to the real world.

In this conversation, we explore:

• Why “finish” does not equal “ready”
• How schools can connect learning to real opportunities and real community impact
• Why durable skills cannot be taught once and checked off a list
• The danger of locking students into career paths too early
• How communities and schools can work together instead of operating in silos
• Why students crave meaningful experiences, not pretend projects

Kristy also shares practical examples of how schools can rethink partnerships, create authentic learning experiences, and help students build the confidence and adaptability they will need in a rapidly changing world.

If you care about leadership, education, workforce development, or preparing young people for what comes next, this conversation will challenge how you think about learning.

📍 Learn more and connect with Kristy Volesky
🌐 https://valeskyconsulting.com
💼 LinkedIn → Kristy Volesky
📘 CTE Reimagined available online

Subscribe for more conversations about leadership, learning, and building a future where people are truly ready for what’s next.

#LeadershipRules #KristyVolesky #CTEReimagined #EducationLeadership #CareerReadiness #FutureOfEducation #DurableSkills

🎧 Leadership Rules with Jeff Utecht
Title: AI Can Predict. Humans Must Decide.

AI is moving fast. But are we moving thoughtfully?

In this episode of Leadership Rules, Nick and Marnie sit down with Jeff Utecht, educator, speaker, and author of Human Still Required, to explore what leadership looks like in a world increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence.

Jeff brings a powerful reminder: the real risk is not that AI replaces us. It’s that we stop thinking for ourselves.

In this conversation, we explore:

• Why “cognitive surrender” is a growing concern in the age of AI
• The difference between prediction and true understanding
• Why judgment is the one skill AI cannot replace
• How leaders should rethink effort, productivity, and performance
• What it means to lead through a double transition in the workplace

Jeff also shares why listening may be the most underrated leadership skill right now—and how staying curious is the key to navigating rapid change.

If you care about leadership, education, or staying human in a tech-driven world, this episode will challenge how you think about both AI and your role in it.

📍 Learn more and connect with Jeff Utecht
Website → https://jeffutecht.com

Book → https://humanstillrequired.com

Podcast → Shifting Schools

Subscribe for more conversations on leadership, learning, and what it takes to thrive in a rapidly changing world.

#LeadershipRules #JeffUtecht #HumanStillRequired #AILeadership #FutureOfWork #CriticalThinking #StayHuman

🎧 Leadership Rules with Matt Miller
Title: Keep the Main Thing the Main Thing

AI is everywhere. So what actually matters now?

In this episode of Leadership Rules, Nick and Marnie sit down with Matt Miller, educator, author of AI Literacy in Any Class, and creator of the Ditch That Textbook movement, to talk about how teaching and leadership are evolving in an AI saturated world.

Matt challenges the idea that we need more tools and instead focuses on something more important.

Better thinking.

In this conversation, we explore:

• Why “ditch the textbook” is really about ditching passive learning
• How AI literacy shows up in everyday classroom moments
• Why students don’t need to master the tech, but must learn to question it
• The risk of going all in or all out on technology
• Why critical thinking, discernment, and creativity matter more than ever

Matt also shares practical ways to bring AI into the classroom without losing the human element, including how to use imperfect AI outputs to spark deeper thinking and discussion.

If you care about education, leadership, or preparing students for a future we cannot fully predict, this episode will reshape how you think about both technology and teaching.

📍 Learn more and connect with Matt Miller
Newsletter → https://ditch.link/join

Book → AI Literacy in Any Class available on Amazon

Subscribe for more conversations on leadership, learning, and what it takes to thrive in a rapidly changing world.

#LeadershipRules #MattMiller #AILiteracy #EducationLeadership #CriticalThinking #DitchThatTextbook