Ewan McIntosh
@ewanmcintosh.bsky.social
I help people find focus and design clear strategy for their school. Founder @NoTosh.
We close for new participants on February 14. After that, we don’t return until 2026.
We don’t need more managers in schools. We need leadership.
learn.notosh.com/leading_from...
We don’t need more managers in schools. We need leadership.
learn.notosh.com/leading_from...
Leading from the Middle: the original NoTosh middle leadership course
This immersive course is designed for aspiring and current middle leaders who want to do more than just manage their teams.
With timeless, proven leadership principles we will teach you how to turn y...
learn.notosh.com
February 5, 2025 at 12:07 PM
We close for new participants on February 14. After that, we don’t return until 2026.
We don’t need more managers in schools. We need leadership.
learn.notosh.com/leading_from...
We don’t need more managers in schools. We need leadership.
learn.notosh.com/leading_from...
Does it prevent all failures? No.
But it gives you a fighting chance of spotting them when they appear.
And worst case, you’ll learn to pick up the phone when your gut tells you to.
But it gives you a fighting chance of spotting them when they appear.
And worst case, you’ll learn to pick up the phone when your gut tells you to.
February 5, 2025 at 12:07 PM
Does it prevent all failures? No.
But it gives you a fighting chance of spotting them when they appear.
And worst case, you’ll learn to pick up the phone when your gut tells you to.
But it gives you a fighting chance of spotting them when they appear.
And worst case, you’ll learn to pick up the phone when your gut tells you to.
In Leading from the Middle, we help middle leaders and senior leaders spot mistakes before they happen.
It’s called doing a pre-mortem—making sure the project won’t die.
It’s called doing a pre-mortem—making sure the project won’t die.
February 5, 2025 at 12:07 PM
In Leading from the Middle, we help middle leaders and senior leaders spot mistakes before they happen.
It’s called doing a pre-mortem—making sure the project won’t die.
It’s called doing a pre-mortem—making sure the project won’t die.
The most fatal small errors aren’t the one or two the senior leader makes each day.
It’s the one or two every day that their 20 middle leaders might be making—hidden from plain sight.
It’s the one or two every day that their 20 middle leaders might be making—hidden from plain sight.
February 5, 2025 at 12:07 PM
The most fatal small errors aren’t the one or two the senior leader makes each day.
It’s the one or two every day that their 20 middle leaders might be making—hidden from plain sight.
It’s the one or two every day that their 20 middle leaders might be making—hidden from plain sight.
"But add up these days to make a year and then add up these years to make a lifetime—and you can see how repeating today’s small failures can turn your life into a major disaster."
February 5, 2025 at 12:07 PM
"But add up these days to make a year and then add up these years to make a lifetime—and you can see how repeating today’s small failures can turn your life into a major disaster."
“The danger comes when we look at a day squandered and conclude that no harm has been done. After all, it was just one day..."
February 5, 2025 at 12:07 PM
“The danger comes when we look at a day squandered and conclude that no harm has been done. After all, it was just one day..."
"If your financial plan requires that you save ten dollars and you save none, you are behind ten dollars … today."
February 5, 2025 at 12:07 PM
"If your financial plan requires that you save ten dollars and you save none, you are behind ten dollars … today."
“If your goal requires that today you write ten letters and you write only three, you are behind by seven letters … today."
"If you commit to making five phone calls and you make only one, you are behind by four phone calls … today."
"If you commit to making five phone calls and you make only one, you are behind by four phone calls … today."
February 5, 2025 at 12:07 PM
“If your goal requires that today you write ten letters and you write only three, you are behind by seven letters … today."
"If you commit to making five phone calls and you make only one, you are behind by four phone calls … today."
"If you commit to making five phone calls and you make only one, you are behind by four phone calls … today."
"Failure occurs each time we fail to think today, act today, care, strive, climb, learn, or just keep going … today."
February 5, 2025 at 12:07 PM
"Failure occurs each time we fail to think today, act today, care, strive, climb, learn, or just keep going … today."
“Failure is rarely the result of some isolated event. Rather, it is a consequence of a long list of accumulated little failures which happen as a result of too little discipline..."
February 5, 2025 at 12:07 PM
“Failure is rarely the result of some isolated event. Rather, it is a consequence of a long list of accumulated little failures which happen as a result of too little discipline..."
The late Jim Rohn was an entrepreneur. He became a millionaire at 30. Lost it all by 33. Then became a millionaire again.
In 7 Strategies for Wealth and Happiness, he wrote:
In 7 Strategies for Wealth and Happiness, he wrote:
February 5, 2025 at 12:07 PM
The late Jim Rohn was an entrepreneur. He became a millionaire at 30. Lost it all by 33. Then became a millionaire again.
In 7 Strategies for Wealth and Happiness, he wrote:
In 7 Strategies for Wealth and Happiness, he wrote:
Most people will talk about their successes. But I’m more interested in the things that failed. And the often trivial failures early on that led to a mess weeks or months down the line.
February 5, 2025 at 12:07 PM
Most people will talk about their successes. But I’m more interested in the things that failed. And the often trivial failures early on that led to a mess weeks or months down the line.
Nobody picked up the phone.
This week I’m in Washington, D.C. at the @aaieglobal.bsky.social conference, learning from Heads of School worldwide—and sharing some stories of my own.
This week I’m in Washington, D.C. at the @aaieglobal.bsky.social conference, learning from Heads of School worldwide—and sharing some stories of my own.
February 5, 2025 at 12:07 PM
Nobody picked up the phone.
This week I’m in Washington, D.C. at the @aaieglobal.bsky.social conference, learning from Heads of School worldwide—and sharing some stories of my own.
This week I’m in Washington, D.C. at the @aaieglobal.bsky.social conference, learning from Heads of School worldwide—and sharing some stories of my own.
And, if I’m being kind to myself, they didn’t pick up the phone to me, either.
So it was the same mistake, repeated on both sides, for days. For weeks. For months.
So it was the same mistake, repeated on both sides, for days. For weeks. For months.
February 5, 2025 at 12:07 PM
And, if I’m being kind to myself, they didn’t pick up the phone to me, either.
So it was the same mistake, repeated on both sides, for days. For weeks. For months.
So it was the same mistake, repeated on both sides, for days. For weeks. For months.
A quiet word from the Head let me know they weren’t being heard.
Design work was happening that they hadn’t asked for, that they didn’t want.
And up until that point, I hadn’t picked up the phone—even though my gut had been screaming at me that something was off.
Design work was happening that they hadn’t asked for, that they didn’t want.
And up until that point, I hadn’t picked up the phone—even though my gut had been screaming at me that something was off.
February 5, 2025 at 12:07 PM
A quiet word from the Head let me know they weren’t being heard.
Design work was happening that they hadn’t asked for, that they didn’t want.
And up until that point, I hadn’t picked up the phone—even though my gut had been screaming at me that something was off.
Design work was happening that they hadn’t asked for, that they didn’t want.
And up until that point, I hadn’t picked up the phone—even though my gut had been screaming at me that something was off.
So it makes sense on some level that they manage the project.
My team had largely finished our work. We just had to help the architect bring things in to land.
But things weren’t going well.
My team had largely finished our work. We just had to help the architect bring things in to land.
But things weren’t going well.
February 5, 2025 at 12:07 PM
So it makes sense on some level that they manage the project.
My team had largely finished our work. We just had to help the architect bring things in to land.
But things weren’t going well.
My team had largely finished our work. We just had to help the architect bring things in to land.
But things weren’t going well.
And you keep picking up the phone every day until you hear what you need to.
The project that failed was being managed by an architecture partner. They make the most money on these things. They carry the most liability.
The project that failed was being managed by an architecture partner. They make the most money on these things. They carry the most liability.
February 5, 2025 at 12:07 PM
And you keep picking up the phone every day until you hear what you need to.
The project that failed was being managed by an architecture partner. They make the most money on these things. They carry the most liability.
The project that failed was being managed by an architecture partner. They make the most money on these things. They carry the most liability.
I’ve learned now, in the most expensive MBA you’ll ever do (it’s called ‘life running a business’) that when someone has gone quiet on you, you pick up the phone.
February 5, 2025 at 12:07 PM
I’ve learned now, in the most expensive MBA you’ll ever do (it’s called ‘life running a business’) that when someone has gone quiet on you, you pick up the phone.
But the biggest failures (this one cost me $20,000 in the end) always start as they mean to go on: with a small thing that didn’t happen, and didn’t happen every day until it’s too late.
February 5, 2025 at 12:07 PM
But the biggest failures (this one cost me $20,000 in the end) always start as they mean to go on: with a small thing that didn’t happen, and didn’t happen every day until it’s too late.