Most principals waste hours on culture. Smart ones do this instead.

OFF CAMPUS

• 👋 Coast to Coast Principal: Joe Clausi joins Mitch and Danny on a special edition of the RuckusCast. He discusses his experience leading some of the toughest schools in NYC to a top California charter school. Listen or watch here.

• 🎉 10 Years: We are celebrating our ten year anniversary this month. A few weeks ago, I shared the ten lessons I’ve learned after serving Ruckus Makers for the last decade. Watch here.

• ❤️ Social Media Sucks: But The Ruckus Maker Club does not. Imagine an online space that is uplifting, positive, and challenges you to Do School Different. It exists — in 2025! There are premium options inside the club, but you can join the discussion for free in the space called “The Ruckus Lounge.” Set up your profile here and join 200+ leaders inside.

• 😱 Wake up from the nightmare: Crazy is abundant these days, which makes the idea of Calm in the Chaos even more important today.

DO SCHOOL DIFFERENT

The 5-Minute Principal Hack That's Revolutionizing Campus Culture

Most principals spend hours in meetings about "culture initiatives."

They form committees. Create mission statements. Launch programs with fancy names.

And six months later?

Same energy. Same problems. Same teachers rolling their eyes at yet another "culture shift."

If you’ve experienced this before, you know this to be true: You can't committee your way to a better culture.

But did you know you can transform your culture in just 5 minutes a day? Here’s how …

The Ruckus Maker Recognition Ritual

While Play-It-Safe-Principals are planning their next culture retreat, smart leaders are using this simple daily practice:

Step 1: Celebrate One Unexpected Win (90 seconds)

Every morning, identify something that happened yesterday that nobody else noticed but deserves recognition.

Not the obvious stuff. Not the teacher who always goes above and beyond.

Find the quiet victory:

• The custodian who stayed late to help a struggling student find their lost project.

• The bus driver who learned a few words in Spanish to connect with new families.

• The secretary who remembered a parent's name and asked about their sick kid.

Text them. Email them. Find them in the hallway.

When you celebrate the unexpected, you teach everyone what you actually value.

Step 2: Acknowledge One Behind-the-Scenes Hero (90 seconds)

Every culture has invisible people doing extraordinary work.

• The cafeteria worker who knows every kid's name.

• The aide who never gets credit but prevents three meltdowns before 9 AM.

• The volunteer who shows up rain or shine.

Make them visible.

Share their story in your weekly newsletter. Mention them in faculty meetings. Let the whole school know they matter.

You get more of what you want when you want it by highlighting the right stories.

Step 3: Ask One "What If" Question (1 minute)

Here's where you plant seeds of innovation without triggering the "change police."

Instead of announcing new initiatives, get curious:

• "What if students could choose their own learning space for reading time?"

• "What if we let teachers swap classes for a day to share expertise?"

• "What if parents could sign up to teach mini-lessons about their careers?"

Don't implement anything yet. Just ask the question and watch what happens.

Your job is to create the environment for something special to happen.

Step 4: Document the Magic (1 minute)

Keep a simple note in your phone:

• Today's unexpected win.

• This week's hero.

• The "what if" that got people talking.

After 30 days, you'll have a powerful story of cultural transformation.

Why This Actually Works

It's about frequency, not intensity.

Recognition is most effective when it's:

• Immediate (not saved for annual reviews).

• Specific (not generic "good job" praise).

• Unexpected (catches people off guard).

It shifts your focus from problems to possibilities.

Most principals spend their day putting out fires. This ritual forces you to hunt for sparks of brilliance instead.

It creates a ripple effect.

When people see you noticing and celebrating the small stuff, they start doing the same. Culture spreads through modeling, not mandating.

The 30-Day Challenge

For the next month, commit to the 5-minute Recognition Ritual every single day.

Don't announce it. Don't turn it into a program. Just do it.

Watch what happens to:

• Staff energy levels

• Student behavior

• Parent engagement

• Your own leadership satisfaction

But What About the Big Culture Problems?

"This sounds nice, Danny, but we have REAL issues. Toxic teachers. Burnt-out staff. Disengaged students."

I get it. And here's what I've learned after coaching hundreds of principals:

You can't fix culture with big gestures. You fix it with consistent micro-moments.

The teacher who's been negative for 10 years? She won't change because of your new mission statement. But she might soften when you genuinely recognize her expertise with struggling readers.

The burned-out staff? They don't need another motivational speaker. They need a leader who sees their daily efforts and makes them feel valued.

The Bottom Line

Small shifts create big impact.

While other principals are planning their next culture committee meeting, you'll be in the hallways, creating the kind of campus energy that makes people excited to show up.

Five minutes a day. Thirty days. One transformed culture.

TIP OF THE WEEK

The power of storytelling

Last week I had the pleasure of serving a district in Ohio. I spoke to 30ish leaders — principals in the district and the cabinet leadership.

On my way out, one leader pulled me to the side and said, “Most consultants come in here and waste our time with some bulls—t content. Not you. The stories you shared have me thinking differently. Thank you. This was an inspiring day.”

And the day after I left, I received this email from the Ruckus Maker who brought me to his district:

So I thought it would be interesting to teach a small group of Ruckus Makers the art and science of storytelling in a brand new 6-week program beginning October 9th.

Participants will change their communication in these ways:

• FROM boring communication that falls flat → TO stories that spark momentum.

• FROM being ignored → TO being quoted in staff meetings.

• FROM pushing people with authority → TO pulling them with story.

• FROM one-off speeches → TO a repeatable influence system.

• FROM being another leader with “updates” → TO becoming the leader people quote long after the meeting is over.

If you’d like to learn more about this program just reply to this email with a single word:

“STORY”

Then click send.

Starting next week, I will be sending out information regarding the program to everyone who raises their hand 🙋‍♂️

ALBA