Recently, I’ve been deep in strategic planning: launching platforms, refining outreach, preparing for policy windows, and guiding leadership transitions. On paper, it’s the kind of work that looks like systems design. Clean lines. Clear outputs. Predictable timelines.
But here’s the thing: systems don’t run themselves. People do.
And even the most elegantly designed machine won’t function if the people behind it don’t trust each other.
Whether it’s our Guides at Funds For Learning, peers at EO, or teams navigating change — the defining factor in any initiative’s success isn’t the what of the system. It’s the who behind it. That’s what I keep coming back to.
Too often, organizations drift toward becoming what-centric, focused on policies, metrics, and outputs. These things matter, but not at the expense of the human connections that make them meaningful.
Being a who-centric organization means putting people at the center:
- Designing systems with people, not for them.
- Building tools that help others feel seen, heard, and supported—not just managed.
- Choosing dialogue over dashboards when pressure mounts.
Earlier this month, Joseph Fronko raised a concern about an implementation detail for the updated E-rate Manager website we’re launching this fall. Because of the trust we’ve built, he spoke up. And because he spoke up, the rollout improved. It would have been easy to stick with the system we had in place—but Joe chose to look through the lens of our client and acted courageously. That’s the kind of moment that elevates a system beyond its design—when trust invites honesty, and honesty leads to better outcomes.
At Funds For Learning, we use the phrase calming presence to describe a steady, grounded way of showing up—especially when the stakes are high. Trust works the same way. It’s built not through one-time speeches or slick plans, but in the quiet, consistent way we show up for one another.
Systems can help us scale. But trust is what gives that scale staying power. Building belief in one another, in our shared mission and our capacity to adapt, that’s the real work of leadership.
That’s what I’m recommitting to right now — leading with people first, even when the systems feel more urgent.
