What do school safety, confidence in chaos, and sneaking into a Michael Jackson concert have in common?

All of them show up in this week’s Leadership Rules episode with Dr. Roderick “Rocky” Sams—a passionate educator and school safety leader who believes preparation isn’t just a strategy. It’s a mindset.

Rocky joins Nick and Marnie to talk about how leading well starts with knowing yourself, investing in what matters, and showing up ready—even when the opportunity hasn’t arrived yet.

In this episode, Rocky shares:

🔐 The critical link between psychological safety and physical safety
🧠 How clarity, calm, and curiosity build real leadership presence
📚 Why he believes personalized learning is more possible now than ever
🏖️ How scheduling monthly “timeouts” with his wife helps him lead better
🔘 What Centegix is doing to transform school safety with one simple button

Plus:

• The one question every leader should ask before speaking
• Why struggle is often the best teacher
• The story of a young Rocky Sams sneaking into a stadium for a life-changing concert

👀 Bonus: Rocky’s message to educators about finding joy again—even in the chaos.

🎧 Listen now wherever you get your podcasts.

📍 Connect with Dr. Roderick Sams:
🔗 LinkedIn

📧 rsams@centegix.com

What do undefeated teams, AV carts, and prosthetic legs have in common?

They all show up in this week’s conversation with educator and coach Rob Elia—and every story points to the same truth:

🏆 Leadership isn’t about winning. It’s about trust.

In this episode, Rob joins Nick and Marnie to talk about:

🎾 Coaching through culture, not just competition

🧠 Why confidence is a performance multiplier

🛠️ How to build trust that actually sticks

📉 Why you shouldn’t rescue people too soon

👟 And the real reason some losses matter more than wins

Plus:

• How to lead when your kid isn’t the starter
• Why culture doesn’t start with hype, but with habits
• The moment one player’s return from cancer taught the entire team what leadership really means

👀 Bonus: Rob explains why his undefeated record matters way less than the way his team practiced every day to earn it.

🎧 Listen now wherever you get your podcasts.

📍 Find Rob Elia:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/robertvelia/

Check out the podcast Rob hosts: Leader’s Edge Podcast in association with the New Jersey Association of Educational Leaders

How do you go from wallflower to world-class connector?

Jason Croft didn’t just figure it out—he reverse-engineered the process.

In this episode, Jason joins Nick and Marnie to talk about leadership, networking (especially for introverts), and how to build “market gravity”—the pull that makes you the inevitable choice for the people you want to serve.

Jason is the host of Strategy + Action, a brand and storytelling strategist, and the guy who once read The Tipping Point and decided—on the spot—to become a connector. A year later? People were calling him for introductions.

In this conversation, Jason shares:

🧲 Why visibility isn’t enough—you need gravity

🎯 What most people get wrong about standing out

🛠️ How to build confidence through evidence

🎤 Why podcasting might be the best networking tool on earth

🙋‍♂️ And the one leadership rule that changed everything: Lead yourself first.

Plus:

• What to say when you're stuck at a networking event (and don’t know a soul)
• Why introverts make the best interviewers
• The truth about “accidental leaders”—and how to know if you are one

👀 Bonus: Jason reveals the bold decision that transformed his career—and how you can do the same (without faking a personality transplant).

🎧 Listen to the episode now.

📍 Find Jason Croft:

https://thejasoncroft.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncroft/