(94) Leading in the Gray: Making Difficult Decisions While Building Trust

11am – 12pm MST, 4 March 2027 ‐ 1 hour

Room: Red Rock 1

Workshop Sessions

School leaders regularly face decisions involving competing needs, incomplete information, and strong emotions. Supporting an employee while addressing performance concerns, responding to parents, or balancing team autonomy with accountability rarely offers clear-cut answers.

Drawing on his experience as a charter school CEO and his book, Leading in the Gray, Dr. Chad A. Miller explores three practical leadership practices:

Separate facts from assumptions: Recognize how pressure, emotions, and interpretations influence decisions.
Balance care with accountability: Preserve relationships while setting expectations and following through.
Develop judgment in others: Delegate responsibility and build team ownership without taking over.

Through personal stories, guided reflection, and small-group scenarios, practice navigating difficult decisions and communicating them effectively. Leave with a reusable decision-making worksheet and one concrete action to strengthen trust and move your team from management to leadership.