Transforming from Good to Great Through Kindness
DR. CHRISTOPHER S. CULVERIn Good to Great, Jim Collins explores what differentiates truly great organizations from those that remain merely good. While his research is rooted in business, the principles apply powerfully to education. Schools (and Districts), like companies, require visionary leadership, disciplined practices, and a culture that fosters sustainable success. However, true greatness in education is not just about performance—it is about creating a school culture rooted in kindness, empathy, and connection. For educators and school leaders committed to thriving rather than just surviving, applying Good to Great’s principles through the lens of kindness can revolutionize student engagement, teacher effectiveness, and overall school culture. As humans, we are naturally wired to want to belong. Applied with kindness, we can create thriving spaces where students, teachers, administrators, and community members feel seen, valued, and supported.
Collins defines Level 5 Leadership as a paradoxical blend of personal humility and unwavering professional determination. Level 5 Leaders are not self-promoters; instead, they focus on the success of their institutions above personal accolades. But what if we extend this definition to include kindness as a leadership strategy? It takes real courage and strength to lift someone up – showing them their strengths rather than their weaknesses.
In education, Level 5 Leaders prioritize student well-being, teacher growth, and systemic improvement over personal ambition. Research supports this leadership style—school districts with transformational leaders who empower their teams see higher student achievement, lower turnover, and greater engagement among staff (Leithwood et al., 2008). However, adding kindness to this leadership model creates an environment where trust and psychological safety flourish. A school led with compassion, emotional intelligence, and servant leadership is one where both students and staff thrive.
Servant leadership is a key component of Level 5 Leadership through kindness. Great school leaders do not simply manage people; they serve them. They recognize that leadership is not about control but about empowering teachers and students to reach their full potential. True servant leaders prioritize the needs of their communities, ensuring that both staff and students feel safe, valued, and heard. When leaders actively remove barriers to success, whether emotional, academic, or logistical, they create a ripple effect of kindness that strengthens the entire school.
Research on servant leadership (Greenleaf, 1977) shows that organizations led with service-first mindsets experience higher engagement, stronger morale, and greater innovation. In schools, this translates into higher teacher retention, better student outcomes, and a culture where kindness and accountability coexist while simultaneously fostering belonging for all.
Additionally, Collins emphasizes that great organizations get the right people “on the bus” before setting a direction. Educational spaces that focus on hiring, mentoring, and retaining the right educators—those who lead with kindness and align with the school’s values—outperform those focused solely on test scores or external pressures.
Research supports the impact of strong hiring and professional development. Schools that invest in teacher collaboration and leadership development produce better student outcomes (Darling-Hammond, 2017). But beyond skills and experience, hiring for kindness, empathy, and relational intelligence leads to a school culture where teachers are not just educators, but mentors and role models for students – foundational for today’s students. A thriving school culture begins with leaders and educators who model kindness in every interaction. It’s like an old adage and golden rule: Treat others the way you want to be treated.
Collins highlights the importance of the Hedgehog Concept. When we apply this same understanding but focus on kindness as a strength, we can shift our perspective. For example:
The Hedgehog Concept asks organizations to focus on three key areas:
What can they be the best in the world at?
What are they deeply passionate about?
What drives their economic engine?
For schools, this translates to identifying a clear educational mission that prioritizes kindness and belonging. Schools that try to do everything often achieve little, while those that hone in on fostering a culture of belonging, emotional intelligence, and student connection become centers of excellence. Research shows that students who feel connected to their school community perform better academically, have fewer behavioral issues, and experience lower levels of stress and anxiety (Bryk et al., 2010).
Schools (and Districts) must ask: How can we become the best at building a culture of kindness and support, and how does that drive our daily work?
Change in education is often seen as requiring bold, immediate transformation, but Collins argues that truly great organizations grow through small, consistent, disciplined actions that build momentum over time—this is the Flywheel Effect.
When applied to education, the Flywheel Effect through kindness means focusing on small, daily acts of connection, support, and encouragement that build long-term school culture. Schools that thrive do so because they:
Encourage student voice and agency in school policies and initiatives.
Celebrate kindness as a core value through student recognition programs.
Build mentorship networks where teachers, administrators, and older students actively support younger peers.
Use restorative justice practices to resolve conflicts through understanding rather than punishment.
Create professional learning communities where educators feel emotionally supported and valued (DuFour, 2004).
Schools that integrate kindness as a daily practice, rather than a once-a-year initiative, experience long-term gains in student engagement and teacher satisfaction. Kindness is not a program—it is a mindset that must be cultivated over time.
Collins stresses that great organizations must acknowledge their challenges honestly while maintaining unwavering faith in long-term success. Schools that thrive confront data on student achievement gaps, teacher burnout, and belonging without becoming paralyzed by them. However, when confronting these realities, the key is to do so with compassion and solution-oriented thinking.
Research shows that schools with emotionally intelligent leadership have higher rates of teacher retention and student resilience (Bryk et al., 2010). Thriving schools build teams that ask hard questions while remaining deeply committed to solutions that prioritize the well-being of every student and educator while keeping kindness at the forefront.
Jim Collins’ research confirms what we already know—schools and school districts don’t become great overnight. True transformation happens when leaders commit to long-term vision, assemble the right team, maintain focus, and stay disciplined in their efforts. However, through the lens of kindness, this transformation is not just about improving numbers—it’s about creating a school where every student and educator feels valued, empowered, and supported. Critical for today’s times despite generational differences.
Applying Good to Great principles in education means shifting from compliance-based leadership to empowered, kindness-driven leadership that fosters connection, resilience, and long-term impact. Schools that embrace these values will not only thrive but create lasting change for generations to come.
Bryk, A. S., Sebring, P. B., Allensworth, E., Luppescu, S., & Easton, J. Q. (2010). Organizing schools for improvement: Lessons from Chicago. University of Chicago Press.
Collins, J. (2001). Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap... and Others Don’t. HarperBusiness.
Darling-Hammond, L. (2017). Empowered educators: How high-performing systems shape teaching quality around the world. John Wiley & Sons.
Dweck, C. (2006). Mindset: The New Psychology of Success. Random House.
DuFour, R. (2004). What is a professional learning community? Educational Leadership, 61(8), 6–11.
Greenleaf, R. K. (1977). Servant leadership: A journey into the nature of legitimate power and greatness. Paulist Press.
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