Michael Nelson Sees the Good: How Proximity and Relationships Lead to Student Success

Dive into the latest episode of "An Imperfect Leader: The Superintendents and Leadership Podcast" featuring the incredible Michael Nelson, former Superintendent of Enumclaw School District and former Assistant Executive Director for professional learning for the Washington Association of School Administrators. This conversation offers profound insights into what truly drives educational success.

 

Michael’s dedication to student achievement, especially for First Nations/Native students in Enumclaw, led to remarkable results, including 100% graduation rates for students in the cultural program and rates 33 percentage points higher than the national average for Native American students overall.

 

Three themes to pay attention to:

• Cultivating Authentic Relationships and Cultural Understanding: Mike emphasizes that true student success stems from deep connections and understanding of community cultures.

 

• The Power of Proximity and Accessible Leadership: Mike’s leadership style centers on being present and removing barriers, a lesson learned from mentors and personal experience.

 

• Humble, Self-Reflective Leadership and “Seeing the Good”: Mike champions continuous self-assessment and a positive outlook as cornerstones of effective leadership. 

This episode is packed with lessons on empathy, resilience, and the profound impact one leader can have by prioritizing relationships and humility. Mike's reflection on an early leadership challenge as a 29-year-old principal also offers powerful insights into learning from mistakes and the importance of truly listening to others' values