Seeing People as Their Best Selves: Dan Linford ED.D.

In this inspiring episode, I sit down with Dan Linford, former English teacher, Student Body Officer Advisor, Principal and current Superintendent of a major school district and one of the most influential mentors in my life.

Dan was my student body officer advisor when I was a senior in high school, and I’ll never forget what he used to say to us: “I try to treat you the way I think you can become, not as you are now.”

Dan lives by the powerful belief that we should refuse to see people as anything but their best selves. And when we do, something amazing happens—people often rise to meet or exceed the expectations we set for them.

This mindset isn’t just for educators—it has a place in healthcare too. In our conversation, Dan shares practical insights on how recognizing and affirming our patients’ strengths can change the trajectory of their care. When we believe in our patients, they often become more than we ever thought possible.

Tune in for wisdom, heart, and ideas you can start applying today.

The Multiplier Effect book, by Liz Wiseman, is mentioned in this podcast interview. The link to the book on Amazon is listed below:

https://www.amazon.com/Multiplier-Effect-Tapping-Genius-Schools/dp/1452271895/ref=asc_df_1452271895?mcid=ccb0b27cf77331c088989e13e6c904ed&hvocijid=5609675091466730625-1452271895-&hvexpln=73&tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=721245378154&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=5609675091466730625&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9029448&hvtargid=pla-2281435175938&psc=1