Lead Boldly, Think Deeply: What Courageous Leaders Can Learn from Great Teachers

Lead Like a Teacher-and Build Teams That Think, Engage, and Solve Problems

Think back to the person who had the greatest influence on how you think and grow. Chances are, it was a teacher who asked the right questions, believed in your potential, and created space for you to problem-solve. Fast-forward to the professional workplace. Leaders are overwhelmed, teams are disengaged, and too much energy is spent complying with systems that were never designed to help people think, create, and innovate. When leadership rewards compliance over creativity and certainty over curiosity, it's evident we've drifted from what actually works. It's time for a new approach for leaders.

Lead Boldly, Think Deeply offers a different way forward. Award-winning teacher and researcher Dr. Katie Trowbridge has done decades of work with educators, administrators, and business leaders and uncovered a clear truth: Teachers are some of the most adaptive, courageous leaders in existence-and organizations can learn from them.

Grounded in the wisdom of great educators, Trowbridge challenges leaders to move past surface-level management and start designing cultures where curiosity is valued, trust is built, and thinking runs deep. Based on her research on the gap between education and the modern workplace, Trowbridge uses her trademarked CREATE Method to reframe leadership as the design of environments where people feel safe to ask bold questions, take risks, and solve problems together-skills today's workforce demands. The result is teams that don't just comply but engage, collaborate, and care deeply about what they're building together.

In this book, you'll learn how to:

• Use the CREATE Method's six leadership roles to build trust and engagement.
• Run meetings that generate thinking, not passive agreement.
• Turn employees into problem-solvers rather than order followers.
• Bridge generational differences through curiosity and shared purpose.
• Lead with confidence while staying grounded as a lifelong learner.

For middle managers, executives, HR professionals, and educational leaders, Lead Boldly, Think Deeply offers a practical, human-centered approach to leadership-one that replaces control with courage and leaves a lasting legacy of impact.

"Leaders must not only think more deeply about the choices they make, but also have the courage to propose new ways of doing things. Dr. Katie Trowbridge shows how her CREATE Method can help leaders at all levels and across industries navigate by identifying and harnessing the deeply human capacities of curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking in the workplace."

-Dr. Matthew J. Worwood, UConn Professor of Digital Media Design, Co-host of the Fueling Creativity in Education Podcast

"There are books that inform, and then there are books that transform. Lead Boldly, Think Deeply does both!

Dr. Katie Trowbridge masterfully bridges the gap between education and leadership, reminding us that the most impactful leaders don't just direct, they develop. They create space for curiosity, courage, and deeper thinking, and that is exactly what today's organizations are missing.

This book is for leaders who are ready to move beyond checking boxes and start building cultures where people feel seen, challenged, and empowered to grow. It's thoughtful, practical, and incredibly timely!"

-Dr. LaQuanta M. Nelson, CEO, The BOSS Educator, International Keynote Speaker & Leadership Strategist

"Lead Boldly, Think Deeply by Katie Trowbridge presents a unique take on leadership by linking it with the principles of great teaching. The book emphasizes the importance of curiosity, thoughtful decision-making, and strong human connections.

It encourages leaders to ask better questions, think more deeply, and lead with empathy rather than authority. Simple yet impactful, it offers practical insights for building stronger teams and a positive work culture."

-Sheraz Kamran - Media/Journalist, NetGalley Review