Bursting the Leader's Bubble: Why Feedback is Your Most Underrated Growth Strategy

The most dangerous leadership trap isn’t burnout or lack of strategy—it’s silence. If your team stops offering unfiltered feedback, you’re not leading from clarity. You’re leading from a carefully curated illusion. This week, we’re uncovering the quiet threat of the Leader’s Bubble—and how to break free.

When we think of leadership blind spots, we often imagine small oversights or misjudgments. But one of the most pervasive and damaging blind spots isn’t what you see—it’s what you don’t hear. I’m talking about the subtle, creeping silence that can follow you as you rise in leadership. It’s not that people have nothing to say—it’s that they no longer feel safe or empowered enough to say it.

This phenomenon is what I call The Leader’s Bubble: a space where well-meaning leaders slowly lose access to street-level truths. The higher you go, the more praise you receive, the fewer challenges you hear, and the harder it becomes to get the full picture. And while it may feel easier in the short term, it’s a fast track to stagnation, misalignment, and even mistrust.

Why the Bubble Forms

The Leader’s Bubble isn’t about arrogance. It’s about unintentional distance. As leaders become busier, more visible, and more responsible, their circle of honest communication can shrink. Team members might fear speaking up due to power dynamics, past experiences, or simply the lack of an inviting system that encourages feedback.

Ironically, when I became a superintendent, I was more aware than ever of how critical it was to stay connected. I remembered the complaints I used to hear: “They’re out of touch.” “They haven’t set foot in a classroom in years.” I didn’t want that to become my story. So I made staying grounded a non-negotiable part of my leadership.

How to Break Free from the Bubble

1. Prioritize Visibility

Leadership doesn’t belong solely behind a desk. Be seen. Show up in classrooms, hallways, staff rooms. Your presence creates familiarity—and familiarity builds trust.

2. Ask Better Questions

Don’t settle for “How’s everything going?” Instead, try:

• “What’s one thing I could be doing differently to support you better?”

• “What’s getting in the way of great work here?”

These questions signal that you want more than surface-level updates.

3. Build Feedback Loops

From QR-code linked surveys to anonymous suggestion boxes to 1:1 listening sessions—you need systems. Make feedback a habit, not a one-off event. Better yet, ask for input on both your leadership and your processes.

4. Reward Truth, Not Just Agreement

When someone offers critical insight, thank them. Publicly, if possible. Your team needs to see that honesty is valued, not punished.

5. Follow Through

Gathering feedback is only step one. Acting on it—even in small ways—proves that their voices matter. And when you can’t act due to constraints, explain why. Transparency earns respect.

Why It Matters

Your school doesn’t just need a visionary. It needs a leader who can tune in to the daily reality of the people doing the work. That means collecting street data, not just seat data. It means choosing ground war over air war, presence over perception, and feedback over assumptions.

This isn’t about micromanagement. It’s about alignment. And alignment doesn’t happen by accident. It happens when leaders are humble and brave enough to invite challenge, reflect often, and adjust continually.

In Beyond The First-Year Principal, I dedicate an entire chapter to navigating the Leader’s Bubble. It includes feedback tools, reflection prompts, and examples from the field—all designed to help you stay connected as you rise.

Because here’s the truth: growth doesn’t come from praise. It comes from perspective.

Let’s keep the feedback flowing—and the bubble popped.