Today’s Blog: The Turnaround Begins with One Strategic Betrayal
“To change a system, you must first betray its comfort.”
When I took over my first turnaround school, everyone smiled in the welcome meeting.
Behind those smiles were fixed mindsets, protective cliques, sacred cows, and whispered doubts.
They said they wanted change.
What they really wanted was to feel safe inside the illusion of progress.
So I made my first real move:
I betrayed the unspoken agreement to do things the way they’d always been done.
And I did it publicly.
Betrayal Isn’t Always Disloyalty.
Sometimes, it’s leadership.
Let me be clear: I didn’t throw anyone under the bus.
But I refused to protect broken systems.
I rejected fake collaboration.
I named what was failing, even if it made people uncomfortable.
And yes, some folks felt betrayed.
Why?
Because I refused to:
Let low expectations hide behind “trauma-informed” excuses
Pretend professional development was working when we had no clear outcomes
Praise leadership teams for attendance when student outcomes told another story
This wasn’t personal.
It was strategic betrayal, not of people, but of patterns that protected failure.
Case Study: Barack Obama and Jeremiah Wright
When then-Senator Barack Obama disavowed his former pastor, Rev. Jeremiah Wright, during the 2008 presidential campaign, it wasn’t just a PR move.
It was a calculated betrayal — a move to reposition his leadership for a broader coalition.
He didn’t throw away his values. He adjusted his public alignment to serve a bigger vision.
Was it controversial? Absolutely.
But it was a necessary break to lead forward.
All real leadership demands one.
School Leaders: Who or What Must You Let Go?
You might be protecting:
A “beloved” AP who’s failing upward
A partner org that drains resources but has good optics
A tradition that makes adults feel nostalgic but leaves students bored and unserved
If you’re serious about transformation, you’re going to have to break ranks with something — or someone — that no longer serves your mission.
That’s not sabotage.
That’s strategy.
Reflection Prompt:
“What am I afraid to walk away from because it will make people uncomfortable — even though I know it’s necessary for the school to grow?”
Betray the comfort zone.
Stay loyal to the mission.
— Uche
