04.09.25 IGNITE Where Dr. Tom Webb sparks your curiosity and inspires action! Dear Reader, Imagine walking through a dense forest, where each tree represents a voice in your life. Some trees stand tall, exuding strength and vitality, while others are wilted, offering nothing but shade from your path to success. In this forest of voices, choosing which ones to listen to can make all the difference in your journey as a leader. I was a big dreamer as a boy, college student, and early in my...
1 day ago • 1 min read
04.02.25 IGNITE Where Dr. Tom Webb sparks your curiosity and inspires action! Team BOOM, Last week, I had the opportunity to participate in Barnhart Crane and Rigging's three-day retreat, where the theme "Minds over Matter" took center stage. I was brought in on the final day, to support the Great Lakes Regional Team as we took a deep dive into the mechanics of achieving their ambitious vision through the lens of systematic change—lessons that resonate deeply across all sectors, including...
8 days ago • 1 min read
03.26.25 IGNITE Where Dr. Tom Webb sparks your curiosity and inspires action! Dear Team BOOM, In our continuous pursuit of excellence and innovation, one of the most powerful tools at our disposal is the community itself. We cannot do this work alone and many times we just need HELP! I'm excited to share a strategy that promises to amplify our efforts and extend our reach: building an Asset Map. What is an Asset Map?An Asset Map is a visual representation of the resources within our immediate...
15 days ago • 1 min read
03.13.25 IGNITE Where Dr. Tom Webb sparks your curiosity and inspires action! Dear Team BOOM, Have you ever found yourself riding a "dead horse" but continuing to insist that if you just tried a little harder, things might improve? In the realm of education, where we are entrusted with nurturing future generations, acknowledging when a strategy or policy is ineffective—and having the courage to change course—is vital. Common "Dead Horse" Scenarios in Education: Curriculum That Doesn't...
28 days ago • 2 min read
03.05.25 IGNITE Where Dr. Tom Webb sparks your curiosity and inspires action! Dear Team Boom, As a school principal in one of Illinois' top-performing schools, I am privileged to witness the remarkable growth of our students daily. This week, we face a significant decision that reminds me of a pivotal childhood moment: the first time riding a bike without training wheels. A Milestone Moment We have a student who has shown such remarkable progress that he may no longer require his...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
02.26.25 IGNITE Where Dr. Tom Webb sparks your curiosity and inspires action! Reader, My Journey to Mastering Time Management As a school principal, my days often felt like I was desperately trying to stomp out a forest fire. Questions flew at me, urgent decisions piled up, and everyone seemed to need a piece of my time. Like many of us when faced with overwhelming pressure, I found myself either freezing up or hopping aimlessly from task to task—busy, yet hardly productive. In my search for...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
02.20.25 IGNITE Where Dr. Tom Webb sparks your curiosity and inspires action! Reader, My dad was raised on a farm. Growing up if my brother and I would complain that we were bored, he would always respond with, "there are always weeds to pull." It was a chore that no one wanted and was never finished. In the garden of education, we often hesitate to plant new seeds of change, fearing there's no room on our already full plates. Yet, it's not that we lack space; it's that we're reluctant to...
about 2 months ago • 1 min read
02.12.2025 IGNITE Where Dr. Tom Webb sparks your curiosity and inspires action! Reader, I grew up in the 1900s, a time when learning meant flipping through an encyclopedia, asking a teacher, or just figuring it out the hard way. I remember needing to fix my bike as a kid—no YouTube, no Google. Just trial, error, and a lot of busted knuckles. Fast forward to my son, born in 2009. His world has been shaped by YouTube. Need to change a bike tire? There’s a step-by-step video for that. Want to...
about 2 months ago • 1 min read
02.05.25 IGNITE Where Dr. Tom Webb sparks your curiosity and inspires action! Team BOOM- Every day, I have the privilege of walking into environments buzzing with potential. As a principal, keynote speaker, and school improvement coach, I see the vast dreams educators and leaders harbor — the kind of dreams that paint vivid pictures of who they could be, the milestones they could achieve, and the impactful results they could deliver. But here's the reality: growth is not just about reaching...
2 months ago • 1 min read
01.29.25 IGNITE Where Dr. Tom Webb sparks your curiosity and inspires action! Hello Team, Welcome back to another week of BOOMLeader tips. Today I’m excited to share a life lesson I learned while visiting a century-old homestead in rural Johnson County in Southern Illinois. This wisdom comes from a living legend among us, affectionately known as Murph. Murph's mantra is simple yet profound: "Life will teach you all the lessons you need to learn, so pay attention." His philosophy embodies the...
2 months ago • 1 min read