Episode 403

full
Published on:

22nd May 2025

Human-Centered Leadership And How One Middle School Principal Applies It Everyday

Summary: Join C.T. and guest Deedy Camanera, Principal of Brownell Middle School in Gilroy, California, as they explore the power of human-centered leadership in a diverse school community. This insightful conversation delves into Deedy’s approach to leading with empathy and deep listening, recognizing the unique challenges and strengths each staff member and student brings every day. She shares practical strategies for balancing the demands of school leadership while holding space for the whole person—staff, students, and families alike. 

Key Takeaways:

  • Human-Centered Leadership: Deedy emphasizes leading with empathy and deep listening, recognizing that every student, staff member, and family comes with unique challenges and strengths each day.
  • Diverse Community: Brownell serves a diverse population including Latino, African American, Asian, immigrant, and foster youth, requiring culturally responsive and inclusive approaches.
  • Balancing Demands: Despite a busy schedule and many responsibilities, Deedy prioritizes giving her full attention to individuals when they need support, creating systems to manage interruptions and maintain focus.
  • Teamwork and Communication: Effective leadership relies on a well-informed and coordinated office and support staff who understand their roles and can anticipate needs, helping the school run smoothly.
  • Self-Care and Boundaries: Deedy acknowledges the mental toll of constant demands and stresses the importance of setting boundaries, scheduling focused time, and taking mental breaks to recharge.
  • Balancing Heart and Rules: While leading with compassion, she also navigates legal and policy constraints, balancing individual needs with broader school safety and regulations.
  • Continuous Improvement: She embraces learning from challenges and adapting protocols to better support staff and students, especially during high-pressure times.


Chapters:

00:00 Introduction to Human-Centered Leadership

00:31 Meet Didi Kana: Background and Experience

01:06 Understanding Brownell Middle School

04:39 Defining Human-Centered Leadership

07:19 Practical Challenges and Approaches

09:58 Balancing Leadership and Personal Wellbeing

11:23 Building a Supportive School Environment

14:36 The Importance of Individualized Leadership

25:48 Clifton Strengths and Leadership Development

31:15 Didi's Leadership Journey

35:58 Advice for Aspiring Leaders


Connect with CT: linkedin.com/in/cheetung

Connect with Deedy Camanera: linkedin.com/in/deedy-camarena-32b4b271



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About the Podcast

Principal Office Hours
Real principals. Real talk. No hall passes required.
Finally—a podcast that proves school principals have personalities (and killer insights, too). Every week, join us for candid conversations with K-12 principals who are navigating the beautiful chaos of educational leadership without losing their minds or sense of humor.

Each 40-minute episode features real principals sharing what actually works in school leadership—from handling helicopter parents and budget nightmares to building school culture that doesn't make everyone roll their eyes. Consider this your professional development that doesn't feel like professional development.

Our guests aren't afraid to share their epic fails alongside their victories. They'll tell you about the initiative that spectacularly bombed during assembly, right before revealing how they turned their school's reading scores around. It's educational leadership with the BS filter turned off.

Whether you're currently wearing the principal badge, aspiring to the big chair, or teaching while secretly taking notes on what you'd do differently, Principal Office Hours delivers actionable strategies you can implement faster than a student being sent to detention.

Subscribe now and join the faculty lounge conversation that's too real for the school board meeting. New episodes drop every week. Warning: May cause spontaneous leadership growth and occasional inappropriate laughter during staff meetings.

About your hosts

CheeTung Leong

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Jim Kanichirayil

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Your friendly neighborhood talent strategy nerd is the producer and co-host for The HR Impact Show. He's spent his career in sales and has been typically in startup b2b HRTech and TA-Tech organizations.

He's built high-performance sales teams throughout his career and is passionate about all things employee life cycle and especially employee retention and turnover.