Resetting for Excellence: The Choice to Change

Change is often seen as something forced upon us—a reaction to crisis, failure, or necessity. 

But what if change wasn’t just about fixing something broken? What if it was about choosing something better?

In Reset, Dan Heath explores how organizations can dramatically improve their outcomes by strategically reallocating resources, identifying leverage points, and studying what already works. At the heart of the book is a simple but powerful idea: change is a choice.

Seeing the System

One of Heath’s key takeaways is the importance of rising above daily operations to see the system as a whole. Too often, schools (and organizations in general) are siloed—each department, classroom, or initiative running on its own track. But real transformation happens when leaders zoom out and identify where small shifts can lead to major impact.

This is a lesson I bring into my work with Jewish day schools. Whether it’s enrollment strategy, faculty professional development, or operational systems, success isn’t about adding more to an already overflowing plate. It’s about restacking resources—realigning time, effort, and assets toward what truly matters.

One of my favorite questions to ask when working on a project is, "Can we take a step back?" And then we can look at the big picture together, really focusing in on what matters.

Finding Leverage Points

Heath suggests that rather than tackling everything at once, we should focus on small, high-impact interventions—leverage points that create outsized results. For schools, this might mean:

• Shadowing a student for a day to identify barriers to engagement.

• Reallocating professional development time toward embedded, yearlong learning rather than one-off workshops.

• Targeting constraints, such as simplifying processes that slow down admissions or onboarding new teachers.

By strategically choosing where to focus, schools can create meaningful change without overhauling everything at once.

In my work, another question I ask a lot is, "How might we...?" And then we can think creatively about solving particular pain points.

The Goal of the Goal

One of my favorite insights from Reset is the idea of reconsidering the "goal of the goal." Are we measuring success in the right way? Are we holding on to outdated processes because "that’s how we’ve always done it"? Schools often set goals—improve retention, increase enrollment, raise test scores—but sometimes the real question is: what’s the bigger outcome we’re trying to achieve?

This perspective shift can be liberating. It allows schools to be proactive rather than reactive, to design for excellence rather than just avoid failure.

I think a lot about this in my work in AI in education. I always start with schools by going back to their educational philosophy/mission/vision. The goal of using AI is not to use AI. The goal of using AI is to achieve the greater vision of the school -- that's the outcome we're trying to achieve.

Choosing Change

At the core of Heath’s book is a mindset shift: change isn’t always about survival. It’s about aspiration. Sometimes, schools and leaders need a reset not because they have to, but because they want to be better.

The best schools—the ones that attract and retain families, inspire their faculty, and create lasting impact—aren’t just solving problems. They’re choosing transformation.

And the best part? You don’t have to do it all at once. Just find your leverage points, restack your resources, and start with a burst.

What’s one area in your school where a small, intentional reset could make all the difference?