.png)
Real Talk School Leadership with Dan Mault
Real Talk School Leadership is a podcast for educators, administrators, and change-makers who believe schools can be better — and are willing to do the work to make it happen.
Hosted by Dan Mault, elementary school principal and Creativity & Change Leadership graduate student, this show dives into the real conversations behind leadership in today’s schools. Each episode explores creativity, organizational change, team dynamics, and innovation through the lens of everyday practice — from building strong staff cultures and navigating challenges to rethinking systems and empowering diverse thinkers.
Blending research with real-world experience, Dan shares reflections from the principal’s office, lessons from graduate coursework, and practical strategies grounded in frameworks like FourSight, the 4 Ps of Creativity, and collaborative problem solving. You’ll hear honest insights, actionable ideas, and stories from the field designed to help you lead with clarity, empathy, and purpose.
This isn’t about quick fixes or trendy buzzwords.
It’s about people.
It’s about process.
And it’s about creating schools where both adults and students can thrive.
If you’re ready for authentic conversations, thoughtful leadership, and practical creativity in education — welcome to Real Talk School Leadership.
Real Talk School Leadership with Dan Mault
Episode #8 - What Disney Can Teach Us About Schools: Designing Experiences That Engage, Motivate, and Inspire
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
In this episode of Real Talk School Leadership, we explore what might seem like an unexpected connection — what Disney can teach us about schools.
From the moment you walk into a Disney park or resort, every detail is intentionally designed to create an unforgettable experience. The lighting, the music, the interactions, the storytelling — nothing is left to chance. And the more we step back and think about it, the more we realize:
Schools are designing experiences every single day too.
The question is… are we doing it intentionally?
In this episode, we dive into how Disney’s approach to experience design, Imagineering, motivation, and human connection directly connects to the work we do in classrooms, schools, and organizations.
Grounded in research such as:
- Pine & Gilmore’s The Experience Economy
- Deci & Ryan’s Self-Determination Theory
- Edmondson’s work on Psychological Safety
- Goleman’s research on Emotional Intelligence
we unpack how engagement, creativity, and motivation don’t happen by chance — they happen by design.
We also explore how the smallest details — the way we greet students, structure lessons, and respond to mistakes — shape the climate and culture of our schools over time.
This episode ties directly into the broader work of the Creative Schools Model, emphasizing the alignment of people, process, climate, and structures to create environments where students and staff can truly thrive.
If we want more engaged students, more motivated staff, and more meaningful learning… We don’t just need better strategies.
We need better-designed experiences.