E-rate Commentary

John Harrington, CEMP

by John Harrington

February 25, 2026

Stop Solving the Wrong Problem

One of the most common leadership traps I see is this: treating recurring issues as isolated incidents. Something goes wrong. We jump in. We correct it. We patch it. We...

John Harrington, CEMP

by John Harrington

February 19, 2026

Agreement Is Not Commitment

One of the most misleading signals in leadership is a room full of nodding heads. I’ve sat in plenty of meetings where everyone “agreed.” No objections. No pushback. No visible...

John Harrington, CEMP

by John Harrington

February 11, 2026

Leaders Set the Pace — Whether They Mean To or Not

Over the past few weeks, I’ve written about a few related leadership ideas. I shared how experience teaches you not to chase every issue, but to position yourself well and...

John Harrington, CEMP

by John Harrington

February 5, 2026

Confidentiality as a Leadership Advantage

One of the quiet killers of effective leadership teams isn’t conflict.It’s the absence of it. When people no longer feel safe to speak honestly, disagreement doesn’t go away, it just...

John Harrington, CEMP

by John Harrington

January 29, 2026

What Your Reactions Teach

Last week, I wrote about experience — and how leadership eventually becomes less about speed and more about positioning. About learning not to chase every ball, but to place yourself...

John Harrington, CEMP

by John Harrington

January 21, 2026

What Experience Actually Gives You

In college, I played a lot of racquetball. When I first started, I ran all over the court. I chased the ball. I moved fast. I worked hard. And after...

John Harrington, CEMP

by John Harrington

January 14, 2026

What I’ve Been Thinking About Lately

Lately, I’ve been paying attention to where things “wobble” (technical management term)! Not in a dramatic way. Nothing is on fire. But in any organization — or family, or board,...

John Harrington, CEMP

by John Harrington

December 17, 2025

Guiding Principles from Guide Appreciation Week 2025

Each year at Funds For Learning, we set aside a week called Guide Appreciation Week. It is an intentional pause to recognize the people who do the day-to-day work of...