Hybrid School Leadership: Build a Thriving Team Culture for Founders
Welcome to the Hybrid School Builders Podcast! I’m Rebecca Foley, your host and a fellow grassroots founder. If you’re dreaming of starting a hybrid school—or are already on the journey—you’re in the right place. My goal is to make founding a sustainable hybrid school easier by sharing real stories, practical tips, and lessons learned from my own experience.
Today, we’re diving deep into leadership and team culture—a critical topic for any founder. As soon as you have teammates, whether one, two, or more, leadership becomes essential. But what does leadership really mean in a startup hybrid school environment?
Leadership in the Early Stages
Founding a school is not like stepping into an established organization with defined roles and culture. You are building both leadership and culture from scratch, which requires awareness, flexibility, and intentionality.
A large part of leadership is building culture. Equally important is enabling the people around you to do what they do best. This requires delegation, accountability, trust, and teamwork—all balanced carefully.
The Three Hs of a Healthy Culture
From my experience, a strong school culture begins with three principles I call the Three Hs:
Honor – Recognize and value each team member’s strengths and contributions. Trust them to do their work without micromanaging.
Humility – Step into your own role confidently but acknowledge that others may excel where you do not.
Humor – Embrace laughter and lightness to ease tension and foster collaboration.
These values create a supportive, resilient environment where everyone feels empowered, valued, and necessary to the team’s success.
Balancing Team Dynamics
Different personalities bring different strengths. Some are visionaries, seeing endless possibilities, while others excel at details and follow-through. Recognizing and honoring these differences prevents burnout and builds cohesion.
For co-founders and early partners, understanding each other’s availability, capacity, and boundaries is essential. Some team members may work more behind the scenes; others may be more visible. Communication, trust, and healthy conflict help balance these dynamics.
Vulnerability and Trust
A healthy culture allows for vulnerability and honest communication. Team members should feel safe to share struggles without fear of judgment or replacement. At the same time, leadership must maintain professionalism and accountability. Striking this balance ensures the organization thrives and everyone feels supported.
Applying Leadership Principles
Whether you are working with a board, co-founders, administrative staff, or teachers, the principles remain the same:
Build trust and open communication
Encourage healthy conflict and problem-solving
Honor each team member’s contributions
Balance vision with practical execution
Maintain humility while confidently leading
By instilling these principles early, you’ll create a culture that trickles into your classrooms, staff, and families—setting the stage for a successful and sustainable hybrid school.
📍 Thanks for listening! Don’t forget to subscribe to the Hybrid School Builders Podcast and check out the resources I’m developing at startahybridschool.com
