Lead from Where You Are: Building Intention, Connection and Direction in Our Schools

by Joe Sanfelippo

Level Up Your Leadership with Intention, Connection, and Direction School communities are full of people who have both the ability and desire to lead. Some lead without knowing it. Most lead without the recognition they deserve. Whether you lead in a classroom, department, building, or district, chances are you know how challenging it can be to identify and develop other strong leaders, and to grow the leadership capacity of your organization as a whole. But ensuring that the leaders around you know their worth, helping them cultivate connections, and growing their confidence can help your whole team move forward together, helping the organization and the people within it to thrive. Lead from Where You Are offers a down-to-earth, implementable approach to rethinking how we build leadership and community in schools. Dr. Joe Sanfelippo, a veteran principal and superintendent, argues that our focus must be on growing leadership potential all across the community, from students to teachers to staff. We can do this by reflecting on how we build a sense of intention together, how we connect with each other, and how we direct those we lead with compassion and affirmation. Sanfelippo’s frank discussion of the highs and lows of leadership will help new principals and superintendents feel prepared, while also providing useful methods and sound counsel.

Genres: Education, Professional Development, Leadership

158 pages, Paperback

Published January 22, 2022

Reviews

[Lainie Rowell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Immediately Captivated and Inspired!
Wow, this is one of those rare books that simultaneously challenges you, validates you, and inspires you! Wherever you are in your leadership journey, if you are ready to empower others and lead so everyone in the organization knows their value and can do their best work, this is the book for you! Highly recommend!

-Lainie Rowell, lead author of Evolving Learner and international education consultant

[Michelle Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lead from Where You Are is a powerful, down-to-earth guide for educators, administrators, and anyone looking to make a meaningful impact in their school community. Sanfelippo’s approach to leadership is refreshing and practical, emphasizing that leadership isn’t just about titles—it’s about intention, connection, and direction.

What Makes This Book Stand Out?
✅ Empowering Leadership at Every Level – Whether you’re a teacher, principal, or district leader, this book reinforces the idea that everyone can lead from their current position. Leadership isn’t reserved for those at the top—it’s about influence, relationships, and action.

✅ Real-World Strategies – Sanfelippo provides actionable insights that can be applied immediately. His advice isn’t theoretical—it’s based on real experiences and practical methods that help educators build stronger connections and foster leadership within their teams.

✅ Authentic & Engaging Writing – The book is conversational and relatable, making it an easy yet impactful read. Sanfelippo’s passion for education and leadership shines through, making his guidance both inspiring and accessible.

Key Takeaways:
Leadership is about relationships—building trust and fostering connections is essential.

Small actions create big impact—leading with intention can transform school culture.

Empowering others strengthens the whole community—when educators feel valued, they confidently lead.

Final Thoughts
If you’re looking for a book that redefines leadership in education, Lead from Where You Are is a must-read. It’s motivating, insightful, and packed with strategies to help educators create positive change in their schools.

⭐ Highly recommended for educators, administrators, and anyone passionate about leadership!

[Mary Manee · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fantastic book for school employees in leadership positions, especially Administrators. Lead From Where You Are teaches the reader the importance of moving from leading to reaching. We must not skip opportunities to reach out and connect with those we lead be them students or employees. Joe Sanfelippo stresses the importance of being in the moment and focusing on that instead of being distracted by what is next on the list.

[Brian McCann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Joe Sanfelippo’s LEAD FROM WHERE YOU ARE was the perfect book for me to begin my vacation reading this week in the woods of Maine. It’s authentic, practical, joyful and recalibrating.

The book is a wonderful complement to educators who have had the good fortune to experience Joe’s energy in person.

I highly recommend this book to all school leaders, whatever your current adventure is!!

[Danielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was one of the best books about leadership that I have read. Easy to read but with NUMEROUS thought provoking ideas and realizations. I kept a pen beside me and was constantly underlining and writing notes in the margins. My only critique is I lost a little interest in the final two chapters. Still some valid points but I feel like chapters 1-5 had the most punch.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was nice to read an education specific leadership book. Joe shared how he learned from his failures and gave great examples on how to make sure that everyone is valued in an education environment.

[Haley Lancaster · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got this book because I attended a conference where Joe Sanfelippo spoke and it was SO GOOD. Reading this book though, it was more directed to leadership as in admin and principals. Therefore I couldn’t relate to a lot of it.

[Katie Granado · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of great nuggets about leadership and how to move an organization forward. Like with any leadership book, you have to discern how much you take from it. I did feel like it got a little scattered towards the end, but there was still good stuff to take away especially when implementing change.

[Christian Klaue · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of practical suggestions and personal examples.

[Mathiasherm · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent!! I wish every educator should read. EVERY educator, not just leaders.

[Sean Gaillard · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very satisfying read! Joe Sanfelippo provides an engaging narrative on leadership through a lens of intentionality, connection, and empathy. Highly motivating and empowering!

[Alice · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars
Provides a lot of food for thought for anyone who leads

[Malena · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very helpful and thoughtful. I appreciated the candid conversations about what didn't work or missed opportunities. This was as enlightening as the suggestions of what should be done!

[Burt Finley · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an incredible book for leaders!! This book has helped me to understand what kind of leader I want to be and how best to lead when I become a school administrator.

[Heather Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I certainly appreciate the messaging, I agree with so much of the book that I didn’t take away as many new things as I had hoped; however, I’m thinking more about my unique position in the school district, I considered a few gems that may assist me in my evil quest to make everyone enjoy reading. So far, so good, and the few tips I can use from this book may just add to my success…😈