The reviews for my latest book, “Forward, Together: Moving Schools from Conflict to Community in Contentious Times,” have been coming in, and they have been much better than I could have ever expected!
Reading honest feedback from people I admire, who told me they read the book in one sitting (with enthusiasm), made me feel really proud. A common theme from the reviewers is that the book is “funny,” which I think is essential when addressing a topic that, for lack of a better term, can be contentious. This was something I appreciated. My mentor used to say to me that with all of the complexity in education, you can either laugh or cry, and it is WAY better to choose laughter.
That said, hearing the book is “funny” often was a bit concerning (not really) and made me think of the famous scene from Goodfellas, where Joe Pesci is a little concerned about the label “funny.”
If you have seen the movie, you get it. If you haven’t, you should (just not with kids around!).
Joe Sanfelippo shared the following endorsement, and he is someone I have appreciated for his leadership for many years, so I beamed with pride when I first read it:
I’ve known George Couros for 15 years, and one of the things I admire most is his ability to push my thinking without ever announcing that he’s doing it. “Forward, Together” is George at his very best—wrapping powerful challenges in stories so familiar that you can’t help but see yourself in them. Whether he’s talking about two dads at a basketball game, Van Halen’s brown M&M test, or the simple moment when a stranger becomes a friend through a genuine connection, each story carries a shift, a moment where your mindset quietly but unmistakably changes. What makes this book so compelling is that it calls us not just to lead better, but to see people better.
The six principles he lays out aren’t abstract ideas; they’re lived experiences. “Point at Yourself First” and “Ensure People Feel Valued” land especially hard because George models them in every interaction, including on these pages. His writing feels like sitting next to him in conversation, yet at times it carries the energy and conviction of watching him deliver a keynote. It is an anchor for anyone leading in schools.
Joe Sanfelippo, PhD
Retired Superintendent, Author, Speaker
Joe encapsulated a goal I strived for in the book. For it to be a conversation, not condescension.
Many of the stories are not from when I first succeeded, but when I failed, and then figured out a better way. My hindsight will hopefully help someone’s foresight, and in writing it, I wanted to share how leading by example always means learning by example.
With the endorsements coming in and the final edits looming, I have read the book over and over again, preparing it for release.
And I know this is not cool to say, but I loved it.
I am so very proud of what I shared in the book, not only in what I wrote, but also in how I have grown over the years. I know I could not have written this book even a few years ago, as it comes from consistent experience and reflection. This space where I share my ups and downs over the years has not only helped me grow as a writer but also as a professional and a human. I still have a long way to go (and grow).
So with the feedback from reviewers and excitement from others, my heart was full.
But then the anxiety started coming over me.
What if I just perfectly picked the right people to review it, and others will hate it? What if others don’t see the same value? What if it is TOO funny? (Which is impossible!)
So I sat there and thought about this concern, and a couple of thoughts came to my mind.
First of all, in July of 2025, I was at a gym, and because of the inspiration of a teacher and school district (I tell the entire story in the book), the idea for “Forward, Together” hit me like a ton of bricks. An idea that didn’t exist that July morning was completed as a first draft two weeks later.
I swore that I would never write another book solely because I wanted to write a book, but only because I felt I really had something I needed to say. The passion in this book, I hope, will leap off the pages. I have not been this excited about something I have created in a long time. Although the first draft was written in a couple of weeks, it stems from constant reflection on this blog over the past decade, where research for a book I did not even know existed was conducted.
So this idea could have been staring me in the face, and ultimately, I could have chosen to do nothing with it. That would have haunted me forever.
The risk of not doing something is often the most considerable risk we take. I share the following in the book:
When you think about it, risk happens when we try new things, yet often the biggest risk we take is staying the same. As I get older, most of my regrets are not things I have done in the past, but things I wish I would have done.
I was not going to let this book go into the “wish I would have done” column of my life.
The second takeaway is this: I am very proud of this book.
I believe deeply in what I wrote, and for years, I have written what I have felt compelled to share, not what I think others want to hear.
And with that realization, I worked out two possible worst-case scenarios:
Scenario A: Write something you are proud of that might not connect with others.
Scenario B: Write something that connects with others, that you are not proud of.
If I have to choose from those two, I am going with Scenario A.
Every.
Time.
Again, this is from the book and part of my philosophy of life and learning:
Don’t dim your light because someone else isn’t ready for you.
Keep going.
And whatever you do, don’t become something you are not that doesn’t align with your belief system. You might get the job or opportunity you want, but the cost to yourself will never be worth it.
That is from one of my favorite chapters in “Forward, Together,” and I know that everything I wrote in that section will resonate with many because it is not your typical advice from an education book.
Now, the other possibility is a 3rd scenario:
I wrote something I am proud of, AND it connects with many.
That is the one I am ultimately hoping for.
But I also know that nothing you do will ever connect with everyone. But when you are passionate about what you do, that enthusiasm will not only help people find your work, it will help YOU find your people.
I am so excited that this book will help me find more of those people.
