The Power of 15 Minutes

When I reflect on my time leading education teams, one lesson stands out: the power of simply taking time to listen. On small teams, I made it a priority to get to know people as individuals—their families, their strengths, and even their quirks. Together, we built trust, solved problems, gave feedback openly, and had fun along the way.

But when I became Chief Technology Officer for the Wake County Public School System—suddenly responsible for 125 staff members plus contractors—I knew I needed a way to recreate that same sense of connection at scale. That’s when I discovered the “Power of 15 Minutes.”

Fifteen minutes may not sound like much, but it’s enough time to make someone feel seen, heard, and valued. Here’s how I structured the process:

The Steps

1. Invite every team member to schedule 15 minutes with you.
2. Share four guiding questions in advance so they can reflect before the conversation.
3. Let them lead the discussion in whatever direction matters most to them.
4. Take notes—not to judge, but to remember and honor what they shared.
5. Look for patterns across all conversations, then bring those insights back to the group.

The Questions

• Tell me a little about yourself.
• What do you enjoy the most about your job?
• What about your work would you change (outside of an increase in pay)?
• What does support from me look like?

These simple conversations provided more than just surface-level connections. They revealed untapped strengths, identified barriers holding people back, and gave me direct insight into what kind of leadership the team needed.

Most importantly, when I brought the findings back to the team, they saw that their voices mattered. They understood that leadership wasn’t just about big strategies—it was about listening, learning, and acting together.

In the fast pace of education, we often feel like we don’t have time. But the truth is, 15 minutes can change everything.