The Power of Play: Fueling Purposeful Leadership

Playful leadership can feel elusive as you balance expectations, team culture, systems, and the daily fires that come with running a school.

At our recent Playful Leadership webinar, we welcomed Rachel Supalla, M.Ed., a renowned Early Childhood Business Expert, consultant, trainer, author, and multi-site child care owner with more than 25 years of experience. Rachel launched Discovery KidZone in 2009 and has since expanded it into 10 successful locations across Montana and Utah, earning numerous awards including Innovative Business of the Year and Best Daycare and Preschool in Helena. 

Known for her brain-based creative teaching, playful leadership development, and her signature Practically Perfect Performance™ course, Rachel brought her deep expertise to our session with inspiring energy. Drawing from her journey as an educator, entrepreneur, and the driving force behind Vision Tree Leadership, she shared powerful insights to help child care leaders rediscover their purpose, empower their teams, and lead with clarity and joy.

Here’s what we covered:

• What playful leadership means and why reconnecting with your “why” matters

• How purpose and values guide your team and protect your culture

• Celebrating team strengths and using them to set aligned goals

• Turning mistakes into learning moments with a “fail forward” mindset

• Empowering your team so you can scale without burning out

Final Thoughts

Playful leadership is about being grounded, intentional, and willing to lead with both structure and joy. When leaders honor their purpose, celebrate strengths, and build systems that support their teams, they create schools where children and staff flourish.

We are grateful for the energy, wisdom, and inspiration Rachel Supalla shared with our IKS Academy community!

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Watch the full webinar replay here.

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Want to see how easy lead management can be with IntelliKid Systems? Jump into your self-guided demo today!