![\"\"](\"https:\/\/cohort21.com\/garthnichols\/files\/2025\/11\/Screenshot-2025-11-08-at-8.06.46-AM.png\")
<\/a><\/p>\nYou know those neighbourhood libraries – the cute little covered shelves in front of houses that dot neighbourhoods throughout Toronto, and other cities. They usually have books that are well-loved, and from a time – rarely are there current ones. My wife loves to peruse these little pots of gold for books. A few months ago, she found this book “Chief Joy Officer” and recommended it to me.<\/p>\n
It was published in 2018, and is about Sheridan’s work to bring his company “Menlo” in Ann Arbour Michigan, into a new way of working. Characterized as a zero-hierarchy, joyful workplace, Menlo is held up as a cultural north star for the tech-industy companies. And I think that there are some great lessons in here for leaders in any industry.<\/p>\n
\n
You would be interested in this book if…<\/h3>\n\n- \n
You are a leader who believes that culture is not an outcome but a practice, and that joy is not a luxury but a strategic imperative.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
- \n
You are searching for ways to align leadership with authenticity, humility, optimism, and love \u2014 not as soft skills, but as essential human competencies.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
- \n
You want to design organizations where fear is eliminated, people feel safe to experiment, and joy becomes both the process and the product.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
- You are interested in learning about how systems and structures of other industries can be applied to education.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
You would not be interested in this book if…<\/h3>\n
You are looking for a formulaic, \u201cquick fix\u201d approach to culture change. Sheridan makes it clear that joy cannot be mandated \u2014 it must be cultivated through values-driven leadership and daily practice.<\/p>\n
\nThe Case for Joy in Leadership<\/h3>\n
Richard Sheridan, co-founder and CEO of Menlo Innovations, begins with a disarmingly simple yet profound premise: joy belongs at the heart of leadership. Early in the book he writes, \u201cThe endless pursuit of the mission is the thing. These guiding principles become your north star.\u201d<\/em> (p. 14).<\/p>\nThat image \u2014 the \u201cnorth star\u201d \u2014 resonated deeply with me. In schools, as in organizations, there is always a pull between the urgent and the important. Sheridan\u2019s point is that joy isn\u2019t a fleeting feeling; it\u2019s the product of alignment \u2014 when one\u2019s mission, values, and actions all point in the same direction.<\/p>\n
He continues, \u201cJoy, when it\u2019s real, is always connected to your values.\u201d<\/em> (p. 16). Sheridan refuses to treat joy as surface-level positivity. Instead, it\u2019s about creating meaning and belonging \u2014 the kind of culture where purpose drives productivity and relationships fuel resilience.<\/p>\n
\nThe Opposite of Courage Is Conformity<\/h3>\n
One of the book\u2019s most memorable lines is Sheridan\u2019s assertion that \u201cThe opposite of courage is not cowardice \u2014 it\u2019s conformity.\u201d<\/em> In that single sentence, he captures the tension that many leaders feel: the pull to fit in versus the call to stand up. Courageous leadership, in his view, means taking the risk to lead differently \u2014 to prioritize empathy over efficiency, and trust over control.<\/p>\nIn education, this rings especially true. Leading schools through complexity requires courage to question inherited systems, to hold space for uncertainty, and to model vulnerability. Sheridan reminds us that leadership is not about hierarchy \u2014 it\u2019s about humanity.<\/p>\n
\nAuthenticity, Humility, Love, Optimism, and Vision<\/h3>\n
Sheridan organizes much of the book around five intertwined traits of joyful leaders: authenticity, humility, love, optimism, and vision. Each is illustrated with stories from his own company, but their relevance extends well beyond software design.<\/p>\n
\n- \n
Authenticity<\/strong> means being congruent \u2014 aligning words and actions.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n- \n
Humility<\/strong> invites us to learn from others rather than lead from ego.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n- \n
Love<\/strong>, perhaps his most radical concept, challenges us to treat people as whole beings, not as roles or resources.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n- \n
Optimism<\/strong> is the belief that the future can be better \u2014 and that our work contributes to that better future.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n- \n
Vision<\/strong> ties it all together: a shared purpose that allows others to find meaning in the work they do.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\nThese qualities don\u2019t come from leadership training manuals; they emerge from reflection, intentionality, and practice \u2014 much like the work of teaching and learning itself.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/cohort21.com\/garthnichols\/files\/2025\/11\/download-300x92.png\")
<\/a><\/p>\n
\nThe Mindset Economy<\/h3>\n
Sheridan positions leadership within what he calls the \u201cmindset economy,\u201d where the most valuable resource is not capital or technology but human creativity and engagement. This framing echoes what we see in education: the real differentiator for schools isn\u2019t infrastructure but culture \u2014 how people feel when they work, learn, and grow together.<\/p>\n
As Sheridan puts it, \u201cJoy is the ultimate high-performance fuel.\u201d<\/em> Leaders who build cultures of joy don\u2019t ignore results \u2014 they achieve them through<\/em> relationships, not in spite of them.<\/p>\n
\nStorytelling and Learning Cultures<\/h3>\n
Throughout the book, Sheridan reminds readers that joy thrives where stories are shared. He writes, \u201cOur stories are what make our values real.\u201d<\/em> In his company, stories of small triumphs, mistakes, and recoveries become the connective tissue of culture. This lesson translates beautifully to schools: storytelling is how we make learning visible and leadership human.<\/p>\n
\nWhy This Matters for Educational Leadership<\/h3>\n
As a Head of School, I see Chief Joy Officer<\/em> as a timely invitation to rethink what success looks like in education. Sheridan\u2019s framework offers a lens through which leaders can design cultures that are both high-performing and deeply humane. Joy, in this sense, becomes a leadership discipline \u2014 one that integrates purpose, empathy, and continuous learning.<\/p>\nIn a time when schools are navigating volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity, Chief Joy Officer<\/em> reminds us that joy is not na\u00efve \u2014 it\u2019s necessary. It is what gives leadership its heartbeat.<\/p>\n
\nFinal Thought:<\/strong>
Richard Sheridan\u2019s book is not about happiness at work \u2014 it\u2019s about hope in leadership. For those who believe that schools and organizations can be joyful, purposeful, and profoundly human places, Chief Joy Officer<\/em> offers both a vision and a roadmap.<\/p>\n
\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Let’s start the year off with “Joy” and the pursuit of Joy in our lives. Happiness is a more temporary, externally triggered feeling of pleasure, while joy is a deeper, more lasting state of internal contentment. Happiness is often a response to specific events or circumstances, such as getting a new job, while joy stems…
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You are a leader who believes that culture is not an outcome but a practice, and that joy is not a luxury but a strategic imperative.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
You are searching for ways to align leadership with authenticity, humility, optimism, and love \u2014 not as soft skills, but as essential human competencies.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
You want to design organizations where fear is eliminated, people feel safe to experiment, and joy becomes both the process and the product.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
You would not be interested in this book if…<\/h3>\n
You are looking for a formulaic, \u201cquick fix\u201d approach to culture change. Sheridan makes it clear that joy cannot be mandated \u2014 it must be cultivated through values-driven leadership and daily practice.<\/p>\n
\n
The Case for Joy in Leadership<\/h3>\n
Richard Sheridan, co-founder and CEO of Menlo Innovations, begins with a disarmingly simple yet profound premise: joy belongs at the heart of leadership. Early in the book he writes, \u201cThe endless pursuit of the mission is the thing. These guiding principles become your north star.\u201d<\/em> (p. 14).<\/p>\n That image \u2014 the \u201cnorth star\u201d \u2014 resonated deeply with me. In schools, as in organizations, there is always a pull between the urgent and the important. Sheridan\u2019s point is that joy isn\u2019t a fleeting feeling; it\u2019s the product of alignment \u2014 when one\u2019s mission, values, and actions all point in the same direction.<\/p>\n He continues, \u201cJoy, when it\u2019s real, is always connected to your values.\u201d<\/em> (p. 16). Sheridan refuses to treat joy as surface-level positivity. Instead, it\u2019s about creating meaning and belonging \u2014 the kind of culture where purpose drives productivity and relationships fuel resilience.<\/p>\n One of the book\u2019s most memorable lines is Sheridan\u2019s assertion that \u201cThe opposite of courage is not cowardice \u2014 it\u2019s conformity.\u201d<\/em> In that single sentence, he captures the tension that many leaders feel: the pull to fit in versus the call to stand up. Courageous leadership, in his view, means taking the risk to lead differently \u2014 to prioritize empathy over efficiency, and trust over control.<\/p>\n In education, this rings especially true. Leading schools through complexity requires courage to question inherited systems, to hold space for uncertainty, and to model vulnerability. Sheridan reminds us that leadership is not about hierarchy \u2014 it\u2019s about humanity.<\/p>\n Sheridan organizes much of the book around five intertwined traits of joyful leaders: authenticity, humility, love, optimism, and vision. Each is illustrated with stories from his own company, but their relevance extends well beyond software design.<\/p>\n Authenticity<\/strong> means being congruent \u2014 aligning words and actions.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Humility<\/strong> invites us to learn from others rather than lead from ego.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Love<\/strong>, perhaps his most radical concept, challenges us to treat people as whole beings, not as roles or resources.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Optimism<\/strong> is the belief that the future can be better \u2014 and that our work contributes to that better future.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Vision<\/strong> ties it all together: a shared purpose that allows others to find meaning in the work they do.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n These qualities don\u2019t come from leadership training manuals; they emerge from reflection, intentionality, and practice \u2014 much like the work of teaching and learning itself.<\/p>\n Sheridan positions leadership within what he calls the \u201cmindset economy,\u201d where the most valuable resource is not capital or technology but human creativity and engagement. This framing echoes what we see in education: the real differentiator for schools isn\u2019t infrastructure but culture \u2014 how people feel when they work, learn, and grow together.<\/p>\n As Sheridan puts it, \u201cJoy is the ultimate high-performance fuel.\u201d<\/em> Leaders who build cultures of joy don\u2019t ignore results \u2014 they achieve them through<\/em> relationships, not in spite of them.<\/p>\n Throughout the book, Sheridan reminds readers that joy thrives where stories are shared. He writes, \u201cOur stories are what make our values real.\u201d<\/em> In his company, stories of small triumphs, mistakes, and recoveries become the connective tissue of culture. This lesson translates beautifully to schools: storytelling is how we make learning visible and leadership human.<\/p>\n As a Head of School, I see Chief Joy Officer<\/em> as a timely invitation to rethink what success looks like in education. Sheridan\u2019s framework offers a lens through which leaders can design cultures that are both high-performing and deeply humane. Joy, in this sense, becomes a leadership discipline \u2014 one that integrates purpose, empathy, and continuous learning.<\/p>\n In a time when schools are navigating volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity, Chief Joy Officer<\/em> reminds us that joy is not na\u00efve \u2014 it\u2019s necessary. It is what gives leadership its heartbeat.<\/p>\n Final Thought:<\/strong> \n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Let’s start the year off with “Joy” and the pursuit of Joy in our lives. Happiness is a more temporary, externally triggered feeling of pleasure, while joy is a deeper, more lasting state of internal contentment. Happiness is often a response to specific events or circumstances, such as getting a new job, while joy stems…
\nThe Opposite of Courage Is Conformity<\/h3>\n
\nAuthenticity, Humility, Love, Optimism, and Vision<\/h3>\n
\n
<\/a><\/p>\n
\nThe Mindset Economy<\/h3>\n
\nStorytelling and Learning Cultures<\/h3>\n
\nWhy This Matters for Educational Leadership<\/h3>\n
\n
Richard Sheridan\u2019s book is not about happiness at work \u2014 it\u2019s about hope in leadership. For those who believe that schools and organizations can be joyful, purposeful, and profoundly human places, Chief Joy Officer<\/em> offers both a vision and a roadmap.<\/p>\n
\n
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