- June 8, 2026
Dear Editor:
A recent letter made a thoughtful case for my qualifications. I am grateful to the writer, and I want to use the space her letter created to talk about something a resume does not capture: how I actually lead.
I lead by three commitments: Relationships First, Commitment over Compliance, and Do No Harm. They came from real experience. Eleven years in the Air Force. Teaching GED at a maximum security prison after my family moved to Florida. Federal contracting work in leadership development, including becoming a certified executive coach. The last 10 years at Western Governors University, where I lead the leaders who serve more than 17,000 students.
The lesson that completed my philosophy happened about a year into my WGU role. I had an employee whose work with students was good but whose follow-through was failing. After several coaching conversations, I told him the behavior needed to change. He took it hard, went to HR, and filed a complaint. The trust between us was broken.
My senior manager could have moved the employee to another team. Instead, he told me I owned the broken trust, and my job was to rebuild it. That changed me. He understood what I did not yet: the people who lead leaders have a responsibility to grow them, not protect them.
I did that work, and found three things to change. I had not honored the relationship in how I delivered the message. That is Relationships First. I had asked for compliance when I wanted commitment. They look the same on day one, not six months later when the leader is not in the room. That is Commitment over Compliance. And I had walked in thinking about the outcome I needed, not the person in front of me. A leader delivers the hard message while leaving the other person's dignity and next opportunity intact. That is Do No Harm.
Boards of education exist to set the conditions in which educators serve students well. Every one of those responsibilities requires trust, and every one is harder if relationships are weak or leaders ask for compliance instead of commitment.
I know I am fallible. Naming these principles is how I invite people to hold me accountable. I will bring them to this role, and I invite the people of Flagler to hold me to them too.
Rob Wood
Candidate for Flagler County School Board, District 2
Palm Coast
