Issue 56: Disequilibrium
Noun. A state of disruption or imbalance .
Photo Description: A person is balancing on one leg at the end of a log. The sun is setting in the background turning the sky a mixture of orange and red. Photo by Aziz Acharki on Unsplash.
Check-In:
Have you ever felt like your whole being is being slowly erased? Erased not by the big soft, spongy pink eraser but by the eraser at the end of the pencil that has been used too many times so that when you try to use it it leaves black smudges and rips the paper from the metal surrounding it? Yeah, that type of erasure.
I should have known it was coming. I live in Texas after all. I have been slowly being erased for the past 8 years. However, I have been successfully bobbing and weaving around it, helping myself and others keep moving forward - learning about policies, focusing on student outcomes- not language, and building coalitions- these steps have been exhausting but successful.
But now? The pressure of the eraser feels heavier.
Ronald Heifetz, a leadership expert known for his work on Adaptive Leadership, defines disequilibrium as a state of disruption or imbalance that occurs when individuals or organizations face adaptive challenges—problems that require learning, new approaches, and changes in values or behaviors.
In his framework, disequilibrium is necessary for growth and adaptation because it forces people out of their comfort zones and compels them to engage with complex, often uncomfortable, issues.
Example: A history teacher presents multiple perspectives on historical events (e.g., Indigenous perspectives on colonization), requiring students to reassess traditional narratives.
Example: A principal addressing achievement gaps must disrupt the status quo by introducing equity-driven reforms while ensuring teachers and families are supported in the transition.
Example: A school district mandates project-based learning, and teachers must unlearn rigid instructional methods, embracing a more flexible, inquiry-based approach.
However, Heifetz also emphasizes the importance of regulating disequilibrium—leaders must keep the level of distress within a "productive range," where it is high enough to drive change but not so overwhelming that it leads to paralysis or resistance.
Example: A middle school science teacher jumps into college-level physics concepts without building foundational understanding.
Example: A district implements a new grading system (e.g., standards-based grading) overnight with no teacher input or transition plan.
Example: A president signs an executive order, “Ending Radical Indoctrination in K-12 Education” requiring curriculum be aligned to “patriotic education” and threatening to pull state’s federal funding if they do not comply.
But this is how the dominant culture acts. They overwhelm and try to drown us in chaos and fear. They want to push us past disequilibrium. However, we are so much stronger. I just finished reading James by Percival Everett, a retelling of Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn from Jim’s perspective. I’m now reading We Refuse: A Forceful History of Black Resistance by Kellie Carter Jackson which chronicles forms of resistance particularly by Black women throughout US history. I’m also listening to In Open Contempt: Confronting White Supremacy in Art and Public Space by Irvin Weathersby which discusses the role of dominant culture in US historical monuments and art. We have been here before and despite everything against us- we resist.
I’ve been in disequilibrium before, I have initiated it. I have embraced it. It is necessary for forward movement so it’s about finding your footing amongst it all. So I’m personally deciding what to change while firmly planting myself in my values.
No matter what executive order is issued. No matter the push towards being outside of productive action, they cannot cancel our culture. Our culture is ours. We built it, we live it, it is in our DNA. Always forward, never back.
How are you finding balance when the world pushes you over?
#mondaymotivation:
In the face of division, we chose unity.
In the face of hate, we chose love.
In the face of oppression, we choose liberation.
In the face of ignorance, we choose education.
In the face of injustice, we choose action.
In the face of despair, we choose hope.
-Black History Month Mantra from We The Urban
Interview with a Leader of the Global Majority:
Malcolm* is the Chief Equity Officer for a small-sized district in North Carolina. He has been in the role for over two years. The comments below are Malcolm’s and do not reflect the opinions of his school system. His first interview excerpt can be found in Issue 30: Truth-telling.
Mary: Your role requires advocating for students while navigating intense political pressures. How do you balance both?
Malcolm: It’s a constant push and pull. My job is to support students—especially our historically resilient students—but that work is now under scrutiny. I have to be strategic about what I say, how I say it, and even who says it. If we’re too direct, we get attacked; if we soften the language too much, we risk losing the meaning. It’s a tightrope.
Mary: When do you decide to push back, and when do you let things go?
Malcolm: I wish there was a formula. I focus on what will cause the most harm if left unchecked. When they brought back random locker searches with dogs, I pushed back hard—because that felt targeted. But when the state cuts funding, I can’t fight what’s beyond my control. I have to choose battles where I can actually make an impact. If I push too hard on everything, I might lose my ability to push at all.
Mary: Given all the challenges, what keeps you going?
Malcolm: This is bigger than me. Whether they call me an equity officer, diversity officer, or something else, the mission stays the same. The political landscape will shift, but my purpose won’t. I stay because I believe in change, and I believe our students deserve better. If I don’t stand for them, who will?
*name changed
Please let me know if you would like to be interviewed and/or if you would recommend someone to be profiled in this section. I need new interviews!
What I’m Reading, Watching, and Listening To:
READING: I finally read James by Percival Everett and now understand all the awards and accolades. WoW. WoW. WoW. I don’t enjoy reading literature set during slavery but this is so good. The role and power of literacy in this book are profound and should catapult anyone to understanding why our literacy rates are a crisis. You can find a full list of my book recommendations here. Please note that I am an affiliate with Bookshop.org and receive a small compensation for your purchase when you use the book links provided.
ALSO READING: I appreciate these actionable 10 steps from journalist Keith Boykin to help us stay focused and to not just to survive the next four years, but to win the future.
LISTENING TO: It’s not my fault Trevor Noah has a great guestlist! In a recent episode, he talked to author and political scientist Robert Putnam. They discuss why community is now more essential than ever for the survival of democracy. Putman's last piece of advice on how can bring people back together moving forward- “go young, go local, and go moral” has had me thinking for weeks.
How to Continue to Support Leading-Within:
Go to Amazon and rate or review the book there! Reviews are a great way for others to see that this book is worth the time to read.
Post about the book on social media using the hashtag #leadingwithin. Even better if it includes a picture of you WITH the book!
Host a book club with your affinity/ERG group. Two study guides are also available on the ASCD website - one for leaders of color and one for white co-conspirators that are perfect for starting a group conversation. For book clubs with participants who have purchased and committed to reading the book, please reach out to me so I can support your journey!
Connect with me to speak to your organization or group about topics covered in the book, like ‘practicing love and rage’, ‘building a coalition’, and ‘taking a stand’.
If this is your first time reading, please go back and read my Introductions post.
Thanks for reading! Let me know what you think. If you like it, please share it with your network!
Mary, I have so many thoughts...a great post, horrible circumstances. I loved your very specific examples of disequilibrium. Glad you finally read James - I agree it is such a WOW!