The leadership work that makes everything else work.
This is one of the hardest moments Minnesota school leaders have faced in a generation. The external pressures are unprecedented. The expectation to lead with steadiness, clarity, and relational skill has never been higher.
"Most professional development teaches leaders what to do. This series starts with who they are."
Schedule a Fit Conversation“Our district culture has grown exponentially, and we are a stronger organization because of her partnership and expertise.”Dr. Alison Gillespie · Asst. Superintendent for Teaching and Learning · White Bear Lake Area Schools ISD624
Built for the complexity your leaders are already navigating
Minnesota school leaders are being asked to do something extraordinarily hard right now: lead with clarity and steadiness in the middle of uncertainty that stretches far beyond their buildings. That kind of leadership does not happen by accident. It is built.
The Finding Human™ Year-Long Leadership Series gives educational leaders the framework, tools, and practice to lead with greater self-awareness, communicate more effectively, and build the kind of relational trust that sustains high-performing teams.
This is not one more initiative layered on top of everything else. It builds the shared language and leadership capacity that make your existing initiatives more successful, including your strategic plan, instructional priorities, and student achievement work.
It is the under-layer, not the overlay.
Self. Others. Systems.
A structured year-long arc.
The series runs across four sessions, structured to fit within your existing professional development windows.
Insights Discovery™ and Human-Centered Leadership
Every participant receives a 30-page Insights Discovery™ profile, a personal map of how they lead, communicate, respond under pressure, and show up to the people they lead. This foundational session launches the year with a shared language the cohort will use together long after the series ends.
Storytelling, Identity, and Human Development in Education
How do our lived experiences shape the way we lead, teach, and understand others? This session helps leaders examine the stories, backgrounds, and histories that shape their perception, communication, and relationships with staff and students, building the self-awareness that relational leadership depends on.
Holding Space, Communication, and Relational Leadership
Combining Holding Space practices from the Art of Hosting community and Insights Discovery™, this session builds practical tools to understand diverse communication styles, hold space for meaningful dialogue, build trust, navigate conflict, and strengthen collaboration across teams.
Leading Through Change, Culture, and Organizational Dynamics
The culminating session turns the lens outward to the systems, cultures, and organizational environments leaders are responsible for shaping. Participants use the G-Wave™ personal action planning framework to set commitments for continued growth.
The L.E.A.D.™ Reflection Model
At the close of every session, participants reflect on four questions.
More than a professional development experience
Every participant leaves with
- A personal Insights Discovery™ leadership profile they will use all year
- A shared communication language across their team or cohort
- Practical tools for navigating difficult conversations and staff dynamics
- Stronger conflict navigation and communication skills
- Greater self-awareness and reflective leadership capacity
- A personal action plan for continued growth
Who this is for
- Principals and building-level administrators building stronger school teams
- Central office leaders strengthening communication and shared leadership
- Mixed leadership cohorts including teachers, department chairs, and administrators
- District-wide leadership teams investing in long-term culture and effectiveness
Past sessions have been successfully granted CEUs. CEU approval is not guaranteed and is subject to the applicable licensing authority.
What educators are saying
"Our partnership with Paula Forbes and Insights Discovery™ has had a profound impact on White Bear Lake Area Schools. Paula has helped our leaders better understand themselves and one another, navigate complex challenges, and build stronger, more connected teams. As a result, our district culture has grown exponentially, and we are a stronger organization because of her partnership and expertise."
White Bear Lake Area Schools ISD624
"I have enjoyed working with Paula Forbes and The Finding Human Institute LLC. on a number of projects over the past several years. They offer an array of professional development trainings and tools, expertly designed to foster self-awareness, enhance communication, and drive strategic alignment within organizations. Their participatory style and fresh perspectives are hallmarks of their success, building lasting relationships with every client."
Minneapolis Public Schools
"Paula Forbes is amazing with her ability to bring community together to solve the most complex problems. Her approach is always tailored to the problem or question, and time spent with her is always personable, fun, and caring!!"
BrightWorks Service Cooperative
Experience that goes beyond the room
Paula Forbes, J.D. · Founder and CEO, The Finding Human Institute LLC
Paula Forbes is an attorney, educator, facilitator, executive coach, and leadership strategist with more than 37 years of experience working within educational systems, leadership development, and organizational transformation.
As the Founder and CEO of The Finding Human Institute LLC, Paula's work centers on helping leaders and organizations navigate change through communication, self-awareness, relational leadership, and human-centered systems development.
Paula is a licensed Insights Discovery™ Practitioner and Distributor and former General Counsel for a large urban school district. She is an Art of Hosting practitioner who foundationally uses Holding Space as part of the four-fold practice of hosting and harvesting conversations that matter. She has taught Education and the Law at the University of Minnesota since 2006.
Her work spans hundreds of leadership development engagements across Minnesota school districts, with a sustained practice rooted in the belief that better-led schools produce better outcomes for students, staff, and communities.
- Attorney, J.D., Minnesota Bar
- Licensed Insights Discovery™ Practitioner & Distributor (nearly 15 years)
- Art of Hosting practitioner, Holding Space
- Former General Counsel, Minneapolis Public Schools
- Adjunct Professor, University of Minnesota, Education and the Law (since 2006)
- 37+ years in law, education, and organizational leadership
Good questions deserve direct answers
Is this compatible with the professional development we're already doing?
Yes, that is specifically what it is designed for. The Year-Long Leadership Series builds the shared language and leadership capacity that help your existing PD investments land more effectively. It supports your strategic plan and instructional priorities; it doesn't compete with them.
How does Insights Discovery fit in?
Insights Discovery is the foundation of the series. It answers the first question all leadership development depends on: Who am I as a leader, and how do I show up to the people I lead? Every participant receives a personal profile on day one. The four-color framework then becomes a shared language the cohort uses all year: in meetings, supervision conversations, conflict navigation, and team collaboration.
How is this different from a typical PD workshop?
Most professional development is a single event. This series is a structured year-long arc: Self, Others, Systems, with each session building on the last. Participants don't just attend; they develop skills, practice them between sessions, and build relationships with the colleagues they lead alongside.
What does the time commitment look like?
The series includes one half-day launch session in late summer, followed by three two-hour sessions structured to fit within your existing professional development windows. Sessions are in-person by default, with virtual options available if needed.
How do we get started?
The first step is a short conversation. There's no cost or commitment involved. It's an opportunity to talk about what your district is navigating and whether this series is the right fit. Schedule a Fit Conversation here.
Let's talk about what your district is navigating.
The first step is a short conversation about your leaders, your year and whether this series is the right fit.
Schedule a Fit Conversation