Playing the Long Game (Paperback)

Staying connected to your purpose as a leader is just as important as meeting the daily demands of school administration. Retired superintendent Scott A. Laliberte knows this too well. By applying an athlete’s mindset to educational leadership, he offers a path for leaders to not only endure their careers but thrive. At its heart is reflective practice that can fuel any educator.

• Reconnect with their core values to enhance their leadership effectiveness
• Implement practical strategies to maintain motivation during challenging times
• Reflect on personal stories that shape their leadership journey and values
• Identify support networks within the educational community
• Adapt their leadership approach based on evolving motivations and circumstances

Scott A. Laliberte is a career educational leader, consultant, presenter, and leadership coach. He believes passionately in the impact school leaders have on both student learning and the long-term sustainability of educational systems. He has over thirty-five years of experience in schools, having spent time as a teacher, curriculum administrator, principal, and superintendent in New Hampshire. In 2022, he made a professional transition from working in schools to advancing the development of educational leaders. Scott currently works with both aspiring and practicing leaders through his consultancy, Standard Shift Consulting, LLC.
Throughout his career, Scott has demonstrated his strong belief in the impact school leadership has on student learning in different ways, ranging from his long tenure as a member of the board of directors at the New Hampshire School Administrators Association to his frequent professional development presentations on leader well-being and skill development. He has presented across the United States on leadership capacity and has served as a mentor to many leaders who are new to the role. Prior to writing for Solution Tree, Scott has written recreationally for many years, having published two short stories with the New Hampshire Writers’ Project Anthology of Teachers Writing, an article for the New Hampshire Journal of Education, a script for a children’s summer theater production of a musical, and a novel he self-published in 2006. Following his 2025 book The School Leader’s Game Plan: Strategies for Maximizing Your Capacity to Tackle Daily Challenges with Solution Tree Press, this is his second book on the topic of school leadership.
Scott gained exposure to competitive athletics as a member of the football team at the University of New Hampshire, where he was a two-year starter on the offensive line and received all-conference honors following his senior season. He went on to share those experiences with student athletes as a football, basketball, and track coach at the high school level. He holds a strong belief in the power of cocurricular activities as a fundamental element of facilitating student growth and development.
Scott holds a bachelor of arts in English from the University of New Hampshire, a master’s in education in school administration from Plymouth State University, and a certificate of advanced graduate study in educational leadership from Plymouth State University. He lives in the Lakes Region of New Hampshire with his wife, Suzanne.
To learn more about Scott’s work, follow @scottlalib7122 on X, scottlalib on Facebook, Scott Laliberte on LinkedIn, and scottandrew7 on Instagram.