Empowering Your Team to Make Decisions

Dean Holik, Director of Information Systems, Springfield Missouri Public Schools

Dean Holik, Director of Information Systems, Springfield Missouri Public Schools

Dean Holik is the Director of Information Systems for Springfield Public Schools, where he leads application management, development, and support for over 200 educational tools. With two decades of experience in educational technology, he focuses on team empowerment, service excellence, and process improvement.

In any organization, especially in education technology, empowering your team is essential to long-term success. I believe this begins with building a culture of trust and mutual respect. Titles aside, everyone in our department plays a critical role in fulfilling our shared mission: to serve the children of our district. I work to ensure every team member feels valued, supported, and encouraged to contribute ideas, knowing their voice matters.

Empowerment also means trust. I trust that my team is doing their best to improve the systems we manage, always with the goal of better supporting students and teachers. When people offer suggestions or ideas, I listen. I don’t dismiss them or make assumptions. We have open conversations. That kind of engagement builds confidence and reinforces that every contribution counts.

“Leadership is about service. It’s about creating a workplace where people want to stay and grow because they know their work matters”

One of the challenges I’ve faced in empowering a team is recognizing that each person is different. Some thrive with a clear goal and the freedom to get there on their own. Others prefer check-ins and collaboration throughout the process. As a leader, I’ve learned to adapt my style and support people in the ways that work best for them. There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to leadership. You have to understand your team as individuals and appreciate what each person brings to the table. A visible outcome of this leadership approach has been a noticeable reduction in staff turnover. Since stepping into the director role in May 2023, and with strong support from my management team, we’ve built an environment where team members feel supported, heard, and valued. While I don’t have specific figures to share, we’ve had fewer vacancies and stronger retention over the past year. This consistency has strengthened our collective knowledge and improved our ability to support the district. With more tenured staff, our team is better equipped to handle challenges, respond confidently, and proactively reduce escalations, leading to a more stable and productive work environment.

At the end of the day, leadership is about service. It’s about creating a workplace where people want to stay and grow because they know their work matters. I’m proud of the culture we’re building and excited to see where it takes us next.