231: Cultivating Awe with Homa Tavangar

In this conversation, Tricia Friedman and Homa Tavangar explore the significance of asking big questions in leadership, the importance of relationships, and the need for deeper connections in education and community. They discuss how embracing complexity and uncertainty can lead to growth, the role of play in learning, and the necessity of listening to unheard voices. The dialogue also touches on redefining leadership to combat loneliness and the importance of cultivating awe and spirituality in our lives. Meet our guest: Homa Tavangar is the co-founder of the Big Questions Institute and the Oneness Lab. She brings 30+ years’ experience helping diverse organizations and individuals to build cultural, racial and global competence, strategic governance, and visionary, generative leadership in diverse schools and organizations. She coaches leaders on accountability for equity, leading through crisis, and advises on strategic design and planning across five continents. She has co-authored seven books for educators, and is the author of best-selling Growing Up Global: Raising Children to Be At Home in the World (published by Random House) and Global Kids (Barefoot Books). Her most recent publication is 12 Big Questions Schools Must Answer to Create Irresistible Futures with Will Richardson (forthcoming, 2025). A graduate of UCLA and Princeton, Homa was born in Iran, has lived on four continents, speaks four languages, and has heritage in four world religions. She serves on several Boards, including ISS (International Schools Services) and is a judge for the Templeton Prize, considered the “world’s most interesting prize” with a purse calibrated to exceed the Nobel Prize. She is married and the mother of three adult daughters, and resides in Villanova, Pennsylvania. https://homatavangar.com/about-homa Chapters 00:00 The Power of Questions in Leadership 04:06 Embracing Relationships as Solutions 09:46 Nature and Relational Intelligence 18:31 The Role of Boards in Education 23:50 Reframing Leadership as an Act of Love 29:52 The Role of Joy in Education 31:50 Social Emotional Learning: A Double-Edged Sword 34:20 Loneliness in Leadership and the Need for Connection 36:13 Global Citizenship: Friendship and Community 41:27 Seeking Spiritual Guidance in Education 44:28 Cultivating Awe and Community Connections