Dr. John E. McKenna has authored, co-authored, and edited books that help leaders navigate crises, strengthen organizations, support well-being, and advocate for meaningful change.
Grounded in research and real-world leadership experience, each book offers practical insights for confronting complex challenges with purpose and confidence.
Builders and Bullies - The ABCs (Actions, Behaviors, and Characteristics) of Productive and Destructive Leaders
Author
What kind of leader are you building yourself to be?
Leadership has the power to build people up – or tear them down.
In Builders and Bullies, Dr. John E. McKenna explores the ABCs – Actions, Behaviors, and Characteristics – of productive and destructive leaders and how everyday leadership choices shape people, organizations, and cultures.
Through research, real-world experience, and practical insight, McKenna reveals the difference between Builders, who inspire trust, develop others, and create cultures where people thrive, and Bullies, whose actions foster fear, disengagement, and dysfunction.
Relevant to leaders in every field, Builders and Bullies challenges each of us to become the kind of leader people trust, respect, and want to follow.
Leadership is more than a title. It is what you build – and what you leave behind.
Managing Yourself and Others During Crises: Key Leadership Visions, Approaches, and Dispositions to Survive and Thrive
Co- Author
Crises test more than an organization’s systems – they test its leadership.
Managing Yourself and Others During Crises brings together the knowledge and experiences of leadership and policy experts to explore how individuals and organizations can continue operating effectively during periods of uncertainty and disruption.
Drawing lessons from the unprecedented challenges of the global pandemic, the book examines the effects of crisis across workplaces, educational institutions, governments, families, and communities. Readers will discover practical leadership approaches, essential dispositions, and strategies for supporting both themselves and others when the path forward is unclear.
This is a valuable resource for leaders seeking to respond thoughtfully, maintain organizational stability, and help their teams not only survive a crisis – but emerge stronger.
Coping with Educational Crises: Approaches from School Leaders Who Did It
Co- Author
When an unexpected crisis disrupts education, school leaders must make consequential decisions – often without a roadmap.
Coping with Educational Crises shares firsthand perspectives and research-based strategies from superintendents, assistant superintendents, directors, coordinators, principals, assistant principals, and teacher leaders who guided their communities through major operational challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic.
Through candid accounts of what worked, what was learned, and what leaders would do differently, the book offers practical guidance for managing uncertainty, communicating effectively, advancing equity, and sustaining a strong learning community.
More than a reflection on one historic crisis, this book challenges educators and policymakers to recognize that every crisis can reveal opportunities to rethink outdated practices, strengthen school systems, and build a more responsive future for education.
Dealing with the Urgent Educational Challenge: Promoting Social-Emotional Well-Being among Teachers, Students, and Families
Co- Author
Supporting social-emotional well-being is no longer an optional initiative – it is an urgent leadership responsibility.
Dealing with the Urgent Educational Challenge presents research-based and field-tested approaches for addressing the mental health and social-emotional needs affecting today’s students, educators, families, and communities.
Contributors representing diverse professional backgrounds, leadership roles, and learning environments share effective programs, practical strategies, and organizational practices that can strengthen resilience and promote healthier school communities.
Designed for educators, administrators, and community leaders, this book provides actionable guidance for creating environments in which people feel supported, relationships are strengthened, and every member of the school community has a greater opportunity to thrive.
Confronting Oppressive Assessments
Co- Author
What happens when accountability systems begin to undermine the learning they were designed to improve?
Confronting Oppressive Assessments examines the consequences of intensive curriculum convergence, standardized instruction, and high-stakes accountability practices in American public education.
The book challenges educators, leaders, and policymakers to reconsider systems that prioritize compliance and test performance over creativity, professional judgment, and meaningful student learning. Drawing upon research and educational experience, it makes the case for student-centered curricula, engaging instructional practices, and assessment systems that inform learning rather than restrict it.
At its heart, this book is a call to protect thoughtful teaching, restore balance to educational accountability, and do what is right for students and public education.