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- wmjclarke
- May 2
- 2 min read
Because creativity doesn’t come from certainty—it comes from collision.
Unlikely Things is a newsletter about the mashups that move us and the organizations we lead. It’s where unexpected combinations—ideas, disciplines, people—spark new ways to lead, learn, and live. Whether you’re in education, the nonprofit world, or any space where humans gather to make meaning and make change, this is your place to pause, reflect, and reimagine.
If you’ve ever thought:
“Why do we keep doing it this way?”
“What if we mixed ___ with ___?”
“How can I lead with more creativity, clarity, and care?”
You’re in the right place.
Each issue offers:
Fresh insights from the messy middle of organizational change
Practical tools rooted in design thinking, systems leadership, and coaching
Unexpected connections between things that don’t usually go together—like strategic planning + jazz improvisation, or compliance + community
Stories from the field—real teams, real tension, real transformation
It’s not just thought leadership. It’s thought partnership.
Subscribe to get full access to the newsletter and publication archives.
Who’s Behind This?
I’m Bill Clarke—an educator, strategist, design sprint facilitator, and coach working with schools and organizations that want to lead change with people, not at them.
Over the past two decades, I’ve worked as a teacher, school and nonprofit leader, policymaker and consultant guiding systems transformation in education and beyond. My work lives at the intersection of design thinking, organizational development, and emotional intelligence. I believe the most sustainable change doesn’t come from rolling things out—it comes from building things in.
My approach?Collaborative. Visual. Empathic. A little disruptive in all the right ways. I help leaders and teams connect big ideas with daily practice—turning what we know into what we do.
Unlikely Things is where I make sense of the work—and share what I’m learning along the way.
Subscribe If You Want To:
Think differently about strategy, leadership, and change
Get tools you can use with your team tomorrow
Stay grounded in people, not just plans
Make meaning out of contradictions
Feel less alone in the work of transformation
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