Innovation Needs the Right Soil

We talk about innovation like it’s a spark. But as Dr. Scott Harsh, President of Greater Atlanta Christian School (GAC), makes clear in our conversation, sparks don’t last without the right soil. At GAC, the soil is culture—intentionally tended, repeatedly reinforced, and lived out in the small decisions people make every day.

When schools become laser-focused on having the right soil, they don’t need to worry about the spark of innovation burning out; their only concern is having enough fodder for the fire.

Since 1968, GAC has paired deep roots—spiritual formation, academic excellence, whole-child development—with a relentless posture toward the future. Today that looks like student-run businesses (hello, Spartan Café), personalized learning through Ethos online courses, and an AI tutor built for Christian schools (Trek AI). But the tools aren’t the headline. The culture is.

The “Isms” That Move Ideas Into Action

Two GAC “isms” came up again and again in our conversation:

1. Obsessed with finding a better way. This is continuous improvement, or “kaizen,” with teeth. It shifts the default from “good enough” to “how might we…?” It shows up in everything from classroom tweaks to how leaders invite critique (Scott practiced this firsthand with me during a tour of the school). 

It’s also codified in story and celebration—faculty nominate peers for “Sparties,” a bobblehead award given at “One GAC” meetings when someone embodies an ism in real life. Culture gets sticky when it’s storied, not just stated.

2. Yes before no. This isn’t reckless approval; it’s a disciplined first move toward possibility. In one meeting I witnessed, a counselor literally tapped the “isms” sticker on her laptop and reset the room: “We are yes before no.” 

That moment matters. It tells teachers and students their ideas get a fair hearing, and it forces the organization to ask, “If this were possible, how would we make it work?” Over time, that reflex compounds into programs, pilots, and progress.

Treating isms like this—descriptive of who you are and aspirational for who you’re becoming—does more than decorate walls. It sets guardrails for behavior, criteria for celebration, and shared language for decision-making. 

And when you repeat them (every August with new staff, at every One GAC meeting, in every story you tell), they move from slogans to muscle memory.

When culture leads, innovation follows. Here’s a snapshot of what that looks like at GAC:

1. Personalization with purpose. Ethos courses remove schedule conflicts and expand access; Trek AI gives students real-time help with a Christian worldview. The point isn’t tech for tech’s sake; it’s flexibility that meets families where they are.
   

2. Student ownership. Spartan Café is a classroom disguised as a coffee shop. Students introduce themselves as CIO and COO, show up early, solve real problems, and stand a little taller. That confidence is the curriculum.
   

3. Permission to pilot (and to learn fast). GAC tests before it scales. Pilots invite small failures early so bigger wins can follow—another way “obsessed with better” and “yes before no” work together.
   

Here are some ways that we can get started taking action:

Start with a culture you can practice tomorrow. Name your isms. Tell stories that reward them. Celebrate the doers publicly. Build simple rituals (peer-nominated awards, opening-week culture sessions, “yes-before-no” checkpoints in meetings) and keep repeating them. Tools will change; your culture will carry.

I highly recommend listening to the full conversation with Dr. Scott Harsh which includes how GAC measures engagement, builds family partnership, and equips students to lead.

We have big plans for what business innovation will look like at GAC and I’d love to talk with you regarding your school and how a culture of entrepreneurship can transform the student experience. Reach out to connect.

Let’s Go!