Accelerate Your Performance

In this Accelerate Your Performance podcast episode, Dr. Janet Pilcher invites Dr. Ryan Carpenter, Superintendent of the Estacada School District, to discuss his efforts at enhancing communication at all levels in his district. Effective communication is a key part of an improvement mindset that extends to the workplace and the community, and Dr. Carpenter has excelled at this. Listen as Dr. Carpenter shares how he has utilized surveys to gather input from employees, parents, and students and how he has rolled out the results.

Recommended Resources: Critical Communication in Times of Crisis, How Can We Improve Employee Engagement and Communication?, & Roll Out Survey Results With Employees

Read and study: Each episode of the podcast aligns with the tactics and principles of our host's book, Hardwiring Excellence in Education: The Nine Principles Framework. In conjunction with that book, you can join the mission to create great places to work, learn, and succeed by leading a book study with your leadership team for Hardwiring Excellence in Education. Our free, on-demand book study offers additional tools and resources created by Dr. Pilcher and our Studer Education leader coaches. Each chapter in the study also features exclusive interviews with influential education leaders sharing how they’re making a difference in their districts and beyond.

Order book here.

Sign up for book study here.

In this Accelerate Your Performance podcast episode, Dr. Janet Pilcher invites Dr. Angela Bush, principal of Erwin Middle School in Birmingham, Alabama, to discuss how she has moved her school from low-performing to now the top-ranked school in the Jefferson County School District for attendance. They were also ranked #5 out of fifteen middle schools in the county in 2022 by US News. Listen now to hear how Angela utilizes scorecards to close the achievement gap, strengthens team alignment and accountability, builds strong relationships within the community, and boosts engagement through reward and recognition.

Recommended Resources: Develop Accountability to Develop Leadership, Tackle Student Learning Gaps, The Power of Reward and Recognition, & Organizational Scorecard Examples

Read and study: Each episode of the podcast aligns with the tactics and principles of our host's book, Hardwiring Excellence in Education: The Nine Principles Framework. In conjunction with that book, you can join the mission to create great places to work, learn, and succeed by leading a book study with your leadership team for Hardwiring Excellence in Education. Our free, on-demand book study offers additional tools and resources created by Dr. Pilcher and our Studer Education leader coaches. Each chapter in the study also features exclusive interviews with influential education leaders sharing how they’re making a difference in their districts and beyond.

Order book here.

Sign up for book study here.

In this Accelerate Your Performance podcast episode, Dr. Janet Pilcher invites Nannette Johnston, former Studer Education Leader Coach and 2014 Superintendent of the Year, awarded by the Kentucky Association of School Administrators. She joins us to discuss what it takes to succeed in the continually changing K12 education landscape and also share her experience serving one of our partners, Rob Clayton, Superintendent of Warren County Public Schools in Kentucky. Mr. Clayton is a model leader who is committed to excellence and improvement. Listen now to hear about Nannette’s journey and to hear her share how Rob has built an inspiring workplace culture, applies excellent service, what key actions he’s taken to focus on developing leaders intentionally, and how he models accountability within his district.

Recommended Resources: Inspire Others to Achieve, Building Transparency and Trust, Practice Accountability

Read and study: Each episode of the podcast aligns with the tactics and principles of our host's book, Hardwiring Excellence in Education: The Nine Principles Framework. In conjunction with that book, you can join the mission to create great places to work, learn, and succeed by leading a book study with your leadership team for Hardwiring Excellence in Education. Our free, on-demand book study offers additional tools and resources created by Dr. Pilcher and our Studer Education leader coaches. Each chapter in the study also features exclusive interviews with influential education leaders sharing how they’re making a difference in their districts and beyond.

Order book here.

Sign up for book study here.

What does it take to facilitate meetings people look forward to coming to? In this episode of the Accelerate Your Performance podcast, Dr. Janet Pilcher discusses her approach to designing better meeting agendas and strategies that have helped her become a better coach and facilitator. Listen now to learn more about these tips for agendas, including how incorporating questions rather than topics can enhance team and leadership outcomes.

Recommended Resources: Improve Your Meetings, Planning for an Effective Meeting, Guidelines for Effective Meetings, Effective Meeting Preparation

Read and study: Each episode of the podcast aligns with the tactics and principles of our host's book, Hardwiring Excellence in Education: The Nine Principles Framework. In conjunction with that book, you can join the mission to create great places to work, learn, and succeed by leading a book study with your leadership team for Hardwiring Excellence in Education. Our free, on-demand book study offers additional tools and resources created by Dr. Pilcher and our Studer Education leader coaches. Each chapter in the study also features exclusive interviews with influential education leaders sharing how they’re making a difference in their districts and beyond.

Order book here.

Sign up for book study here.

In this episode of the Accelerate Your Performance podcast, Dr. Janet Pilcher discusses how professional development for leaders can impact employee retention and workplace environments. She explains the importance of helping leaders learn how to build inspiring workplace environments that build strength in teachers and staff and that develop their skills. This supports a positive learning environment for students. She also discusses how this topic correlates with Principle 5, Focus on Employee Engagement, from the Nine Principles Framework. Listen now to find out why leaders should focus on employee engagement, how turnover has been impacted by the pandemic, how leaders can stay focused when boosting retention, and how to apply tactics that help foster an inspiring workplace environment.

Recommended Resources: Recruit and Retain Excellent Teachers, Empower and Invest in Your Teams, Focus on Employee Engagement

Read and study: Each episode of the podcast aligns with the tactics and principles of our host's book, Hardwiring Excellence in Education: The Nine Principles Framework. In conjunction with that book, you can join the mission to create great places to work, learn, and succeed by leading a book study with your leadership team for Hardwiring Excellence in Education. Our free, on-demand book study offers additional tools and resources created by Dr. Pilcher and our Studer Education leader coaches. Each chapter in the study also features exclusive interviews with influential education leaders sharing how they’re making a difference in their districts and beyond.

Order book here.

Sign up for book study here.

Dr. Janet Pilcher discusses how leaders can foster a workplace environment where employees feel engaged and connected to their work in this episode of the Accelerate Your Performance podcast. Today's focus is employee engagement, a key leadership principle she discusses in her new book, Hardwiring Excellence in Education: The Nine Principles Framework. Listen now as she gives examples of tactics that can help leaders connect with their high-performing teachers and staff, such as leader rounding, 30- and 90-day conversations, and stay interviews. 

Recommended Resources: Recruit and Retain Excellent Teachers, Empower and Invest in Your Teams, Meet 5 Critical Employee Needs With Leader Connection Questions

Read and study: Each episode of the podcast aligns with the tactics and principles of our host's book, Hardwiring Excellence in Education: The Nine Principles Framework. In conjunction with that book, you can join the mission to create great places to work, learn, and succeed by leading a book study with your leadership team for Hardwiring Excellence in Education. Our free, on-demand book study offers additional tools and resources created by Dr. Pilcher and our Studer Education leader coaches. Each chapter in the study also features exclusive interviews with influential education leaders sharing how they’re making a difference in their districts and beyond.

Order book here.

Sign up for book study here.

Dr. Janet Pilcher interviews Superintendent Dr. Christi Barrett, of Hemet Unified School District in Hemet, California, on this Accelerate Your Performance podcast episode. During their conversation, they discuss Christi's commitment to leadership development, student safety, community opportunities, and improvement work. Listen now to hear Janet and Christi discuss the tactics, such as daily leader huddles, used to achieve successful outcomes and promote continuous improvement.

Recommended Resources: Getting Better at Getting Better, Continuous Improvement to Support Students, Be a High-Performing Leader

Read and study: Each episode of the podcast aligns with the tactics and principles of our host's book, Hardwiring Excellence in Education: The Nine Principles Framework. In conjunction with that book, you can join the mission to create great places to work, learn, and succeed by leading a book study with your leadership team for Hardwiring Excellence in Education. Our free, on-demand book study offers additional tools and resources created by Dr. Pilcher and our Studer Education leader coaches. Each chapter in the study also features exclusive interviews with influential education leaders sharing how they’re making a difference in their districts and beyond.

Order book here.

Sign up for book study here.

Featured in this episode of the Accelerate Your Performance podcast is Superintendent Dr. Matt Hillmann of the Northfield Public School System in Northfield, Minnesota to discuss leadership development. Dr. Janet Pilcher also highlights him in chapter 4 of her book, Hardwiring Excellence in Education as an example of a high-performing executive. In this interview, Dr. Hillmann explains how he clearly defines performance expectations for employees, giving a clear picture of what right looks like. Listen now to hear how he implements the principle of developing leaders to develop people within his district.

Recommended Resources: Be the Best Leader You Can Be, Building Trust to Enable Success for Boards and Leaders, Hardwiring Excellence in Education: The Nine Principles Framework podcast episode

Read and study: Each episode of the podcast aligns with the tactics and principles of our host's book, Hardwiring Excellence in Education: The Nine Principles Framework. In conjunction with that book, you can join the mission to create great places to work, learn, and succeed by leading a book study with your leadership team for Hardwiring Excellence in Education. Our free, on-demand book study offers additional tools and resources created by Dr. Pilcher and our Studer Education leader coaches. Each chapter in the study also features exclusive interviews with influential education leaders sharing how they’re making a difference in their districts and beyond.

Order book here.

Sign up for book study here.

Dr. Janet Pilcher invites Amy Mikesell, principal of Estacada High School, and Kate Dean, instructional coach, as guests on this episode of the Accelerate Your Performance podcast. Amy and Kate share their continuous improvement journey and the strategies, such as PDSA, rounding, and Plus/Delta, that have helped them achieve great progress in helping students own their learning. Listen to them discuss this relentless and rewarding work as they also provide advice and other strategies they have utilized to see success in their classroom improvement journey.

Recommended Resources: Students are Treasures, Inspiring Young Futures, Plan Do Study Act (PDSA), Tailor Your Rounding Questions

Read and study: Each episode of the podcast aligns with the tactics and principles of our host's book, Hardwiring Excellence in Education: The Nine Principles Framework. In conjunction with that book, you can join the mission to create great places to work, learn, and succeed by leading a book study with your leadership team for Hardwiring Excellence in Education. Our free, on-demand book study offers additional tools and resources created by Dr. Pilcher and our Studer Education leader coaches. Each chapter in the study also features exclusive interviews with influential education leaders sharing how they’re making a difference in their districts and beyond.

Order book here.

Sign up for book study here.

Recently, Dr. Janet Pilcher participated in a podcast hosted by Dr. Brendan Kelly, University of West Georgia President, called Off the Cuff. Dr. Kelly is featured in the second chapter of Janet's newly released book Hardwiring Excellence in Education. In today's episode of the Accelerate Your Performance podcast, we share the recording of their conversation. Listen now to discover how Janet applies the Nine Principles in her work and partnerships, the connection that makes her work worthwhile, and how her newly released book can benefit leaders, regardless of their position in an organization.

Recommended Resources: Getting Better at Getting Better, Develop and Apply Standards of Excellence, Measures that Matter

Read and study: Each episode of the podcast aligns with the tactics and principles of our host's book, Hardwiring Excellence in Education: The Nine Principles Framework. In conjunction with that book, you can join the mission to create great places to work, learn, and succeed by leading a book study with your leadership team for Hardwiring Excellence in Education. Our free, on-demand book study offers additional tools and resources created by Dr. Pilcher and our Studer Education leader coaches. Each chapter in the study also features exclusive interviews with influential education leaders sharing how they’re making a difference in their districts and beyond.

Order book here.

Sign up for book study here.