Achieving excellence in an organization is a journey that requires commitment, constant effort, and reflection on where you are and where you need to be. It requires total commitment to the work of continuous improvement. This topic will be front and center at the upcoming  2022 Carnegie Summit. As our guest in this episode puts it, the summit brings together "champions of improvement" from across the country, offering an opportunity for leaders to share their learnings with one another. In this episode, Dr. Janet Pilcher and our guest, Senior Director of Thought Leadership, Dr. Pat Greco, discuss great improvement work currently taking place across the nation, why committing to this process is so important, and what attendees can expect from this year's conference. 

This episode addresses questions, such as:

• When is the best time to commit to the work of continuous improvement in an organization?
• Why is it important to have a framework and set of principles to guide the effort of commitment to organizational excellence?
• How do organizations build a foundation for the work of continuous improvement?

Recommended Resources:  Continuous Improvement: Where Do You Start?, Organizational Excellence, Becoming an Improvement Organization, & Episode 87: Improvement to Accelerate Learning

The academic year is in full swing, and now is also the time leaders are beginning to plan and budget for 2022 and 2023. What actions can leaders take to set themselves up for a successful next school year? What areas are especially important to analyze before springing forward? In this episode, Dr. Janet Pilcher and our guest, Leader Coach, Amy Fowler, join us to answer these questions. Listen as they discuss how leaders can harness their learnings over this past year to make even more progress moving forward. 

This episode addresses questions, such as:

• Where should leaders start as they begin planning for the next school year?
• What key areas can leaders self-assess and learn from to help set themselves up for success?
• What should leaders avoid as they plan for the next school year?

Recommended Resources:  Using Data to Action Plan, Improvement Action Plan Sample, & Improvement Action Plan

It's been a time of monumental change that has presented many challenges at work for leaders.  With more on people's plates at work in these uncertain times, it's more important than ever that leaders recognize and appreciate members of their teams for their good work. Reward and recognition is timeless. It never gets old. It's fuel that helps keep people motivated and engaged at work.  In this episode, listen as Dr. Janet Pilcher explains why now is a great time to revisit Episode 50, Increase Employee Engagement with Recognition, which explains the importance of our ninth principle, and the impact it can have on our workplace cultures in these times. 

This episode addresses questions, such as:

• How do we get recognition to stick in our organizations?
• What is the value of recognition to our employees and organizations? 
• How does recognition encourage high performance? 

Recommended Resources:  Ideas for Recognizing Your Employees, What Gets Recognized Gets Repeated,& What’s 1 Top Reason for Employees Quitting Their Jobs?

When leaders are authentic, it helps build a culture that is inclusive. It helps foster an environment where employees will feel free to also be authentic. Our guest in today's episode is a shining example of this. In this episode, Dr. Heidi Eliopoulos, Superintendent of the School District of Altoona, joins us to discuss the importance of authenticity and the impact it's having in her district's culture. Listen as Dr. Janet Pilcher asks Heidi to share what the other biggest difference makers have been for creating a strong workplace culture. 

This episode addresses questions, such as:

• How can we engage our leaders to help grow the organization?
• What can leaders do to demonstrate appreciation to team members more genuinely?
• How can leaders leverage what motivates their people to help them feel a stronger sense of purpose in their work?

Recommended Resources: Tips for Building an Emotional Bank Account, Emotional Intelligence, Actions For Excellence, & Organizational Excellence

All content © 2022 Accelerate Your Performance .

Is your communication clear and concise? In this episode, Dr. Janet Pilcher references an article written by Bill Murphy in Inc. Magazine, titled, "How Emotionally Intelligent People Use the Mark Twain Rule to Become Exceptionally Persuasive: Let me Get to Point". As Janet reflects over the key points in the article, she offers us three things to consider as we craft messages that will help us communicate more precisely, clearly, and effectively. 

This episode addresses questions, such as:

• What are some things leaders need to change in order to communicate brief and concise messages to achieve goals?
• Why is it better to be brief and concise when it comes to communication?
• What are some common factors that detract from crafting a precise, clear message?

Recommended Resources: Accelerate Your Communication, Emotional Intelligence, Cascading Communication, & Keep Communication Simple

All content © 2022 Accelerate Your Performance .

Spring is just around the corner, and now is a great time for leaders to recommit and recommunicate what matters most to finish strong this school year. Our guest today shares how you can harness your leader superpowers of culture and communication to create a great experience for students, families, and your team the rest of this school year. Listen as Dr. Janet Pilcher and Leader Coach Tim Wyrosdick discuss practical ways leaders can activate these superpowers.

This episode addresses questions, such as:

• What are the most significant things leaders can do to sustain a positive work environment in challenging times?
• How do leaders build employee engagement?
• What should leaders be sure to incorporate into their self-reflection time?

Recommended Resources: Leadership Reflection on Hardwiring, The Keys to Employee Engagement, Boost the Employee Experience, & Episode 74: Becoming an Authentic Leader

It can be a balancing act to achieve and sustain results over time while also remaining emotionally, mentally and physically healthy. That's especially true in challenging, uncertain times. Taking care of ourselves while working toward our goals will help keep us motivated in our work. In this episode, Dr. Janet Pilcher shares 9 tips for creating a better heart and mind balance to help us thrive and be our best. 

This episode addresses questions, such as:

• How can I spend the first 15 minutes of the day to help set myself up for success?
• What simple actions can I take today to help make work more meaningful?
• How can I cultivate a healthier heart and mind balance through my interactions with colleagues?

Recommended Resources: Emotional Intelligence, Pause, Perspective, Process, Create Resilient Leaders, & Episode 200: How Leaders Stay Grounded

An organization with a strong and healthy workplace culture is where you are likely to find employees who are engaged at work and find purpose in the work they do. But how do leaders shape a positive workplace culture in challenging, uncertain times? In this episode, Dr. Janet Pilcher and our guest, Dr. KK Owen, discuss simple actions leaders can take to help create healthier workplace cultures and define one thing leaders must do to start.

This episode addresses questions, such as:

• What can leaders do to help employees stay connected to their purpose during stressful times?
• Why is it so important for leaders to model and practice self-care at work?
• How do I create a steady, intentional environment of staying focused on goals at work?

Recommended Resources: Connect to Purpose, Creating Unmistakable Value, Cultivating a Culture of Resilience, & Episode 160: Creating a Culture of Shared Leadership

Being proactive at work increases our sense of purpose in the work we do and helps build self-confidence. When we come to work focused on being positive and happy, we persevere to overcome any obstacles that come our way. It feels good to have a take-action attitude. It also has a positive impact on our relationships at work. In this episode, Dr. Janet Pilcher discusses the qualities of proactive leaders and how cultivating more of this spirit can impact workplace culture for the better. 

This episode addresses questions, such as:

• What does being proactive at work look like in action?
• How can I take initiative at work while staying aligned with the goals of the organization?
• What three questions can I ask myself as I set my personal mindset to be proactive at work?

Recommended Resources: Lead Your Work, Leader Always Actions, Episode 182: What Makes an Employee a Productive One?, & Episode 160: Creating a Culture of Shared Leadership 

• What does it mean to lead with authenticity?
• What does living authentically look like in action at work, and how can it impact workplace cultures?
• What two key moves can leaders make to help strengthen their workplace cultures?