Accelerate Your Performance

School leaders are facing multiple angles ahead of the fall semester. Strategies for instruction, how to screen students, and manage transportation are just some of the decisions being made right now as leaders plan for multiple scenarios amid uncertainty. Today’s guest represents a school district planning for four scenarios ahead of reentry this fall. Dr. Matt Hillmann, Superintendent of Northfield Public Schools, shares how the district is getting ready for reentry and what has helped make communication around reentry successful for them thus far.

This episode addresses questions, such as:

• How can leaders effectively communicate around decisions being made amid uncertainty?
• What happens when schools use feedback from families and employees to make decisions?
• How can we respond with grace if we get it wrong when communicating?

Recommended Resources: Leading a Successful Reentry, What the Best Leaders do to Communicate with Employees During Critical Times, Why Start with Why & Communicate What Matters to the Board

Recommended Podcasts: Intentional Communication Starts with Why, Who Hears What When? & Leading Change with Empathy

People may come to work for a paycheck, but they’re motivated to work where they feel valued. As we're working with others, overcoming obstacles we've never seen before, we must remember to recognize our people. Studer Group Flame Award winner, Paige Bindi, joins Janet on today’s episode to discuss what recognizing success means for employees and why it’s an important practice for leaders to master. 

This episode addresses questions, such as:

• Why is reward and recognition so significant in the workplace?
• How does recognition relate to responsibility and accountability? 
• What 3 recommendations would you give to leaders in organizations to reinforce positive recognition? 

Recommended Learning: Emotional and Rational, Ideas for Recognizing Your Employees, What Gets Recognized Gets Repeated, & The Power of Employee Recognition

Recommended Podcasts: Increase Employee Engagement with Recognition, Make Recognition a Habit

In our work and personal lives we all want to feel that what we do matters. Staying connected to our purpose can infuse meaning into all that we do. Giving, serving, leaning into our values, and thinking about others can all help fuel us with a sense of purpose, as our guests today share. In this episode, listen as Leader Coach Nannette Johnston, Digital and Software Analyst Basil Kuloba, and TeacherReady Director of Enrollment and Relationship Management Dr. Sarah Miller, share what drives them and brings meaning to the work they do.

This episode addresses questions, such as:

• How can our values help fuel a sense of purpose in our work?
• What simple practice can help individuals stay inspired in their work?
• What actions can we take to find purpose both in our work and personal lives?

To hear our host and Studer Education Founder, Janet Pilcher, share her connect to purpose story, visit episode #100 Stories of Purpose Part 1.
 

Recommended Resources: Connect to Purpose, Finding Purpose at Work, Set Aligned Goals, & The Keys to Employee Engagement

Recommended Podcasts: Small Things, Big Difference, Inertia: A Force for Change,  Inspire Others to Achieve & Stories of Purpose P2 

We often hear about purpose talked about it in a singular way. For many of us, this may resonate—we know beyond a shadow of a doubt what drives us and why we find meaning in our work—but that’s not always the case for everyone. Perhaps we have many interests and our work roles have evolved and taken many different forms over the years. This rings true for today’s guest, Casey Kuktelionis, our Strategic Communication associate and podcast producer. In this episode, Casey shares how a broader purpose can still drive us and bring us meaning to our roles both in and outside of work. 

This episode addresses questions, such as:

• What simple practice can help us see purpose and meaning in what we do at work?
• What questions can I ask myself or ask others to help bring clarity around purpose?
• How can negative or bothersome situations or tough times from the past help reveal our purpose?

To hear our host and Studer Education Founder, Janet Pilcher, share her connect to purpose story, visit episode #100 Stories of Purpose Part 1.

Recommended Resources: Connect to Purpose, The Impact of One, The Power of Storytelling, & Maximize Happiness at Work

Recommended Podcasts: Inspire Others to Achieve, Reignite Your Passion, Find Your Path and Pay it Forward, & The Fire in the Belly

In uncertain times, it’s more important than ever that we stay connected to our purpose. Connecting to the meaning behind our work keeps us going. Purpose keeps us motivated and fulfilled in our work, despite the obstacles that come along. As leaders, we can encourage individuals to find meaning to invigorate their work and demonstrate they are valued. In this episode, listen as Dr. Janet Pilcher shares how she is staying connected to her purpose and inspiring others to do the same. 

This episode addresses questions, such as:

• How can we stay focused and connected to purpose at work?
•  How can we help our team members find purpose in their work?
• How often should we connect to purpose? 

Recommended Resources: Connect to Purpose, Finding Purpose at Work, Boost the Employee Experience & Maximize Happiness at Work

Recommended Podcasts: Three Ways to Stay Inspired at Work, Find Your Path and Pay it Forward & Inspire Others to Achieve

With many schools re-opening in a few weeks, school leaders across the country are busy finalizing reentry plans and making decisions. Change often comes with pressure and stress, but as today’s guest points out, change also brings opportunity for creativity. In this episode, listen as Sergio Mendoza, Superintendent of Burton School District, shares about the difference that Evidence-Based Leadership℠ has made since the district first implemented it in March. 

This episode addresses questions, such as:

• Why is a daily huddle beneficial for team members? 
• How can we find time to continue growing and learning while balancing other priorities?
• How can leaders make decisions with confidence during these times?

Recommended Resources: Keep the Complex Simple, Leading a Successful Reentry, Huddle for Critical Outcomes, Measuring what Matters, Improvement and Innovation & How Focus Leads to Results

Recommended Podcasts: Continuous Improvement: Where Do You Start?, Jump All-In to Improve, & Inspire Others to Achieve

Establishing a system of continuous improvement doesn’t have to be complicated. Our partner, Ryan Carpenter shares how the Estacada School District started slow to go fast while implementing Evidence-Based Leadership℠. Hear how their team improved results by developing deeper relationships and including community voices. While there is no playbook for leaders right now, in this episode, Ryan discusses how you can be the best for your team and reflects over his district’s first year using an improvement framework.

This episode addresses questions, such as:

• What is the value of practicing conversations and using data before holding people accountable for measures? 
• Why is it so important to fail? 
• How can we start using an evidence-based leadership framework? 

To hear the first part of Ryan's interview, go back and listen to episode 97: Continuous Improvement: Where do you start?

Recommended Resources: An Organizational Scorecard, Build Accountability, Measuring What Matters & Huddle for Critical Outcomes

Recommended Podcasts: Be Bold About Action & Continuous Improvement: Where Do You Start?

Most would agree adopting a continuous improvement effort is good for a team or an organization. However, after implementing improvement science, many leaders find themselves wondering if they are in fact making any improvements and find it difficult to define and sustain progress. In this episode, Superintendent Ryan Carpenter, Estacada School District, discusses why his team made a commitment to adopting a continuous improvement mindset and implementing Evidence-Based Leadership℠ framework across the school system, and the difference it has made a year later. Ryan’s approach to starting small and putting people first not only transformed their lives and work environment, it also prepared them to collectively face the challenge COVID-19 would bring to their community. 

This episode addresses questions, such as:

• How can organizations build a foundation for continuous improvement work?
• What is the impact of Evidence-Based Leadership℠ on an organization’s culture?
• Why is it critical for leaders to put people first?

Recommended Resources: 90 Day Action Plan for Improvement, Busting Through Barriers, Eliminate We/They, Organizational Excellence, Maximize Performance, & Huddle for Critical Outcomes 

Recommended Podcasts: Stop the Subconscious Behavior Infecting Your Organization, Pursue Performance Excellence, Building an Army of Improvers

As fall quickly approaches we are seeing that school leaders are in various stages of planning and communicating to their communities. Some are still waiting for answers and guidelines from local agencies and organizations, some have begun announcing plans for the 2020-2021 school year. In this episode, Dr. JoAnn Sternke, Studer Education Senior Director and Leader Coach, reminds us, it’s not just the message, but how the message is communicated that matters. We want to make sure we build trust through communication using empathy. Listen as JoAnn shares how you can use the Communication template from our free Re-entry Toolkit to help you achieve clear and simple communication.

This episode addresses questions, such as: 

• How can we artfully respond when we’re asked questions but don’t have the answers? 
• What can we do to build high confidence with our community that we’re on the right path? 
• When the inevitable happens – someone within the organization or school tests positive for COVID-19 – how can leaders respond? 

Recommended Resources: Leading a Successful Reentry to Achieve Organizational Excellence, Start with Why, Cascading Communication, & Transparency 

Recommended Podcast Episodes: 72 Intentional Communication Starts with Why, 73 Leading Change with Empathy, & 83 To Innovate Focus on Value

Leading through challenges requires honest conversations, resiliency, and a positive outlook. Currently, leaders are facing pressure to make difficult decisions regarding the health and safety of their communities. Recommendations are uncertain and ever-changing. In episodes 93 and 94 we heard Waukesha County Government leaders explain how they’re collaborating with schools in their community. This week, Superintendent Corey Golla, who leads a school district in Waukesha County, joins us to discuss how his team is managing the urgency and uncertainty around returning to school. Listen as Corey describes how his team incorporates Lean thinking and reviewing key questions to reduce risk and avoid the check-off.
 

 This episode addresses questions, such as:

• How can leaders plan to successfully collaborate with other organizations?
• What metrics are important to measure right now? 
• How can leaders feel confident in their decision-making despite what the future will hold for schools in 2020 and beyond?
• What characteristics are necessary for leaders to overcome community resistance? 

 
Recommended Resources: Leadership Short Cycles, Short Cycle Action Plan Tool, Create Resilient Leaders, Stoplight Report

Recommended Podcast Episodes: 68 Focus on the Positive, 70 Cultivate a Can-Do Culture, 93 Make Silos Disappear, & 94 Empower and Invest in Your Teams.