Accelerate Your Performance

While attending a company event, Janet Pilcher had the opportunity to sit down with Jim Roth, co-founder, and CEO of Huron Consulting Group, to discuss how we prepare clients for their future. Jim’s leadership positions Huron to be highly committed to hiring talented people, building an engaged work environment, and serving clients with the highest level of service. Jim is a trusted advisor to many organizational CEOs around the world, and many of us at Huron. 

This episode addresses questions, such as:

• How can leaders prepare their teams for an ever-changing future? 
• What does Huron do to prepare its clients to own their own future? 
• Why is it important to expose yourself to a variety of people, cultures, and perspectives?  

 
 Recommended Learning: The Future is Dodgeball by: Andy Kessler, Execute Well for Better Results, What’s Under the Rock, and Boost the Employee Experience

In a world where we no longer view human connections as natural, and instead, insist on using technology, even in the presence of others, Dr. Janet Pilcher encourages her listeners to get off their devices and start talking to people. Research tells us that people in general feel worse and less connected when they mix face-to-face communication with digital socializing compared to solely socializing in person. When we intentionally create ways to engage with each other, learn from each other, and laugh with each other we are better able to build an innovative future together. 

This episode addresses questions, such as:

• How does relying on digital communication affect our happiness?
• What can we do to intentionally communicate with those around us? 
• Why should we intentionally engage in situations to talk to others and learn something new? 

Recommended Learning: The Future is Dodgeball by: Andy Kessler, & Digitally Connected, Socially Disconnection: The Effects of Relying on Technology Rather than Other Peopleby: Kushlev, Proulx, & Dunn & Networking, & Tips for Attending a Networking Event

Utilizing social media platforms is a natural way to enhance transparency. On a personal level, people use social media to connect with others and stimulate conversations. In time, organizations have recognized the many benefits of using social media to humanize their brand and connect with their communities. If you’re wondering why using social media is critical for organizations, research reveals a lack of transparency on social media leaves 86% of people likely to choose a competitor. On the show today, Charleigh Kennedy joins Dr. Janet Pilcher to discuss how organizations build relationships with their community using open, honest, and authentic communication on social media. 

This episode addresses questions, such as:

• How does an organization decide what they want their personality or brand to be? 
• What does it look like for organizations to be transparent on social media? 
• What does lack of transparency from an organization look like on social media?

Recommended Learning: Using Social Media to Increase Transparency, & #BrandsGetReal: Social Media & the Evolution of Transparency 

Every day we are customers to someone we do business with. We buy groceries, fill our cars with gas, dine at restaurants, engage with retail services, and do business with professional service firms. We often remember the negative interactions more than the positive ones, and it may only take one negative interaction for us to shift to another brand or company. As you listen to this episode and reflect on services you’ve received, ask yourself, how do our experiences as customers influence the work we do each day? What can we learn from those experiences to provide excellent customer service to those we serve? 

This episode addresses questions, such as:

• How does employee engagement affect the customer experience?
• What are 3 powerful must-dos for providing excellent customer service? 
• Why should managers approach customer complaints with compassion and empathy? 

Recommended Learning: 5’ – 10’ Rule, Use Standards of Service Excellence, Service Recovery, Compassionate Empathy: From Feeling to Action

The way people learn today is continuously evolving, and with the rise of technology people expect answers at their fingertips. The life of a professional skill is much shorter today than it was in the past. Mandy Gagliardi, the Senior Media Manager on our team joins Janet today to share the way she focuses on the customer experience to guide her work. As we design our digital learning system, Mandy listens to our partners and develops solutions for us to make their lives easier. Our team understands we are not only meeting the needs of today’s learners, but we are also anticipating the needs of tomorrow’s learners as well.

This episode addresses questions, such as:

• What has changed about the way people want to learn? 
• How did we overcome barriers and shift our approach in response to customer demands? 
• How do we anticipate customer learning needs as we plan our future system adjustments?

Recommended Learning: Customer Experience vs. Customer Service vs. Customer Care & Improvement and Innovation

Does the path you are traveling have a heart? Courage is the quality that distinguishes great leaders from excellent managers. In this episode, Janet discusses why courage is vital to a leader’s success, what can happen when a leader lacks courage, and what we can do when we find ourselves on the wrong path. 

This episode addresses questions, such as:

• How does courage influence our ability to lead? 
• What does it mean to be a courageous leader? 
• Why is courage in leadership important?

Recommended Learning: Courage: The Defining Characteristic of Leaders by George Bill & What's Courage Have to Do With Leadership? by Dagmar Meachem 

John Maxwell’s Law of the Lid explains that leadership ability is the lid that determines a person’s level of effectiveness. Today’s guest, Nannette Johnston, believes it’s true; people can only rise as high as the lid of their leader. Not only does she recognize the importance of professional development for herself, she knows the importance of building leadership in others. Nannette is an award-winning, retired Superintendent from Hardin County Schools in Kentucky. She was awarded Superintendent of the Year and continues to provide expert training and support through on-going leadership development programs. Under her leadership, the district developed and implemented the Work Ethic Certification Program which serves as the state model. 

This episode addresses questions, such as:

• What three leadership skills are most important for executives to have to help their teams achieve results?
• When you work with new leaders, what do they reveal as their most pressing leadership development needs? 
• How has Nannette achieved the success that has led her to be recognized as an outstanding leader?  

 Recommended Learning: How Focus Leads to Results & Be the Model

We all have our favorite brands, but what makes them our favorite? Is it because we place value in the organization? Is it the way we are treated by the company? How do we know if the company is accountable? More and more organizations have been making it a priority to increase connection and invite customers to take an inside look. Why? Because increasing transparency between an organization and its customers build trust and credibility increasing customer loyalty. 

This episode addresses questions, such as:

• How do organizations serve their customers well? 
• What can organizations do to increase transparency? 
•  Why should transparency be a core value for organizations?  

Recommended Learning: Transparency & 5 Examples of Companies Succeeding Through Transparency & Operational Transparency & Interpret Top Box Percentages

• What’s most important for superintendents to understand when working with the board to have the greatest opportunity to be successful?
• How do goals and measures help build relationships between boards and superintendents?
• We focus our work with organizations using an improvement framework and mindset?  What does that mean to boards?  

Sabrina Hebeler, Michigan native, and Chief of Staff at Michigan State University for the division of Infrastructure Planning and Facilities joins Janet Pilcher to discuss one of the key tenets of Sabrina’s role; to help everyone understand and follow the strategic direction of IPF. This comes from her passion for helping people feel successful, feel valued and love their job. Using specific tactics Sabrina supported the breaking down of silos on the executive team to help MSU do the most important things to achieve success. 

This episode addresses questions, such as:

• How is an executive leadership team essential to building a good organization? 
• What are the core actions MSU IPF has taken to advance the executive leadership team and move the organization to excellence? 
• What is Sabrina’s most important advice for organizations focused on continuous improvement and performance excellence?  

 
 Recommended Learning: Leader Connection Questions, & Celebrate Wins that Matter & Pause, Perspective, Process & It’s All About Relationships