Can effective leadership create ripple effects that extend beyond school walls? Join Dr. Janet Pilcher as she connects with Lisa Nellessen Savage of the Pensacola News Journal to highlight the impact of CivicCon on the Pensacola community, and continue listening as she interviews Dr. Angela Bush of Jefferson County Schools, a recent CivicCon presenter, to hear how she spearheaded school improvement efforts that became a catalyst for community transformation. Listen as Dr. Bush emphasizes two of the Nine Principles that have shaped her leadership and explains how the principles she hardwired at Erwin Middle School can be replicated in any school.

This episode addresses questions such as:

• What are the broader impacts of successful leadership within an organization or community?
• How can well developed systems and processes be hardwired into an organization?
• What does it look like in practice to develop leaders to develop people?

Recommended Resources: From CSI to a Top 5 School: Erwin Middle, a Jefferson County Success Story, Watch CivicCon: Learn how to lead a school out of low performance with Angela Bush, Align Behaviors with Goals and Values

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 strategies can leaders use to navigate resistance to change and encourage employee buy-in? Join Dr. Janet Pilcher as she engages in a conversation with Mrs. Aubree Short, Principal of Los Tules Middle School in Tulare, California, to hear how surveys and rounding have proven to be pivotal tools in her journey toward school improvement. Aubree explains how post-COVID data revealed a need for improvement in climate and culture for both students and teachers. Listen as she reveals how collaboration amongst high performing employees has transformed Los Tules from a trauma-informed school to a trauma-sensitive school through the implementation of the Ready to Learn program. 

This episode answers questions such as:

• How do data-driven insights transform school culture?
• What role do high-performing employees play in rolling out organizational changes?
• How can rounding with students and teachers be used to improve the change process?

Recommended Resources: Charting the Course: Leadership Strategies for Managing Change in Education, Coaching High Performers Through Resistance to Change, Fostering Resilient Learners

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.

Inviting input from high performers early and often in the change process is one of the major keys to managing resistance in organizations. Join Dr. Janet Pilcher as she welcomes Dr. Charlotte Boling, a Leader Coach at Studer Education, to share how she coaches her partners to proactively prepare employees for success throughout the change process.  Listen as Charlotte elaborates on the necessity of "facing the brutal facts"  and explains how engaging high performers helps leaders to identify potential challenges and provide necessary support through organizational shifts.

This episode addresses questions such as:

• How does "facing the brutal facts" help leaders implement change?
• What proactive measures can leaders take to set up employees for success throughout the change process?
• How can leaders create a supportive culture that encourages feedback from high performers?

Recommended Resources: Charting the Course: Leadership Strategies for Managing Change in Education, Resistance to Change, Connecting with High Performers

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.

How can leaders support high performers through organizational change? Join Dr. Janet Pilcher to hear actionable strategies for managing resistance to change among top performers. Listen now to hear how leaders can effectively guide employees through each phase of change, ensure a smoother transition process, and maintain high performance through organizational shifts.

This episode addresses questions such as:

• What are the four phases of change, and why are they important to understand?
• Why do high performers sometimes struggle with change despite their past successes?
• How can leaders involve high performers throughout the change process?

Recommended Resources: Charting the Course: Leadership Strategies for Managing Change in Education, Pay Attention to the Right Work, Did That Question Catch You Off Guard?

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 is rounding like in action? Join Dr. Janet Pilcher as she interviews Dr. Deanna Ashby, Senior Director of Coaching at Studer Education, to hear about how rounding has positively impacted three of her partner districts in Kentucky. DeDe shares insights into how Graves County, Oldham County, and Meade County Schools have each customized rounding to build meaningful connections, share feedback and action steps, and address specific needs. Listen now as Janet and DeDe role play an actual rounding conversation about DeDe’s experiences at the Kentucky School Board Association conference, providing a firsthand example of what rounding entails.

This episode addresses questions such as: 

• How can rounding help leaders build connections to recruit and retain employees?
• Who should leaders round with, and how often?
• What results have partner districts experienced as a result of implementing rounding strategies?

Recommended Resources: Create Connections Through Rounding, Rounding for Success: A Superintendent's Journey from Skepticism to Impact, Rounding with Purpose

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.

How do we build great workplace cultures to keep exceptional employees on our team? Join Dr. Janet Pilcher, author of Hardwiring Excellence in Education,, as she explains how rounding is key to building environments where employees feel motivated and deeply connected to their work. Janet emphasizes how rounding helps leaders address any challenges that get in the way of employees being able to do their best work and demonstrates how rounding can be used to recognize bright spots and people who are doing good work. Listen now to learn to how we round, why we round, and what questions to ask our employees when we round.

This episode addresses questions such as:

• How does rounding build a deep connection between employees and their work?
• What key questions should drive rounding conversations?
• How can the 3 to 1 tactic be utilized in rounding conversations to build an emotional bank account?

Recommended Resources: Master the Art of Feedback, Essential Components of Healthy Workplace Cultures, Rounding for Success: A Superintendent's Journey from Skepticism to Impact

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.

How can school districts prioritize amplifying student voice? Join Dr. Janet Pilcher, author of Hardwiring Excellence in Education, as she explores the impact of student feedback with Dr. Candace Pelt-Perez, Superintendent of Central Linn School District, and Celeste Van Cleave, District Business Manager. Together, they discuss the integration of student surveys into short-term improvement cycles, resulting in significant outcomes such as collaborating with students to address school bus safety concerns and expanding cafeteria menu choices. Listen now to learn how the collaboration between students and adults continues to drive positive cultural shifts within Central Linn School District.

This episode answers questions such as:

• What role does student input play in the overall strategic planning process? 
• How can results from student surveys be used to identify and implement short term cycles of improvement?
• How does the partnership between students and adults cultivate trust and goodwill?

Recommended Resources: Building Bridges: A Superintendent’s Journey to Create a Community-Driven Strategic Plan,  Using Student Voice to Help Shape District Plans, Continuous Improvement to Support Students

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.

It’s one thing to create a strategic plan, but it’s another altogether to execute it with precision. Join Dr. Janet Pilcher, author of Hardwiring Excellence in Education, as she speaks with Superintendent Brian Sica of Banks School District to hear how he initiated the strategic planning process and began regularly implementing short cycles of improvement during his first year as superintendent. Listen as Dr. Sica highlights specific needs and challenges his district faced as well as the critical role of balancing culture and strategy throughout the process of achieving organizational excellence.

This episode addresses questions such as:

• What steps can leaders take to establish trust within the community?
• How do culture and strategy intertwine to support organizational success?
• How can strategic planning build trust and foster professional growth within the leadership team?

Recommended Resources: Plan Strategically for Success, The Power of Collaboration in Strategic Planning, Building Bridges: A Superintendent’s Journey to Create a Community-Driven Strategic Plan

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.

How do leading organizations stay ahead of the curve? Join Dr. Janet Pilcher, author of Hardwiring Excellence in Education, as she delves into the intricacies of strategic planning with Dr. Casey Blochowiak, a Coach Senior Director at Studer Education. As a companion to last week’s high-level overview of strategic planning, this week’s episode dives into crucial aspects like how to form a strong steering committee and the pivotal role of executive leadership throughout the planning process. Listen now to also hear a roleplay between Janet and Casey demonstrating how coaches collaborate with partners to set a clear strategic vision for organizational excellence. 

This episode answers questions such as:

• What is the role of coaches in the strategic planning process?
• How do you select members for the strategic planning team, and what role do they play?
• How does strategic planning help organizations navigate industry trends and future challenges?

Recommended Resources: Plan Strategically for Success,  Mindfulness and Reflection Practices for Leaders and Teams, Listen to People to Continuously Improve

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.

Balancing the emotional and rational aspects of leadership is complex, but with strategic planning, organizations can build alignment to drive success. Join Dr. Janet Pilcher, author of Hardwiring Excellence in Education, as she outlines the steps involved in creating a strategic plan and identifies questions that leaders can answer to create organizational alignment. 

This episode answers questions such as:

• How can leadership effectively acknowledge both the rational and emotional components of the organization?
• What is the purpose of a strategic plan, and how is it used to promote successful outcomes?
• How does each step of the plan build upon the last to create better alignment?

Recommended Resources: How Can We Build Strategic Agility for Continuous Change?, Building Bridges: A Superintendent’s Journey to Create a Community-Driven Strategic Plan, Mastering the Art of Reflection: A Superintendent’s Guide to Progress and Impact

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.