Accelerate Your Performance

"Leaders as Great Coaches of Teams" Series, Part 3

Tune in to hear Dr. Ryan Carpenter, Superintendent of Estacada School District, share how he implements short cycles of improvement to build momentum and achieve results. Listen as he candidly discusses with Dr. Janet Pilcher how one short cycle of improvement often leads to the next and emphasizes the significance of completing the cycles you begin. He closes with a powerful message on empowering and engaging your team so they can execute with confidence.

This episode addresses questions such as:

• How can organizations avoid getting overwhelmed by large goals and data? 
• What tools and strategies can be used to gather input from employees? 
• How can organizations measure the success of their improvements?

Part 1: Four Focus Areas for Coaching Great Teams (episode page)
Part 2: Building Leadership Capacity Through Daily Huddles (episode page)
Part 3: Create Momentum with Short Cycles of Improvement (episode page)

Destination High Performance 2025: Go here to learn more and register.

Recommended Resources: Communicate at All Levels, Enhance Communication with Scorecards and Huddles

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.

"Leaders as Great Coaches of Teams" Series, Part 2

In part 2 of the series, Dr. Janet Pilcher welcomes back Dr. Christi Barrett, Superintendent of Hemet Unified School District, to dig into the impact of daily leadership huddles. Listen as Christi shares how this tool has reshaped her district's approach to student behavior, improved outcomes, and strengthened leadership capacity. 

This episode addresses questions such as:

• What are daily leadership huddles, and how do they work?
• How do huddles create a culture of continuous improvement?
• What strategies ensure huddles are effective and sustainable over time?

Part 1: Four Focus Areas for Coaching Great Teams (episode page)
Part 2: Building Leadership Capacity Through Daily Huddles (episode page)

Recommended Resources: Continuous Improvement Through Leadership, Moving From Hope to Action

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.

"Leaders as Great Coaches of Teams" Series Premiere

Join Dr. Janet Pilcher, author of Hardwiring Excellence in Education, as she kicks off a new series that empowers leaders to become great coaches of their teams. In this short solo episode, Janet highlights four key focus areas for driving peak organizational performance in 2025. She also sets the stage for upcoming episodes, where she’ll interview leaders about the specific tactics they use to support these focus areas.

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.

As the year comes to a close, Dr. Janet Pilcher reflects on the beauty of the holiday season, the lessons we can learn from A Charlie Brown Christmas, and the importance of finding purpose in the small things that bring us joy. Join Janet for a short, heartfelt episode as she reminds us to celebrate the messy yet beautiful moments of life. What’s your “little tree” this season?

Recommended Resources: The Joy of Kindness, Practice Goodwill Intentionally

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 mean to "start where you are," and how can leaders leverage a cadre of the willing to drive meaningful change? Join Dr. Janet Pilcher as she interviews Superintendent Julie Giannini-Previde to hear how she’s leading McKinleyville Union School District in their continuous improvement journey. Learn how Julie fosters collective efficacy among her team, uses rounding to build stronger connections with staff, students, and parents, and navigates challenges with a focus on long-term growth.

Recommended Resources: Continuous Improvement: Where Do You Start?, The ABCs of Effective Goals, Just Start

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 lead a school district through tough facilities challenges? Join Dr. Janet Pilcher as she interviews Coy Sasse, Chief Financial and Operations Officer of Rapid City Area Schools, to hear how he champions a culture of excellence and positive accountability. Listen as Coy shares the strategies he and his team use to define, prioritize, and execute their most critical operations needs with strength and focus. 

This episode addresses questions such as:

• What are the benefits of involving the community in strategic planning for facilities?
• What strategies can be used to prioritize facilities improvements?
• How can leaders promote positive accountability within facilities and operations teams?

Recommended Resources: Excellence in Operations, Connecting Operations to Student Success

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 you set goals that deliver results? Join Dr. Janet Pilcher as she unpacks the goal-setting process to help you prepare for the year ahead. Discover her "bull's eye" approach to identifying focus areas and growth opportunities, and hear her personal example of how effective goals must be achievable, believable, and backed by commitment. 

This episode addresses questions such as:

• How do we translate a strategic vision into actionable organizational goals?
• How does the scorecard serve as a structured framework to track progress towards goals and ensure alignment?
• In what ways do outcome, performance, and progress measures act as a roadmap for growth beyond simply tracking results?

Recommended Resources: Align Behaviors with Goals and Values, Spur Success with Audacious Goals, Refresh Strategic Goals to Move Forward  

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.

As we enter the Thanksgiving season, join Dr. Janet Pilcher for a heartwarming solocast celebrating the impact of kindness. Drawing on the message, "Be kind," she shares how her parents and a beloved teacher instilled the values of compassion and generosity in her upbringing. Finally, she closes with a warm wish for you to experience the joy of kindness.

Recommended Resources: How Gratitude Anchors Organizations, Practice Goodwill Intentionally, The Value of Kindness

Subscribe: Catch all the insights from our What’s Right in Education 2024 Conference by visiting http://www.studereducation.com/subscribe, where you'll receive the latest conference content as soon as it’s released.

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.

Expressing gratitude and recognizing a job well done are powerful leadership practices. Listen as Dr. Janet Pilcher describes how these practices build stability in both our personal and professional lives. Learn the importance of being specific and genuine in your appreciation, and be encouraged to thank those who make a difference every day. 

This episode addresses questions such as:

• What three factors challenge us in living out our core educational values?
• Why is expressing gratitude especially important in the face of external challenges?
• What are the most effective ways to recognize and appreciate others?

Recommended Resources: The Power of Reward and Recognition, Transform Culture with Reward and Recognition, Go Slow to Go Fast

Subscribe: Catch all the insights from our What’s Right in Education 2024 Conference by visiting http://www.studereducation.com/subscribe, where you'll receive the latest conference content as soon as it’s released.

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 mean to be a people-first leader, and what impact does that have on a school and community? Listen as Dr. Janet Pilcher sits down with Dr. Adam Leckie, Superintendent of Casa Grande Elementary School District, to hear how his district is creating a culture of gratitude by intentionally recognizing and celebrating the hard work of employees. Learn how his people-first leadership approach begins with leaders and systems and extends to classrooms, ultimately creating a ripple effect that impacts the community.

This episode addresses questions such as:

• What does it mean to be a people-first leader?
• What is the impact of leading classroom improvement on teachers, students, and the community?
• How does community and industry partnership play a role in educational success?

Recommended Resources: Grow Your People, Process Improvement Tool: Stoplight Report

Subscribe: Catch all the insights from our What’s Right in Education 2024 Conference by visiting http://www.studereducation.com/subscribe, where you'll receive the latest conference content as soon as it’s released.

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.