Successful leaders often have an element of competitiveness - a desire to achieve at the highest level. When balanced with compassion for those within the organization, it's a combination that is hard to beat. Joining David is Superintendent Jason Booher of Mercer County Schools. Superintendent Booher has lived a fascinating life and career and shares many great tips for leaders, along with examples of the competitiveness/compassion balance.

In any organization, many things are happening at any given moment. Sometimes, they all feel important. But as they say, if EVERYTHING is a priority, then NOTHING is really a priority. As leaders, we have the power to make sure that the most important things are done well...and for that to happen, those things have to be monitored. Join David, along with Dr. Kevin Hub, Executive In Residence at Eastern Kentucky University and former superintendent of Scott County Schools, as they discuss this topic and much more.

Superintendent Mike Lafavers of Boyle County Schools joins David to talk about hiring, which is arguably the most important aspect of leading a high-performing organization. Successful leaders view hiring as an unparalleled opportunity to exponentially "leap forward" to higher levels of achievement. More specifically, though, these leaders know how to target, recognize, and prioritize high levels of talent when considering applicants. Join us today to learn how to harness the power of talent during the hiring process.

Joining David today is accomplished educator, author, and consultant, Dr. Rocky Wallace of Campbellsville University. When you are a school principal, decisions are sort of your life. You make hundreds of small, on the spot decisions daily - while also managing medium range decisions and long range decisions. Shared leadership says that good leaders empower others, trust those around them, and make sure they have a voice in the decision making process. How do you handle all of these factors at once? In today's episode, Dr. Wallace and David tackle this extremely important school leadership topic.

As educational leaders, it's important to instill the mindset in our staff that "we control our destiny". Although there are barriers, our staff must believe that there is nothing we can't overcome. We have everything we need in order to achieve a very high level of success. This mindset is empowering and motivational. It's also a huge key to success. Join David as he talks with Stephen McCauley, superintendent in Paris Independent Schools, and David Gilliam, superintendent in Madison County Schools, about this important topic and more.

One of the toughest aspects of being a strong leader is summoning up the courage to do hard things when needed.  We’ve all been there.  Breaking through that barrier is often the difference between moderate and outstanding levels of success.  Today, Rob Clayton and Bart Flener join the podcast to discuss this important aspect of leadership.  Dr. Clayton is the superintendent of Warren County Schools and the current KASA and AASA Superintendent of the Year.  Mr. Flener is the former superintendent of Russellville Independent Schools and the current Executive Director of the Green River Regional Educational Cooperative.

In an organization, everyone has certain responsibilities.  As the leader, it's our job to make sure that each one is handled by the right person, at the right level, at a high level of expectation.  Join David as he talks with Sheila Mitchell, superintendent of Anderson County Schools, and Dr. Ryan Clark, superintendent of Bardstown Independent Schools about their experiences as ed leaders and the importance of taking (and facilitating) responsibility as a leader.    

As educational leaders, how do we create a culture of accountability - a new "way we do things around here" - in which we hold ourselves (and each other) to a high performance expectation?  Dr. Harry Burchett, superintendent of Harrison County Schools, joins David to talk about the exciting work happening in his district, as well as this important aspect of school and district leadership.

In this episode, David talks with Dr. Jim Flynn, Executive Director of the Kentucky Association of School Superintendents, about the powerful role that leaders play in "setting the tone" for success within the organization.  Whether we like it or not, as leaders, we are always "setting the tone" for the culture that exists within our organization (long term) and the climate each day (short term).  This applies in educational settings, like schools and districts, but also in the business world and beyond.