The Empowered Educator Show | Building Systems That Create Success for School Principals

Send us Fan Mail

Burnout doesn't happen overnight. More often, it's the result of countless small stressors that slowly drain our energy, passion, and purpose.

In this episode, Dr. Mel sits down with former educator, keynote speaker, and positive psychology advocate Phil Januszewski to explore practical ways educators and school leaders can flourish—even during the most demanding seasons.

Phil shares how tiny, intentional habits can create lasting change, why assuming positive intent transforms workplace relationships, and how building simple systems can reduce stress while increasing joy.

If you've ever felt overwhelmed, emotionally exhausted, or like you're constantly pouring into everyone else while running on empty, this conversation is for you.

In This Episode You'll Learn:

• Why educator burnout often happens through "death by paper cuts"
• How positive psychology can help educators thrive instead of simply survive
• The importance of building personal recharge moments into your workday
• How simple systems reduce mental overload
• How leaders can support both themselves and their teams through intentional habits
• And More!

Connect with Phil Januszewski

• Website
• Facebook
• Instagram
• YouTube
• LinkedIn
• TikTok
• X (Twitter)
• Positive Growth Clothing Store
• Join the Positive Growth Lounge Email List

About Phil

Phil Januszewski is a nationally recognized keynote speaker, former chemistry and physics teacher, and positive psychology advocate. After spending 20 years in education, he now helps educators and public health professionals flourish personally so they can create greater impact professionally—without burnout, boredom, or cynicism.

His upcoming book, Too Damn Happy: Flourishing in a Tired and Uninspired World, explores practical mindset shifts and intentional habits that help people build sustainable joy and resilience.

🎁 Free Resource from Phil Januszewski

Phil is offering listeners a FREE one-month membership to the Positive Growth Lounge so you can experience practical strategies for building resilience, increasing joy, and preventing burnout.

Get Your Free One-Month Membership

This episode includes a referral for Upside—a free app that gives you cash back on gas, groceries, and dining. I use it myself and have been saving that extra cash for a vacation. If you want to try it, download Upside and use promo code MELINDA35278 to earn and extra $17 on your first purchase.

Support the show

Loaded Tea Shop

Million Podcasts List

Download Upside and use my code MELINDA35278 to get 15¢ per gallon extra cash back on your first gas fill-up and 10% extra cash on your first food purchase!

Download Fetch app using this link, submit a receipt and we'll both score bonus points.

Calling All Educators! 

I started a community with resources, courses, articles, networking, and more.

• I am looking for members to help me build it with the most valuable resources.
• I would really appreciate your input as a teacher, leader, administrator, or consultant.

Join here: Empowered Educator Community

Book: Educator to Entrepreneur: IGNITE Your Path to Freelance Success

email: [email protected]

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Loaded Tea Shop

Million Podcasts List

Download Upside and use my code MELINDA35278 to get 15¢ per gallon extra cash back on your first gas fill-up and 10% extra cash on your first food purchase!

Download Fetch app using this link, submit a receipt and we'll both score bonus points.

Calling All Educators! 

I started a community with resources, courses, articles, networking, and more.

• I am looking for members to help me build it with the most valuable resources.
• I would really appreciate your input as a teacher, leader, administrator, or consultant.

Join here: Empowered Educator Community

Book: Educator to Entrepreneur: IGNITE Your Path to Freelance Success

email: [email protected]

Send us Fan Mail

What Strong Instructional Leaders Study in Summer

Summer offers school leaders something that's often in short supply during the school year—time to think, reflect, and grow. But with so many books, podcasts, conferences, and professional learning opportunities available, how do you know what deserves your attention?

In this episode, Dr. Mel Vandevort shares three areas that strong instructional leaders intentionally study during the summer to better support teachers and improve student learning. Rather than chasing the latest educational trend, you'll be challenged to focus on learning that creates lasting impact in your school.

Whether you're a new principal, an experienced administrator, an instructional coach, or an aspiring school leader, this conversation will help you be more intentional about how you invest your professional growth before the school year begins.

In this episode, you'll discover:

• Why instructional leaders should study student learning before studying programs
• The connection between understanding high-quality instruction and coaching teachers effectively
• Why learning how adults grow is just as important as understanding how students learn
• One practical step you can take this summer to strengthen your instructional leadership

Reflection Question:
What are you intentionally studying this summer that will make you a stronger instructional leader this fall?

References

•  Robinson, V. M. J., Lloyd, C. A., & Rowe, K. J. (2008). The Impact of Leadership on Student Outcomes: An Analysis of the Differential Effects of Leadership Types. 
•  Hattie, J. (2015). High-Impact Leadership. 
•  Bendikson, L., Robinson, V., & Hattie, J. (2012). Principal Instructional Leadership and Secondary School Performance. 
•  Çelik et al. (2022). The Association Between Principal Leadership and Student Achievement: A Multivariate Meta-Meta-Analysis. 

Support the show

Loaded Tea Shop

Million Podcasts List

Download Upside and use my code MELINDA35278 to get 15¢ per gallon extra cash back on your first gas fill-up and 10% extra cash on your first food purchase!

Download Fetch app using this link, submit a receipt and we'll both score bonus points.

Calling All Educators! 

I started a community with resources, courses, articles, networking, and more.

• I am looking for members to help me build it with the most valuable resources.
• I would really appreciate your input as a teacher, leader, administrator, or consultant.

Join here: Empowered Educator Community

Book: Educator to Entrepreneur: IGNITE Your Path to Freelance Success

email: [email protected]

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Loaded Tea Shop

Million Podcasts List

Download Upside and use my code MELINDA35278 to get 15¢ per gallon extra cash back on your first gas fill-up and 10% extra cash on your first food purchase!

Download Fetch app using this link, submit a receipt and we'll both score bonus points.

Calling All Educators! 

I started a community with resources, courses, articles, networking, and more.

• I am looking for members to help me build it with the most valuable resources.
• I would really appreciate your input as a teacher, leader, administrator, or consultant.

Join here: Empowered Educator Community

Book: Educator to Entrepreneur: IGNITE Your Path to Freelance Success

email: [email protected]

Send us Fan Mail

Do you ever reach the end of the week feeling exhausted, yet unsure if you actually moved the most important work forward?

In this episode, Dr. Mel explores one of the most overlooked leadership habits of effective school leaders: intentionally planning the week before it begins. This isn't another time-management conversation. It's a leadership conversation.

You'll discover why some principals seem to make consistent progress despite the constant interruptions that come with the job, while others spend their days reacting to whatever comes next. Through reflection questions and practical insights, you'll be challenged to think differently about how your calendar, priorities, and leadership impact are connected.

In this episode, you'll learn:
• Why your calendar may be revealing more than you think
• The connection between planning and leadership effectiveness
• Why strong leaders create space before they need it
• How intentional planning helps leaders focus on what matters most
• A simple reflection exercise to help you prepare for the week ahead

Whether you're a new principal, aspiring administrator, or experienced school leader looking to lead with greater purpose, this episode will help you evaluate how you're spending your most valuable resource—your time.

🔹 Reflection Question:
If someone looked at your calendar from last week, what would they say was most important to you?

📌 Action Step:
Before next week begins, spend ten uninterrupted minutes identifying what absolutely must happen for the week to be considered successful.

If you found value in today's conversation, share this episode with another school leader and leave a rating and review. Your support helps more educators discover practical leadership guidance that makes a difference.

Robinson, V. M. J., Lloyd, C. A., & Rowe, K. J. (2008). The Impact of Leadership on Student Outcomes: An Analysis of the Differential Effects of Leadership Types. 

 Hattie, J. (2015). High-Impact Leadership. 

 Bendikson, L., Robinson, V., & Hattie, J. (2012). Principal Instructional Leadership and Secondary School Performance. 

 Çelik et al. (2022). The Association Between Principal Leadership and Student Achievement: A Multivariate Meta-Meta-Analysis. 

Support the show

Loaded Tea Shop

Million Podcasts List

Download Upside and use my code MELINDA35278 to get 15¢ per gallon extra cash back on your first gas fill-up and 10% extra cash on your first food purchase!

Download Fetch app using this link, submit a receipt and we'll both score bonus points.

Calling All Educators! 

I started a community with resources, courses, articles, networking, and more.

• I am looking for members to help me build it with the most valuable resources.
• I would really appreciate your input as a teacher, leader, administrator, or consultant.

Join here: Empowered Educator Community

Book: Educator to Entrepreneur: IGNITE Your Path to Freelance Success

email: [email protected]

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Loaded Tea Shop

Million Podcasts List

Download Upside and use my code MELINDA35278 to get 15¢ per gallon extra cash back on your first gas fill-up and 10% extra cash on your first food purchase!

Download Fetch app using this link, submit a receipt and we'll both score bonus points.

Calling All Educators! 

I started a community with resources, courses, articles, networking, and more.

• I am looking for members to help me build it with the most valuable resources.
• I would really appreciate your input as a teacher, leader, administrator, or consultant.

Join here: Empowered Educator Community

Book: Educator to Entrepreneur: IGNITE Your Path to Freelance Success

email: [email protected]

Send us Fan Mail

Before you can improve your leadership, you need an honest picture of where you are today.

In this episode, Dr. Mel Vandevort guides school leaders through a practical self-assessment designed to uncover strengths, identify growth opportunities, and reveal the areas that may be creating unnecessary frustration or overwhelm.

Through a series of reflective questions, you'll evaluate your leadership across three critical areas: leading people, managing the work, and supporting learning. You may discover that the challenge you're experiencing isn't where you thought it was.

Grab a notebook and prepare to think deeply about your current leadership reality. The awareness you gain today could be the catalyst for meaningful growth tomorrow.

In this episode, you'll:
• Reflect on your current leadership effectiveness
• Identify potential "warning lights" in your leadership practice
• Evaluate key areas that impact your daily success
• Determine where focused growth could create the greatest impact

This is the second and final free episode in The Principal Operating System™ series. Future episodes and implementation resources will be available exclusively inside the Empowered Educator Community.

🔗 Learn more about the Empowered Educator Community in the show notes.

Support the show

Loaded Tea Shop

Million Podcasts List

Download Upside and use my code MELINDA35278 to get 15¢ per gallon extra cash back on your first gas fill-up and 10% extra cash on your first food purchase!

Download Fetch app using this link, submit a receipt and we'll both score bonus points.

Calling All Educators! 

I started a community with resources, courses, articles, networking, and more.

• I am looking for members to help me build it with the most valuable resources.
• I would really appreciate your input as a teacher, leader, administrator, or consultant.

Join here: Empowered Educator Community

Book: Educator to Entrepreneur: IGNITE Your Path to Freelance Success

email: [email protected]

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Loaded Tea Shop

Million Podcasts List

Download Upside and use my code MELINDA35278 to get 15¢ per gallon extra cash back on your first gas fill-up and 10% extra cash on your first food purchase!

Download Fetch app using this link, submit a receipt and we'll both score bonus points.

Calling All Educators! 

I started a community with resources, courses, articles, networking, and more.

• I am looking for members to help me build it with the most valuable resources.
• I would really appreciate your input as a teacher, leader, administrator, or consultant.

Join here: Empowered Educator Community

Book: Educator to Entrepreneur: IGNITE Your Path to Freelance Success

email: [email protected]

Send us Fan Mail

In this first episode of the Principal in Action series, Dr. Mel Vandevort explores why effective leadership isn't about working harder, staying later, or carrying more responsibility. It's about building systems that make success repeatable.

You'll learn how systems help school leaders:

✅ Reduce decision fatigue
✅ Create consistency and trust
✅ Protect leadership priorities
✅ Build capacity within teams
✅ Prevent burnout and increase sustainability

If you've ever ended the day wondering where your time went, this episode will help you identify why reactive leadership happens and how simple systems can help you lead with greater clarity, confidence, and purpose.

Reflection Questions

• What decisions am I making repeatedly that could be systematized?
• Where am I relying on memory instead of a process?
• What leadership priority deserves a system?
• What in my school depends too heavily on me?

"For God is not a God of disorder but of peace." — 1 Corinthians 14:33

Strong leadership systems create order, clarity, and consistency so leaders can focus on serving people and advancing their mission.

Power Surge

I don't have to do everything to lead effectively. I choose to build systems that create consistency, protect my priorities, and strengthen my impact. Today, I will lead with intention, not reaction.

Support the show

Loaded Tea Shop

Million Podcasts List

Download Upside and use my code MELINDA35278 to get 15¢ per gallon extra cash back on your first gas fill-up and 10% extra cash on your first food purchase!

Download Fetch app using this link, submit a receipt and we'll both score bonus points.

Calling All Educators! 

I started a community with resources, courses, articles, networking, and more.

• I am looking for members to help me build it with the most valuable resources.
• I would really appreciate your input as a teacher, leader, administrator, or consultant.

Join here: Empowered Educator Community

Book: Educator to Entrepreneur: IGNITE Your Path to Freelance Success

email: [email protected]

Send us Fan Mail

Build People, Not Just Programs

Programs may create momentum, but people create lasting impact.

In this episode of Power Surge, Dr. Mel reminds leaders that sustainable success isn't built through initiatives alone—it's built by investing in the people who carry the mission forward. Discover why coaching, encouragement, and intentional development matter more than any program you implement.

Scripture Focus:
"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." — Galatians 6:9

Power Surge Statement:
I will invest in people with intention because when people grow, schools grow.

Support the show

Loaded Tea Shop

Million Podcasts List

Download Upside and use my code MELINDA35278 to get 15¢ per gallon extra cash back on your first gas fill-up and 10% extra cash on your first food purchase!

Download Fetch app using this link, submit a receipt and we'll both score bonus points.

Calling All Educators! 

I started a community with resources, courses, articles, networking, and more.

• I am looking for members to help me build it with the most valuable resources.
• I would really appreciate your input as a teacher, leader, administrator, or consultant.

Join here: Empowered Educator Community

Book: Educator to Entrepreneur: IGNITE Your Path to Freelance Success

email: [email protected]