In episode 18 of the Well-Led Schools podcast, I am joined by Violetta Znorkowsky, a leadership mentor, meditation/mindfulness teacher, holistic counsellor, experiential educator and the founder of Expand and Impact. In the episode, Violetta shares powerful insights into what it really takes to feel a sense of emotional wellbeing and the importance of developing skills like self-awareness, emotional intelligence and empathy in order to thrive in our emotional world. 

When you’re emotionally well you’re more capable of processing your emotions using healthy coping strategies and mechanisms and you’re going to be more likely to see yourself in a positive light and be resilient in the face of stress.

 

About Violetta

Violetta Znorkowski is the Founder and Facilitator at Expand and Impact, an Experiential Education Company that works with Female Professionals and Entrepreneurs who want to challenge the status quo and create a new normal in how success and leadership looks and feels.

With over 10 years of experience and an international career working around the world with both youth and adults to develop leadership skills, raise emotional intelligence and build resilience, Violetta is passionate about guiding others to safely explore their connection to self, others and the world around them. Her work is informed through her training in Holistic Counseling Psychology, Leadership Coaching and Mindfulness and Meditation Training; blending Eastern and Western philosophies and techniques to consider the WHOLE person. 

 

“Emotional wellbeing is an individual's capacity to move through the many different emotional states without getting stuck in one or the other” - Violetta Znorkowski

 

Tune into this episode to discover:

• What emotional wellbeing is
• Signs that you have a strong sense of emotional wellbeing
• How to know if your emotional wellbeing needs a boost
• What emotional intelligence is
• Strategies to cultivate greater emotional intelligence
• Ways of connecting to our physical selves to become more attuned to our emotional wellbeing 

 

Links and Resources:

Join our online wellbeing course for educators today

Free boundaries visualisation resource

 

Thank you so much for listening. I’m so honoured that you’re here and would be so grateful if you could leave me a review on Apple Podcasts or on your preferred podcast app, that way we can inspire and educate even more people together.

 

Connect with Violetta: 

On Linkedin 

Through her Website ‘Expand and Impact’

Listen to Violetta’s podcast ‘Expand and Impact’

 

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My website

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Email

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Do you feel satisfied and fulfilled in your career?

In episode 17 of the Well-Led Schools podcast, I am joined by recruiting strategist and career wellbeing expert Deb Houston.

Career or occupational wellbeing indicates being satisfied with our jobs and career paths and feeling fulfilled in this aspect of our lives. It’s also about being involved in work that provides satisfaction and aligns us with our values and goals. Finally, in order to feel peak levels of career wellness, we need to be involved in roles and activities that allow us to demonstrate our skills while also pursuing opportunities to reach greater heights professionally.

 

In this episode, we cover:

• How to know if your career wellbeing is thriving
• The role of values and boundary setting for improved occupational wellbeing
• Signs that you might not be satisfied with your current role or career path
• Practical advice for leaders who want to support staff who have expressed concern about their career wellbeing

 

About Deb: 

Deb Houston has 17 years of recruiting experience both in the UK and Australia and now runs her own consulting agency, Phlox Consulting. Through a supportive, consultative and fun approach to recruitment, Deb mentors both job seekers and employers to help them achieve the best possible match for their goals. 

Thank you so much for listening. I’m so honoured that you’re here and would be so grateful if you could leave me a review on Apple Podcasts or on your preferred podcast app, that way we can inspire and educate even more people together.

 

Links and Resources:

Join our online wellbeing course for educators today

 

Connect with Deb:

On LinkedIn 

Phlox Consulting

Podcast: You Hired Me At Hello

 

Connect with me via:

My website

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Email

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Are you connected to your highest self? 

In episode 16 of the Well-Led Schools podcast we dive into the spiritual dimension of wellbeing alongside the lovely Harmony Robinson-Stagg. 

Spiritual wellbeing pertains to the search for purpose and meaning in life. Spirituality doesn’t necessary refer to religion in this context, although the two certainly are linked, it could also include a belief in a higher power, the understanding that you have of yourself, what you were put on this earth to do, what your goals and values are and the impact you can make during your time here. 

 

About Harmony:

Harmony is an Ayurveda and Women's Health Practitioner & the founder of the Ayurveda Alchemist Academy. She is also a registered nurse with more than 17 years of experience in the health & wellness industry. Her mission is to bridge the gap between Eastern & Western medicine.

As the founder of the HigHERself ™ Method, she takes a unique approach to support women in reclaiming their health & balance their hormones so that they can show up as their higher-self in all areas of their lives.

Harmony is also the host of a very popular Health & Wellness Podcast called Harmony Inspired Health. She is a twin mum to two beautiful boys, a yoga teacher and a self-confessed chai latte enthusiast.

 

Tune in to discover:

• What Ayurveda is and how it can support your wellbeing
• How identifying your Dosha type can help you establish better spiritual balance
• Signs that your spiritual wellbeing may require some attention
• The role of self-awareness in spiritual growth
• Practical tips for educators who are feeling disconnected from their purpose
• Ideas to help schools promote spiritual wellbeing within their staff and classrooms

Links and Resources:

Join our online wellbeing course for educators today

Discover your mind-body type by taking the Dosha quiz

 

Thank you so much for listening. I’m so honoured that you’re here and would be so grateful if you could leave me a review on Apple Podcasts or on your preferred podcast app, that way we can inspire and educate even more people together.

 

Connect with Harmony:

Website: www.harmonyinspiredhealth.com.au

On Instagram: Harmony.Inspired.Ayurveda

Join Her Free Community Group

FREE Foundations of Ayurveda Course

Harmony Inspired Health Podcast

 

Connect with me via:

My website

Linkedin

Instagram 

Email

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Let’s talk about money, shall we?

Continuing on with the dimensions of wellbeing series, in episode 15 of the Well-Led School podcast, I am joined by stock advisor and financial wellbeing expert, Jon Moses. 

 

About Jon:

Jon Moses is the owner of JM Investments, a full-service stockbroking firm that provides a personalised service with an ethical footprint. With over a decade of experience working in commodity and financial markets, Jon helps clients invest in the stock market without the stress or worry usually associated with it.

Apart from his expertise in the stock market, Jon is also a Lifeline counsellor since 2017. He believes that facing one's money stories, traumas, and blocks head-on is essential to reach financial goals and live a truly rich life. With his deep understanding of behavioural finances, Jon combines his counselling skills with his financial expertise to help his clients develop investment portfolios tailored to their unique situations.

If money talk tends to stress you out, or if your financial wellbeing could be better off, you’ll want to tune into this episode where we chat about: 

• What it means to have a healthy sense of financial well-being
• Common limiting beliefs that could be holding you back from feeling financially well
• Some of the biggest mistakes people make when it comes to finances
• The BEST way to remove anxiety around money
• The top causes of financial stress
• Steps you can take to feel more in control of your finances

 

Links and Resources:

Join our online wellbeing course for educators today

 

Jon’s Top Tips for Supporting Your Financial Wellbeing 

1. Work out what you’re spending money on
2. Identify what expenses are non-negotiable and most valuable to you
3. Have an emergency fund of 3 months wage
4. Create an automated savings and investment system
5. Build a financial plan for your future
6. Seek out a financial advisor for support

 

Thank you so much for listening. I’m so honoured that you’re here and would be so grateful if you could leave me a review on Apple Podcasts or on your preferred podcast app, that way we can inspire and educate even more people together.

 

Connect with Jon:

Instagram: jm_investments_advisory

Website: jminvest.com.au

 

Connect with me via:

My website

Linkedin

Instagram 

Email

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Are you doing enough to support your physical wellbeing?

Episode 14 of the Well-Led Schools podcast is the first of our dimensions of wellbeing series where I will be chatting with experts in each area of wellbeing. To kick off the series, we’ll be starting with physical wellbeing where I am joined by my good friend and clinical nutritionist, Solaine Douglas. 

 

About Solaine: 

After experiencing her own health issues as a young woman, Solaine levelled up her health through the implementation of critical nutrition and lifestyle changes. After this, she was so inspired to help women confront the underlying root causes of their chronic symptoms, hormone imbalances and fertility challenges through a holistic nutrition approach. With a Bachelors in Nutrition and studying a Masters in Reproductive Medicine, Solaine is well-equipped to support clients in getting the right nutrition and lifestyle strategies in place to create optimal health, using true solutions over band-aid approaches to problems. 

 

In this episode, we cover:

• The impact that good nutrition can have on health
• What it means to have a strong sense of physical wellbeing
• How a strong sense of self and self-love are the drivers for achieving your health goals
• Learning how to eat healthily in a way that works for you versus using standard diets or meal plans
• Tips for busy educators to help them stay on top of their health and nutritional lifestyle
• The impact of stress on our physical health
• Symptoms and signs to look out for that could indicate you’re experiencing chronic stress
• Practical ways to manage stress from a nutrition and lifestyle perspective

 

Links and Resources:

Join our online wellbeing course for educators today

My Blog: Meal Planning And Food Prepping Tips To Save You Time

My Blog: Eating To Reduce Stress: Which Foods To Eat And Which To Avoid

 

Get on top of your eating habits with these downloadable resources:

Balanced Plate Guide

Complete Approach to Healthy Eating

Weekly Meal Planner

Quick and Easy Meal Ideas

 

Thank you so much for listening. I’m so honoured that you’re here and would be so grateful if you could leave me a review on Apple Podcasts or on your preferred podcast app, that way we can inspire and educate even more people together.

 

Connect with Solaine:

On Instagram: Solainedouglas_nutrition

Website: Solainedouglas.com

Podcast: Holistic Health Chats

 

Connect with me via:

My website

Linkedin

Instagram 

Email

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We hear the word “wellbeing” thrown around a lot these days, but few fully understand what it entails. Is it perhaps an absence of disease or illness? Or something more complex than that?

In my opinion, wellbeing is certainly complex and the multi-dimensional model of wellbeing that I introduce in this episode will demonstrate that it goes beyond just being in good physical and emotional health, it also means that we feel comfortable and happy with our occupational, spiritual, intellectual, environmental, financial and social wellbeing. 

Research by  Gallup in 2021 indicated that the more of these dimensions require our attention, the more likely we are to experience mental health challenges and burnout.

Once we begin to view wellbeing from a multi-dimensional lens, we can become more in tune with our wellbeing needs and take impactful and supportive actions.

 

In this episode, we cover:

• Varying definitions of wellbeing
• An introduction to the eight dimensions of wellbeing
• A reflective practice that can help you “check the pulse” on your own wellbeing
• How to begin addressing gaps in your wellbeing

 

Links and Resources:

Join our online wellbeing course for educators today

Blog article: The Eight Dimensions Of Wellbeing And Why All Of Them Count Towards Your Success In Life And Work

Download the 8 Dimensions of Wellbeing PDF resource

 

Thank you so much for listening. I’m so honoured that you’re here and would be so grateful if you could leave me a review on Apple Podcasts or on your preferred podcast app, that way we can inspire and educate even more people together.

 

Connect with me via:

My website

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Email

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

While you may think you know what challenges your staff are facing and what they need to thrive in the workplace - you won’t really know for sure unless you ask them. 

And while you’ve probably made an honest effort to provide your teachers and staff with more support, you may be wondering why so many are still struggling with or on the brink of burnout. 

Our national data collected from schools across Australia reveals that workload and administrative tasks are the leading causes of workplace stress for teachers and staff, and while in some cases it may seem near impossible to reduce workload, there are many creative strategies that can be employed to streamline it and reduce the burden staff are experiencing.  

The point is, we have to get to the root of the problem in order to make lasting changes and improvements to staff’s wellbeing and school culture. Our Anonymous Staff Wellbeing can support you in doing just that! 

 

In this episode, we cover: 

• The importance of identifying staff stressors
• Organisational vs operational workplace stressors
• How our Anonymous Staff Wellbeing Survey can help you identify staff stressors and make better decisions about which initiatives to pursue
• The top reported stressors across Australian schools based on our survey findings
• The top rated strategies for supporting wellbeing across Australian schools according to our survey findings

 

Links and Resources:

Anonymous Staff Wellbeing Surveys

Blog article: How To Use a Staff Wellbeing Survey To Support a Whole-School Scan

Blog article: The Leading Causes of Workplace Stress for Teachers and School Staff Across Australia 

Blog article: The Top Rated Initiatives to Improve Staff and Teacher Wellbeing and How to Address Them 

 

Thank you so much for listening. I’m so honoured that you’re here and would be so grateful if you could leave me a review on Apple Podcasts or on your preferred podcast app, that way we can inspire and educate even more people together.

 

Connect with me via:

My website

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Email

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Have staff wellbeing initiatives you’ve offered in the past left you feeling disappointed that nothing changed or improved?

One mistake leaders often make is assuming they know what staff need or want, but the only way to know for sure is to ask them BEFORE we act.

When it comes to overhauling a whole school’s culture, we must have staff buy-in, and in order to achieve that, we need to involve them in the process of change - from allowing them to provide feedback to including them in co-creating a vision and implementing the changes necessary to create a thriving school environment. 

Anonymous Staff Wellbeing surveys are an excellent way to allow all staff to have a voice and collect valuable feedback that can help leaders implement meaningful changes. 

More than once, I’ve worked with schools where the leadership team felt they had a good understanding of what the priority areas were, but upon involving the staff in discussions, other priorities came to the surface instead.

 

In this week’s solo episode of the Well-Led School podcast, I walk you through 

• Why your school should run an anonymous staff wellbeing survey
• The benefits of anonymous staff wellbeing surveys
• How to effectively survey the staff in your school
• The four sections of my Anonymous Staff Wellbeing Survey
• Some of the data that has emerged in the last 12 months of running and analysing surveys of schools across Australia

 

Links and Resources:

Explore my Anonymous Staff Wellbeing Survey Packages

Blog Article: What Is A School Scan Of Wellbeing And Why Does Your School Need To Do One? 

Blog Article: How To Use A Staff Wellbeing Survey To Support A Whole-School Scan

Thank you so much for listening. I’m so honoured that you’re here and would be so grateful if you could leave me a review on Apple Podcasts or on your preferred podcast app, that way, we can inspire and educate even more people together.

 

Connect with me via:

My website

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Email

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the 10th episode of the Well-Led Schools podcast I am joined by school principal and Positive Psychology advocate David Kolpak.

Leading a school culture where both staff and student wellbeing is front and centre requires strong leadership capability, the relevant personal attributes and emotional intelligence. David encompasses these very qualities and in this episode he breaks down his approach and philosophy towards becoming a “well-led school” - a school that leads with wellbeing in mind. 

About David:

David Kolpak (MEd, BEd, BTeach) is the Principal at Trinity College North in Adelaide (EY-10). In his leadership roles, David has been responsible for the design and delivery of Positive Education programs delivered to students from Kindergarten to year 10, working with his teams to develop the scope and sequence of programs taught between the ages of 3 and 16 and ensuring that the principles of positive psychology are embedded across all curriculum areas.With 30 years’ experience as a leader and teacher, David has established himself as a quality educator and speaker on Positive Education and Wellbeing and has been invited to present his work at numerous national and international conferences including the Positive Education Schools Association, the Positive Schools conference and the International Positive Psychology Association World Congress.Keen to share his work, David has authored several “Character Strength’ iBooks which are freely available to use in the classroom. David’s passion for bringing out the best is evident in his school-based leadership and teaching roles together with his wider roles as a speaker and leader in the field.

In this episode, we cover:

• Why focusing on staff wellbeing is just as important as student wellbeing
• The importance of a well-rounded approach to wellbeing in schools
• How to create a feedback culture that’s based on trust
• What character strengths are and why it’s valuable to explore them with staff
• How to create more engagement by allowing staff to be who they are

 

Links and Resources:

Blog article: The PERMAH Model for Workplace Wellbeing  

Blog article: What is Positive Psychology and How to Apply The Principles To Your Own Wellbeing

Blog article: 9 Reasons to Put Staff Wellbeing at The Top of Your School’s Priority List

Discover your own character strengths! Take the VIA Strengths Assessment here

Are you a Dove, Owl, Peacock or Eagle? Take the DISC bird personality test here 

 

Thank you so much for listening. I’m so honoured that you’re here and would be so grateful if you could leave me a review on Apple Podcasts or on your preferred podcast app, that way we can inspire and educate even more people together.

 

Connect with David:

LinkedIn

Download and read his character strengths iBooks

 

Connect with me via:

My website

Linkedin

Instagram 

Email

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of the Well-Led School podcast, I am joined by change leadership expert and author of the book Valuable Change, Brendon Baker. We discuss what it really takes to inspire and create meaningful change within workplaces and schools and how simple mindset shifts, like how we define success, can lead us towards the changes in culture we seek. 

 

About Brendon

Brendon is a leading expert in getting what you want from your projects. He has led and guided over $10 Billion in transformative projects and programs across more types of change than would be reasonable to list out here. Just know that it includes everything from transformations to teddy bears. Through it all Brendon has learned two things:

First - Change is HARD, so we need to ensure it’s worthwhile.

Second – The answer often lies in simplicity.

He is the author of the best-seller Valuable Change, and niche top seller Creating High Value PMOs. His pioneering work in the internal influencer space is world leading. Brendon now spends his time forging change leaders and working with them to drive more worthwhile organisational change. His clients include high growth tech firms, key ASX100 companies like AGL and South32, various Not-For-Profits, as well as all three levels of the Australian Government.

 

Join us for a thought-provoking conversation where we cover:

• What it really takes to create meaningful change at work
• How reframing how we define and measure success can help us achieve change
• How to make sure the changes you’re implementing aren’t surface level
• Why context and clarity are key to driving change
• How recognition, rewards and incentives can be leveraged to motivate change
• Ways that school leaders can ensure their change initiatives stay at the forefront for all staff
• Why wisdom is the key to valuable change
• The importance of narrowing your focus
• What the momentum path is and how it can be applied to create change over time

 

Links and Resources:

Learn more about creating change in schools by reading these articles:

• The Secret Recipe For Motivating Your Staff To Implement Change In The Workplace
• Leading Through Complex Change: How to Adapt Our Leadership Style To Support Staff During A Pandemic

View/download the momentum path image

 

Thank you so much for listening. I’m so honoured that you’re here and would be so grateful if you could leave me a review on Apple Podcasts or on your preferred podcast app, that way we can inspire and educate even more people together.

 

Connect with Brendon:

Visit his website 

Connect on LinkedIn 

 

Connect with me via:

My website

Linkedin

Instagram 

Email

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.