Accelerate Your Performance

In this episode, Dr. KK Owen, a leader coach at Studer Education, shares that “our best chance of success is through our people.” As she explains, it’s for this reason that people need to understand that they are valued and that they bring value to an organization. Building a people-first mindset allows for this kind of focus through recognition, intentional communication, and shining lights on br...

According to Dr. Reggie Todd, the guest in this episode, “Service excellence is critical because it directly shapes the experiences people have with an organization.” The truth is that service matters, and service excellence is an all day, every day, all-in proposition.  What does it mean to have great customer service? What does service excellence entail? How can you build service excellence prac...

Do you want to improve your communication skills but don’t know how to get started? This episode of the Accelerate Your Performance podcast is for you! Join Dr. Janet Pilcher in the third episode in a series focused on communication and Pillar 3: Communicate for Alignment, part of the 9 Pillars of Leadership Excellence. In this episode, Dr. Pilcher provides practical tactics that you can use to co...

Effective leadership necessitates effective communication.  If you want to grow your communication skills, join Dr. Janet Pilcher this week for the second episode in a series related to Pillar 3: Communicate for Alignment. In this episode, she shares specific communication barriers and ways to tackle to those barriers.  Listen as Dr. Pilcher explains how communication barriers impact employees and...

“Great leadership requires leaders to be great communicators.”  That’s why Dr. Janet Pilcher shares a deeper dive into Pillar 3: Communicate for Alignment, one of the overarching 9 Pillars of Leadership Excellence.  Join her for the first in a series of episodes exploring:  the importance of communicating effectively; the value of communicating for alignment; the barriers to effective communicatio...

Sometimes, a pause is all that is needed to get an organization moving faster. This may sound counterintuitive, but, as Dr. Casey Blochowiak explains, pausing to reflect on what may be bogging down systems and processes allows organizations to refine their work, improve processes, and operate more efficiently. Listen as Dr. Janet Pilcher talks with Dr. Blochowiak, Vice President of Coaching at Stu...

Join Dr. Janet Pilcher, Founder and President of Studer Education, as she reflects on four decades in education leadership and shares why this moment calls for greater focus, consistency, and action.  In this episode, Dr. Pilcher explains the 9 Pillars of Leadership Excellence —a practical leadership operating system designed to help organizations move from intention to results. Listen to hear how...

Are you looking for an effective way to shift organizational culture? Listen to hear why Ms. Marni Herrington, Deputy Superintendent and Chief Academic Officer of the Oxford School District in Mississippi, can confidently proclaim, “rounding has changed our culture.” Find out how the Oxford School District is using rounding to build a positive culture that is focused on improvement as Dr. Pilcher...

When applied consistently and effectively, one simple practice can have a tremendous impact on culture and create a ripple effect across your organization. What is that practice? Rounding. In this episode, Dr. Janet Pilcher welcomes Samantha Sands, Director of Customer Success for K-12 Rounding , to discuss how small, intentional interactions help leaders build trust, strengthen culture, and boost...

Join Dr. Janet Pilcher, Founder and President of Studer Education, as she welcomes the new year with reflections on a longstanding commitment to worthwhile work that helps educational leaders make a meaningful, lasting difference.  In this episode, Dr. Pilcher introduces the 9 Pillars of Leadership Excellence —a practical framework grounded in decades of field experience—to help leaders strengthen...

Join Dr. Janet Pilcher, Founder and President of Studer Education, for the final Accelerate Your Performance episode of the year as she reflects on the moments, partnerships, and lessons that shaped Studer Education’s path. Dr. Pilcher expresses her deep gratitude for the early leaders who helped lay the foundation for this work and celebrates the enduring impact of aligning culture, strategy, and...

It's easy to get caught up in the day-to-day challenges of leadership, but what if our most powerful tool is simply focusing on what's working well? Listen as Dr. Janet Pilcher explains how recognizing bright spots creates a powerful loop of purpose and builds the sense of belonging that helps employees know they matter. Recommended Resources: Keep Your Organizational Flywheel Spinning w...

Consistent practices keep the organizational flywheel spinning, and one practice is essential, especially during the holidays: gratitude. In this episode, Dr. Janet Pilcher explains how intentional appreciation connects people back to the core values of purpose and worthwhile work. Listen to learn how to connect an individual's specific behavior to its organizational impact, sending a clear m...

"Culture and strategic improvement—those are inseparable." This is a guiding philosophy of Dr. Jamie Burkhart, Director of Women in Leadership at the Missouri Association of School Administrators (MASA) .  Joining Dr. Janet Pilcher, Dr. Burkhart discusses her leadership journey and demonstrates why "going slow to go fast" is the only sustainable path to strategic improvement. S...

"Education is truly the conduit to freedom." This powerful belief drives Superintendent Dr. Tremayne Clardy of the Verona Area School District . Joining Dr. Janet Pilcher, he discusses how the district is strategically establishing literacy as the driving force behind all its work. Dr. Clardy explains why, in today's complex world, strong literacy is the path to student freedom and...

Recurring problems demand a shift in focus. In this final rapid-fire episode, Dr. Janet Pilcher shares three essential steps to move away from blame and toward process improvement. Learn what it takes to reframe discussions, conduct a system audit, and hardwire new, standardized processes for better performance and desired outcomes. Recommended Resources:  Empower Your Team by Embracing Accountabi...

External noise is a constant, yet you can be a source of stability and trust. Dr. Janet Pilcher shares three actionable steps educational leaders can take to proactively share their story and build strong allies. In five minutes, learn how to anchor conversations to your scorecard, lead with what's right, and ensure message consistency across your system.  Recommended Resources:  Save Time wi...

October burnout is real, and the first 90 days are critical for new hires. Don't leave retention to chance. In this second rapid-fire episode, Dr. Janet Pilcher shares three intentional executive actions to help leaders secure their best people and create a culture where staff want to stay. Recommended Resources:  Retain New Hires with 30- and 90-Day Conversations , Studer Education 30/90-day...

In the first of four rapid-fire episodes, Dr. Janet Pilcher delivers three essential steps educational leaders can take right now to protect their mission and secure their future. Listen now and learn how to operationalize your budget with discipline and strategic focus. Recommended Resources:  Build Trust to Strengthen Culture , Measuring Progress and Fostering Excellence: The Power of Scorecards...

Join Dr. Janet Pilcher as she welcomes Joseph Murley, Director of Finance for Barren County School District , to discuss how a district-wide survey revealed a surprising breakdown in the district's online fundraising system. Joe explains how he then modeled a new survey to pinpoint the root cause of the problem. Finally, he shares the impact of leader rounding, demonstrating how showing care...

Visions in Education , a charter school serving nine counties across Northern California, is thriving—even as many districts face declining enrollment. Listen as Chief Operations Officer, Tom Tafoya, discusses their evolution to meet the changing needs of their students and families in their unique online environment.  Tom shares how his team approaches each day with a '1% better' philos...

In this final live episode from the Destination High Performance K-12 Leadership Conference, Dr. Janet Pilcher welcomes Dr. Heidi Eliopoulos, Superintendent of the School District of Altoona . With over two decades in education, Heidi shares her leadership journey—from an "accidental superintendent" to a high-performing leader. Tune in as Dr. Eliopoulos highlights the essential role of l...

In another live episode recorded at the Destination High Performance K-12 Leadership Conference, Dr. Janet Pilcher welcomes Superintendent Dr. Casey Nye of D.C. Everest Area School District . Listen as Dr. Nye shares his approach to building and sustaining a strong culture of caring and continuous improvement. He shares how his district:  intentionally gathers feedback from families through survey...

In this live episode, Dr. Janet Pilcher welcomes Dr. Cory Strasser, Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services for Rapid City Area Schools . In a special conversation recorded at the Destination High Performance K-12 Leadership Conference, Dr. Strasser shares his proven approach to building a "people first" culture. Listen as he reveals how his commitment to intentional, values-bas...

This week, we close our series celebrating the release of Quint Studer and Dr. Janet Pilcher's book, The Extraordinary Gift: Our Teachers . In this moving episode, Dr. Pilcher shares two more powerful stories about the educators who shape our lives.  First, hear from Dr. Pat Greco as she recalls how the simple moments of connection from caring educators helped her find belonging during a chil...