Accelerate Your Performance

Even the best leaders know that they can continue to learn. That mindset is partially what makes them good leaders; they continue to seek ways to improve. In this episode, Dr. Janet Pilcher talks with Dr. Vincent June, one of those great leaders who continues to seek ways to improve. His leadership has had a tremendous impact on the institutions and communities that he has served. As a result, he...

Change is everyday business for leaders, and employees rely on leaders to guide them through change by effectively managing and leading change efforts.  Listen as Dr. Janet Pilcher reflects on the idea that change is everyday business and shares three key concepts related to how leaders can effectively manage and lead the "everyday business" of change: Align leader behaviors that produce...

People want to do good work, and they want to work in an organization that has a positive work environment. According to Kelly Krostag, Assistant Superintendent of Human Resource Services for Escambia County Public Schools in Florida, a positive work environment “is the culture,” and she shares that developing, implementing, and living standards of excellence in the organization can transform orga...

On the heals of Studer Education's 2026 Destination High Performance Higher Education Conference, Dr. Janet Pilcher reflects on the event and her takeaways. She calls out an idea shared by Dr. Brendan Kelly, President of Eastern Michigan University: the idea that education institutions serve and support students best when they align "what they do" with what students want and need --...

As Dr. Kristine Strickland, Chancellor of Fletcher Technical Community College, proposes in this week’s episode, strategic plans are important…if they don’t sit on a shelf to collect dust. Rather, as Dr. Strickland shares, strategic plans must be “alive” in daily work and conversations to keep everyone in an organization aligned with the goals and priorities outlined in the strategic plan. Scoreca...

Employees want to feel valued and heard at work. When they feel this way, they feel safe sharing ideas, are motivated to do their best, and see the impact of their contributions and the contributions of others. In these ways, value and voice build a strong workplace culture. Rounding and recognition can help add value and voice to an organization to a strong culture.    Listen to this conversation...

Bright spots of good work are all around us in organizations. It is a leader's responsibility to create ways for people to harvest the stories of these bright spots. These stories reinforce why someone's work is valued, the impact it has on others, and how individual contributions make a positive impact. “Connecting to Purpose" is a tactic outlined in Pillar 4 of the 9 Pillars of Le...

In preparation for an upcoming webinar, Dr. Janet Pilcher provides a brief introduction to the idea that feedback is a gift. She discusses how feedback is a two-way gift – leaders must provide and receive feedback. Feedback is a gift that provides valuable data that informs solid decisions, but it must be received with the right mindset. Listen as Janet shares tips for receiving feedback in the “r...

Every day in an organization, good work is being done. Ensuring that all this good work is aligned and focused on the same goals and outcomes is what Superintendent Michael Maine of Martin County, Florida calls getting “locked tight,” and Superintendent Maine is a master at this alignment process. In this episode, Dr. Janet Pilcher and Superintendent Maine discuss how getting locked tight has resu...

Getting feedback is one thing; capturing feedback with the mindset that it is a gift is another. The idea that “feedback is a gift” relates to proactively seeking feedback to better understand what is working well and what needs improvement. Join Dr. Janet Pilcher and, Kathy Myles, a Studer Education Leader Coach, as they explore the idea of feedback being a gift and listening to others for the pu...

Good leaders continuously seek improvement; they want to grow and learn. They lead the way in growing, improving, and surpassing status quo. The 9 Pillars of Leadership Excellence frame these kinds of continuous improvement efforts and shape how leaders execute effective leadership practices. The Pillars offer the means to grow, learn, and excel in leadership.  In this episode, Dr. Janet Pilcher d...

"Words have power," which is why Dr. Janet Pilcher issues a call for leaders to be thoughtful of words, choosing them carefully and using them in positive ways. Leaders model how to use words effectively, and operationalizing values, including those related to how words are used, encourages the use of words that build a positive workplace culture.  Listen as Dr. Pilcher  discusses two co...

Improvement is a team effort, and teams must support one another to be able to move forward together. As Dr. Jennifer Kubista, Superintendent of Central School District 13J in Oregon states, “You have to be reflective and working hard together.” Survey data provides the data and feedback for an organization to reflect on and work on together. In fact, effectively using survey results can improve a...

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...