Accelerate Your Performance

Dale Shaver returns from epsiode #151 to share the biggest challenges their data reveal and key takeaways for all leaders willing to collaborate to find creative solutions to community wide problems. Waukesha County Government was no stranger to partnering with schools, however, this pandemic brought about an opportunity Dale refers to as, "Snow days on steroids." Through their collabora...

Recently we've been hearing conversations around data demonstrating that with certain approaches to safety, students can return back to school in classrooms. Dale Shaver from the Waukesha County Government returns to the podcast to share the strategic efforts their county has applied to connect public health and k12 education. The results of this high-performing, collaborative community effor...

A leader's most important challenge is to keep the organization from falling. To remain good, or even great depends on how we roll strategy, people, and service into how we approach leadership in the next decade. As change becomes ongoing and more complex, a traditional strategic plan will no longer suffice. To continuously improve and continuously adapt to change we need a fluid, dynamic, ag...

Some topics are easier to approach in the workplace than others. Conflicting issues and viewpoints often leave leaders stuck between a rock and a hard place. Discussing topics like diversity and inclusion can feel risky for leaders who don't know how their teams will react. With these leaders in mind, Dr. Gayle Juneau Butler and Dr. Janet Pilcher collaborated to develop a 3-stage framework to...

Reflect on the last time someone gave you constructive feedback... did it feel like a gift? That likely depends on the intent of the person providing the feedback. Within our own teams and organizations providing constructive feedback to one another is a necessary step in the improvement process.  Yet feedback that is littered with generalizations does little to help others improve. Listen as Dr....

To have any chance at alleviating the growing number of teacher shortages , traditional and nontraditional institutions responsible for educating teachers have to consider new business models that meet potential teachers where they are in their lives, careers and educational journeys. It’s time for a wholesale rethinking of how we recruit, educate and support teachers for the workforce of the futu...

Routines provide structure and comfort within our teams. Rituals go beyond providing structure to instill a deeper meaning behind a sequence of actions. As we continuously navigate change, we need structure to reduce people's anxiety and increase their confidence. People need to know their work has purpose and is worthwhile in helping an organization achieve results. Today, Janet shares one o...

What skills do we need to cultivate now to lead our organizations into the future? In this episode, Janet challenges the solution of reorganizing the hierarchical structures within our organizations and recommends we focus on increasing agility to manage through consistent and continuous change. As leaders our most important job is to develop and coach employees to work across boundaries, transfor...

Politics, violence, hate... These topics aren't often discussed in our workplaces. Yet people on our teams are feeling pain, disbelief, fear, anger, confusion, and frustration. As leaders, our teams are looking to us to lean in and provide support to manage these feelings. In this episode, Dr. Janet Pilcher shares an approach she created and followed to encourage inclusive conversations on he...

Continuous improvement is a process,  a mindset, and a set of tools. It's organization-wide and specific to each individual. At its core are the people who do the work. Through sustained, system-wide improvement, teams can deeply understand and solve problems, while thriving through crises. Two experts in continuous improvement,  Dr. John Toussaint and Dr. Christina Dixon join us again to dis...

There is a lot of information out there about continuous improvement and lean thinking. But, do we know what is really at the core of those methodologies? Dr. John Toussaint and Dr. Christina Dixon join Janet today to dig deep into the core of improvement work. It is no secret that many systems struggle to sustain improvement work beyond isolated occurrences and leaders. In this episode, experts C...

In this ever-changing climate, continuous improvement is more vital than ever, and it's something today's guest, Dr. Ed Manansala , County Superintendent of Schools at El Dorado COE , and the President of the California County Superintendents Educational Services Association are deeply committed to. Listen as Janet and Ed discuss how to engage people in continuous improvement, 5 bold ste...

Have you ever felt a particular duty or aspect of your work was insignificant, small, or maybe even meaningless? No matter how small, every action has a ripple effect and contributes to the greater good for our organizations and teams. In this episode, our host Dr. Janet Pilcher shares a story that exemplifies this-- the humble beginnings that led to Kyle Johnston becoming the head athletic traine...

2020 has been the kind of year where we've all felt more stress and anxiety due to continuous change and uncertainty. As we turn our heads to 2021 now is a good time to reflect and self-assess. Has the stress we've understandably felt led us to be impatient with others? What kind of energy are we bringing home and to our workplaces? Do we drain energy from others, or do we energize other...

"When you shut down vulnerability you shut down opportunity"-- the words of Brene Brown challenge us to get honest with ourselves and self-reflect. What does vulnerable leadership look like? We know it involves opening up and being real, but how do we approach vulnerability in our organizations? In this episode, Janet shares characteristics of vulnerable leadership and practical tips for...

Great leaders are curious leaders.  Curiosity makes us more aware, opens our minds to new possibilities and solutions,  and leads to better communication between people and teams. In this episode, Dr. Janet Pilcher discusses why curiosity is critical in our workplaces and what we can do to increase our curiosity. This episode answers questions such as: How can curiosity transform our leadership? W...

On a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the best, let's rate ourselves for each statement: I make a difference on my team , I'm refreshing to work with , and I'm always willing to lend a hand . Now, how would your coworkers rate you? When it comes to relationships with colleagues, every interaction counts. In this episode, our host Dr. Janet Pilcher shares tips for managing good working r...

The end of a year is a great time to reflect. How far have we gone over the year? Did we hit our goals? If not, what kept us from achieving them? In this episode, Dr. Janet Pilcher describes a process that engages employees in reflective conversations to keep our organizations moving in the right direction. This episode answers questions such as: How can we give our team members a chance to meanin...

While the holidays are often times of joy, they can also be difficult times for some, and this year has sure brought challenges for all of us. With this in mind, let's consider how we can recognize the people in our lives and how we can effectively express our appreciation. In this episode, Dr. Janet Pilcher shares tips for practicing gratitude and creating an environment where people feel va...

Since March, we've all understandably felt more stressed at times. Research shows gratitude can help balance out the impacts of uncertainty on our wellbeing. In this episode, listen as Dr. Janet Pilcher shares ideas for how we can cultivate more gratitude on our teams after weathering a long year of living in a constant state of uncertainty. This episode answers questions such as: Why should...

When challenges seem numerous or even insurmountable, it's important we stay connected to our purpose and that we help our teams do the same. It is the fuel that will keep us going and infuses meaning into our work.  Having a sense of purpose calls us to growth and to step out of our comfort zones. Staying connected to our purpose is so vital, we've chosen it as the theme of this year&ap...

When humans are faced with change, we often deny, rationalize, and negotiate before we accept our newly found situation. Within our organizations, change can amplify stress and hinder productivity. Our goal as leaders is to build relationships and help individuals move through their anxiety. We do this by asking meaningful questions that connect our organization's standards of behavior to the...

Children who experience a strong early education are more likely to be successful in life.  This is why today's guests strive to support families and seek out innovation for children and early childhood education. In this episode, Rina Irwin,  CEO of Child Development Centers (CDC) in Erie, Pennsylvania, and Dr. Scott Cartwright, Director of Medical Services share about how they do things dif...

When we are faced with change we have an opportunity to respond with creative solutions. Today, our guest shares how her organization is inspired to navigate change by the vision: one team, one mission, one community. Superintendent of Hopkins County Schools , Deanna Ashby explains, "our mess has become our unified message together. " Listen as Deanna and our host discuss how this distri...

Building relationships with people is more important than ever as we shift to more virtual environments. Not only are relationships key, they also help us all get through obstacles and challenges. In this episode, we are joined by Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Chris Hartly , and Assistant Superintendent, Dr. Colby Smart, from Humboldt County Office of Education in Northern California.  Listen as...