Accelerate Your Performance

The best leaders are always learning. They are curious. They seek to better understand. That hunger to constantly grow is crucial in order to lead at the highest level, and a focus on relationships is a critical part of that. In this episode, Studer Education coach Dr. Melissa Matarazzo weighs in on this topic, sharing the valuable lessons she has learned as a coach while supporting leaders and pa...

The work of improvement creates the backbone for real change where it matters. Focus on continuous improvement yields valuable results and radically changes outcomes in a number of fields, but in education, momentum has struggled. In the words of today’s guest, the education field hasn’t hardwired the deep skillset of improvement and we have more work to do. In this episode, Dr. Pat Greco joins us...

Improvement work in organizations is not easy, but it’s essential for good organizations that strive to be great. Engaging in effective improvement work entails learning the basics of improvement—but also—learning from how others are doing it, as our guest in today’s episode, Tony Bryk , explains. Tony is the ninth president of the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching , and his cont...

In organizations where employee engagement and productivity is high and turnover is low, you’ll likely find trust is the foundation. But the reality is most employees don’t trust their leaders. According to Gallup data, only one in three employees trust their organization’s leadership. Trust is essential for organizations to thrive and continuously improve. This was a key finding in the research o...

Currently, many of us are feeling the strain of change and transition. Doing improvement work in organizations is always important, and in times of disruption, we can’t let this work slip. Improvement work is more important than ever as funding is being cut in many organizations and systems are stressed. In this episode, Dr. Pat Greco joins us to discuss how leaders and their team members can keep...

Times of disruption bring opportunities to innovate. And innovation is easier than you may think. The reality is, it’s a matter of looking at doing things effectively and more efficiently. In this pandemic, Quint Studer says this is an ample opportunity to innovate that leaders should not miss. We often get paralyzed by thinking innovation needs to change the world. Listen as Quint shares his pers...

We’re right in the middle of changing , challenging times, and most industries are feeling it. Change often comes with resistance in both our professional lives and our personal lives. Change is rarely comfortable. When the Blue Wahoos baseball stadium was built in downtown Pensacola about a decade ago, Quint Studer, who led the effort, faced tremendous resistance to change. Ultimately, the stadiu...

Innovation is a topic we hear a lot about in the workplace, but it’s often misunderstood. Being innovative means more than just coming up with cool things to do. Innovation doesn’t have to be big and different, and it’s not something only geniuses do. Innovation comes as we look at who and how we serve as an organization and where we can improve on the value we deliver. Innovation comes as we look...

As organizations and schools prepare to re-open, the safety and wellbeing of employees is a top priority. With many anxious about returning to work and school, we need to think about how we can create spaces that reduce these tensions—to help our employees and students do their best work and be successful. In this episode, Rich Bluni shares recommendations for making work environments safer and mo...

In the wake of the COVID-19 crisis, we’ve seen a heightened appreciation for teachers and nurses. Now quite often, we see love and gratitude and appreciation for them shared publicly on social media, in the news, in commercials, and on billboards. In our conversations, we talk about them and we share their stories. This pandemic has helped us all see even more the heroes they truly are—and really,...

 All leaders face challenges, but women in leadership roles experience unique obstacles. Our guest today, Jackie Gaines , who has more than 40 years of leadership experience, explains the importance of mentorship for women leaders. That’s why Jackie decided to write a book with “rules of the road” for women who aspire to be great leaders in business. Her bestseller, The Yellow Suit: A Guide for Wo...

Leading from the middle is not easy. In the words of Quint Studer, middle managers have the “toughest job anywhere.” If you’re a mid-level leader who can relate to this feeling—good news—you don’t have to stay stuck here. In this episode, Quint shares practices from his book, The Busy Leader’s Handbook , to help guide leaders with the unique challenges they face. This episode addresses questions,...

As schools and organizations across the country prepare to re-open, it won’t be business as usual. Safety will be front and center. While learning remains a priority, the safety, health, and well-being of students, teachers, and staff will be just as important. So what will it take to successfully transition back into schools after COVID-19? In this episode, Sabrina Hebeler—Chief of Staff with Inf...

During times of uncertainty, it is easy to get caught up in feelings of chaos and confusion. The rapid spread of COVID-19 across our countries has forced organizations and leaders to adapt quickly and make tough decisions. Tea Area School District leaders, Dr. Jennifer Lowery, and Dr. Tonia Warzecha join Janet on today’s show to share how their district took action to stay focused and communicate...

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about unprecedented change for schools all over the country. Education has been forced to transform before our eyes. Our schools are rising to the challenge, serving as a model for change and transition, despite the obstacles. Casey Blochowiak shares how leaders in her district made decisions that prioritized service and learning to support their quick and success...

Times of crisis often come with tough decisions for leaders, like the pressure to cut costs. And while budget cuts are something no leader wants to have to do, Quint Studer points out there’s an opportunity here organizations will want to seize. In this episode, Janet and Quint discuss how leaders can cut costs in practical ways and the unique opportunities we can glean from crisis times.  This ep...

As a leader, authenticity increases the likelihood that those we lead will believe us and follow our requests. Becoming an authentic leader is not necessarily easy, but the concept is simple. People can be committed to and passionate about something, but this by itself is not enough. Authenticity is more than when we believe in what we say or act in a way that is consistent with our beliefs. We ma...

Nothing stays the same. In fact, if we keep doing things the same way we’ve always done them, it’s likely our performance will decline. Change is the only constant in our organizations and in life, and for most, change is uncomfortable. For organizations to stay relevant and innovative, teams must work through fears quickly, and to do so, leaders must make decisions and communicate these decisions...

Dr. JoAnn Sternke returns from episode #35 Pursue Performance Excellence , to reveal the most common questions she is hearing from our education partners and share her expertise and experience around how to effectively communicate during difficult times. JoAnn explains in situations like we are currently facing, no one has all of the answers, leaders can be most impactful by focusing on what needs...

Quint Studer joins us on the podcast today to share his insight and talk about a recent article he wrote, What Churchill Can Teach Us About Defeating Coronavirus. Quint explains why leaders like Churchill are able to inspire and motivate their teams to keep going, even when the challenge they face seems impossible. From history to communication, Quint provides valuable leadership advice for those...

As parents, students, and employees within the School District of Menomonee Falls began preparing for the effects of COVID19, Superintendent, Corey Galla, reflects on the remarkableness of his entire staff to come together and accept the challenges they were facing. Rather than focusing on their anxieties, teams across the entire school system got together to identify problems, solutions, and use...

Healthcare professionals across the country and the world are maintaining a “Warrior Mentality” as they head to the frontlines of the COVID19 pandemic. On today’s episode, Rich Bluni, with more than 25 years of nursing, risk management, and leadership experience, shares his perspective on the frontline professionals who are committed to a heroic service during a very challenging time. Whether you...

How engaged is your workforce in times of crisis? Have you helped them define what success looks like? Have you defined what customer success looks like? In this episode, Dale Shaver, Director of Waukesha County Department of Parks and Land, reveals how his organization’s investment in culture has paid dividends during the uncertainty surrounding COVID 19. While people are feeling anxious and over...

As we all began to experience the COVID 19 pandemic, Dr. Natalie Harder and her team at South Louisiana Community College sprang into action. SLCC was able to have 95% of their courses online and ready for students within 48 hours and enabled 90% of their staff to work remotely within 24 hours. Natalie joins us on the podcast this week to discuss how her team was able to make the necessary shifts...

Basil Kuloba used his experience with math and science to develop a much-needed nonprofit organization, INERTIA , which has quickly become the largest after school program in Escambia County Florida. Basil joins Janet on the show today to share his story of blending his passion and entrepreneurial skills to start a successful organization.  This episode addresses questions, such as: How do interac...