Accelerate Your Performance

As we close the first quarter of a new decade, it’s a good time to pause and reflect on the past decade before planning for the next ten years in front of us. Are you where you thought you would be right now? As the decades keep passing by, what can we do to ensure we achieve the goals that will matter to us most in life? How do we know we are living a life we will one day look back on and be prou...

While attending a company event, Janet Pilcher had the opportunity to sit down with Jim Roth, co-founder, and CEO of Huron Consulting Group, to discuss how we prepare clients for their future. Jim’s leadership positions Huron to be highly committed to hiring talented people, building an engaged work environment, and serving clients with the highest level of service. Jim is a trusted advisor to man...

In a world where we no longer view human connections as natural, and instead, insist on using technology, even in the presence of others, Dr. Janet Pilcher encourages her listeners to get off their devices and start talking to people. Research tells us that people in general feel worse and less connected when they mix face-to-face communication with digital socializing compared to solely socializi...

Utilizing social media platforms is a natural way to enhance transparency. On a personal level, people use social media to connect with others and stimulate conversations. In time, organizations have recognized the many benefits of using social media to humanize their brand and connect with their communities. If you’re wondering why using social media is critical for organizations, research reveal...

Every day we are customers to someone we do business with. We buy groceries, fill our cars with gas, dine at restaurants, engage with retail services, and do business with professional service firms. We often remember the negative interactions more than the positive ones, and it may only take one negative interaction for us to shift to another brand or company. As you listen to this episode and re...

The way people learn today is continuously evolving, and with the rise of technology people expect answers at their fingertips. The life of a professional skill is much shorter today than it was in the past. Mandy Gagliardi, the Senior Media Manager on our team joins Janet today to share the way she focuses on the customer experience to guide her work. As we design our digital learning system, Man...

Does the path you are traveling have a heart? Courage is the quality that distinguishes great leaders from excellent managers. In this episode, Janet discusses why courage is vital to a leader’s success, what can happen when a leader lacks courage, and what we can do when we find ourselves on the wrong path.  This episode addresses questions, such as: How does courage influence our ability to lead...

John Maxwell’s Law of the Lid explains that leadership ability is the lid that determines a person’s level of effectiveness. Today’s guest, Nannette Johnston, believes it’s true; people can only rise as high as the lid of their leader. Not only does she recognize the importance of professional development for herself, she knows the importance of building leadership in others. Nannette is an award-...

We all have our favorite brands, but what makes them our favorite? Is it because we place value in the organization? Is it the way we are treated by the company? How do we know if the company is accountable? More and more organizations have been making it a priority to increase connection and invite customers to take an inside look. Why? Because increasing transparency between an organization and...

How can school districts and school boards work together to achieve the goals of the schools and the surrounding community? Faith VanderHorst, School Board President from the School District of Menomonee Falls, joins Janet on this episode to talk about how the relationship between the superintendent and the board significantly contributes to the success of the district.  This episode addresses que...

Sabrina Hebeler, Michigan native, and Chief of Staff at Michigan State University for the division of Infrastructure Planning and Facilities joins Janet Pilcher to discuss one of the key tenets of Sabrina’s role; to help everyone understand and follow the strategic direction of IPF. This comes from her passion for helping people feel successful, feel valued and love their job. Using specific tacti...

As you get ready to put 2019 to rest and welcome in 2020, Dr. Janet Pilcher reminds you to reflect on the moments of joy, and the moments of sorrow over the last year. It’s during those difficult times you can often learn the most about yourselves. This holiday season take a moment to appreciate and celebrate life and start the new year with great strength. If you don’t know where to start, you ca...

Executive leaders are the role-models of an organization, responsible for establishing the culture and leading teams to be successful. During this episode, Dr. Natalie Harder, Chancellor of South Louisiana Community College joins Dr. Janet Pilcher to share her story and her secret for building kick-ass leadership teams . Dr. Harder has led her team through a historic merger with multiple campuses,...

As individuals strive for growth in their professional and personal lives, there is often a gap between where people are and where they want to be. While individuals are excited for growth and opportunities, this excitement can lead to anxiety and tension. These feelings can cause people to give up and ignore opportunities to grow, or instead for motivation to work through the personal discomfort...

When we establish recognition systems in our organizations or on our teams, we focus on employees by understanding what makes them shine and what keeps them engaged. Focusing on expressing appreciation for the contributions people make to our organizations motivates individuals to continue their hard work. Sincere appreciation changes the culture of the organization. It takes little time and has a...

Rewarding and recognizing the right behaviors and excellent performance isn’t just a nice thing to do. Lack of employee recognition is a top reason for employees leaving an organization. With recognition we are able to engage, retain, and motivate most employees to sustain high performance. Recognition is so important to an organization’s success, it’s our ninth principle and the glue that holds a...

Several years ago, the decision was made to transform TeacherReady, a Studer Education online self-paced teacher certification program, to meet students where they are today. Transforming TeacherReady wasn’t something the organization took lightly, Dr. Julie Kunselman was instrumental in helping to review significant data and research to revolutionize this program for the future. As with any organ...

Organizations are facing more pressure than ever to transform their practices in order to improve their outcomes. Competition is fierce. The speed of information and higher demands from consumers forces leaders to shift the way change is approached. Commonly, there is much anxiety attached to change, people like to do things, “the way they’ve always done it,” but that’s not the attitude that will...

At some time in your professional or personal life, you have probably experienced the let down of an empty promise. It’s also likely you’ve promised a friend or a colleague something you’ve let slip through the cracks at least once or twice. These empty promises, no matter how small, erode trust and jeopardize relationships with others. In this episode, Dr. Pilcher digs deep into what causes us to...

How do you turn passionate employees and leaders into people who have the ability to make a difference not only in their work, but in their communities? Janet is joined by Dr. Pat Greco today to talk about continuous improvement. Pat is an award-winning retired superintendent who served 38 years in public education and has been a champion of Evidence-Based Leadership℠. She shares her advice and ex...

As a leader do you tell your teams, “Don’t bring me problems, bring me solutions.” ? Or maybe as an employee you’ve worked for a leader who believes in this philosophy. While presenting solutions to problems is ideal, it’s not always possible. So, what can leaders do to create safe environments for teams to bring problems forward, while avoiding being bombarded by complaints? In this episode, Dr....

Changes in an organization can occur that team leaders may have little control over. What we can control is how we adapt and react to the change in our daily business. When we utilize team meetings with structured, thoughtful discussions, and analysis, someone will propose a winning solution or solutions for the team to agree on. Using a problem-solving agenda, conversations stay focused and teams...

For the first time in history we are operating with five generations co-existing in the workforce, and there are more young professionals joining every day. Dr. Pilcher talks with Ruthie Speight, the Executive Director of Pensacola Young Professionals (PYP) about their mission and impact in our community. PYP provides young professionals with a community where they can make a difference, connect w...

Service excellence is more than just being polite or being ready to offer the unsatisfied customer a discount. Join Donna Kirby and Janet Pilcher this week as they conclude their conversation about the value of service excellence. Donna Kirby reveals her top 3 tactics for applying customer service excellence within your organization and how to treat your organization like a living room.  This epis...

Service Excellence differentiates your organization from others in your industry. Great leaders place importance on how to become the best service provider for what they do. Donna Kirby returns this week to discuss why prioritizing service excellence is necessary for success and what core drivers keep her focused on service excellence.  This episode addresses questions, such as: Why is it importan...