Accelerate Your Performance

Achieving excellence in an organization is a journey that requires commitment, constant effort, and reflection on where you are and where you need to be. It requires total commitment to the work of continuous improvement. This topic will be front and center at the upcoming  2022 Carnegie Summit . As our guest in this episode puts it, the summit brings together "champions of improvement"...

The academic year is in full swing, and now is also the time leaders are beginning to plan and budget for 2022 and 2023. What actions can leaders take to set themselves up for a successful next school year? What areas are especially important to analyze before springing forward? In this episode, Dr. Janet Pilcher and our guest, Leader Coach, Amy Fowler, join us to answer these questions. Listen as...

It's been a time of monumental change that has presented many challenges at work for leaders.  With more on people's plates at work in these uncertain times, it's more important than ever that leaders recognize and appreciate members of their teams for their good work. Reward and recognition is timeless. It never gets old. It's fuel that helps keep people motivated and engaged...

When leaders are authentic, it helps build a culture that is inclusive. It helps foster an environment where employees will feel free to also be authentic. Our guest in today's episode is a shining example of this. In this episode, Dr. Heidi Eliopoulos, Superintendent of the School District of Altoona, joins us to discuss the importance of authenticity and the impact it's having in her d...

Is your communication clear and concise? In this episode, Dr. Janet Pilcher references an article written by Bill Murphy in Inc. Magazine, titled, " How Emotionally Intelligent People Use the Mark Twain Rule to Become Exceptionally Persuasive: Let me Get to Point " . As Janet reflects over the key points in the article, she offers us three things to consider as we craft messages that wil...

Spring is just around the corner, and now is a great time for leaders to recommit and recommunicate what matters most to finish strong this school year. Our guest today shares how you can harness your leader superpowers of culture and communication to create a great experience for students, families, and your team the rest of this school year. Listen as Dr. Janet Pilcher and Leader Coach Tim Wyros...

It can be a balancing act to achieve and sustain results over time while also remaining emotionally, mentally and physically healthy. That's especially true in challenging, uncertain times. Taking care of ourselves while working toward our goals will help keep us motivated in our work. In this episode, Dr. Janet Pilcher shares 9 tips for creating a better heart and mind balance to help us thr...

An organization with a strong and healthy workplace culture is where you are likely to find employees who are engaged at work and find purpose in the work they do. But how do leaders shape a positive workplace culture in challenging, uncertain times? In this episode, Dr. Janet Pilcher and our guest, Dr. KK Owen, discuss simple actions leaders can take to help create healthier workplace cultures an...

Being proactive at work increases our sense of purpose in the work we do and helps build self-confidence. When we come to work focused on being positive and happy, we persevere to overcome any obstacles that come our way. It feels good to have a take-action attitude. It also has a positive impact on our relationships at work. In this episode, Dr. Janet Pilcher discusses the qualities of proactive...

In a time of change and uncertainty, it is more important than ever for leaders to communicate with authenticity and to live that out every day. In this episode, hear the second part of our two-part interview with Dr. Lisa Herring, Superintendent of Atlanta Public Schools. In this conversation, Dr. Janet Pilcher asks Dr. Herring to share about the greatest challenges she has faced as a leader and...

We spend a lot of time at work for our jobs. It's worth spending our time there being happy. So what if we're not feeling happy in our jobs?  As our host, Dr. Janet Pilcher , explains in this episode, we can take action to manage our happiness at work, and we are in control of our happiness. Listen as Janet shares practical moves we can make to help us focus on being happier at work. Thi...

The past 22 months have brought ample challenges for leaders across the country. Schools leaders have all had to make difficult decisions. Staying connected to our purpose can help keep us fueled with passion during difficult times. Our guest today models this so well.  In this episode,  Dr. Lisa Herring , the Superintendent of Atlanta Public Schools, joins us for a candid conversation about overc...

Curiosity opens up our minds and connects us to one another. Curiosity in the workplace breeds creativity and ideas. It is essential and will help us reach new heights, no matter what our position. In this episode, Dr. Janet Pilcher has a conversation with the new producer of the Accelerate Your Performance Podcast, Mary Stackhouse . Through the experiences Mary shares about her path from TV news...

It's a new year. Let's make a conscious choice to have a positive mindset in 2022. People who have positive attitudes are healthier, happier, and more productive.  They are more likely to develop deeper relationships, overcome challenges, and achieve their goals. Strengthening our mindset starts with being positive even in the most difficult of times. In this episode, Dr. Janet Pilcher c...

Time is the most valuable thing we have. It is precious. How we spend it is important. We can't get it back. Because of that, it is also the best gift we can give -- to those we work with, to our loved ones, and to our friends. In the spirit of the season of giving, let's consider how we can be more intentional about spending quality time with others. In this episode, Dr. Janet Pilcher c...

As educators, our role is to help students learn. However, we often end up learning a lot from our students. The last 22 months have challenged us to connect with and engage with our students more intentionally, as both educators and students have all felt more stress. In this episode, Student Orchestra Director Christina Clark Frierdich joins us to share about overcoming challenges, finding creat...

For many of us, the holiday season represents time with family and friends, great food, and football. Coming off the heels of the biggest week of college football rivalries, Dr. Janet Pilcher turns her attention to her team, Florida State University and their long-standing rival, the Florida Gators. She looks to an article written about FSU quarterback, Jordan Travis, who has endured hateful comme...

Student voice and perspectives isn't just a 'nice-to-have'; it's a must-have. Students have experienced a lot of change and stress over the last 21 months. As school districts plan for the future, it is essential we hear from students and include them more intentionally and deeply. As our guest, Leader Coach Gayle Juneau-Butler explains, using student focus groups for strategic...

We've all done it at one time or another-- felt sorry for ourselves about a situation at work that feels out of our control. Maybe it's a  challenging project we've been assigned, or perhaps it has seemed like other divisions are given more resources or attention. Perhaps it's feeling sorry for ourselves because it seems that other voices at work are heard more often, and it fe...

As the season of gratitude is quickly upon us, we are focused on sharing stories of purpose with our listeners. This week, Coach Support Analyst, Whitney Patterson shares how she was called upon to discover a purpose outside of work in an unexpected way. Dr. Janet Pilcher and Whitney discuss what she's learned from the experience and what others can do to find a little spark in their lives. T...

Start your week by preparing your heart and mind for the upcoming holiday season. As we get closer to Thanksgiving, it's important to focus on our connections with people and stretch ourselves to practice loving kindness. Today, Dr. Janet Pilcher reflects on her recent experiences and leads listeners through a loving kindness mediation to break the barriers we feel inwardly and outwardly. Thi...

To become a first-choice University requires winning the hearts and the minds of young people. While this is no easy feat, Universities are filled with untapped talent and resources. That's what our guest, Dr. Tressa Kelly, the First Lady of the University of West Georgia , realized quickly after getting on campus. As a result, an incredible project was born to benefit future students and bui...

Is it burnout? Exhaustion? Disengagement? It's a feeling people can't quite put their finger on or understand exactly why. Lately, it seems difficult to feel motivated or joyful. If you've recognized similar feelings in yourself, you're not alone. Organizational Psychologist, WorkLife podcast host, and NYT author, Adam Grant recently published an article that describes the unse...

How can improvement help us solve complex challenges in schools? Executive education leaders from across the country came together last week to answer this very question. After an energizing What's Right in Education conference, Dr. Janet Pilcher and Dr. Pat Greco came together to reflect on the impact of bold leaders in education. Despite a stressful year, people in districts are overcoming...

Being bold doesn't necessarily mean big, it means to consistently do the things that make the most difference. Bold leaders understand the strategic direction, big aims, and what the institution is striving to become. Bold leaders continuously strive to be at their best and help those around them be their best as well. As Dr. Janet Pilcher reflects on What's Right in Education, she remin...