The Empowered Principal® Podcast

Are you caught in the endless cycle of deadlines, to-do lists, and meetings?   If you're like most school leaders, you probably measure your success by how many tasks you complete and deadlines you meet. But here's the truth: that approach is keeping you stuck in a loop of doing without ever feeling truly accomplished.   As we enter a new school year, I'm inviting leaders to shift from purely dead...

School leaders constantly face situations where they need to expand their skills, build new systems, or navigate challenging conversations. The natural response is often to look outside ourselves for answers, seeking the exact steps someone else took to achieve success. But this external search for solutions can actually limit our growth and keep us from tapping into the wisdom and expertise we al...

The chaos dial in your mind is turned all the way up. Your nervous system is hijacked by the latest crisis, your thoughts are racing through solutions that feel impossible, and your body is vibrating with an intensity that no amount of positive thinking can override.     This is the reality of school leadership - where the challenges pile up faster than the successes register, and where your mind'...

When parents storm into your office demanding that you eliminate all conflict from their child's school experience, they're operating from a place of fierce love and limited perspective. They see their kindergartener struggling with a classmate or their fifth grader being harassed, and their protective instincts kick into overdrive.   Suddenly you're being asked to create an impossible reality whe...

Disclaimer: Please be advised that this episode contains content related to crisis situations. If these topics are challenging for you, you may wish to skip this episode or seek support.   When students are struggling with everything from friendship drama to thoughts of self-harm, the gap between needing help and getting it can feel insurmountable. And school leaders carry the weight of hundreds o...

Leadership requires processing both professional and personal experiences, particularly when faced with injustice.   As school leaders, we encounter unfairness in various forms - from promotion decisions to resource allocation to systemic inequities affecting our students and families. I've found that managing these experiences requires understanding how our minds and bodies respond to perceived i...

Test scores rolling in can trigger intense emotions and identity crises for school leaders. As principals, we intellectually understand that standardized tests are just one measure of student growth and school success. Yet when scores arrive, we can't help but attach deep meaning to these numbers and worry about how they'll be interpreted by staff, families, and district leadership.   Through spor...

Finding balance between fun and structure after end-of-year testing can be a real challenge. As school leaders, we often notice a clear shift in energy, behaviors, and routines once testing concludes, leaving many of us struggling to maintain consistency while still allowing for meaningful closure and celebration.   In this episode, I share ways to help teachers plan activities that build life ski...

As we reach the end of another school year, I'm focusing on an essential leadership practice that many principals overlook - creating meaningful closure. This process isn't just about completing tasks and checking boxes, it's about intentionally reflecting on our accomplishments and growth throughout the year.   Tune in this week as I explore why many school leaders resist celebrating their accomp...

In this episode, I sit down with Steven Puri, a fascinating guest who had an extremely successful career in Hollywood, but has traded that in to help remote workers master flow, productivity, and efficiency. Though not my typical education-focused guest, Steven brings fresh perspectives on productivity, focus, and creative problem-solving that directly apply to school leadership.    Tune in this w...

Have you ever faced backlash from parents when announcing teacher changes or reassignments?   This is a fascinating dynamic in education that doesn't exist in most other industries - the intense attachment parents develop to specific teachers rather than to the educational experience itself.   How do you deal with the unnecessary tension this teacher-attachment cycle creates between school leaders...

Have you ever wondered why so many school leaders gain weight after transitioning from teaching to administration?     This week, I sit down with my dear friend and certified life coach Jena Damiani to unpack what we jokingly call the "admin 30" – those unwanted pounds that seem to appear overnight when you step into a leadership role. As both a school leader and a weight loss coach, she brings a...

Are you stepping into your first year as a school principal?     The excitement of landing that leadership position can quickly collide with the overwhelming reality of what the job actually entails. As a new leader, you're not just taking on a new role – you're embarking on a personal development journey that will stretch your mental, emotional, and physical capacity in ways you never imagined.  ...

Are you overcome with guilt whenever you need to take a sick day? And even then, do you try to brush it off, pretend it isn't happening, and attempt to push through?   This week, I address a profound issue that came up during a recent EPC call with one of my clients. She was dragging herself to work despite being sick for two weeks, feeling guilty about the burden she was placing on her husband at...

Do you ever feel that pang of anxiety when you realize you've missed an important meeting or weren't included in a crucial conversation?   If you're navigating this tension between wanting to know everything happening in your school and district versus recognizing what information you actually need to fulfill your leadership responsibilities, this episode is for you.   This week, we'll explore the...

Have you ever felt like you're drowning in the demands of school leadership?   Like you're constantly choosing between being a good leader and having a life outside of school?   You're not alone.   In this week's episode, I sit down with Jeff Linden of the Education Leadership with Principal JL podcast to share my journey from feeling completely overwhelmed as a first-year principal to discovering...

As we enter April and the final season of this school year, this is the perfect opportunity to examine our intentions and how we're showing up in our lives.   Many of us feel stretched too thin—not feeling "good enough" in our various roles as educators, parents, partners, or friends. This overwhelming sensation often stems from trying to do too much without clear intention. When we operate on aut...

Do your teachers ever come to you with perceived problems they want your help solving? It's easy to get caught up in trying to solve every issue that comes your way, but what if some of those "problems" aren't really problems at all?   In this episode, I share a powerful coaching conversation I had with a principal who was struggling with a teacher collaboration issue. We uncovered some key insigh...

As a leadership coach, I've observed various leadership styles and approaches, and I've noticed that many school leaders are feeling distressed, concerned, and angry about the current state of education. The impact of leadership changes on schools, districts, communities, families, and students can be significant, and it's natural to feel a sense of uncertainty and fear.   I explore the reasons wh...

I share an excerpt from my Relationship Mastery program that dives into how to identify and approach people who engage in conflict for their own personal gain. Through my own journey with professional and personal relationships, I've gained valuable insights on how to navigate these tricky situations.   Join me as we explore ways to create awareness around this behavior and tools to help shut it d...

I dive into the concept of the two inner voices we all have - the voice of truth and the voice of fear. Understanding the role and purpose of each voice is crucial for school leaders who want to make aligned decisions and build strong relationships.   Join me as I explain how to recognize these two voices and share strategies for tuning into your voice of truth more often. By the end of this episo...

I sit down with Kristi Simons, a former teacher turned life coach who specializes in helping teens develop emotional intelligence and essential life skills. Through her own journey of self-discovery and transformation, Kristi has gained invaluable insights into the power of mindfulness, self-love, and embracing the full spectrum of human emotions.   We dive deep into the challenges teens face in t...

I dive deep into the psychology behind our to-do lists and shares my insights on how to create a list that truly serves you. Let's explore the emotional relationship we have with our lists and how it impacts our ability to prioritize, delegate, and follow through on our commitments.   Get ready to revolutionize your approach to task management and discover how to create a to-do list that empowers...

In this deeply personal and vulnerable episode, I share a raw and unfiltered message that I recently posted in my public Facebook group for school leaders. I dive deep into the struggles that so many principals and administrators face, especially when they're new to the role or dealing with particularly challenging situations.   If you're suffering emotionally and feeling like you're not cut out t...

In this raw and personal episode, I dive into what it feels like to be wrongly accused and labeled as the "bad guy" in leadership. I share my own experiences of being blamed for other people's feelings, decisions, and actions - and how I learned to navigate those painful situations with grace and empowerment.   Join me as we explore the duality of leadership, the importance of emotional regulation...