The Empowered Principal® Podcast

Megan Conklin received her master's in teaching in 2001 and has been working as a teacher, an instructional specialist, and a substitute ever since. She participated in the creation of sub-communities to offer support to substitutes, and she's here to give tips on how principals can contribute to creating a more welcoming environment for substitutes.   Learn what principals can do to enhance the e...

The experience I'm hearing from my clients all over the country is that their teachers stress, worry, and freak out about district walkthroughs. There are several reasons most teachers dread this experience, which I'm diving into on this episode. However, as a site leader, you have the opportunity to leverage district walkthroughs to create empowerment, and I'm here to show you how.   Hear my top...

While our understanding of neuroscience has grown by leaps and bounds in recent years, learning how to apply it in our daily lives is a whole other ballgame, and my guest today is here to fill the gap. Jessica Sinarski is an author, speaker, and specialist in brain development whose superpower lies in connecting with kids at the brain level, and she's here to talk all things neuroscience and emoti...

Obstacles are part and parcel of your desire to create impact, have influence, and contribute to the world in bigger and bolder ways as a school leader. You're likely facing obstacles you could only dream of at one point in your career, and now, they're a reality. Obstacles are a key part of the dream-come-true experience, but what's preventing you from seeing this are your objections.   Learn the...

Welcome to the third session of The Mid-Year Reboot for School Leaders! This is my favorite session of the entire class because we're diving into the topic of generating momentum and how it's a key element of the goal-setting process as a school leader. If you believe that pain and suffering are necessary components of setting and achieving goals, you are not alone.   Learn a new framework for thi...

This week, you're hearing a clip from our second session of the Mid-Year Reboot that was centered around creating alignment. Alignment is the lens through which you make all of your decisions, and if your current school leadership experience looks like overexerting, overworking, and over-scheduling yourself, listen in.   Join me today to hear what alignment means, why we tend to operate out of ins...

While January is a fresh start for those following the calendar year, it marks the mid-point of the school year for educators. This is the perfect time to check in with yourself and to feel delighted in your work for the rest of the year, instead of pushing yourself to the finish line. And the Mid-Year Reboot is the perfect opportunity to refuel, renew, and reinvigorate.   Listen in this week to h...

I'm speaking to Candace Heiken: the founder of Lively Minds Institute and Cerebrate. With over 25 years in education, Candace is on a mission to cultivate independent, life-long learners through the development of executive function skills, and she's here to share why prioritizing executive function instruction leads to an all-round win for everyone in your school community.   Join us on this epis...

Coaching up is a tool that will help you navigate difficult conversations with anyone who has positional authority over you. If you want to advocate for your school community while reducing conflict with your superiors at the same time, coaching up is the secret to igniting awareness and getting everyone on the same page.   Listen in this week to discover what coaching up means, what it looks like...

This episode goes out to all the dad principals out there navigating your roles as school leader, father, and spouse. I've spoken to a number of my male clients who are struggling to figure out how to experience joy while running a school and supporting their families, and I'm sharing my insights with you this week.   Hear how it's possible to fulfill your heart's deepest desires while maintaining...

Why are student behaviors so intense this year? Why does pressure feel like it's at an all-time high right now? Why are teachers and staff members so discontent? Why does this job feel harder than ever before? Why is this all happening?   This week, learn why believing that things happen to you will keep you stuck feeling disempowered, how to begin shifting the narrative of your questions, and why...

As a principal, you may be expected to fix everything, but it's not actually your job to do so. If you feel called to attend to every problem that comes up, whether it's with your staff, teachers, or students, listen in to hear how it's having undesirable effects you may not be able to see right now.   Tune in this week as I show you why it's not your job, as school principal, to fix everything, a...

There is no amount of reassurance that other people can provide us with that will generate the feeling of appreciation. Feeling resentful for going the extra mile or like you're being taken advantage of is an extremely disempowered way to lead your school. The good news is your leadership experience doesn't have to stay this way because appreciation is always an internal job.   Discover what might...

There's an important distinction between allowing things to be hard, expecting things to be hard, and taking a break when something is too hard. I've been exploring this for myself in both my personal and professional life, and being able to differentiate between these three types of hard has been profound.    If you're at max capacity and feel like you're drowning, you're in the right place. Join...

If you're having trouble dealing with a staff member who isn't showing up the way you expect them to, today's episode is for you. We often believe that the way our staff behaves is a reflection of us as a principal, and that doesn't feel great. You might think it's your place as a leader to fix other people, but there's a better way to approach these uncomfortable scenarios.   This week, we're div...

Do you think being in a leadership position means you must sacrifice yourself in favor of productivity and success? My clients often find themselves judging the things that bring them joy in their lives, whether big or small. They may believe it's too trivial or luxurious to experience joy and happiness, and as a result, they deny themselves what is inherently their right as humans.   Discover how...

As a school leader, you are a public figure. As a public figure, people believe they have the right to scrutinize you for any misstep or mistake you make. This is something you may face at some point in your career if you haven't already, and it can be a scary experience.   Learn how to handle public scrutiny as a school leader. I'm sharing the importance of understanding your nervous system in th...

We're already in October, but we still have time to establish and revisit norms in our schools. I'm giving you a strategy I use with my clients when it comes to planning out norms and getting others to follow them from a place of compassion.   Discover how to make your meetings more productive through establishing clear group norms. I'm discussing the purpose and benefit of having and following no...

My guest on the show this week is certified life coach and Integrative Pediatrician Dr. Payal Patel Ghayal, who is an expert in helping Brown women advocate for themselves. Her mission is one that speaks to me deeply, and we're here to have a conversation about taking back control over your mental, physical, and emotional needs.   Dr. Payal and I dive into ways women leaders of all professions get...

It's October, which means it's a beautiful month of colorful leaves, costumes, and candy, but for school leaders, it's one of the most exhausting times of the year. Tune in this week to discover how to deal with the fall dip we experience as school leaders every October. I'm giving you tips and strategies for actually enjoying the fall, not letting October feel so heavy, and I'm sharing how I coac...

Our emotions are the hardest thing we have to navigate as school leaders and humans in general. What's often difficult about anything we're finding hard or challenging, whether in your career or personal life, is the way it feels . That's why, on this episode, I'm sharing the art of processing your emotions.   Discover why we tend to resist or avoid negative emotions and how there is validity in e...

We've been led to believe that we need to have a combative relationship with time. We say things like, "I don't have time," or "Time slipped away from me," and we use time as a scapegoat for why we're unhappy or for not accomplishing the things we truly want to do. The truth is we've been sold on this oppressive framework of time, but we can begin building a beautiful relationship with it instead....

This week, I'm joined by Katie Novak and Kristan Rodriguez to have an important conversation about how leveraging systems can help you become a better school leader. Katie is the founder and executive director of Novak Education : an organization renowned for designing and delivering professional development on UDL, MTSS, and leadership practices. Kristan is the founder of Commonwealth Consulting...

As school leaders, you live in a world of meetings, whether that's with teachers, parents, stakeholders, or your district – the list goes on. Another pain point that many principals experience is spending time securing substitute teachers. While these aspects of your job might make you think you're losing valuable time, I'm offering you a more empowered way to think about these situations today.  ...

This week, I'm sharing an exercise that I developed with one of my clients at the end of last year. The purpose of this exercise is to bring your focus back on who you're here to serve: your students. You have to consider what needs to be in place for them to be successful, and I'm breaking it all down for you on this episode.   Discover why the Student Journey Experience exercise is one of the mo...