The Smart Thinking Podcast

Hey Hey! Ted has written another book and on this episode he describes why listening to a nudge helped him complete his first full leadership book. A book filled with practical and applicable ways to approach life. Go To Your Storm is an inspirational, personal growth, and leadership development book written by veteran educator and coach Ted Neitzke. Dedicated to equipping young people, new leader...

Why do so many people struggle on teams and working together? Well, there is no simple answer -- but there is a process. Join Ted on this episode as he brings you a practice to help elevate your teams and support your leadership while either leading or participating on a collaborative team.  Collaboration is not compliance and too often we ignore all the social ways teams can fail. Clarity, clear...

Summer is an amazing time. How can we utilize this summer to reinforce and recognize the efforts of educators? Ted shares with us the research on everything teachers - from hours worked to the money they spend in their classroom. The call to action on this episode is to utilize the summer months to increase staff engagement with a few simple tools that will elevate educators!   Get yourself a pen,...

Ted had crafted a list of texts to read so that you can invest in yourself this summer as a person and leader. These texts will bring you opportunities to practice self-empathy, mindfulness, well-being, and seek meaning. As he explains in this episode - reading matters for all elements of your life and once in a while we need to step away from reading books about our field or content and focus on...

Why do we ignore the wisdom of different generations? Likely because we don't understand the contributions that we are all capable of making. We look past people with lot's of experience and we look past people we think have no experience. But, we all have unique experiences, wisdom, and skills that when combined together, offer the solutions to almost all problems.  Take a listen as Ted explores...

This is a very powerful conversation with a psychotherapist and author who provides some serious smart thinking on how to approach your own mental wellness as well as how to support others. This conversation will leave you wanting her books and everything produced by Amy. Amy Morin and Ted have a wonderful conversation that is applicable to all!  These common sense -- best practices - -allow you t...

Too often we miss the opportunity to grow together at the end of a journey or school year. Don't let the ending screw up your next beginning. Take a listen as we describe a campfire process to support growing together, increasing engagement as well as recognition and acknowledging effort in order to elevate teams and shared culture.  This process will increase collective wisdom and support individ...

Join us a for a great and in-depth conversation on the latest research around employee engagement and the application of your strengths in life and leadership.  Tim and Emily are colleagues at Gallup and are friends of the podcast. Both Tim and Emily share strong insight into our current state of life at work and how to use our strengths to navigate through these "interesting" times.    Walton res...

On this episode Ted revisits his favorite conversation with Greg Harden. Greg Harden was a legendary motivational figure and peak performance coach, best known for his influential work as an administrator and counselor at the University of Michigan. Often described as a "secret weapon" for elite athletes, he played a pivotal role in the mental development of stars like Tom Brady, Michael Phelps, a...

We are living in an age where people are believing the headlines (gossip) and not reading the story. As a result, people are making assumptions about the circumstances in their world and commenting before acquiring the facts. This leads us to a need to ask “what?” and follow the WHAT principle. This episode will help you frame and recognize the need to once again focus on the facts and not the com...

In nature, negative is always attracted to positive. In human nature however, negative attracts more negative. Take a listen as Ted breaks down how to normalize positivity with behaviors and processes. It is time to normalize positivity in our lives and workspaces. This can only occur if we, as individuals, begin to challenge the norm of negativity.  Follow Ted's four steps: See positivity Seek po...

Spring break is around the corner and that means we'll have time to reflect, reenergize, and maybe even relax. Since we are all leaders, that means we all need to invest in ourselves so that we can increase our ability to serve others. On this episode we explore six texts and a process using AI -- to help us increase the application of our learning. Leaders are Readers!    The books: Yes to Life,...

Spring is a season of change and when we lead change, we need some reminders to help us help ourselves and others get through the natural storms of change. We will explore the key behaviors for supporting change by focusing on processes that forecast the changes for others as well as providing tools and processes to support behaviors that will allow for others to find success in all the natural ne...

Each of us need to grow forward. Coaching yourself and others through tools and processes is the best way to increase your leadership capacity and skill sets. Take a listen as we explore how to apply some of the best practices in coaching to support all those we serve and mostly ourselves. This type of coaching is applicable in every arena we find ourselves in – personally and professionally. 

Each of us need to grow forward. Coaching yourself and others through tools and processes is the best way to increase your leadership capacity and skill sets. Take a listen as we explore how to apply some of the best practices in coaching to support all those we serve and mostly ourselves. This type of coaching is applicable in every arena we find ourselves in – personally and professionally.

Take a listen as we discuss how to increase your ability to have meaningful conversations. Ted and Craig discuss how to lean into our difference, and they review strategies to support strong interactions that are purposeful. Vulnerability and authenticity are always difficult at work and finding impactful processes and behaviors to increase empathy are key. This episode will help you see new ways...

On every journey, we need to intentionally review (reflect) how far we’ve come and set goals (project) to ensure successful completion. Take a listen as we discuss a strategy that is fun and engaging and will allow you to increase your leadership and support students, colleagues, and yourself through intentional strategies to support growth. All of this by talking to or writing your younger self a...

Would you like to get the people around you to be the best version of themselves? Would you like to be able and willing to take risks, adopt change, and collaborate? Well, you need to make it safe for them. Take a listen as Ted shares a process for increasing psychological safety in the classroom, conference room, and boardroom. Remember - a question never asked -- is never answered. We need to as...

Parenting is the single greatest calling and responsibility for each of us that is at the same time equally being unnerving and frustrating. It is a lonely business where we have more questions than answers. Join us on this episode as we explore questions raised by parents at one of the smart thinking parenting sessions offered by Ted. If you are interested in Ted coming to your school or workplac...

What is the impact of technology in the classroom? Well, after over a decade of schools around the world utilizing technology in the classroom, the results are in, and they’re not great. Join Ted and Dr. Jared Cooney Horvath as they discuss Jared’s newest research and his book The Digital Delusion. You will leave this conversation wanting to read the book and significantly shift your current belie...

Over the course of a school year or project, people tend to decrease in their tolerance for others while at the same time increasing their understanding of people. When this happens we need to reframe how we treat others so that -- we and they -- find success. Too often we begin to grow frustrated and then emotions from all parties take over. Take a listen as we share the impact of positive reinfo...

Micro resolutions lead to macro outcomes. Join us as Ted shares five ways to support your well-being and mental fitness heading into your weekend, your week, or the New Year. These are five practical steps that allow you to learn, grow, and go forward with a better level of control. These steps will reduce anxiety and increase your ability to be present. Smart Thinking Shorts Ted Tools and Book  

There is a lot of time being spent on student behaviors in early childhood across all school systems. Children are struggling with self-regulation, learning, social as well as emotional control. These challenges are having a BIG impact on everything from learning to staff well-being. On this episode we look at the history of early childhood education and review what schools can do, parents can do...

What process do you use to support the well-being of yourself and others? Ted explains the application and the neuroscience behind the SCARF model (David Rock) and how growing your understanding of the SCARF principles can create an increased sense of control and a tool to support individual and cultural well-being.  Status: Refers to an individual's relative importance to others Certainty: Deals...

Two questions are addressed on this episode. How do I support my child so that they fend and fail for themselves and how do I deal with the manipulation of children as a parent? Ted discusses parenting techniques and this episode is very relevant for anyone who works with, supports, teaches, or cares about children. Share this one far and wide to help parents and guardians support more resilient a...