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Accelerate Your Performance

Business & Economics Podcasts

Accelerate Your Performance is a weekly show focused on tactical actions to improve workplace culture using the Nine Principles Framework. This podcast is for leaders who are committed to doing and being their best and helping their organizations achieve success. On Monday mornings, in 30 minutes or less, the show's host, Dr. Janet Pilcher provides real-life scenarios relevant to working professionals in education and across a wide range of industries. From week to week, Janet hosts solo cast episodes focused on a leadership reflection or question to answer. She also invites leaders and partners from around the country who are improving outcomes in their organizations and creating great workplace cultures. Each episode will leave you with actions you can implement in your organization to drive performance, motivate and engage employees, and navigate common workplace issues. Dr. Pilcher answers workplace questions with best practices and real-life scenarios you can apply to your professional life. Listen as she explores questions like - What can you do if your boss is the problem? - How can I retain my best employees? - How can I make a difference at work? Each week, Dr. Pilcher explores how we can be our best at work.

Location:

United States

Description:

Accelerate Your Performance is a weekly show focused on tactical actions to improve workplace culture using the Nine Principles Framework. This podcast is for leaders who are committed to doing and being their best and helping their organizations achieve success. On Monday mornings, in 30 minutes or less, the show's host, Dr. Janet Pilcher provides real-life scenarios relevant to working professionals in education and across a wide range of industries. From week to week, Janet hosts solo cast episodes focused on a leadership reflection or question to answer. She also invites leaders and partners from around the country who are improving outcomes in their organizations and creating great workplace cultures. Each episode will leave you with actions you can implement in your organization to drive performance, motivate and engage employees, and navigate common workplace issues. Dr. Pilcher answers workplace questions with best practices and real-life scenarios you can apply to your professional life. Listen as she explores questions like - What can you do if your boss is the problem? - How can I retain my best employees? - How can I make a difference at work? Each week, Dr. Pilcher explores how we can be our best at work.

Language:

English

Contact:

850-439-5842


Episodes

Create Connections Through Rounding

3/18/2024
How do we build great workplace cultures to keep exceptional employees on our team? Join Dr. Janet Pilcher, author of Hardwiring Excellence in Education,, as she explains how rounding is key to building environments where employees feel motivated and deeply connected to their work. Janet emphasizes how rounding helps leaders address any challenges that get in the way of employees being able to do their best work and demonstrates how rounding can be used to recognize bright spots and people who are doing good work. Listen now to learn to how we round, why we round, and what questions to ask our employees when we round. This episode addresses questions such as: Recommended Resources: Hardwiring Excellence in Education: The Nine Principles Framework, Master the Art of Feedback, Essential Components of Healthy Workplace Cultures, Rounding for Success: A Superintendent's Journey from Skepticism to Impact

Duration:00:15:09

Amplify Student Voice

3/11/2024
How can school districts prioritize amplifying student voice? Join Dr. Janet Pilcher, author of Hardwiring Excellence in Education, as she explores the impact of student feedback with Dr. Candace Pelt-Perez, Superintendent of Central Linn School District, and Celeste Van Cleave, District Business Manager. Together, they discuss the integration of student surveys into short-term improvement cycles, resulting in significant outcomes such as collaborating with students to address school bus safety concerns and expanding cafeteria menu choices. Listen now to learn how the collaboration between students and adults continues to drive positive cultural shifts within Central Linn School District. This episode answers questions such as: Recommended Resources: Hardwiring Excellence in Education: The Nine Principles Framework, Building Bridges: A Superintendent’s Journey to Create a Community-Driven Strategic Plan, Using Student Voice to Help Shape District Plans, Continuous Improvement to Support Students

Duration:00:18:02

Plan and Execute for Organizational Excellence

3/4/2024
It’s one thing to create a strategic plan, but it’s another altogether to execute it with precision. Join Dr. Janet Pilcher, author of Hardwiring Excellence in Education, as she speaks with Superintendent Brian Sica of Banks School District to hear how he initiated the strategic planning process and began regularly implementing short cycles of improvement during his first year as superintendent. Listen as Dr. Sica highlights specific needs and challenges his district faced as well as the critical role of balancing culture and strategy throughout the process of achieving organizational excellence. This episode addresses questions such as: Recommended Resources: Hardwiring Excellence in Education: The Nine Principles Framework, Plan Strategically for Success, The Power of Collaboration in Strategic Planning, Building Bridges: A Superintendent’s Journey to Create a Community-Driven Strategic Plan

Duration:00:20:30

The Power of Collaboration in Strategic Planning

2/26/2024
How do leading organizations stay ahead of the curve? Join Dr. Janet Pilcher, author of Hardwiring Excellence in Education, as she delves into the intricacies of strategic planning with Dr. Casey Blochowiak, a Coach Senior Director at Studer Education. As a companion to last week’s high-level overview of strategic planning, this week’s episode dives into crucial aspects like how to form a strong steering committee and the pivotal role of executive leadership throughout the planning process. Listen now to also hear a roleplay between Janet and Casey demonstrating how coaches collaborate with partners to set a clear strategic vision for organizational excellence. This episode answers questions such as: Recommended Resources: Hardwiring Excellence in Education: The Nine Principles Framework, Plan Strategically for Success, Mindfulness and Reflection Practices for Leaders and Teams, Listen to People to Continuously Improve

Duration:00:31:08

Plan Strategically for Success

2/19/2024
Balancing the emotional and rational aspects of leadership is complex, but with strategic planning, organizations can build alignment to drive success. Join Dr. Janet Pilcher, author of Hardwiring Excellence in Education, as she outlines the steps involved in creating a strategic plan and identifies questions that leaders can answer to create organizational alignment. This episode answers questions such as: Recommended Resources: Hardwiring Excellence in Education: The Nine Principles Framework, How Can We Build Strategic Agility for Continuous Change?, Building Bridges: A Superintendent’s Journey to Create a Community-Driven Strategic Plan, Mastering the Art of Reflection: A Superintendent’s Guide to Progress and Impact

Duration:00:10:13

Provide Excellent Service

2/12/2024
Service excellence is a cornerstone of thriving organizations. Join Dr. Janet Pilcher as she revisits past episodes with Donna Kirby, Vice President of Experience at the Pensacola Blue Wahoos, to hear how she’s created a culture of service excellence within her team. Hear how Donna transforms customers into loyal fans and learn the three tactics she employs to apply consistent and exceptional service delivery. This episode addresses questions such as: Recommended Resources: Hardwiring Excellence in Education: The Nine Principles Framework, Vulnerability is at the Heart of Service Excellence, Service Recovery That Knocks it Out of the Park, Service Excellence: Always Behaviors That Increase Performance Metrics

Duration:00:25:51

Unleash Potential Through Constructive Feedback

2/5/2024
Dr. Janet Pilcher, author of Hardwiring Excellence in Education, wraps up her deep dive into mastering the art of constructive feedback. Joining her on this episode is Jon Malone, the Director and CEO of the Northwestern Illinois Association, to discuss the use of the three to one ratio in providing positive reinforcement while also challenging employees to distribute their high performance. Jon also shares insights into the deliberate and intentional work that must be done before conducting performance conversations. Lastly, Jon explains the creation and implementation of a decision-impact conversation template that employees can initiate with their leaders that allows leaders the opportunity to model the willingness to receive critical feedback around their decisions. Listen now to gain valuable insights and practical strategies on planning for and delivering constructive feedback to achieve positive outcomes. This episode addresses questions such as: Recommended Resources: Hardwiring Excellence in Education: The Nine Principles Framework, Foster Confidence with Constructive Feedback, Master the Art of Feedback, Develop and Apply Standards of Excellence, Vulnerability is at the Heart of Service Excellence

Duration:00:23:21

Master the Art of Feedback

1/29/2024
Dr. Janet Pilcher, author of Hardwiring Excellence in Education, continues the conversation from last week about the pivotal role of feedback in achieving important people outcomes within organizations. Joining her is Dr. KK Owen, a leader coach at Studer Education, to explore effective tactics for delivering genuine, timely, and specific feedback to employees. They’ll discuss the concept of building an emotional bank account to create trust, and they’ll also demonstrate the three to one tactic, illustrated through a role play for clearer understanding. Listen as Dr. Pilcher and Dr. Owen continue to explore the transformative impact of feedback on fostering relationships with employees and how it can serve as a tool for re-recruitment. This episode addresses questions such as: Recommended Resources: Hardwiring Excellence in Education: The Nine Principles Framework, Foster Confidence with Constructive Feedback, Essential Components of Healthy Workplace Cultures, Provide Performance Feedback Aligned to Values

Duration:00:31:59

Foster Confidence with Constructive Feedback

1/22/2024
Receiving positive feedback is transformative. It builds confidence, reduces anxiety, and helps individuals improve. Listen now as Dr. Janet Pilcher, author of Hardwiring Excellence in Education, emphasizes the importance of praising what’s right and sets the stage for future episodes on tactics you can use to give constructive feedback to the employees in your organization. This episode addresses questions such as: Recommended Resources: Hardwiring Excellence in Education: The Nine Principles Framework, Do People Really Want Feedback?, Feedback is a Gift...or is it?, Provide Performance Feedback Aligned to Values

Duration:00:09:46

Practice Goodwill Intentionally

12/11/2023
What is goodwill, and how do we know if we’re practicing it? Join Dr. Janet Pilcher as she guides us through the journey of measuring our own personal goodwill and explains how we can radiate it to others, even during the busiest season of the year. Listen as she reflects on how even the most routine of encounters can emit warmth when infused with goodwill. Recommended Resources: Hardwiring Excellence in Education: The Nine Principles Framework, Pursue Gratitude and Goodwill, The Value of Kindness, Build Trust With Intentional Kindness

Duration:00:04:24

Spur Success with Audacious Goals

12/4/2023
How can leaders use Big, Hairy, Audacious Goals (BHAGs) as a strategic tool to achieve successful outcomes? Join Dr. Janet Pilcher for the latest episode of the Accelerate Your Performance podcast where she defines what a BHAG is and urges organizations to set such long-term goals guided by core values and purpose to succeed in a world shaped by the experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic. Listen as Janet discusses how these goals contribute to an organization’s overall vision, igniting and building collective greatness. Recommended Resources: Hardwiring Excellence in Education: The Nine Principles Framework, Refresh Strategic Goals to Move Forward, Align Behaviors with Goals and Values, Define Guiding Actions to Live by

Duration:00:07:08

Align Systems to Streamline Success

11/27/2023
Join Dr. Janet Pilcher as she engages in a conversation with Dr. Shelly Viramontez, Superintendent, and Ms. Whitney Holton, Associate Superintendent, of Campbell Union School District in Campbell, California. Dr. Viramontez discusses her commitment to leadership development, particularly focusing on aligning systems and streamlining processes so leaders can focus on meaningful and impactful work. She also shares specific examples of process improvements that have achieved significant outcomes. Additionally, Ms. Holton highlights how the district is implementing continuous improvement down to the classroom level. Listen now to hear Dr. Viramontez and Ms. Holton explain how the organizational shift from compliance to commitment is fostering a positive culture within the district. This episode addresses questions such as: Recommended Resources: Hardwiring Excellence in Education: The Nine Principles Framework, Continuous Improvement Through Leadership , Simple Strategies for Classroom Improvement, Empower Your Team: Using Plus/Delta as a Template for Making Improvement Decisions

Duration:00:28:09

Pursue Gratitude and Goodwill

11/20/2023
How do gratitude and goodwill enhance the quality and richness of life? Join Dr. Janet Pilcher as she invites us to reflect on the power of small acts that, when multiplied, shape a more harmonious and compassionate world. Listen as Janet reminds us to create a context of warmth and balance with every gentle gesture of goodness leading to the next. Recommended Resources: Hardwiring Excellence in Education: The Nine Principles Framework, Finding Purpose Outside of Work, Reflect to Overpower Hate, Show Your Gratitude

Duration:00:02:34

Build Trust to Strengthen Culture

11/13/2023
Join us for part two of Dr. Janet Pilcher’s thought-provoking conversation with Superintendent Rob Clayton of Warren County Public Schools. In this episode, they dive into how Mr. Clayton has built trust, courage, ownership, and commitment with his team by leading with intention and transparency to achieve organizational excellence. They also discuss the importance of data-driven decision-making and systematic review processes to encourage a culture of accountability and alignment. Lastly, Mr. Clayton highlights the ultimate goal of ensuring student success by focusing on the continued investment in and development of the adults who play a pivotal role in students' educational journeys. This episode addresses questions such as: Recommended resources: Hardwiring Excellence in Education: The Nine Principles Framework, Achieve Accountability Through Consistency and Communication, Building Transparency and Trust, Listening to Parents and Students via Pulse Surveys

Duration:00:16:04

Achieve Accountability Through Consistency and Communication

11/6/2023
Join us as Dr. Janet Pilcher sits down with Mr. Rob Clayton of Warren County Public Schools for a compelling conversation about accountability, leadership consistency, and the transformative power of intentional communication. Tune in as Mr. Clayton describes the role of accountability in achieving organizational goals and how he is actively embedding his commitment to accountability into the district’s culture. He also discusses how he uses the core values of being respectful, ethical, professional, and nurturing to establish consistency in leadership practices across the entire organization. Listen as Mr. Clayton delves into his experience of practicing intentional listening and soliciting and using feedback to help him build strong relationships and achieve positive outcomes within the district. This episode addresses questions such as: Recommended resources: Hardwiring Excellence in Education: The Nine Principles Framework, Building Transparency and Trust, Develop Accountability to Develop Leadership, The Maturity Model: Phases of Improvement in Organizational Excellence

Duration:00:19:33

Empower Your Team by Embracing Accountability

10/30/2023
Join Dr. Janet Pilcher as she delves into the core principle of leadership accountability from her book, "Hardwiring Excellence in Education." Janet explains that leadership is more than just a title; it's about modeling the right behaviors and fostering ownership within an organization. Listen as she explores the critical role of individual accountability and sheds light on how leaders can inspire self-motivation among employees to create a positive workplace culture. Listen now to learn how fostering accountability creates inspiring workplaces where employees are connected to the organization’s missions and goals. This episode addresses questions such as: Recommended Resources: Hardwiring Excellence in Education: The Nine Principles Framework, Develop Accountability to Develop Leadership, Leading Change with Creative Tension, Using Key Words at Key Times

Duration:00:09:43

Transform Culture with Reward and Recognition

10/23/2023
What does reward and recognition look like in practice? Join Dr. Janet Pilcher for an insightful conversation with Dr. Jennifer Lowery from the Tea Area School District where we dig into this core principle of Reward and Recognition from Dr. Pilcher’s new book, “Hardwiring Excellence in Education.” Hear how Dr. Lowery has integrated this principle into her organization’s culture by using employee feedback to identify and define organizational values and consistently celebrate what "right" looks like. Gain valuable insights as she describes her innovative strategies to recognize students who embody the district's standards of excellence. Listen as Dr. Lowery shares her unique onboarding approach that aligns new hires with the district’s values and provides guidance for building an elevated culture based around rewarding and recognizing at all levels. This episode addresses questions such as: Recommended Resources: Hardwiring Excellence in Education: The Nine Principles Framework, Avoiding the Chaos, Powerful Practices that Build Connection, Unrelenting Commitment to Improvement

Duration:00:25:29

Shape Culture Through Connection

10/16/2023
What role does intentionality in connections play in shaping a strong organizational culture? Join Dr. Janet Pilcher as she interviews Mr. Al Betry of CESA 9 to discuss the strategies he uses to drive improvement, achieve remarkable outcomes, and create a culture where people want to come to work. We’ll explore the profound significance of exceptional service as a cornerstone principle and how it underpins his agency’s journey to success. We'll also dive into Mr. Betry’s strategic planning process where he skillfully gathers input from a diverse array of voices, fostering a sense of shared ownership and values within his organization. Listen and gain invaluable insights into Mr. Betry’s commitment to employee engagement through his culture playbook centered on compassion, integrity, and growth. This episode addresses questions such as: Recommended Resources: Hardwiring Excellence in Education: The Nine Principles Framework, Focus on Employee Engagement, Organizational Excellence, Organizational Feedback Loop

Duration:00:23:53

Embracing Mentorship: A Tribute to Georgia Blackmon

10/9/2023
As we begin to focus on the principle of rewarding and recognizing others, please join us for a special episode where Dr. Janet Pilcher shares four valuable life lessons from one of her most influential mentors and friends, Ms. Georgia Blackmon. Although Ms. Blackmon recently passed away, her legacy as a visionary, community leader, political activist, and strong advocate for both children and the Black community in Pensacola remains. Janet explains how Ms. Blackmon's strong mentorship profoundly influenced her, leaving an enduring mark on her life and values. Not only did Ms. Blackmon and her husband found the Gathering Awareness Book Center, she also founded a nonprofit organization that spearheaded the restoration of the historic Ella Jordan home in downtown Pensacola, Florida. Listen as Janet honors her late friend, Georgia, and inspires us to carry on her legacy of love over hate. Recommended Resources: Ella Jordan African American History Museum, Georgia Blackmon's Gathering Awareness to close in February after nearly 30 years, Find Your Path & Pay it Forward

Duration:00:07:44

Enhance Communication with Scorecards and Huddles

10/2/2023
Would you like to strengthen communication within your organization? Listen along as Dr. Ryan Carpenter of the Estacada School District discusses how he establishes effective two-way communication through his implementation of daily huddles and scorecards. He explains how scorecards drive success and enhance communication while huddles allow teams to build culture, chemistry, and ensure alignment with strategic goals. As communication at all levels is integrated throughout the process of achieving excellence, join us to hear how Dr. Carpenter hardwired this principle into the fabric of the school culture. This episode addresses questions such as: Recommended Resources: Hardwiring Excellence in Education: The Nine Principles Framework, Building Transparency and Trust, Communicate At All Levels, & Team Huddle Agenda Template

Duration:00:25:43