We need to redefine what a vacation is and make certain it is something more than just a trip or time off. Let's get serious about supporting our well-being and creating the conditions so that we can grow our mind, body, spirit and soul. Join us as we reframe taking a vacation and create moments that just "take you away" from the things in life that don't add to who you are. Books: Careless People, Sarah Wynn Williams On Character, Gen. Stanley McCrystal Casting Forward, Steve Ramirez Super Ager...
Jun 29, 2025•32 min•Ep. 346
During the summer and in between projects we need to create opportunities for people to understand how they make a difference and matter. Join Ted for a conversation and tactic to allow for you to pause and applaud the way in which others make a difference in the world in which we live.
Jun 22, 2025•26 min•Ep. 345
Summer slide is a real thing and impacts children significantly. However, summer is an opportunity to increase student learning and skill application if we are willing to help parents out with ideas and activities. Ted shares how parents can support learning over the summer and how educators can fuel parents with tips and tricks to support learning. Parents are equal partners in the journey of learning.
Jun 08, 2025•40 min•Ep. 344
Urs and Ted have an engaging conversation on the impact of Radical Humility when leading others. Urs shares empowering stories and processes that will help you help others. Ted’s favorite part of the book is the idea that we can all be “tough on results and tender on people.”
May 26, 2025•54 min•Ep. 343
Too often we hide upcoming shifts and changes from people for fear that we will create tension. This is just a wasted opportunity to support people. Listen as Ted shares the research and a process to support increasing predictability for those you serve by outlining what people can expect during the next cycle or school year. Summer is an incredible time to help people see the change and find the support for their own engagement and empowerment.
May 18, 2025•35 min•Ep. 342
What do people in transition need the most? Well, the greatest gift we can give them is empathy and predictability. Ted breaks down how to give a gift that will be meaningful and needed for the people graduating or transitioning as well as describes how to support people as they take on their newest challenge. Simple process: Give clear expectations of how you will be there for them Recognize how hard they've worked to get where they are Tell them you love them Provide praise for the way in whic...
May 11, 2025•34 min•Ep. 341
The month of May is filled with opportunities for recognition and especially within our schools. Take a listen as Ted shares a process to use to create intentional and meaningful recognition in your culture. The process will bring Rays of Recognition throughout your culture. Click here for retreat registration.
Apr 27, 2025•31 min•Ep. 340
What is a genius? What is the impact of AI on our learning? How is our memory being impacted by digital technology? Why are little kids becoming more challenging? Find out in this conversation with Ted and Dr. Jared Horvath: neuroscientist, professor, author, documentary filmmaker, dad, and entrepreneur. https://www.lmeglobal.net
Apr 20, 2025•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 339
Did you know that 60% of male teens have online gambled at least once? Our children have too many opportunities to make bad choices, create addiction, and find themselves in accelerated anxiety loops. Ted tackles the newest research and findings on online and app-based gambling and the impact on teens. He ends with a simple suggestion: TALK TO YOUR CHILDREN! Summer leadership retreat registration: https://store.cesa6.org/products/smart-thinking-summer-leadership-retreat-in-person...
Apr 13, 2025•31 min•Ep. 338
Tired of all of the negativity? It can be hard not to be and negativity is fueled by uncertainty and there is a lot of that lately. Let's do something about it. Let's get optimistic (Think Olivia Newton-John)! Take a listen as we explore reflective questions to frame your day and bring renewed energy towards your mindset. Ted has a ton of energy on this episode and brings you a great way to frame your oncoming storms! Stop by our store to purchase Ted's tools: https://store.cesa6.org/...
Apr 06, 2025•36 min•Ep. 337
This week Ted continues to bring you texts to read and the theme this week is -- growing yourself. Leaders are readers and readers are leaders. This collection of texts will help you with your self-discipline, mindset, leadership behaviors, and reflections as a person for others. A great collection of texts to support you and allow you to grow. The books: Discipline is Destiny, Ryan Holiday The Let Them Theory, Mel Robbins MindCraft, Aaron Sadoff Radical Humility, Urs Koenig Meditation for Morta...
Mar 30, 2025•34 min•Ep. 336
People are leaving their jobs and we need a proactive process that allows us to understand how to help. Ted explores the idea of stay interviews and explains the powerful impact that asking positively framed questions can have for leaders as they are seeking to retain staff. He then adds a twist at the end which will help students!
Mar 16, 2025•36 min•Ep. 335
55% of Americans (per GALLUP) indicate that they do not know what is expected of them at work. This is not good for stakeholders or leaders. This episode shares a process to help you help others seek clarity and become crystal clear of their expectations. The process begins with providing everyone choice and voice in their world so that they have permission to seek clarity and be engaged and empowered.
Mar 02, 2025•36 min•Ep. 334
Gen Z and Gen Alpha are amazing and yet they are facing threats online that others generations could not have even imagined. Sextortion being one and this episode explores how to talk to young people about the threats they face in the 2020's. All of it by learning how to LEAN into difficult conversations with young people. Learn together Engage the topic Announce expectations Next steps
Feb 23, 2025•35 min•Ep. 333
Organizations create structure and people create culture. So how do we better support Gen Z in the workforce for a great culture? Take a listen as Ted breaks down strategies to support younger employees and colleagues - -oh heck -- these processes are actually good for everybody. Describe how you set yourself up for the future. List programs and supports you need in your current season of life. Describe innovations you could support in your workplace to increase success. Song: Better Days by Tho...
Feb 17, 2025•32 min•Ep. 332
The RESCUE principle will help us increase the success of others as well as ourselves. Take a listen as Ted breaks down the behaviors of great friends and colleagues to support wellbeing, engagement, and the application of our strengths. Resources Empathy Support their strengths Challenge Understand Expectations Buy Ted's book Duke's Storm here....
Feb 09, 2025•30 min•Ep. 331
How good are you or your organization at proactively anticipating what could happen? This episode shares a process borrowed from emergency management and discusses the positive impact of using the wisdom of the crowd to proactively plan for the future. This way everyone understands their role and can support the system in better ways. Describe where you could apply this process to increase team ownership and understanding. List people that need to always be in the room when proactively planning....
Jan 26, 2025•30 min•Ep. 330
There is now a name to our buffalo... Duke! Ted is now the author of a children's book entitled: Duke's Storm: A Story of Courage. This episode is the story about the story and how Ted was "nudged" by a high school sophomore that had participated in his student leadership training. Listen and hear how their shared experience has created a beautiful book. This episode details how multi-generational people can do great things together. Ted and Allison combined their talents to create an amazing bo...
Jan 19, 2025•53 min•Ep. 329
What is your process to provide energy whenever you are midway through a process, project or year? This process introduces an engaging practice to support what Ted calls MC Squared. Milestones, Communicated, and Celebrated for engagement and empowerment. All by playing BINGO! List current initiatives that could use a boost. Describe how you provide energy midway in your classroom, school, department, or office. Determine how you’re going to celebrate effort to bring energy Resource: https://myfr...
Jan 12, 2025•32 min•Ep. 328
This week Ted continues his tradition of bringing you books in the context of your life. This "pile" is all about you developing you! Listen as he breaks down five texts that are best read in order. These books will help you plan forward your life and leadership. The books: Build the Life You Want, Brooks and Winfrey (Not a country band) Principles, Dalio The Mountain is You, Wiest Tiny Habits, Fogg 10 to 25 The Science of Motivating Young People, Yeager Song: Somnolent Love, James Tutson...
Jan 05, 2025•36 min•Ep. 327
Did you know that only 1% of the people who make resolutions succeed after one year? Let's disrupt that pattern by taking a new approach. The approach? Resolution by committee. Get a group together to increase your success, hold each other accountable, and make micro changes for macro outcomes! List who your resolution committee will be. Describe your commitment to self growth and improvement. List the people who would benefit from this process. BONUS: describe how you will be different on Decem...
Dec 31, 2024•42 min•Ep. 326
Great leaders apply empathy to every situation. They also practice self-empathy. This conversation with Meredith about her learning and tactics around overthinking will help you in many ways. First, empathy/self-empathy. Second, identifying what is going on in your heart and head. Third, providing you with strategies to support yourself and others. Finally, a language to help you claim and tame what causes you to be mentally or emotionally restless. Book: Get Out Of My Head. Inspiration for over...
Dec 22, 2024•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 325
As we close out 2025, there are opportunities to support reflection and planning. Take a listen on this spin of a classic Charles Dickens tale and how Ted created reflection prompts to support those that you lead. Here are the prompts: Please share advice you would give yourself when visiting 14-year-old you. Please share advice you would give yourself when visiting you your first-year teaching/in your career. Please share something you successfully challenged and overcame this year. Please shar...
Dec 15, 2024•31 min•Ep. 324
This episode is a great conversation between Emily, Tim and Ted about all things recognition, engagement and how using your Clifton Strengths can amplify the world around you. Listen in for great new research, tips for coaching others and some new ways to support others. The research on great recognition practices. It must be: Fulfilling Authentic Equitable Embedded Personalized
Dec 08, 2024•1 hr 20 min•Ep. 323
Have you ever asked a kid for advice? If not, you should start. Take a listen as Ted shares the wisdom of nearly 200 middle school students. These young people gave great advice for the adults in their lives. Use his process to amplify your teams, friends and family this Thanksgiving. Describe the advice you’ll take from the students. List who would benefit from getting this type of advice. Describe how you could use this process to elevate others....
Nov 24, 2024•28 min•Ep. 322
Join Ted and listen to him with what might be the most enthusiasm he's had yet on the podcast. He found a new Google tool called NotebookLM and he breaks down the power of this AI for use in leadership, organizations, and classrooms. There is a AI generated podcast within the podcast. Super smart thinking this week. List application you have for NotebookLM. Describe your wonderings around applying AI in your work. List you worries about applying storm generating technologies. Click here to take ...
Nov 17, 2024•42 min•Ep. 321
A behavior ignored, is a behavior reinforced. In your culture what are you expecting and what are you tolerating? Listen as Ted describes a mindset and tool to help you have the needed conversations so that your culture grows in a positive way and people are either coached up to the expectations or coached out of the situation. List the people coming with you and who is not Describe what you need to do in order to grow your invitation list Describe what you need to do different within your cultu...
Nov 10, 2024•38 min•Ep. 320
When people are stubborn it is usually for a good reason. Likely fear of change or of the unknown consequences of taking the "risk." Take a listen as Ted explore how to support good people who seem unwilling to change or move into the direction of the storm they are facing. List people who can help you move past a stubborn moment you are facing. Describe how you can support others who have the wrong gear but right mindset. List the ways in which you can support others in finding their way....
Nov 03, 2024•35 min•Ep. 319
Transactional relationships and mindsets create disengagement, sadness, and resentment. Transactional thinking is the opposite of leadership and keeping score needs to stop. Listen as Ted explores how to shift to a zero-zero mindset and support a positive narrative in your noggin and help you - help others grow. Describe where in your life you are keeping score List the people in your life that need to be modeled 0-0 Describe how you can lead with a 0-0 mindset...
Oct 20, 2024•35 min•Ep. 318
Recess might actually be the process to help children learn more, decrease classroom behavioral issues, and increase teacher retention. Wait, how could that be? In this episode Ted shares research that shows how increasing recess - decreases all the negative things occurring in school and increases all of the positive things. The answer for improvement has likely been in front of us the entire time (recess). However, we’re going to need to be buffaloes and charge into several storms to create th...
Oct 13, 2024•34 min•Ep. 317