We're starting our Summer Success Series, but before we do, there's one thing we need to get out of the way up front -- It's the one thing that can prevent you from being successful as a Builder this year. Find out what it is in this episode, and discover how you can keep it from keeping you from success this year #LikeABuilder.
It's the end of the school year and now is the perfect time to reflect before you get caught up in planning for the summer. Doing so will prevent you from repeating the same mistakes and experiencing the same frustrations next school year. Discover the exact process Builders use to glean the lessons from the school year, take those lessons into the summer, and use them to plan a better year next year #LikeABuilder.
We’re back for our annual summer reading list - 5 books outside of education that you should be reading this summer. This year’s crop of books cover everything from how to produce greater value in your work, to how to build strong teams, to how to develop a no-bull**** strategy for your school. Each book offers a different perspective on some of our most pressing challenges in education right now. Tune in to discover 5 books you may not have considered and then choose one to read over the summer...
I recently completed a training for the members of BU and it was so good, that I decided to give it to you too. If you have an Assistant Principal, then you’ll definitely want to tune in as I walk you step-by-step through the process of attracting, screening, and on-boarding your AP’s so that you not only find the right person for the position, but you set them up to be immediately successful in the role. So, if you’re looking for a new AP, or you’re hiring for ANY position in your school, this ...
We’re rewinding to one of our most popular episodes ever -- The definitive episode on how to conduct student focus groups. Student focus groups are a great way to connect with your students and collect their feedback on how you are doing as a school. In this episode, learn step-by-step how to select students for a focus group, what questions to ask, how to analyze the data, and how to use the data to improve your school. By the time you're done, you'll be able to conduct your own student focus g...
Did you know that there are certain things you can do that will absolutely guarantee that you will fail? On today’s episode, discover the 5 things that will guarantee failure so that you can avoid them and focus on what behaviors will guarantee success #LikeABuilder.
It's interview season and in this Rewind episode, I'm sharing my 4 BEST interview questions to help you hire the best teachers for your school. This episode is for you if you have ever interviewed someone, hired them, only to find out too late that they weren’t a good fit for your school culture. There’s a way to avoid that. It has to do with the kinds of questions you use to interview. On today’s episode, discover 4 Battle-Tested Interview questions you can use to find out very quickly if a can...
Today, we’re talking about a seriously under used and undervalued tool you can use to collect meaningful feedback from teachers, improve your teacher retention rate, and build a stronger school culture: The Exit Interview. Tune in to one of my favortie episodes where you'll discover why you should be conducting Exit Interviews, how to set up Exit Interviews, and the Exit Interview questions you should be asking. By the time you’re done listening, you’ll know how to conduct Exit Interviews with y...
Are you feeling overwhelmed right now? You’re not alone. It seems like everyone is feeling that way. But, once you understand the root of all overwhelm, then you realize there is a solution and it’s simpler than you think. If you’re feeling overwhelmed right now, you don’t have to feel that way. Discover root cause of overwhelm, specific ways you can feel more confident and focused, and how you can overcome overwhelm once and for all #LikeABuilder.
Have you ever offered teachers support only to have them complain about it later? If so, then today’s episode is for you. Find out the reason teachers often resist our support (and it’s NOT because they’re resistant to change) and how the way we were trained to offer support actually creates resentment on both sides. Then, discover the simple phrase Builders use to enlist teachers as partners in their own support and how you can offer teachers the exact support they need every time #LikeABuilder...
The reason we offer PD to our teachers is that we are hoping to provide with support and resources so that they are more effective in the classroom. So why is it that most PD is so ineffective? In this very practical episode discover the 4 steps you must take to make your PD more useful to teachers and more impactful for students. It's time to stop working really hard and seeing very little results from our PD efforts and start offering teachers meaningful PD #LikeABuilder.
Someone asked me recently how you could tell if someone was truly a Builder. Anyone can SAY that they have a 100% vision, but how can you really know if they mean it? It’s a great question and on today’s episode, I’ll give you 3 ways to tell if someone is truly a Builder or if they are just talking the talk. Once you understand these 3 things, you’ll not only be able to tell if someone else is a Builder, you’ll also be able to check yourself to make sure that you are truly approaching your work ...
Have you ever launched a new initiative hoping it would solve a big problem, and been disappointed by the results? We all have. But the difference between those who ultimately succeed and those who continue to struggle isn’t so much the plan they use, but how well they stick to their plans. On today’s episode, we’ll talk about the power of consistency and how you can leverage it to go farther faster #LikeABuilder.
Have you ever gone to a conference, or read a book, or listened to a podcast and thought “I need to do that” only to realize months later that you haven’t done a thing? Do you have notebooks full of ideas and a camera roll full of snaps of slides from presentations you’ve long forgotten? We’ve all done it. And we think that if we were just more organized or more focused, we’d be better at implementing. But the truth is, implementing on what you learn is a skill, and on today’s episode, I’m break...
This episode is next in a series of practical episodes about how to focus on the right work and stop wasting time on things that don’t matter. Today, we’re looking at the difference between the way that we were trained to do quarterly planning and the way that Builders do quarterly planning. I’ll take you step-by-step through the simple process Builders use and show you how this process can help you eliminate your biggest challenges on-by-one #LikeABuilder.
This episode is next in a series of practical episodes about how to focus on the right work and stop wasting time on things that don’t matter. Today, we’re looking at a powerful process we use in BU to help us design systems that set our schools up for success. I’m taking you step-by-step through the process (warning: this is gonna hurt) to help you examine your current systems and upgrade them so that they serve both your students and your adults. That way, you can build sustainable systems tha...
This episode is the first in a series of practical episodes about how to focus on the right work and stop wasting time on things that don’t matter. Today, we’re looking at the exact steps Builders use to prune away the things that are sucking away your attention, time, and energy so that you can focus only on the things that will help you achieve your 100% vision. You’ll discover the exact steps you need to take to ruthlessly get rid of anything that doesn’t move you towards your vision so that ...
Is there a decision you know you need to make but, for whatever reason, you’ve been putting it off? If so, today’s episode is for you. We’ll take a look at the hidden reasons that are keeping you from making a decision, the emotional consequences of unmade decisions, and specific things you can do to overcome decision paralysis and confidently make good decisions #LikeABuilder.
What do you do about a teacher who refuses to do things the way that we ask them to? Well, if you’re a builder, it depends. You see, Builders rarely struggle with this problem for two reasons. First, they have a vision, mission, and core values in place that create true alignment and second, before jumping to a solution, Builders always ask themselves a simple question and this question helps them make wise decisions and handle tough situation with clarity and calm. Discover the key question all...
Recently a woman asked me a question that I get asked from time-to-time. “Have you been a principal?” On today’s episode, I address the question (and the questions behind the question) in order to remove any barrier keeping you from choosing to help every student achieve 100% success #LikeABuilder.
Who would have thought that the idea of “staff alignment” would be so triggering to some educators? And yet, when some educators hear the term, they immediately think that alignment equals conformity and control. Some are even adamant that true alignment isn’t necessary or even possible. So, in today’s episode, we’re going to tackle some of the biggest “yes,buts…” people raise about staff alignment with 2 goals in mind. One, you may be feeling some of these “yes, buts…” as well and if you are, t...
In order to build true staff alignment, you need 4 things -- ownership, empowerment, alignment, and engagement. On the last episode (243) we discussed how to build true teacher ownership so that teachers take responsibility for the results in their classrooms and how you can build true empowerment so that you set teachers up to be successful in their classrooms. On this episode, you'll discover how to ensure that every single teacher's work is in alignment with your vision, mission, and core val...
In order to build true staff alignment, you need 4 things -- ownership, empowerment, alignment, and engagement. On this episode, you’ll discover how to build true teacher ownership so that teachers take responsibility for the results in their classrooms and how you can build true empowerment so that you set teachers up to be successful in their classrooms #LikeABuilder.
This is the first part of a new series we’re doing on how to build a strong team where everyone is focused on doing the right work the right way. Today, we’re unpacking one of the biggest leadership traps that keeps you from moving your school forward and along the way, you’ll discover 4 critical elements that keep you from being the bottleneck in your school. That way, you can empower your team to take more ownership over the work and see more significant gains in your school #LikeABuilder....
We're looking back at 2023 and extracting the 5 biggest lessons learned that we believe will set you up for a strong 2024. Tune in to hear 5 valuable lessons that will help you succeed in 2024 #LikeABuilder.
Today, we’re breaking down the last 4 principles of effective instruction so that you can help every teacher in your building become a master teacher. (Did you miss the first 3 principles? You can catch them here). Once you understand these principles and help your teachers consistently apply them in the classroom, you can help every teacher help every child in their classroom be successful #LikeABuilder.
You probably know this already, but it bears repeating -- tactics don’t transform instruction. You can give teachers all the tactics you want, but if they don’t understand how to help all students learn, your tactics will fail them. That’s why on this episode we’re breaking down the principles of effective instruction so that you can help every teacher in your building become a master teacher. This episode breaks down the first 3 principles of effective instruction and shows you how implementing...
In order to achieve 100% success, you only need 2 things -- You need to believe you can achieve it and you need to understand the specific steps you need to take. Unfortunately, most of us have never seen or experienced 100% success before, so it’s not only hard to believe, it’s hard to conceive of what it will really take to achieve it. On today’s episode, we’re starting a new series that will break down the exact steps you need to take to build belief in your 100% vision and to help every teac...
Have you ever thought you solved a problem but it crops up again later on kinda like a zombie you can never kill? If so, then today’s episode is for you. I’m breaking down the 3-part framework Builders use when they are solving problems so that they eliminate their problems once and for all. By the time you’re finished listening to this episode, you’ll have the exact steps you can take today to make sure that your problems don’t come back from the dead tomorrow because you solved your problems #...
When you really think about it, your motivation for the work you do determines how you approach your work and what a “win” will look like for you. That’s why on today’s episode, we’re examining the difference between wanting to look good, do good, or be good and the implications for how successful you’ll be as a principal of your school. Understanding the difference will mean the difference between doing your work like a boss or leader and making a lasting difference #LikeABuilder.
