Category Podcast

PMP193: Taking a Music Break from COVID-19

: Play in new window | DownloadI don’t know about you, but it seems like every waking hour has been spent adjusting to a new normal, and the idea of relaxing almost seems unkind when you think of all the…

PMP192: Leading from a Distance, Part 2 with Jen Schwanke

: Play in new window | DownloadWhen storms roll across my home state of Oklahoma, residents here have a few common reactions. First, we listen to the weather station. Oklahoma has the best storm-tracking radar systems in the world. Second,…

PMP191: Reflections on Leading from a Distance

: Play in new window | DownloadIf you’re like me, you’re probably still adjusting to a new normal. Each morning I still wake up, walk the dog, or go for a run around the neighborhood. I login to my email…

PMP190: 5 Tips for Running the Uncertain Leadership Roads Ahead

: Play in new window | DownloadThis morning I was running a three-mile track around my neighborhood. As I passed the houses and occasional drivers, I felt a sudden kinship to my neighbors I’m not sure I’ve felt before. We…

PMP189: Building Bridges to Reach Students with Dr. Don Parker

: Play in new window | DownloadWhen Don Parker was a Dean of Students, he knew his students were struggling – especially those with high risk factors. Don’s passion became simple and challenging: Find the best ways to help students…

PMP188: COVID-19 Update, Principal Reboot, Finding Balance Continued

: Play in new window | DownloadThis week I had the privilege of capturing a few minutes with Chris Legleiter, Principal of Leawood Middle School, Blue Valley Schools, just outside Kansas City, Missouri. The state of Kansas has closed buildings…

PMP187: Reboot for Principals, Part 2

: Play in new window | DownloadAs schools across the nation continue closures because of the Coronavirus pandemic, this week’s episode includes an update from listener, Terrence Simmons, Assistant Principal at Floyd Elementary, in Nye County, Nevada. Their team has…

PMP185: The Power of Sharing Your Own Story

: Play in new window | DownloadWhat stories have shaped your own leadership journey? I recently finished reading, Educated: A Memoir by Tara Westover. If you’re unfamiliar with the book, Tara Westover grew up in a rural Idaho with parents…

PMPEncore151: Hiring High Quality Educators, Part 2

: Play in new window | DownloadWhy is hiring such an important part of your responsibility as a principal? First and foremost, because the students, teachers, and community members deserve high quality education experiences. And secondly, because the people in…

PMPEncore150: Hiring High Quality Educators, Part 1

: Play in new window | DownloadOne day the teachers at Indian Run Elementary, in Dublin, Ohio, organized a “Flash TACO bar” – a spontaneous buffet meal where they shared great food and fun together. As principal of the school,…

PMP184: 5 Voices for Leading Teams with Jeremie Kubicek

: Play in new window | DownloadIt goes without saying that in order to lead you must have followers. But taking others to a destination doesn’t just mean accomplishing all the to-do’s on your checklist. Leadership requires relationships. And meaningful…

PMP183: Gen Z Unfiltered, Part 2 with Andrew McPeak

: Play in new window | Download“When is a time you have used grit, and what lesson did you learn?” This is just one of 100 questions you find included in the Table Talk Cards that come as a bonus…

PMP182: Generation Z Unfiltered with Andrew McPeak

: Play in new window | DownloadStudents today face newer and different challenges than students of the past. Although many of the skills or values they need to be successful remain the same regardless of time and place, they also…

Encore099: Collaborating for Results – Interview with Dr. Judi Barber

: Play in new window | DownloadI am digging into the archives of Principal Matters to bring you an episode from January 2018, when I had the privilege to interview Dr. Judi Barber. First, let me tell you a story.…

PMP181: Finding Your Swing – How Leadership & Teamwork Go Hand-in-Hand

: Play in new window | DownloadThis week I had the privilege of spending an afternoon with a team of new assistant principals. As we talked about their first semester, they shared the lessons they’ve learned in time management, communication,…

PMP180: Tipping Points and Why Small Things Matter

: Play in new window | DownloadWhat does it take for small actions to produce big results? Over Christmas break, I listened to the audio-version of Malcolm Gladwell’s Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference and learned…

PMP179: Special Edition – Principal Matters 2019 Year In Review

: Play in new window | DownloadLast week my family and I traveled back to Tennessee to see my parents and extended family. My parents both turned 79 this past year. Life has slowed down a lot for them now.…

PMP178: 10 Positive Takeaways from the Past Decade

: Play in new window | DownloadJust like you, I can think of many reasons to worry about the future or raise concerns about trends that have developed over the past decade. Whether that includes increases in school shootings, soaring…

PMP177: Cha Cha’s for Making Learning Stick with LeAnn Nickelsen

: Play in new window | DownloadA few weeks ago, I was sharing with a group of principals one of my favorite video-clips from the movie, The Incredibles. It’s the scene where Lucius, aka the superhero, Frozone, is watching as…

Encore146: Balancing Priorities with Jen Schwanke

Thank you @JenSchwanke for the great takeaways in this encore episode! #principalmatters #edleadership

PMP176: Leading Through Equity with William Stubbs

: Play in new window | DownloadIn October 2018, William Stubbs, an instructional leadership director at Oklahoma City Public Schools at the time, entered and won the Teach for America’s Shark Tank OKC as a contestant in the city’s Shark…

PMP175: Middle School Matters with Phyllis Fagell

: Play in new window | DownloadDo you remember what is was like to be a middle school student? For many people, memories of those years often bring back stories filled with anxiety and awkward physical, emotional, and social changes.

PMP174: 10 Areas to Focus on for Growth as a Leader with Chris Legleiter

: Play in new window | DownloadEvery person in your school is at a different level of growth. Not just students, but teachers are also at stages of growth. Leadership is not any different. Some educators are just beginning the…

PMP173: Lessons in Leadership from Your Scars

: Play in new window | DownloadWhen I was in college, I had a blue 1981 Toyota Celica that overheated on the long trip to Oklahoma, and the engine burned up. It was my first car. I had bought it…

PMP172: Learning and Leading with John Wink

Thank you @johnwink90 for sharing these great takeaways for teachers and school leaders! #principalmatters @SolutionTree

PMP:170 Four Lessons in Teamwork from my Son’s Hospital Stay

: Play in new window | DownloadSix years ago, on October 31, 2013, my son Jack was eight years old. We had just finished an amazing day of trick-or-treating, and he asked if he could change back into his normal…

PMP168: Managing Your Day with Kim Marshall and Jenn David-Lang

: Play in new window | DownloadIf you are like most school leaders, time management can be one of the most difficult parts of your work. Most new school leaders I meet explain how overwhelming the list of to-do’s can…

PMP167: Keeping Your Leadership Focused on Service, Not Self

: Play in new window | DownloadLast week was the first time (except for a rare Christmas holiday) that I have not shared a blog post or podcast episode update in almost five years. At first, I thought it was…

PMP166: Unique Challenges of Rural Principals and Why Your Story Matters

: Play in new window | DownloadThis week I’m sharing another episode from the road as I have been traveling across my state, Oklahoma, visiting principals at schools or in regional meetings. Recently, I visited Texhoma, Oklahoma, with High School…

PMP164: On the Road – Thoughts for New School Leaders

: Play in new window | DownloadThese last couple of week, I’ve been on the road a lot visiting schools and principals across my state. For the next couple of weeks, I plan to share some thoughts from the road…

PMP163: Encouraging an Environment of Growth – Questions and Answers with Jethro Jones

Thank you @jethrojones for collaborating together to answer principal questions! #education #leadership #principalmatters #transformativeprincipals

PMP162: Go! Community – How to Harness the Power of the Room with Danny Bauer

: Play in new window | DownloadAuthor David Weinberger once said: “The smartest person in the room is the room itself.” In other words, the collective power of our thinking is always more powerful than working in isolation. By connecting…

PMP161: Answers to Principal Matters Questions, Part 2

: Play in new window | DownloadLast week Jen Schwanke and I answered questions from podcast listeners. Listen to Part 1 here. This week we take three more questions from principals on parenting, women in leadership, and professional growth. Here’s…

PMP160: Answers to Principal Matters Questions, Part 1

: Play in new window | DownloadRecently, several questions came from Principal Matters community members. This week, Jen Schwanke, principal and author, joined me to answer several questions from principals or aspiring principals. Here are a three questions we take…

PMP159: Engaging Students in Shaping Their Own Stories with Jesse Haynes

: Play in new window | DownloadJesse Haynes is one of those rare people you meet in life who has dared to make his dreams come true. He is a recent graduate from the University of Tulsa who has reached…

PMP:Encore076 Messaging Matters – How to Inspire Teachers, Motivate Students and Reach Communities

: Play in new window | DownloadIn 2017, Justin Baeder, from Principal Center Radio, invited me as a guest on his show to talk to me about my book Messaging Matters: How to Inspire Teachers, Motivate Students, and Reach Communities. Justin was…

PMP158: Why Telling Your Own Story Matters

: Play in new window | DownloadA few nights ago I was sitting in a theater with my wife watching the movie, Yesterday, starring Himesh Patel and Lily James. I don’t want to give away any spoilers, but I do…

PMP157: Preparing for the Start-of-School Year

: Play in new window | DownloadJenny is a returning student at her high school. She has a part-time job which keeps her up late most nights. When she arrives late to school, she has already missed breakfast and she’s…

PMP156: 6 Tips for Managing School-Wide Changes

: Play in new window | DownloadWhen my family recently visited the Rocky Mountain National Park, we enjoyed drives through snow-peaked mountains. But my 13-year old son, Jack, was most excited about hiking and climbing. One morning, we gathered the…

PMPEncore028: Four Reasons Your Vacation Matters

: Play in new window | DownloadThis week’s post is an encore episode I shared a couple of years ago. Since I’m enjoying some vacation, I thought I would remind you why your time away from school may help you…

PMP:Encore090 Branding Your School with Marlena Gross-Taylor

: Play in new window | DownloadWhen I was in junior high school, everyone on my basketball team wore Converse high-tops. Yes, that means I’m officially from the 70’s! I’ll never forget mine: They were the color of golden-rod, and I…

PMP155: Parenting as Principals – Do’s and Don’ts, Part 2

: Play in new window | DownloadA few years ago, we had a lockdown drill at the high school where I was principal. Local police had called to say they were aware of a potential threat against our school on…

PMP154: Parenting as Principals – Do’s and Don’ts, Part 1

: Play in new window | DownloadOklahoma has experienced its share of storms and severe weather this spring. The other day, our family was sitting in our storm closet as sirens were sounding at 6:30AM. Afterwards, I was driving my…

PMP153: Maintaining Balance and Focusing on What Matters, Part 2

: Play in new window | DownloadWhen Principal Jen Schwanke was talking to one of her teachers about the importance of balance, her teacher asked an honest question. “Why should I do this when you don’t?” Jen realized then that…

PMP152: Maintaining Balance and Staying Focused on What Matters

: Play in new window | DownloadWe just celebrated Mother’s Day. This time of year is a good reminder that our families play such an important role in our lives outside of school. No matter how many principals I visit,…

PMP151: Hiring & Retaining High Quality Teachers, Part 2

: Play in new window | DownloadSeveral weeks ago, I had the privilege of visiting Norman High School, in Norman, Oklahoma. Dr. Scott Beck was recently named Oklahoma’s High School Principal of the Year, and I wanted to touch-base with…

PMP:150 Hiring High Quality Educators, Part 1

: Play in new window | DownloadRecently, the teachers at Indian Run Elementary, in Dublin, Ohio, organized a “Flash TACO bar” – a spontaneous buffet meal where they shared great food and fun together. As principal of the school, Jen…

PMP:149 Managing Adult Conflicts, Part 2

: Play in new window | DownloadSpring time is here, and the landscape is green with new growth. Ironically, my wife told me that by the spring of each school year, she has decided that our marriage is falling apart,…

PMP:148 The “Why’s” and “How’s” of Managing Adult Conflict

: Play in new window | DownloadOne of the biggest surprises for school new school leaders may be the conflicts that arise with adults. Whether you are encountering conflicts with parents, colleagues or community members, these situations can be difficult…

PMP:147 Providing Focused Professional Development

: Play in new window | DownloadWhen you think about providing professional development, do you feel stressed or excited? For many principals, providing professional development can be a daunting task. The good news is that professional development can become something…

PMP:146 Good Habits for Balancing Priorities

: Play in new window | DownloadHave you ever felt overwhelmed in trying to balance priorities? If you’re like me, you can probably think of more than once where student discipline, parent concerns, and teacher feedback provided you more tasks…

PMP:145 Promoting a Culture of Trust – Part 2

: Play in new window | DownloadWhen is the last time you heard the following words? “We do what’s best for kids.” Of course, we want school leaders to do what is best for students. But we also want to…