The Innovator’s Mindset Podcast
I am a learner, author, speaker, and sometimes I make podcasts talking about any and all of these things. One day, I will rap in my podcasts officially making me a SoundCloud rapper.
Episodes
Technology has never been the goal. People always have been.
In this episode, I revisit a blog post I originally wrote in 2018, years before AI became part of nearly every conversation in education. While the technology has changed dramatically, I believe the questions we should ask have remained remarkably consistent.
Rather than debating whether technology or AI is "good" or "bad," I foc...
What does effective technology leadership look like in K-12 education, especially at a time when schools face growing concerns about screen time, AI, online testing, and student technology use?
In this episode of The Innovator’s Mindset Podcast, George Couros speaks with Dr. Karla Burkholder, Deputy Executive Director of Texas Educational Technology Leaders (TETL), about why purposeful technology use matters more than blanket...
What keeps people moving when the journey gets hard?
In this episode of The Innovator's Mindset Podcast, George Couros reflects on a powerful video shared by Jay Shetty that captures marathon runners from above. Looking at the race from a distance, it becomes clear that every runner has a story. Every person cheering from the sidelines has a story as well. We rarely know what someon...
Teaching & Learning at the Center of Educational Leadership - Dr. Dawn Bridges & The IASA Conference
What happens when we put teaching and learning at the center of educational leadership?
In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Dawn Bridges, Associate Director of Professional Learning for the Illinois Association for School Administrators (IASA), to talk about the upcoming IASA 62nd Annual Conference, taking place September 30–October 2 in Springfield.
...
Strong schools are built by recognizing strengths, not just fixing weaknesses.
In this episode, I explore why the way we develop educators ultimately shapes the experiences of every student they serve. Inspired by a recent ISTE presentation from Dr. Rachel Edoho-Eket on the importance of identifying and building student strengths, I ask a simple question:
Wh...
What does it take to build a school culture where every student is challenged, valued, and inspired to reach their potential?
In this episode of The Innovator's Mindset Podcast, George Couros sits down with Anne Uberti, Superintendent of Newtown Public Schools, and Frank Purcaro, Assistant Superintendent, to discuss the vision behind the district's upcoming Convocation Day and the beliefs that shape their work with students and sta...
Great ideas are not always enough.
In this episode of The Innovator's Mindset, I explore why building rapport matters before we challenge people, push their thinking, or introduce new ideas.
I share a story from earlier in my career about someone who was truly ahead of their time. They had great ideas and saw possibilities that many others did not. But the w...
What does it take to build a culture where innovation is expected, supported, and sustainable?
In this episode of The Innovator's Mindset Podcast, George Couros is joined by Tim Bearden, Superintendent of West Ottawa Public Schools, and Todd Tulgestke, Associate Superintendent for Innovation & Secondary Instruction, to explore how their district developed an Instructional Compass that ...
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Four years ago, I packed up my minivan with my dogs, Cooper and Odom, and drove from Edmonton, Alberta, to a new life in Orlando, Florida.
Starting over was exciting, terrifying, and ultimately transformative.
In this solo episode of The Innovator’s Mindset...
What does it take to innovate when everyone else is playing it safe?
In this episode of The Innovator's Mindset Podcast, George Couros sits down with legendary film producer Larry Kasanoff, author of A Touch of Madness, to explore why the biggest breakthroughs in film, business, and education often begin as ideas that others dismiss as impossible.
Drawing fr...
What makes professional learning actually valuable for educators?
In this episode, I reflect on a recent keynote with nearly 400 school and district leaders in Pinellas County and share three powerful ideas that can transform professional learning experiences for teachers, principals, and leadership teams.
Drawing from themes in my book Forward, Together, this conversation explores how leaders can create learning experiences where ...
What does it look like when a CEO models the same learning, risk-taking, and growth she hopes to see throughout her organization?
In this episode of The Innovator’s Mindset Podcast, George Couros speaks with Brittany Lewis, CEO of Haven Schools, about creating a culture where high expectations for students are matched by a willingness to keep learning and improving as adults.
Brittany shares how her own visibility as a learne...
Have you ever found yourself spending more energy focused on critics than on the people who have supported you all along?
In this episode of The Innovator’s Mindset Podcast, George Couros explores a powerful shift in perspective: moving from the desire to prove doubters wrong to the commitment to prove believers right.
Inspired by a comment from NBA player Jared McCain, George reflects on how encouragement from one educationa...
What does it take to develop school leaders who are prepared for the realities of today's educational landscape?
In this episode of The Innovator's Mindset Podcast, George Couros sits down with Justin Faulkner, founder and CEO of Connected Leadership Partners, to discuss how leadership development can move beyond theory and become practical, relevant, and immediately applicable.
Drawing from his experience as a teacher, coach, prin...
In this podcast, we explore a question that quietly shapes every classroom, team, and organization:
What gets ignored, and what gets corrected?
Through stories from basketball officiating, classroom teaching, and school leadership, George Couros reflects on how inconsistent expectations can unintentionally shape culture. Why do some people get held to impossible standards while others are continually excused? And what message does ...
In this episode of The Innovator's Mindset Podcast, George Couros sits down with Carolee Ogata, Superintendent of Huntington Beach Union High School District, to explore what it looks like when schools move beyond compliance and create cultures of true ownership.
Carolee shares how some of the district's most impactful opportunities, including Model UN, AVID, IB, performing arts, entrepreneurship programs, and career pathways, were...
In this episode, I explore an idea that stuck with me during a long run: many of the qualities we admire most only work when connected to something else that gives them balance and direction.
Courage without wisdom can become recklessness. Hard work without discipline often leads to frustration. Innovation without a strong understanding of the basics rarely lasts.
In this episode, we dive into one of the most challenging parts of leadership in education: navigating difficult conversations with staff, caregivers, colleagues, and school communities. Inspired by the book Connecting Through Conversation, this discussion goes beyond theory and into practical, real-world strategies that help leaders communicate with clarity, empathy, and confidence.
We share stories from our own experiences in edu...
What does it mean to stay teachable in a world changing faster than ever?
In this episode, I reflect on the work of Daniel Pink and revisit an idea I first wrote about in 2015 called “The Sponge Factor,” the ability to absorb knowledge, feedback, and experiences, then transform them into better ideas and practices.
We explore why this mindset matters more than ever in education and leadership, especially as AI and emerg...
What does it take to create a school culture where people feel supported, challenged, and genuinely connected to the work?
In this conversation, I sit down with Tara Estep and Eric Rosburg from the Cedar Falls Community Schools to discuss how they intentionally build community-centered cultures that bring initiatives to life instead of simply asking people to comply with change.
We explore the idea of “competitive collaborati...
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