Accelerate Your Performance

Education is constantly changing, and with change comes new challenges. In navigating those challenges, leaders can draw on the lived experiences of strong leaders—because experience is one of life’s greatest teachers.

Bradley Roberson, retired superintendent of Oxford County Schools in Mississippi and now a Studer Education Leader Coach, has led through many seasons of change in education. Throughout his career, he has ...

Since 2019, Dr. Janet Pilcher has used this podcast to share the stories of effective leaders—their successes, their challenges, and the lessons they’ve learned along the way. Across 449 episodes, those stories have revealed countless lessons worth remembering and milestones worth celebrating.

As Dr. Pilcher reflects, “Here’s what I’ve learned over 449 episodes: We are all connected, and how we treat on...

Good leaders listen with intention and then act on what they learn. Listening to those closest to the work provides the most meaningful and accurate information because they are the ones that know the work best. These people can share what’s working well, what needs to be improved, what problems need to be solved, what potential solutions might look like, why organizations are achieving the results they are achieving, how to ...

When schools, students, and families work together, everyone wins. The truth is that teachers, families, and students have the same goal – student success. Therefore, building teams that allow everyone to work together for this shared goal helps bring the goal to fruition. Everyone has a valued voice on the team, and leaders build the culture for these teams to thrive and invite people to the table to share their voices. ...

Teachers are a gift to the world, and the work they do each day is transformational. They leave special marks on our lives, and their work is impactful. Teachers need to be reminded how remarkable and appreciated they are; they need to be reminded that their work matters in so many ways. This episode is about the big and small ways we can show appreciation and the impact that those demonstrations have on educators. The truth is tha...

Good leaders are effective at showing care and concern for others. Acts of care and concern can be demonstrated in both expected ways (such as check-in meetings) and unexpected ways (such as difficult conversations). The bottom line is that when people feel cared for, they are more engaged, feel a deeper investment to their work, and feel safe. In environments that build these feelings, a community is built and supported. People ju...

Getting and keeping employees engaged is hard, intentional work, but it's worth the continuous time and effort. As Lana Fontenot, Vice Chancellor for Institutional Advancement and External Relations at South Louisiana Community College, states, "Engagement is not a one-time thing, it happens day in and day out, year-round. You never stop doing it. It's not a check the box." 

In the first part of this two-part interview, Dr. Jan...

Employee engagement is key to a successful organization, and getting team members engaged should begin even before their first day of work as a new hire. New hires naturally feel a mix of excitement and anxiety, but leaders must capitalize on the excitement while minimizing the anxiety to stimulate employee engagement from the outset. According to Lana Fontenot, Vice Chancellor for Institutional Advancement and External Relations f...

Continuous improvement is grounded in learning. In fact, continuous improvement necessitates a mindset that focuses on continued learning and growth and that acknowledges that there is always something new to discover. Through this learning, growth occurs, and growth facilitates improvement. As Brian Alaback, Director of Professional Learning for Escambia County Public Schools in Florida so aptly shares, “if I don't have the ...

In today’s episode, Dr. Janet Pilcher implements her own advice to “face the brutal facts” in education. As educational leaders in both K12 and higher education face a changing landscape, Dr. Pilcher explains that it’s crucial for leaders to attend to the bottom line to provide what’s best for students. Listen as she encourages the practice of facing the brutal facts and responding in positive ways by&...

Dr. Howard Spearman, one of the 2026 Studer Education Difference Maker Award winners, believes that knowing your "why" is essential for a leader. Without knowing your why, Dr. Spearman shares that a leader can "lose their way." When a leader knows their why, students and communities thrive, and outcomes are met. Dr. Spearman is an example of how knowing and living your why reaps benefits. Listen as he shares with Dr. Janet Pilcher ...

Even the best leaders know that they can continue to learn. That mindset is partially what makes them good leaders; they continue to seek ways to improve. In this episode, Dr. Janet Pilcher talks with Dr. Vincent June, one of those great leaders who continues to seek ways to improve. His leadership has had a tremendous impact on the institutions and communities that he has served. As a result, he was the recipient of a 2026 Studer ...

Change is everyday business for leaders, and employees rely on leaders to guide them through change by effectively managing and leading change efforts. 

Listen as Dr. Janet Pilcher reflects on the idea that change is everyday business and shares three key concepts related to how leaders can effectively manage and lead the "everyday business" of change:

• Align leader behaviors that produce results and consider what this means ...

People want to do good work, and they want to work in an organization that has a positive work environment. According to Kelly Krostag, Assistant Superintendent of Human Resource Services for Escambia County Public Schools in Florida, a positive work environment “is the culture,” and she shares that developing, implementing, and living standards of excellence in the organization can transform organizational culture.&nbs...

On the heals of Studer Education's 2026 Destination High Performance Higher Education Conference, Dr. Janet Pilcher reflects on the event and her takeaways. She calls out an idea shared by Dr. Brendan Kelly, President of Eastern Michigan University: the idea that education institutions serve and support students best when they align "what they do" with what students want and need --  not what the institution wants and needs. L...

As Dr. Kristine Strickland, Chancellor of Fletcher Technical Community College, proposes in this week’s episode, strategic plans are important…if they don’t sit on a shelf to collect dust. Rather, as Dr. Strickland shares, strategic plans must be “alive” in daily work and conversations to keep everyone in an organization aligned with the goals and priorities outlined in the strategic plan. Scorecards ...

Employees want to feel valued and heard at work. When they feel this way, they feel safe sharing ideas, are motivated to do their best, and see the impact of their contributions and the contributions of others. In these ways, value and voice build a strong workplace culture. Rounding and recognition can help add value and voice to an organization to a strong culture. 
 
Listen to this conversation between Dr. Janet ...

Bright spots of good work are all around us in organizations. It is a leader's responsibility to create ways for people to harvest the stories of these bright spots. These stories reinforce why someone's work is valued, the impact it has on others, and how individual contributions make a positive impact. “Connecting to Purpose" is a tactic outlined in Pillar 4 of the 9 Pillars of Leadership Excellence that highlights an appro...

In preparation for an upcoming webinar, Dr. Janet Pilcher provides a brief introduction to the idea that feedback is a gift. She discusses how feedback is a two-way gift – leaders must provide and receive feedback. Feedback is a gift that provides valuable data that informs solid decisions, but it must be received with the right mindset. Listen as Janet shares tips for receiving feedback in the “right” way; explai...