The Empowered Principal® Podcast

As we wrap up 2025 and settle into the holiday season, I have a special gift for you.

Instead of adding to your already full plate, I've curated the most powerful moments, insights, and conversations from the past year of The Empowered Principal® Podcast. Think of it as your personal highlight reel, wrapped up with a bow.

This best-of ...

Do you find yourself dreading the holidays instead of enjoying them?

Maybe it's the pressure of sending hundreds of greeting cards, hosting the perfect party, or dealing with difficult family conversations. The truth is, most of us are trying so hard to meet everyone else's expectations that we forget to ask ourselves what we actually want. And once you fall into this pattern, the holiday...

Have you noticed an uptick in complaining at your school lately?

Maybe it's the constant venting about broken technology, construction delays, or just the general "heaviness" of the year. We've all been there, nodding along as someone vents, secretly agreeing with their frustrations. But when we jump in the pool with complainers, nobody's left on the sidelines to throw a life preserver.

Have you ever noticed how kids approach new experiences?

My 10-year-old niece came over the other night to bake brownies. When I asked if she'd found the recipe online, she said, "No, I just created it. I made it up and I want to try it." Her confidence in her creative ability stopped me in my tracks. Because here's what I realized: We're all born creators, but somewhere along the way, we...

Have you ever been in a relationship where you know something's wrong, but you're too afraid to talk about it because you don't want it to end? That's exactly what's happening in education right now.

We're clinging to the old paradigm where we're the authority figures, students comply without question, and everyone understands the value of school. Deep down, we school leaders know that wo...

Have you noticed how the value of education is being questioned by everyone - students, parents, even some of your staff?

Since the pandemic, there's been an explosion of change in how people view school. Students question why they need to attend. Parents wonder if the curriculum still matters. And you're caught in the middle, trying to uphold standards while the ground shifts beneath you...

Have you ever felt so exhausted that even a full night's sleep doesn't help? Maybe you're dragging yourself to school each morning, fighting back tears in the parking lot. Or sitting in your car for an hour after work because you just can't face going inside yet. I get it. As educators, we give everything to our students… often at the expense of our own wellbeing.

This week, I'm joined by...

Veteran principals sometimes share a secret that newer leaders might not expect: the work can feel repetitive, uninspiring, even boring. When you've mastered the routines of observation cycles, behavior investigations, and IEP meetings, when you've successfully calmed the chaos and created systems that work, you might find yourself wondering if this is all there is to school leadership.

I...

Have you ever lost sleep over that one teacher who seems to disagree with everything you do? Or found yourself obsessing over why certain staff members just don't seem to like you? I get it. I've been there.

In fact, I remember spending countless hours trying to win over teachers who didn't like me. Stewing over their eye rolls, analyzing their non-verbals, and desperately trying to figur...

Does your heart rate spike when your superintendent's name pops up in your inbox?

As an educational leadership coach, I've noticed a universal pattern - that nervous feeling around authority figures. Whether it's a fear of criticism, worry about disappointing them, or anxiety about being micromanaged, these physical reactions to authority figures in education aren't just about the present...

As you make your classroom rounds this week, I want to ask you something: when was the last time you focused not just on what you saw, but what you felt when you walked into a classroom?

We've all had that experience - walking into one room where everything flows perfectly, then stepping into another where something feels... off. Even before we see any tangible evidence. That's not coinci...

I recently had a client schedule a one-on-one after a particularly challenging incident where a student admitted to a behavior during the investigation, then went home and adamantly denied everything to their parents.

The parent confronted my client, confused about the conflicting stories, and suddenly she found herself in a situation where someone's telling the truth and someone's not. W...

As educators and school leaders, we often pour our hearts into our work, only to sometimes feel that our efforts aren't fully appreciated. This tension between service and appreciation reveals a deeper truth about where we seek validation and how it impacts our ability to lead and teach effectively.

When staff members feel unappreciated, whether they're teachers facing demanding parents o...

When was the last time you thought about your emotional fitness? Just like physical muscles need regular exercise to stay strong, our social-emotional skills require consistent practice to serve us when we need them most. But here's the thing - many educators are trying to teach SEL without first developing their own emotional literacy.

This week, I'm joined by Lori Woodley-Langendorff, a...

School leaders everywhere know the feeling – you've been pushing the boulder up the mountain since August, giving 200% to launch the school year successfully. The adrenaline that carried you through the first weeks starts to fade, and suddenly you're wondering how you'll sustain this pace or create any kind of work-life balance.

This conversation with Steven Langer, former principal and C...

Here's something that might surprise you: Some of the most innovative educational leaders come from unexpected backgrounds.

This week, I'm speaking with Deepali Deshmukh, a school leader whose journey from biochemist to head of school challenges everything we think we know about educational credentials. Her story proves that your unique perspective isn't just valid. It's valuable.

I just returned from hosting my first-ever EP Alive event, and let me tell you, it was nothing like your typical education conference.

I'm joined by three remarkable principals, Erin, Kay, and Sherry, who attended EP Alive 2025. Together, we created something that redefined professional development: no boring conference rooms, no eight-hour PowerPoint marathons, just real conversations by...

As a school leader, do you often feel responsible for everyone's happiness, success, and challenges?

If you're nodding your head, you're not alone. Many principals carry the weight of their entire school community on their shoulders. But here's the thing: there's a crucial difference between being responsible and taking ownership that could be game-changing for your leadership approach.

School leadership often brings us to our knees in ways we never anticipated. 

When everything feels like it's falling apart, when the blame feels justified and the pain feels unbearable, that's precisely when our true leadership capacity gets tested. In this deeply personal 400th episode, I share my journey through divorce and devastation to demonstrate what relentless responsibility look...