The Empowered Principal™ Podcast with Angela Kelly | Lighter Leadership

As humans, and especially as leaders, we are so hard on ourselves. As women in education, we are incredibly critical of ourselves when something doesn’t go as we’d expected. We believe we’re missing something, we messed up, and we’re not cut out for this. Well, this is where the concept of lighter leadership comes in.

I had a realization the day I recorded this podcast around my own journey as an entrepreneur and a coach: our relentless self-criticism is tarnishing our experience of life. We are not letting ourselves enjoy the ride, and it needs to stop right now.

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The Empowered Principal™ Podcast with Angela Kelly | Handling the Emotions of Tragedy

As I’m sure you’re all aware, there has been another school shooting here in the United States. This time, 19 third, fourth, and fifth-grade children and two teachers were killed when a gunman entered Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas.

As the story unfolds, the details of what this school community has been through are terrifying and horrific. While I can’t offer the right words to take away the pain felt by everyone affected, all I can offer are words and the opportunity to process our thoughts and emotions around the tragedy these kids, parents, teachers, a whole community, and our country at large are going through.

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The Empowered Principal™ Podcast with Angela Kelly | Mentoring Vs. Managing

What is the difference between a mentor and a manager? All of us who are in school leadership need to be able to make this distinction because using authority alone to motivate your staff and get results is never going to work in the long term.

Even though we are the leader, we’re not better just because we’re in a position of authority. Our job is to be here to guide our teachers and staff. We need to coach, love, and support them. We’re here to be amazing leaders who truly believe in our teachers, and I’m showing you how in this episode.

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The Empowered Principal™ Podcast with Angela Kelly | Enhanced Communication

As a school leader, you’re facing lots of stressful situations on a daily basis. And as in any leadership situation, you’re going to be dealing with different types of people who have certain feelings about your work, some that aren’t always positive.

On top of that, you have your own emotion patterns, or what I call emotional “STEAR cycles”. You can’t just instantly react to every emotional outburst of your colleagues, so how do you reconcile your STEAR cycle with theirs?

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The Empowered Principal™ Podcast with Angela Kelly | Enjoy the Last Weeks of the School Year (Part 2)

Last week, we discussed all the reasons why we don’t typically enjoy the last weeks of the school year. This week, I’m teaching you all of the how, and it all stems from the simple solution I gave you at the end of the last episode: planning your future is the key.

When you plan your future, that preparation allows you to experience those moments with presence. When you plan enjoyment, it’s already decided. You have the solutions you need to the problems you’ve anticipated. This is what makes all the difference, and I’m showing you how to make the most of it in this episode.

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The Empowered Principal™ Podcast with Angela Kelly | Enjoy the Last Weeks of the School Year (Part 1)

We are officially in May and you are reaching the finish line for this school year. First of all, congratulations! You have a handful of weeks left, so what are you doing to make sure you enjoy the last weeks of the school year? Or are you just dying for the last day of school so you can put this year behind you?

Last week, I held a webinar all about enjoying the last weeks of school before summer vacation. That training was full of gems and everyone who attended loved it, so in case you didn’t catch it, I’m bringing you a two-part overview of what I shared over there. So, if you want to make sure you have more fun and less stress as the year closes out, you’re in the right place.

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The Empowered Principal™ Podcast with Angela Kelly | Staffing Assignment Conversations

Many of you are at the point of the school year where you are now making decisions about staffing assignments for next year. You’re having to hold conversations with your staff about where they’re going to be placed in the next school year, and if you’re experiencing fear, doubt, or worry, you’re not alone. 

We want staffing assignment decisions to be a win-win for everyone involved. Unhappy teachers don’t serve anyone, and we need to consider their wants and needs. However, we don’t want these conversations to turn into an us-versus-them dynamic, where you’re stuck in a gridlock with your staff. So, how do we hold space for them while making the best decisions for our school? 

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The Empowered Principal Podcast with Angela Kelly | Your Most Powerful Leadership Strategy

Are you ready to be set free from never feeling like you’re in control of your happiness and wellness? Do you want a thriving school leadership experience without feeling burnt out, or like your work schedule is completely dictating your entire life? 

For most of us, our school leadership is colored with busyness and chaos. It’s part and parcel of the very nature of the job and it demands a lot of us. Being the visionary for our schools is fulfilling and rewarding, but executing our vision is also frustrating and disappointing, and often clouds our perspective, leaving us wondering, what are we even doing it for and why?

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The Empowered Principal Podcast with Angela Kelly | Coaching, Money Mindset, and the Interview Process with Jena Damiani

Today, I’m introducing you to one of my incredible clients, Jena Damiani. Jena is one of my longest-serving clients and we have so much fun together, and the work we’ve done over the past few years has really changed everything about how she approaches her role as a school leader.

We’re talking about something a little bit different on today’s show, but stick with us because it’s all relevant. We’re starting a discussion about money mindset, and Jena is courageously sharing her journey in this area with you, and we’ll also be discussing the interview process, and how you can get into the position that is meant for you.

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The Empowered Principal Podcast with Angela Kelly | Navigating Teacher Observation Write-Up Season with Wendy Cohen

While you’re hearing this episode in April, the conversation I’m bringing you today was recorded in March, which as we know is Women’s History Month. So, in honor of all of the women leaders in our community, I thought I would spend some time interviewing my women clients and have them share their wins, successes, and accomplishments.

Wendy Cohen is no stranger to the podcast. She’s been working with me for over two years, and this will be her third appearance on the podcast. As school leaders, we have so many things we don’t love doing that require a lot of our time and attention, and for Wendy, it’s teacher observation write-ups. But dreading your tasks is not a fun way to experience school leadership, so what can we do to make our jobs feel more meaningful and enjoyable?

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