Did you know that every human being, regardless of genetics and external circumstances, has the ability to increase their happiness levels by up to 40%? There is a science to happiness, and this week’s guest joins me to explain how understanding this can help us make emotional wellness a priority for staff and students in the education system.

Kim Strobel is a happiness coach and the Founder of Strobel Education. After suffering from a crippling bout of Panic Disorder and Agoraphobia, she uses her experiences to support schools in prioritizing happiness and wellbeing for their staff and leaders.

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Last week, we talked all about attracting your ideal teachers to your school. I know that you want to deliver at the highest level for your entire community as a school leader, and so the next step after getting these amazing people into your school is a crucial one you want to spend some time with, and I’m guiding you through it today.

As I reflect on my time as principal, I remember hiring such amazing people that I didn’t stop to consider their concerns, worries, and questions. I believed in them so deeply that I took an approach that truthfully wasn’t hands-on enough, and I want to offer that this is a mistake you want to avoid. Read more

Throughout this month, our topic of discussion is all things HR. And today, we’re talking about holding space for non-returning teachers, which is something that has come up for many of my clients recently. Telling somebody they don’t have a job next year is not pleasant for anyone involved, but hopefully, this podcast can give you a helping hand in this area.

This is a challenge really unique to school leaders because while we can make the decision to let a teacher go, they often don’t actually leave until months afterward. So, you can see why it’s important to talk about managing your mind around this situation for the benefit of the students, the other teachers, and your school as a whole.

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My guest this week is one of my favorite clients, Erika Gutierrez. She’s been in education for 13 years, and she’s a second-year lead principal for an elementary school. One of the first things I help my clients with is aligning their work to their values, and I’ve invited Erika on today because her primary leadership strategy is connection, and she’s done an amazing job of cultivating authentic relationships with her entire school, campus, and community.

If I had to assign Erika a superpower, it’s most definitely connection and relationship building. She holds so much capacity for vulnerability and embodies so much love, and this is truly how she shows up in everything she does. If creating connections is something that feels scary to you or something you don’t think you’re good at, you’re going to gain so much value from listening to Erika, who has beautiful thoughts about connection that help her approach everyone with love and compassion.

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In my commitment to creating more connection this month, I’ve been speaking to so many people who are in turn creating value for you through this podcast, and my guest today is no different. Scheduling time for connection on my physical calendar every single week has been so gratifying because it’s so easy for us as school leaders to put it on the back burner, and I hope this conversation shines a light on how important prioritizing it really is for expanding your impact and influence.

By day, Jodi Schilling is an assistant principal for an online education program, and by night, she’s a certified life coach for moms wanting happy and healthy families. She has been an educator for 22 years, with six years of school leadership under her belt, and her work as a coach focuses on giving mothers permission to feel confident and relinquish the need for total control over their kids, which I’m sure you can relate to.

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