Ep #293: The Value of Vulnerability with Erin Bowlby

The Empowered Principal® Podcast Angela Kelly | The Value of Vulnerability with Erin Bowlby

I’m delighted to introduce you to my client, Erin Bowlby, this week! She wanted to wait until she completed her first year of school leadership to come on the podcast, and now that she’s been coaching with me for a year, she’s ready to share her story with you.

Erin has been in the education world for 13 years, but she started her school principalship journey a year ago. She knew she needed help and support as she navigated school leadership for the first time, and she’s rewinding her experience all the way back to the beginning to offer some nuggets of wisdom she’s discovered along the way.

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Ep #292: Embracing and Announcing Change

The Empowered Principal® Podcast Angela Kelly | Embracing and Announcing Change

We are about to kick off the 2023/2024 school year, and this week, we’re diving into the topic of embracing and announcing change. This is a subject that most of my clients have trouble with at one point or another, and it’s important to dissect exactly what’s going on so you don’t have to sit with the fear of embracing and announcing change as the new school year begins.

As the school principal, you are often the middle person between the district officials who make decisions and your staff, teachers, and students. There are times when you’ll be excited to announce changes being made at the district level because you can see the potential value or rationale behind them. But what do you do when you’re presented with changes you aren’t on board with?

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Ep #291: Your Most Powerful Leadership Strategy (Back to Basics)

The Empowered Principal® Podcast Angela Kelly | Your Most Powerful Leadership Strategy (Back to Basics)

What makes a truly good leader? How can you create a legacy while maintaining your sustainability as an impactful leader? Is there a specific skill set you can learn to be a valuable and effective school leader without falling prey to overwhelm and burnout?

In this Back to Basics episode, I’m sharing the second most popular episode of The Empowered Principal® Podcast to date. It’s where I offer a strategy that will give you an incredible amount of leverage as a school leader, and it’s very likely not what you think it is. 

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Ep #290: Creating Buy-in for Your School Vision (Part 2) (Back to Basics)

Creating Buy-In for Your School Vision (Part 2) (Back to Basics)

You’re entering a brand new school year, which means this is the perfect time to map out your school vision. Last week, I gave you a refresher on the concept of your school vision and why you need one, and on this Back to Basics episode, I’m guiding you through the next step: creating buy-in for your school vision.

The truth is, your staff wants a leader to follow, and this episode will teach you exactly how to become that person. Simply laying out a vision you have for the next year isn’t enough to get buy-in. You need a compelling vision that your school community is so excited by that it’s a no-brainer, which means learning to articulate it in a way that’s interesting, engaging, and enticing.

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Ep #289: Creating Your School Vision (Part 1) (Back to Basics)

The Empowered Principal® Podcast Angela Kelly | Creating Your School Vision (Selling Your Vision, Part 1) (Back to Basics)

Welcome to week two of replays of our most valuable and popular podcast episodes! This week, I’m sharing part one of a two-part series on creating and selling your school vision. You’ll be entering a new school year very soon, which makes this the perfect time to map out your vision for your school and career.

In all my years of being a principal myself and now coaching them, I’ve seen a lot of lip service and intention when it comes to having and implementing a school vision. However, too many school leaders aren’t actually living by and leaning into their vision as a way of being, and that’s why I’m offering a process that will make it simple and doable.

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Ep #288: Dealing with the Haters (Back to Basics)

The Empowered Principal® Podcast Angela Kelly | Dealing with the Haters (Back to Basics)

Throughout the month of July, I’m highlighting the most popular and valuable episodes of The Empowered Principal™ podcast. Even if you have listened to them in the past, they’re definitely worth revisiting and doubling down on because of the impact they’ve had in helping principals navigate leadership.

This week, you’re hearing the top episode to date of the podcast: Dealing with the Haters. This is an experience every school leader fears, and it’s one most principals will have to deal with in some capacity at one point or another. It’s a fear that’s so visceral that we’ll do just about anything to avoid it, so I’m sharing my top tips for dealing with haters.

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Ep #287: Getting Hired (& Announcement)

The Empowered Principal® Podcast Angela Kelly | Getting Hired (& Announcement)

This week’s episode is for my aspiring leaders. Whether you’ve never been hired before as a school leader or you’re changing positions but you aren’t happy with how your interviews are going, this episode is for you because I’m talking all about how to get hired, especially if you’re currently feeling discouraged.

There are three things you need to trust in order to get hired as a school leader. I’m sharing them with you on today’s show so you can make that career leap and set yourself up for success. Even if you aren’t going through the interview process but you’re the one giving the interviews, this episode is packed with value as well.

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Ep #286: When to Quit

The Empowered Principal® Podcast Angela Kelly | When to Quit

The goal of my coaching relationship with my clients is to help them build resilience and problem-solving strength through the challenges that come with school leadership. Something I tell my clients all the time is that they can’t fail if they don’t give up, and I model that by being completely committed to my dreams, even if I miss the mark often.

However, I have recently been coaching some clients through exceptionally difficult circumstances. It has come to my attention that they might need to consider the option of quitting, which then begs the question: When should we contemplate quitting? Is there a right or wrong time to do so? What are you making quitting mean right now?

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Ep #285: Making Mistakes

The Empowered Principal® Podcast Angela Kelly | Making Mistakes

We often tell children that it’s acceptable to make mistakes, and quotes like “Failure is the path to success” are commonly displayed on classroom walls to instill this lesson. But did you know that, as adults, we often contradict this message?

If you’re conveying to kids that they are allowed to make mistakes while secretly believing that it’s not acceptable for you to make mistakes, there is a clear inconsistency between what you’re saying and how mistakes are treated. We spend so much of our lives trying to avoid mistakes, and you can probably think of mistakes you hold yourself accountable to or that you still beat yourself up over. There is so much drama and fear associated with making mistakes, and it’s costing you.

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Ep #284: Defining Disrespect

I know firsthand that as a principal, you deal with teachers or staff members who send students to your office, saying something along the lines of, “I can’t deal with them, they’re being disrespectful.” It’s something most of you probably deal with on a weekly basis, if not daily, so it’s time to examine the topic of disrespect.

There are various cultural and societal rules we live by that determine whether someone is being respectful or disrespectful. As adults and teachers, having your students show respect is something we all desire. However, if you frequently feel disrespected or have staff members who frequently complain about it, it’s worth clarifying our thoughts about what disrespectful behavior means and the criteria we use to define it.

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