Episode 99 | Finding Joy in the Journey with George Philhower

Episode 99 | Finding Joy in the Journey with George Philhower

From Lead with HOPE by Dr. Brandi Kelly

June 6, 2026 · 32 min · Episode 99

About this episode

This episode discusses how joy can be a powerful tool for leadership in education, featuring insights from superintendent George Philhower.

Are you feeling overwhelmed as a leader? Discover how focusing on joy can be an unexpected but powerful tool for inspiring your team and cultivating hope in education. In this episode, we explore superintendent George Philhower's innovative approach to leadership that emphasizes the importance of joy, connection, growth, and success—culminating in the inspiring annual Joy Jam conference. Key Topics Covered: The importance of intentional joy in education and leadership How Joy Jam was born out of strategic promises focused on joy, connection, growth, and success Practical ways to embed moments of joy into daily school experiences The impact of self-awareness and shifting out of autopilot to create hope and purpose Timestamps: 00:00 - Welcome 00:34 - Introducing George Philhower 01:24 - George's background 02:43 - The influence of early teaching experiences and impactful moments 04:43 - The significance of adults modeling joy and hope for students 05:37 - Challenges in recruiting and retaining educators 07:06 - How joy and intentionality are integrated into leadership and school culture 08:17 - The origins and evolution of Eastern Hancock’s core promises 09:14 - Deep dive into the…

People in this episode

Host: Dr. Brandi Kelly

Guest: George Philhower

Topics covered

  • leadership
  • joy in education
  • team inspiration
  • self-awareness
  • school culture
  • growth and success

Keywords

  • joy
  • leadership
  • education
  • hope
  • connection
  • growth
  • success
  • self-awareness
  • Joy Jam

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Eastern Hancock

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