The Authority Podcast — Expert Insights and Fresh Ideas for Education Leaders

In this "Best Of," we revisit my conversation with Sahil Bloom about his first book, The Five Types of Wealth: A Transformative Guide to Design Your Dream Life, a New York Times bestseller. We talk about:What curiosity is and isn’tMaking the case that being curious about new ideas is an objective goodWhat’s impressive and disappointing when meeting a new personFive types of wealth: Time, Social, Mental, Physical, FinancialPrioritizing when there’s a conflictWhat 80 and 90 year olds say about their livesThe most compelling thing Sahil learned about learningAbout today’s guestSahil Bloom is an inspirational writer and content creator, captivating millions of people every week through his insights and bi-weekly newsletter, “The Curiosity Chronicle.” Sahil is a successful entrepreneur, owner of SRB Holdings, and the managing partner of SRB Ventures, an early-stage investment fund. Sahil graduated from Stanford University with an MA in public policy and a BA in economics and sociology. He was a four-year member on the Stanford Baseball Team. Connect with Sahil:www.sahilbloom.comhttps://x.com/sahilbloomhttps://www.instagram.com/sahilbloom https://www.linkedin.com/in/sahilbloom About the hostRoss Romano is a co-founder of the Be Podcast Network and CEO of September Strategies, a coaching and consulting firm that helps organizations and high-performing leaders in the K-12 education industry communicate their vision and make strategic decisions that lead to long-term success. Connect on LinkedIn or Bluesky. I also host Sideline Sessions, a podcast for coaches and parents of student-athletes. The show features conversations with coaches and performance experts in the NFL, NBA, NCAA, Olympics, and more. Listen here: https://bit.ly/3Rp0QGt

Bill Barnes is the superintendent for the Howard County Public School System in Maryland. Bill was a recipient of the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching and has served on the board of directors for the National Council of Supervisors of Mathematics.Erin Lehmann, EdD, currently serves as an associate professor for the University of South Dakota. She is an author, leader, and facilitator, advocating for leading instructional improvement.Today, they join the show to talk about their book, Leading Educator Wellness: Six Critical Actions to Support All Staff. Our discussion covers:The tangible challenges educator wellness is meant to address—attrition, shortages, effectiveness, and moreStarting with leader wellness firstMoving from self-care to systems-care SMART wellness goalsDemonstrating authentic commitment to wellness combined with high standards of excellencePractical actions leaders can take todayGet Leading Educator Wellness from Solution Tree. About the hostRoss Romano is a co-founder of the Be Podcast Network and CEO of September Strategies, a coaching and consulting firm that helps organizations and high-performing leaders in the K-12 education industry communicate their vision and make strategic decisions that lead to long-term success. Connect on Bluesky or LinkedIn I also host Sideline Sessions, a podcast for coaches and parents of student-athletes. The show features conversations with coaches and performance experts in the NFL, NBA, NCAA, Olympics, and more. Listen here: https://bit.ly/3Rp0QGt

Today’s guest is my friend and fellow podcaster, Jeff Bradbury. Jeff is an educator, ISTE award-winning digital learning strategist, educational broadcaster, public speaker, entrepreneur, and triplet dad. His powerful message has inspired thousands of educators through the TeacherCast Educational Network.Jeff’s new book is Impact Standards: Designing District Systems That Power K–12 Learning.We talk about:Digital learning: the “have to” vs. the “want to”Is all learning digital? The Digital Learning Strategic Plan: why do we need a plan and how do we get buy-in?How instruction is like musicWhat is a Digital Learning Curriculum?Curriculum mappingInstructional Coaching - what is it, what are the relationships, what does the coach do?Making the learning visible to the communityGet Impact Standards from X Factor Edu. Learn more about Jeffhttps://jeffreybradbury.comhttps://teachercast.netAbout the hostRoss Romano is a co-founder of the Be Podcast Network and CEO of September Strategies, a coaching and consulting firm that helps organizations and high-performing leaders in the K-12 education industry communicate their vision and make strategic decisions that lead to long-term success. Connect on Bluesky or LinkedIn I also host Sideline Sessions, a podcast for coaches and parents of student-athletes. The show features conversations with coaches and performance experts in the NFL, NBA, NCAA, Olympics, and more. Listen here: https://bit.ly/3Rp0QGt

Dr. Mario Acosta spent 20 years of his educational career as a teacher, instructional coach, assistant principal, academic director, and principal leading schools with diverse profiles. He was named the 2022 Principal of the Year in the state of Texas while he was the principal at Westwood High School, a U.S. News & World Report top-50 campus and member of the High Reliability Schools (HRS) Network.His latest book is The Schools Our Students Deserve: A Comprehensive Framework for Shaping Exceptional School Culture.We discuss:What are the schools our students deserve? Are we asking this question enough?The current state of schools and identifying the gapsOutcomes students deserve…The values to center in a school’s cultureMany schools saw temporary bursts of innovation after the pandemic, but struggled to sustain them. How can leaders build on the urgency of that moment and create lasting change?How does a leader take charge of the culture? Building support from the communityAttracting high-quality educators and retaining them long-termGet The Schools Our Students Deserve from Solution Tree. You can also learn more in this webinar: http://bit.ly/4fXCYWaAbout the hostRoss Romano is a co-founder of the Be Podcast Network and CEO of September Strategies, a coaching and consulting firm that helps organizations and high-performing leaders in the K-12 education industry communicate their vision and make strategic decisions that lead to long-term success. Connect on Bluesky or LinkedIn I also host Sideline Sessions, a podcast for coaches and parents of student-athletes. The show features conversations with coaches and performance experts in the NFL, NBA, NCAA, Olympics, and more. Listen here: https://bit.ly/3Rp0QGt

As a Walt Disney Imagineer, Brian helped create the stories and magic for some of the world’s most beloved attractions. Over the past 35 years, he has produced work for a who’s who list of corporations, as well as small entrepreneurial ventures. Now, as a sought-after Innovation Consultant through his practice known as The Brainstorm Institute, he works with both large and small companies to help them gain a competitive advantage in the marketplace.Currently, he is a full-time instructor at the University of Central Florida’s Rosen College, where he teaches a variety of courses related to themed entertainment, immersive design, event production, and advanced technologies. His book is Creative Cross-Pollination: A Former Imagineer's Take on the Innovation Process.We discuss:Brian’s background as a Walt Disney Imagineer and his work writing for some of the world’s most beloved theme parks — and how this work influenced his approach to educationHis definition of innovationThe 4 techniques of Creative Cross-PollinationHow educators can integrate this technique into their workDriving innovation and creativity in educationEmerging trends in technology (AR/VR, Telematics, Military, etc.)...and how to cross-pollinateBrian’s take on the future of workOrder Creative Cross-Pollination: https://bit.ly/3LESDP0 Learn more about today’s guest:https://www.brainstorm-institute.comwww.ensoeducation.com About the hostRoss Romano is a co-founder of the Be Podcast Network and CEO of September Strategies, a coaching and consulting firm that helps organizations and high-performing leaders in the K-12 education industry communicate their vision and make strategic decisions that lead to long-term success. Connect on Bluesky or LinkedIn I also host Sideline Sessions, a podcast for coaches and parents of student-athletes. The show features conversations with coaches and performance experts in the NFL, NBA, NCAA, Olympics, and more. Listen here: https://bit.ly/3Rp0QGt

Mitch Weathers is an educator, author of the bestselling book, Executive Functions for Every Classroom, and the founder of Organized Binder. He returns to the show to share tips for authors, especially how to launch and promote your book. We talk about:Starting to plan for a book launchKnowing why you want to writeIt doesn’t matter how valuable your book is if nobody knows it existsThe book as a marketing vessel: how does it open doors?Use your network to your advantageWhat makes promoting a book different from promoting your business?How to define successListen to my previous conversation with Mitch on episode 81 of The Authority, Executive Functions for Every Classroom with Mitch Weathers. About today’s guestMitch Weathers is an educator, author of the #1 bestselling book, Executive Functions for Every Classroom, and the founder of Organized Binder. Organized Binder is an MTSS Tier 1 solution that exposes students to the executive functions that promote success. In a world where we must embrace technology, analog interaction and hands-on practice is more important than ever. Studentness, the habits of being a student, are critical in today’s educational landscape and Mitch is among those leading the charge.About the hostRoss Romano is a co-founder of the Be Podcast Network and CEO of September Strategies, a coaching and consulting firm that helps organizations and high-performing leaders in the K-12 education industry communicate their vision and make strategic decisions that lead to long-term success. Connect on Bluesky or LinkedIn I also host Sideline Sessions, a podcast for coaches and parents of student-athletes. The show features conversations with coaches and performance experts in the NFL, NBA, NCAA, Olympics, and more. Listen here: https://bit.ly/3Rp0QGt

Lacey Robinson is president and CEO of UnboundEd. A former teacher, principal, and professional development specialist who has focused on literacy, equity, and school leadership for more than 25 years, her life’s work aims to enable educators to disrupt systemic inequities in their school districts and classrooms.She frequently serves as a featured keynote speaker, and her personal literacy journey is shared on Emily Hanford’s “Sold a Story” podcast. Today we’re discussing the science of reading:If we've known for decades about the science of reading, and its effectiveness as a model for literacy instruction, why have we deviated from it?Should schools of education change what they are teaching? Should K-12 be more directive toward teacher training programs?Why hasn't the science of reading been centered in teacher training? What specifically do students need from science-based reading instruction? What is the urgency?Listen to my previous conversation with Lacey Robinson, about her book Justice Seekers, on episode 74 of The Authority. Learn more about UnboundEd and Lacey’s work at www.unbounded.org.About today’s guestLacey Robinson is the president and CEO of UnboundEd, and the chair of the Board of CORE Learning. As CEO, Robinson sets the organization’s vision for transforming instruction for students at the margins. She is a former teacher, principal, and professional development specialist who has focused on literacy, equity, and school leadership for more than 25 years. Her life’s work aims to enable educators to disrupt systemic inequities in their school districts and classrooms. She led the merger of UnboundEd, Pivot Learning, and CORE Learning under the UnboundEd banner — creating the nation’s largest K–12 educator development organization focused on improving teaching and learning for underserved students.Robinson is a leading national voice on disrupting the predictability of students’ educational outcomes, and was named to 2023’s Forbes 50 Over 50 list in recognition of her innovative leadership. She frequently serves as a keynote speaker and is featured on Emily Hanford’s 2022 “Sold a Story” podcast.About the hostRoss Romano is a co-founder of the Be Podcast Network and CEO of September Strategies. He is a leadership development and performance coach for professionals in a range of industries and consults with organizations and high-performing leaders in the K-12 education industry to help communicate their vision and make strategic decisions that lead to long-term success. Connect on Twitter @RossBRomano and LinkedIn

This week we welcome back Jen Schwanke, who previously joined the show to discuss The Principal’s Guide to Conflict Management. Jen has been an educator for almost three decades, teaching or leading at all levels. She currently serves as a deputy superintendent in Ohio, is an instructor in educational administration at The Ohio State University, and is the co-host of the popular Principal Matters Podcast with our previous guest Will Parker (listen to his episode here).Jen’s newest book is Trusted: Trust Pillars, Trust Killers, and the Secret to Successful Schools.We discuss:Jen writes each of her books on a very specific topic — how did she decide on this one?Conflict Management and TrustGoals: What is trust and what does it look like? How to develop trust with staff, students, and parents. Can you be a good principal without it?How is trust broken?Reciprocal nature of trustHow can you find out if you’re trusted?Listen to episode 110, The Principal’s Guide to Conflict Management with Jen Schwanke.Get the book Trusted from ASCD. About today’s guestJen Schwanke, Ed.D., is a longtime educator, teaching and leading at all levels. She is the author of four ASCD books, including the recently-released The Principal’s Guide to Conflict Management, and has published hundreds of articles for various educational publishers. She has written and presented for multiple state and local education organizations, and has provided professional development to various districts in the areas of school climate, personnel, and instructional leadership. An instructor in educational administration at Miami University of Ohio, Dr. Schwanke currently serves as a Deputy Superintendent in Ohio. You can find her at jenschwanke.com.About the hostRoss Romano is a co-founder of the Be Podcast Network and CEO of September Strategies, a coaching and consulting firm that helps organizations and high-performing leaders in the K-12 education industry communicate their vision and make strategic decisions that lead to long-term success. Connect on Bluesky or LinkedIn I also host Sideline Sessions, a podcast for coaches and parents of student-athletes. The show features conversations with coaches and performance experts in the NFL, NBA, NCAA, Olympics, and more. Listen here: https://bit.ly/3Rp0QGt