Change Starts Here

Latest Episodes:

Get Comfortable Being Uncomfortable Apr 04, 2023

Show notes

We are creatures of habit, always have been and probably always will be. We are now also, thanks to the success and efficiency of technology, creatures of comfort. Unwinding after a hard day's work is something everyone deserves, yet it is this very unwinding that can lead to an uncoupling of our surroundings, our intentions, and ourselves. How do we fix that?

In this short-feature episode of Change Starts Here brought to you by FranklinCovey, host Dustin Odham takes a deep dive into what it means to get comfortable being uncomfortable.

His main points:

1) How habits can turn negative when using them for avoidance

2) How silence is a springboard for growth

3) Why taking time to be uncomfortable has helped expand personal horizons and deeper reflection

“I feel so much more focused, so much more intentional and I don’t know how to explain the real feeling, but the ownership that food has over me is not completely gone…but I don’t crave them all now and I have the proper perspective on it…But the challenge I gave myself and each of us and my friend gave me was: Do we have the awareness to enter into the wilderness, into the silence, into the isolation, and do we have the courage to stay there?” said Odham.

Odham is the Managing Director for the Education Division at FranklinCovey and has been with FranklinCovey for over 10 years. He has over 16 years of experience in the educational landscape and in leadership roles for a variety of companies, including St. Louis Public Schools, Maritz, and Teach for America. Odham earned his BBA in Finance from Southern Methodist University.

Engaging Your Students in Extended Learning Time (ELT) with Lynne Fox Mar 28, 2023

Show notes

In a post-pandemic world, students are playing catchup with their education, with additional needs for those in underserved communities. Educational disparities exist in all areas of education, especially in the STEM curriculum, where gaps can hurt students looking to take their careers in those directions. How can educators get students back on track? Extended learning time (ELT) is one method showing results.

Extended learning time is an equation involving all education leaders creating the right policies and strategies to achieve success with the correct balance of resources, a precious commodity in education.

Dustin Odham, host of FranklinCovey’s Change Starts Here, tapped a good friend and co-worker to discuss the importance of extended learning time and some best practices for making that time count in increasing student learning and engagement. Lynne Fox, Global Education Developer and Coach at FranklinCovey, joined Odham for that conversation.

Odham and Fox discuss the following:

Taking learnings from educational systems across the globe for best practices

Why extended learning time is more critical now than ever before

Best practices for successful extended learning time programs

“In the afterschool space, we have a vision in two parts,” Fox said. “One, raising up the staff that are in the space to know how to build a safe, caring, and sense of belonging culture, so kids want to be there. And the other side is saying, we also want to bring in building up the competence.”

About Lynn

Lynn Fox is an innovator, strategic planner, and coach. In addition to her role with FranklinCovey, Fox is the global education developer at Fox Educational Services. Fox is a lifelong educator, trainer, and speaker who excels at educational design and development and strives to impact children’s lives positively.

Dustin Odham - Together is Better Mar 07, 2023

Show notes

The last few years of the COVID-19 pandemic emphasized how important community and togetherness are. While being alone and on your own has its upsides, so does being and engaging with others. It’s something that people who travel a lot might also recognize when they attend events that bring groups together.

On this episode of Change Starts Here, host Dustin Odham talks about this topic by talking on his own about his recent travels to symposiums in different cities across the USA. While understanding the importance of being on your own, he saw and felt firsthand how great it is to be in the presence of others and how these different groups make you feel incredibly welcomed. As Dustin says it, “We need to be in community. We are created to be in community.”

The travels had Dustin go to symposiums in Tampa, Las Vegas, Dallas, and even San Diego, the latter with his wife. The different trips showed him how all these groups he works with are a vital piece of everything they do. “I was blown away by the energy, the love, the creativity that was ignited just by being in the presence of others” says Dustin, proving how healthy and exciting it is to be together. In essence, the group dynamic and the togetherness is necessary for everything to work as well as it does.

You can hear more about togetherness from Dustin on this episode, where he also talks about students he worked with and how they overcame stage fright in another moment that wowed our host.

Principal Kafele - Is My School a Better Place Because I Lead It? Feb 28, 2023

Show notes

Am I, or can I be the leader my people need? This is a serious question every leader needs to pose to themselves and be able to answer with the utmost humility. There are different definitions of leadership, which can be subjective, but two quite resonate: Adeoye Mayowa defines leadership as the ability to evaluate and/or forecast a long-term plan or policy and influence their followers toward the achievement of the said strategy. Charles Handy (1992) also describes a leader as someone who shapes and shares a vision that gives direction to the work of others. This is an interesting and extensive topic of discussion, but it was broken down by a professional on today's podcast of Change Starts Here.

Podcast host, Dustin Odham, brought on Principal Kafele, an author and transformational school leader, and a man so deeply ingrained in his purpose of leadership, to talk about how to be a transformational leader. He also spoke about his habit of discipline and how this can influence people and help him become the best version of himself. Kafele also explained how we can transfer transformational and influential leadership to our schools and kids to help them become the best version of themselves.

"The struggle for the liberation of the minds of our children is worth dying for," Kafele said.

Odham and Kafele also discussed…

• How to create a learning revolution

• How to get over speed bumps people put in front of themselves

• Leadership advice on how to get people on board and build relationships

"The children have to be able to see themselves in the learning if it's going to be relevant, if they are going to be able to embrace it, claim it, take ownership of it, and take it beyond the walls of the school," Kafele said. People only relate to what is in their lives (what is relevant to them); they relate to what they see themselves in.

"Can your teachers say they have grown exponentially because of the teachings and guidance they received from you?" How are you utilizing the human capital in your school? "Are you building people and nurturing relationships or stepping on people?" Kafele rhetorically asked, “Be brutally honest with yourself about the question, ‘Is my school a better place because I lead it?’, and don't let your ego answer.”

Always remember, it's never about you. "You can't be egocentric and think it's all about you—it's all about the people you lead; being a servant (servant leadership) is all that matters."

Principal Kafele has been a highly regarded urban public school educator in New Jersey for over twenty years. He distinguished himself in the classroom and as a school leader. He is also the author of seven books, including his national best-sellers, “Motivating Black Males to Achieve in School and in Life”, “Closing the Attitude Gap”, and his recently released title, “The Principal 50: Critical Leadership Questions for Inspiring Schoolwide Excellence”. Kafele is the recipient of over one hundred educational, professional, and community awards, which include the National Alliance of Black School Educators Hall of Fame Award, the Milken National Educator Award, the New Jersey Education Association Award for Excellence, and the City of Dickinson, Texas, proclaiming February 8, 1998, as Baruti Kafele Day.

Betsy Wierda - The Four Essential Roles of Leadership Feb 21, 2023

Show notes

Amidst and after the pandemic, there is more pressure on teachers to produce more outputs than inputs; people call for more responsibility and standardization in teaching and learning. This pressure trauma is showcasing itself and putting immense pressure on teachers to perform effectively, leading to burnout, quitting, and losing great people in the field. According to a Wall Street Journal report, at least 300,000 public-school teachers and other staff have left the field between February 2020 and May 2022.

With this unfortunate turn of events, how can we collectively take an active leadership role, get more people to show up for a vision rather than just a job, and accomplish the vision for our children?

In this week's podcast, the host of Change Starts Here, Dustin Odham, had a heartfelt chat with Betsy Wierda, a FranklinCovey coach, consultant, and executive coach, on how to help staff members detect their gifts and talents, how everyone can be a stakeholder, and how we can help our kids achieve regardless of the demographics or socioeconomic background.

Odham and Wierda also discussed other aspects, such as:

• Her experience in the education world

• The challenges districts are experiencing all across the country in terms of developing great leaders

• The four essential roles of leadership

"The thing that brings me the most joy is that I get to bring joy and hope to our schools," Wierda said. "We want to help people detect their gifts and talent and connect these gifts to meaningful work within the organization so that they feel valued and connected to meaningful work bigger than themselves."

Odham asks Wierda about the four most important roles in leadership. Wierda asserts:

1. Trust: Leaders inspire trust in others through competency and character.

2. Results-driven: Leaders create a vision and constantly communicate this vision with stakeholders.

3. Coaching potential: To develop those that can take over when the current leaders are gone.

4. Strategy execution: Leaders should be able to reflect and give meaningful feedback.

"I believe that one person can make a difference, and each person matters; don't give up; we can learn and execute these four roles," Wierda added.

Betsy Wierda is an educator and coach. She has spent 15 years as a principal and 14 years as an Exceptional Education Teacher. She has served as a Director of Professional Development, a Standards and Literacy Coach, an Adjunct Professor, an Excel Teacher at the University of North Florida, a Professional Development Cadre Member, and an Administrator in both St. Johns and Duval Counties in Northeast Florida. She is currently a coach and consultant, working among the best and brightest educators in the nation.

Olympia Della Flora - Creative Ways to Help Kids Thrive in School Feb 14, 2023

Show notes

Being an educator is one of the most challenging and rewarding jobs, and nobody knows that better than Olympia Della Flora. On this episode of Change Starts Here, host Dustin Oldham spoke with Della Flora about her experience as an educator, from teacher to principal to superintendent. They also discuss how you can best help students, including what to remember when in the classroom.

Currently a superintendent for Marion City Schools in Ohio, Della Flora grew up with an elementary school mother and a bus-driving father. She never intended to get into education, but after getting her Bachelor's degree in Biology, she pursued a Master's in Education. Her experience has taught her to build relationships with students to learn as much as possible about each one.

“I think it’s sometimes difficult for teachers because they have their schedules, and, you know, they need to get through their lessons, they have their curriculum, that they need to hit certain benchmarks,” says Della Flora, “and sometimes we get caught up in that, and we forget that we have little people that are sitting in our classrooms every single day.”

One of her strategies is taking pieces of a student's life, creating a story out of it, and asking her faculty, “What does this mean? What does this mean for you as a teacher? What would you do with this student?” She also asks, “What do you know about this student? Have you talked to this student’s family? What do you know about this student’s background?” These efforts ensure a safe environment and understanding of faculty in the classrooms and everywhere else on campus.

A primary takeaway from Della Flora is that the more you know about a student, the better you will know how to address them in the classroom. "If you know your kids, and you know their triggers and how they learn best, it's going to help you be a better teacher."

Dustin Odham - The Power of Silence Feb 07, 2023

Show notes

Mental stress and burnout are becoming increasingly common issues, characterized by feelings of exhaustion, loss of motivation, and decreased job satisfaction. This can result from prolonged and intense work demands, lack of control, and an imbalance between work and personal life. It's essential to recognize the signs and take steps to manage and prevent burnout for overall well-being.

But how do you contain this stress level and prevent burnout from your everyday life and work activities we have to carry out?

On today's solo episode of the Change Starts Here Podcast, the host Dustin Odham speaks alone on the power of silence and the effects of burnout and mental stress.

He discussed:

1. Why he experienced burnout and how it caused him to take unplanned recovery time.

2. Burnout is difficult to avoid, especially for someone with a tight schedule.

3. How there truly is power in silence after all.

"When I was in that period of my life, my approach to everything would be to grind it out. Put my head down, work hard, and survive. Go as fast as you can, as long as you can, and at some point shut down," said Dustin Odham

Burnout can also be shutting down physically, emotionally, and mentally. It can result from a demanding workload, lack of control, poor work-life balance, and unrealistic expectations. It can lead to feelings of cynicism, detachment, and a decrease in personal and professional satisfaction.

“There is power in silence! Do you have the awareness to enter it daily and the courage to stay there? That's what I'm fighting to do." said Odham

Silence can help with burnout by providing a break from stimuli, reducing stress, and allowing for self-reflection and relaxation. It can also improve focus, boost creativity, and foster a sense of inner peace, which can help counteract the adverse effects of burnout.

Dustin Odham, a managing director at FranklinCovey, is a graduate of Southern Methodist University. He has been with FranklinCovey for ten years.

Marie Forleo - Everything is Figureoutable Jan 31, 2023

Show notes

When we make decisions in life, oftentimes they are decided by our inner thoughts. But not everyone has inner thoughts despite how common it is. Experts say some 30 to 50 percent of people have an inner monologue with themselves. In having this inner monologue, it helps some people figure out a lot of things and decisions they make in life because thoughts are very powerful. But figuring out things can be a challenge.

Is everything figureoutable?

According to entrepreneur and author Marie Forleo, the answer is yes. Forleao discussed the concept of what figureoutable is on the newest episode of “Change Starts Here,” with host Dustin Odham. The two talked about their experiences with challenging thoughts of the mind, and her book, “Everything is Figureoutable.”

Odham and Forleo further discussed her book and …

Making personal time for yourself to unwind from inner thoughts and meditate
The excuses people make when they can’t or won’t do a certain tasks
How Forleo overcame the thought process of being unable to figuring things out

Forleo discussed witnessing her mother doing a task that she never knew she had the skills to do, and said her mother left her with wise words, “everything is figureoutable.”

“From that moment on that tiny little phrase like washed over my body and I'm not kidding you, it has been the driving force of every major obstacle, or minor obstacle, in my life still to this day,” said Forleo. “It is something that, like helped me, get through toxic abusive relationships when I was in my younger days, it helped me you know get every job I’ve ever had, it’s helped me at every stage of my business, it’s helped me save relationships, it's helped me get out ... Like everything you can possibly imagine, this phrase has helped me do and anyone I've had the opportunity to teach this phrase to has been like, “It saved me — it gets me back in the zone.”

Marie Forleo is an entrepreneur, writer, best-selling author, and philanthropist. She is also the CEO of her namesake company, Marie Forleo International.

Dr. Daniel Amen - Teaching Students with ADHD Jan 24, 2023

Show notes

The health of the human brain is of utmost importance considering it is responsible for how we move, the ways in which we give and interpret information, our memories, our moods and behavior and so much more. It is also why when the brain is dealing with disorders that affect normal activities it can be a detriment to how someone functions. One of those disorders is ADHD, or Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, which is normally discovered in children who exhibit signs that they are unable to stay focused and control their impulses, and several other symptoms, according to the CDC.

ADHD affects about six million children between the ages of three and 17 years old, says the CDC, and educating children with ADHD comes with a different approach that requires some consideration to that.

To discuss the nature of ADHD, how it affects children and adults, and the ways it affects how children are taught, entrepreneur, CEO, author and speaker, Dr. Daniel Amen, spoke to Dustin Odham about the realities of ADHD on the newest episode of “Change Starts Here.”

Odham and Amen further talked about …

1. Defining ADHD and how it affects the brain

2. The primary symptoms of ADHD and how its identified

3. How ADHD can impact someone’s life if the disorder is left untreated

Citing a Harvard study which found that when the disorder was overlooked in people they had higher instances of substance abuse, Dr. Amen said that untreated ADHD has very negative effects.

“When left untreated it has serious consequences,” he said. “Fifty-two percent of people with untreated ADD abuse substances, there’s a higher incidence of divorce, bankruptcy, incarceration, job loss, school failure, and that’s just not okay … it can devastate people's lives,” said Dr. Amen.

Dr. Daniel Amen is an entrepreneur, CEO, best-selling author and speaker. He is the founder of Amen Clinics and is a nationally well-known physician and psychiatrist. He’s treated over 20,000 people with ADHD throughout his career and is a graduate of Oral Roberts University.

Dan Schawbel - Creating a Healthier More Resilient Workplace Jan 17, 2023

Show notes

The world of business and workplaces continues to change, and no one knows that better than Dan Schawbel, Managing Partner of Workplace Intelligence, along with being a New York Times bestselling author and host of the 5 Questions podcast. Dustin Oldham, host of Change Starts Here, spoke with Schawbel about workplace challenges in schools, such as staff retention and what to do about it.

A self-described “advisor and a champion” of workers, Schawbel has worked with many businesses and loves the idea of branding, which works for anyone with a mind to create any kind of business, company, or organization. “The reason why everyone needs to care about branding, whether it’s a company brand, personal brand, product brand, is because it is a huge competitive advantage,” said Schawbel. “Because…the companies that are most likely to hold on and maintain are the ones that have built trust in the form of a brand.”

On the subject of teacher retention in schools, Schawbel pointed out that, in the last few years, teachers have had to deal with burnout, low pay, and delayed retirement in. “The value proposition of being a teacher…is diminishing,” said Schawbel, which means that the “talent pipeline” is diminishing (which also affects the medical field, especially with nurses). This also helps explain why younger generations are less and less interested in becoming teachers.

On top of changing conditions, Schawbel says employers need to listen to their employees. “Figure out what they want, figure out what their struggles are, and try and resolve as many as you can the best you can.” He added, “We have a lack of listening in corporate culture and school culture and I do think that there is not going to be a way around of not paying enough anymore.”

Key Points:

-Schools can retain staff by listening and solving their struggles.

-Talent pool for teachers is low because they demand more from schools.

-Things can only change if conditions and payment are improved for teachers.

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected