Schools of Excellence: The No. 1 ECE & Private School Leadership Podcast

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149. Your Distress Tolerance Staff Toolkit Sep 25, 2023

Show notes

Does the word “stress” make your chest tighten?

If so, you’re not the only one

We tend to think of stress as a negative thing. But the truth is, it’s an integral part of being human. In fact, on last week’s podcast episode I introduced the concept of eustress—a type of positive stress that helps to motivate us.

This week, I want to talk about the tools we use to manage stress in the moment. Because stress is an unavoidable part of our lives, it’s up to us to keep ourselves regulated and ready to approach each situation.

Mornings are a perfect example. Getting four kids out the door is no small task, and it’s hard on the body. On top of that, my five-year-old is often up before I am.

Distress tolerance has taught me that, despite the chaotic demands of a morning full of decisions and preparations, I need a moment of silence. So I’ve set up a private space for myself in my bedroom where I can spend five minutes alone, with the door closed, before tackling the day.

The temptation to immediately jump into the day is strong, but I know from experience that my children and I are all better served when I take that five minutes.

Personal morning space is one of the self-soothing strategies I have in my distress tolerance toolkit.

In this week's podcast episode, I’m going to guide you through the development of a distress tolerance toolkit for yourself and your staff.

Join me for a conversation about:

What a staff distress tolerance toolkit includes
How to accept distress when it happens
Steps to create an effective toolkit that empowers your team
Strategies for personalizing your toolkits

Learn more and apply for the Director’s Inner Circle & Owner’s HQ: http://Chanie.me/jointhedic

More about the show:

If you are an Early Childhood director or owner, prepare to transform your school and life with the Schools of Excellence podcast. Tune in each week to learn from Chanie Wilschanski, the founder and host of the Schools of Excellence Podcast and a mom of 4 little kids. Each episode will be packed with tools and strategies – equipping you to build schools with higher staff retention, teacher motivation, parent partnership, collaborative culture, and beautiful quality of life.

Every week, Chanie shares the truth about the journey to excellence, the strategies that are working TODAY, and the mindset about the critical decisions and choices that you make every day which impact yourself, your teachers, parents, family, and children who you serve every day.

148. Developing your Distress Tolerance as a School Leader Sep 18, 2023

Show notes

You’re no stranger to challenges.

Whether it’s helping fifteen children into their winter coats, navigating a difficult relationship with one of your teachers, or balancing a busy schedule, you have a lot on your plate.

It’s stressful. It may even be distressing.

Enter distress tolerance. Building your own, personal level of distress tolerance is one of the most powerful ways you can manage the inevitable challenges of life as a school leader.

Let me give you an example.

Recently, my husband and son went on a road trip together, leaving me to solo parent our other three children. As luck would have it, during their trip I had an immovable dentist appointment on the same day my other children returned from camp early.

Typically, I avoid bringing my kids on errands at all costs. But this time, it was unavoidable. Based on the dentist’s available time slots, I had two options:

Pick the earlier time slot and bring them directly to the dentist’s office,
or choose a later time and take them home first.

Years of developing distress tolerance led me to pick the later time.

Why?

Because it allowed me the space to fill my cup and those of my children before we did something none of us wanted to do. I was able to bring my kids home, have a snack, and give them some personal mommy time before we headed to the dentist’s office.

Why am I telling you this story?

Because this decision-making process was distress tolerance in action. As mundane as a schedule conflict might seem, it’s one of the most prevalent stressors that threatens to throw us off balance.

And when we’re off balance, our entire team can feel it.

In this week’s podcast episode, I’m going to dig into distress tolerance and resilience in the childcare industry.

Join me for a conversation about:

What distress tolerance is
How it helps us navigate difficult situations
The correlation between stress and performance
Strategies for building your distress tolerance as a leader

Learn more and apply for the Director’s Inner Circle & Owner’s HQ: http://Chanie.me/jointhedic

More about the show:

147. From Loss to Legacy Sep 11, 2023

Show notes

In our society, conversations about grief are largely dominated by death and the experience of losing someone we love.

But death is far from the only time we deal with loss.

Anytime we go through periods of transition in our lives, we experience grief triggered by the loss of how things used to be. For leaders in early childhood education, these transitions happen on an almost daily basis.

Closing locations, letting go of teachers, saying goodbye to families, and even delegating responsibilities are losses that can create a sense of longing for the way things were.

And if you don't take active steps to move through that grief, you can end up stuck in old patterns that prevent you from growing as an individual and as a leader.

That's why in this week's podcast episode, I'm opening up a conversation about how to navigate loss and use it as a springboard for legacy.

Join me for a conversation about:

Widening our definition of grief
Common forms of grief that leaders experience
What can happen if you don't take the time to process your grief
Steps for how to move through grief in a productive way

Learn more and apply for the Director’s Inner Circle & Owner’s HQ: http://Chanie.me/jointhedic

While processing grief is a personal journey, it's significantly easier when you're surrounded by others who are on a similar journey. Our Director's Inner Circle and Owner's HQ membership programs are the perfect place to build a community of like-minded leaders who can support you through every season of your life. Plus, as a member, you'll also gain access to tools, resources, and coaching that can help you along the way.

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146. How to Create Your School Org Chart Sep 04, 2023

Show notes

Roles and responsibilities are crucial to building a school of excellence. You can't weather the storm—let alone captain your ship—if your crew isn't clear on what they should be doing and when.

That's where developing a school org chart comes in handy. With a visual representation of the structure of your center on hand, you can clear up a lot of questions about what role each individual plays and who they should report to.

But that's not all your org chart should do.

Because the leaders, administrators, and teachers of your center aren't solely defined by where they fit into the hierarchy.

They're human beings with their own needs and abilities, and those elements need to be factored in when designing the structure of your school.

Don't get me wrong—hierarchy is important. But at its core, building an effective org chart is about understanding what fuels collaboration, efficiency, communication, and results.

In this week's podcast episode, I'm exploring how to create your school org chart so that it facilitates the roles, responsibilities, and relationships within your center.

Join me for a conversation about:

What a school org chart is
The 6 things leaders get wrong when designing their org charts
How to chart roles within your school
Questions to ask yourself when creating your org chart

Learn more and apply for the Director’s Inner Circle & Owner’s HQ: http://Chanie.me/jointhedic

Org charts are just one of the many foundational concepts we dive into within our Director's Inner Circle and Owner's HQ membership programs. As part of the membership, you'll gain access to a variety of tools and resources to help you build a school of excellence. Plus, you'll receive coaching and the support of a community that will take your leadership to new heights.

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Additional Tips on How to Plan for Chaos Aug 30, 2023

Show notes

This episode is from a Strategic Advisory from our Membership programs.

I know that the impending chaos of a new year is incredibly unsettling. You’re preparing for new kids, new teachers, new protocols, and new expectations, and you know everyone will look at you like deer in the headlights.

It's inevitable… and believe it or not, that's a good thing.

Confused? Stay with me.

When you operate under the assumption that the start-of-the-school year mayhem is avoidable, any disorder that occurs becomes a reflection of your competency as a leader.

The chaos becomes your fault, and it produces feelings of anxiety, self-doubt, and even shame.

But when you recognize that chaos is simply an inherent characteristic of transition—not a result of your leadership—you give yourself the opportunity to take a deep breath, adjust your mindset, and create a plan for how to deal with the inevitable disarray of a novel environment.

In other words, the mark of a strong leader isn't the absence of mayhem. It's the presence of a calm and collected state-of-mind that helps you weather the storm.

Learn more and apply for the Director’s Inner Circle & Owner’s HQ: http://Chanie.me/jointhedic

More about the show:

145. Tolerating Good Enough For Long Enough To Create Excellence Aug 28, 2023

Show notes

When you sit down to draw with a 4-year-old, you know you're not going to get the Mona Lisa. Kids don't have the capacity for things like perspective, texture, or—let's be honest—simply coloring within the lines.

So, if that's the case, then why do you expect perfection out of your most inexperienced teachers and newly hired staff?

In a world that glorifies immediate results, we've gotten used to demanding the very best out of everyone, all the time.

But life doesn't work that way.

People need time to adjust to expectations, learn new skills, and reach a certain standard, and that journey will look different depending on the person.

Effective leaders recognize that everyone has a learning curve, and they provide the support their teams need to experience growth on a timeline that makes sense.

That's what leads to excellence.

On this week's podcast episode, I'm addressing a topic that may be a difficult pill for leaders to swallow, but one of the most important lessons they can learn: The value of tolerating “good enough” for long enough to achieve excellence.

Join me for a conversation about:

What it means to tolerate "good enough"
The difference between expectations and standards
The impact of setting realistic expectations
Questions to ask yourself to identify what's good enough

Learn more and apply for the Director’s Inner Circle & Owner’s HQ: http://Chanie.me/jointhedic

. You can work on more of the skills that make effective leaders by joining our Owner's HQ and Director's Inner Circle membership programs. As a member, you'll gain ongoing access to tools, resources, coaching, and community that can help you build and sustain a school of excellence.

Or, if you're looking for easy-to-implement resources you can use to facilitate the growth of your team, check out our Time Management & Accountability bundle. It contains a series of tools and templates that will help you create more accountability among your staff and free up time to focus on the growth and development of your center. https://schoolsofexcellence.com/time

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144. The Ambition Equation: Balancing Passion, Purpose, and Practicality Aug 21, 2023

Show notes

What does ambition look like to you?

Does it mean owning the best school in your city? Expanding your center? Retiring early?

Maybe it's none of those things… and that's okay.

Contrary to what we're made to believe, there's more than one charted path to success. Your destination can be whatever you want it to be—and the journey to get there can look however you want it to.

What's more, how you define ambition may change over time.

While you can achieve extraordinary greatness in multiple domains of your life, you won't be able to do it all at once. It's going to work in seasons, and it's up to you to decide what's worth pursuing at any given time.

How do you make that decision?

That's what I'm discussing on this week's podcast episode. Together, we'll explore what ambition is to you and how you can achieve greatness in all areas of your life.

Join me for a conversation about:

The definition of ambition and what it looks like to different people
Why we get stuck on one view of success
How different seasons influence your priorities and possibilities
How to decide which goals to pursue

Learn more and apply for the Director’s Inner Circle & Owner’s HQ: http://Chanie.me/jointhedic

. Ambition is a major topic of conversation within our Owner's HQ and Director's Inner Circle membership programs, as it takes passion and drive to do the inner and outer work necessary to build a school of excellence. You can join the conversation, as well as gain ongoing access to tools, resources, coaching, and community, by applying today.

Focusing on big-picture goals is also a lot easier when you have the time to do it! With our Time Management & Accountability bundle, you'll get a series of tools and templates to help you become more productive and hold your team accountable. With the extra time, you can spend more time working on the growth and development of your center. https://schoolsofexcellence.com/time

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143. Overcoming Overwhelm and Cultivating Confidence with Ashley Corthell Aug 14, 2023

Show notes

What if I told you that you didn't have to be at your center 40+ hours a week?

Would you believe me?

The reality for a lot of owners is that the line between home and school is so blurred it's almost nonexistent. They spend so much of their time wrapped up in the day-to-day operation of their centers that they end up spending more time there than they do at home with their families.

This was the case for Ashley Corthell, owner of Daybreak Academy in Utah. When I first connected with her, she was spending 45+ hours per week at her school. During the few hours she was at home, she was too stressed to truly be present.

In Ashley's words, school was sucking the life out of her.

But all of that changed when she joined the Schools of Excellence Owner's HQ membership program. Inside the membership, Ashley built skills and gained access to resources and coaching that helped her adjust her mindset, better manage her time, and transform her school's culture.

With the support of other owners, she learned to use her hours at school more productively and set healthier boundaries, which made her more intentional about how and where she was spending her time.

As a result, not only did the line between school and home become better defined, but Ashley was able to reduce the number of hours she spent at her center to just 10 hours per week!

And Ashley isn't the exception either. She's one of hundreds of owners and directors who have transformed their schools—and lives—thanks to the opportunities available in the membership.

So, when I asked you whether you thought it was possible to spend less than 40 hours per week at your center, it wasn't hyperbole. It was a question based on the very real experiences of leaders just like you.

If you're ready to start spending less time running your center and more time focused on its growth and development, I encourage you to check out this week's podcast episode. You'll hear more about Ashley's story and how the membership impacted her life and leadership.

Join us for a conversation about:

The struggles Ashley faced before joining the membership
What she learned by being surrounded by other like-minded owners
How her center looks now that she's a more confident leader
What's next for her and her school

Learn more and apply for the Director’s Inner Circle & Owner’s HQ: http://Chanie.me/jointhedic

If Ashley's story resonated with you, don't wait and apply for the membership today. Within the Director's Inner Circle and Owner's HQ membership programs, you'll gain access to the same tools, resources, coaching, and community that made such a huge impact on Ashley's leadership.

If you don't think you're quite ready for the membership, we have a variety of other resources that can help you become a more effective leader, such as our Time Management & Accountability bundle. It contains a series of tools and templates that will help you make better use of your time so you can spend fewer hours at school and focus on the growth and development of your center. https://schoolsofexcellence.com/time

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142. Preparing for the Chaos at the Start of the School Year Aug 07, 2023

Show notes

It's inevitable… and believe it or not, that's a good thing.

Confused? Stay with me.

When you operate under the assumption that the start-of-the-school year mayhem is avoidable, any disorder that occurs becomes a reflection of your competency as a leader.

The chaos becomes your fault, and it produces feelings of anxiety, self-doubt, and even shame.

In other words, the mark of a strong leader isn't the absence of mayhem. It's the presence of a calm and collected state-of-mind that helps you weather the storm.

In this week's podcast episode, I'm helping you set yourself up for success by talking you through how to prepare for the chaos at the start of the school year.

Join me for a conversation about:

Where the start-of-the-year chaos comes from
How it shows up in your life and leaderships
What can be gained by embracing the mayhem
Strategies to help you plan for what's to come

Learn more and apply for the Director’s Inner Circle & Owner’s HQ: http://Chanie.me/jointhedic

An important part of navigating the chaos is having people you can rely on for support. In our Director's Inner Circle and Owner's HQ membership programs, you'll have the opportunity to connect with other like-minded leaders who can validate your experience and offer solutions as you work through the transition. As a member, you'll also gain access to tools, resources, and coaching that can help you build and sustain a school of excellence.

Or, if you're looking for easy-to-implement resources that can help you remain focused, check out our Time Management & Accountability bundle. It contains a series of tools and templates that will help you make better use of your time so you can focus on the growth and development of your center. https://schoolsofexcellence.com/time

More about the show:

141. How to Prepare for the First Staff Meeting Jul 31, 2023

Show notes

The first staff meeting of the year—we've all been there.

You go into the meeting filled with the ripe excitement of possibility, ready to share your ideas, goals, and expectations. You have all the energy of a student showing off sparkly new notebooks on the first day of school.

Then the meeting happens and… you end up word vomiting over your entire staff.

Sound familiar?

Without a doubt, the deluge of information comes from the very best of intentions. You're optimistic about the school year and want to set your staff up for success by telling them everything they need to know.

But in trying to enmesh every detail into a single meeting without structure—without purpose—you end up spewing information in all directions instead of uniting everyone under a common goal.

In this week's podcast episode, I'm walking you through how to prepare for your first staff meeting so you can start this school year off on the right foot.

Join me for a conversation about:

The importance of creating structure for your staff meeting
The three segments of a successful meeting
What to discuss (and not to discuss!)
Questions to ask your staff to promote teamwork and school values

Learn more and apply for the Director’s Inner Circle & Owner’s HQ: http://Chanie.me/jointhedic

While there's definitely a formula to running a successful staff meeting, it's also a skill that takes time to build. I can help you develop that skill within our Owner's HQ and Director's Inner Circle membership programs, which provides leaders like you with ongoing access to tools, resources, coaching, and community that can help you build and sustain a school of excellence.

Or, if you're looking for easy-to-implement resources that you can start using today, check out our Time Management & Accountability bundle. It contains a series of tools and templates that will help you make better use of your time—whether at staff meetings or at the desk in your office. https://schoolsofexcellence.com/time

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