ERGonomics: Signals, Noise, and Inclusive Business Practices with Joe Santana (PART 1)
An Imperfect Leader: The Superintendents and Leadership Podcast
Release Date: 08/29/2023
Communication is a System: Lessons from Terrie Morgan
An Imperfect Leader: The Superintendents and Leadership Podcast
This week we’re sitting down with someone who has walked the walk for nearly four decades: , 2024 Kentucky Superintendent of the Year and a truly humble, student-centered leader from Hardin County Schools. Terrie brings warmth, honesty, and hard-earned wisdom from 36 years of service - and she doesn’t hold back. If you care about leading with heart and systems-level clarity, this is an episode you’ll want to save and share. 🌟 Here are some standout lessons you’ll hear: Put Students First - Every Time. Terrie’s guiding question: Can I defend this as best for kids? It...
info_outline
Dr. Richard Ramos: Let Students Lead the Way
An Imperfect Leader: The Superintendents and Leadership Podcast
I’m excited to share my conversation with , Superintendent of the Miami Unified School District in Miami, Arizona. Dr. Ramos brings such heart to his work - lifting student voice, building true community partnerships, and embracing the beautiful messiness of leadership. Here are the three big themes from our conversation: Student Agency & Community Collaboration: How a simple idea (a Business Partner Café) became a student-led space where young people host, present, and guide conversations with local business partners. Innovation & Project-Based Learning: A look inside Miami’s...
info_outline
Leading with Heart: Dr. Darren Kennedy on the Human Side of School Leadership
An Imperfect Leader: The Superintendents and Leadership Podcast
In this episode, we are joined by , the High School Instructional Supervisor for Sumner County Schools (just outside Nashville, Tennessee). Dr. Kennedy, author of , shares powerful insights on creating transformational change in school culture and academics. Leaders, here are three things you will learn from this episode: The power of focusing on Tier One Instruction over Intervention: Darren recounts his experience as a principal of a turnaround middle school where an initial heavy reliance on supplemental intervention programs resulted in only marginal progress. Why values must be a...
info_outline
Paul Freeman on Courage, Conversation, and Confident Leadership
An Imperfect Leader: The Superintendents and Leadership Podcast
How do we prepare students to become empathic individuals and global citizens in an increasingly complex world? Dr. , Superintendent of Guilford Public Schools and Connecticut’s Superintendent of the Year, joins An Imperfect Leader: The Superintendents and Leadership Podcast to discuss leading transformational change through confident vulnerability. Dr. Freeman shares how Guilford’s Portrait of a Graduate (POG) model guides instruction across all grade levels: developing students as adaptable learners, responsible collaborators, critical thinkers, effective communicators, empathic...
info_outline
From Reflection to Renewal: Dr. John Anzalone and the North Star of Student-Centered Leadership
An Imperfect Leader: The Superintendents and Leadership Podcast
In this week’s episode, we sit down with , Superintendent of the Camas School District (WA). Dr. Anzalone shares his powerful reflections on leadership and what it truly means to lead with humility. Here are 3 lessons on imperfect leadership and courageous strategy we learned from John: 🌟 1. Establish a Clear North Star: Every financial decision should point back to one thing: students. 💬 2. Lead with Courage and Vulnerability 🤝 3. Rebuild Trust from Within: 🎙️ Key Takeaway: Healthy systems are built on healthy relationships. Reflection, trust, and...
info_outline
Dr. Deborah Wortham: How Leaders Set the Atmosphere for Success
An Imperfect Leader: The Superintendents and Leadership Podcast
I had the absolute pleasure of speaking with nationally recognized educator, author of the bestseller , and CEO of Wortham Educational Enterprises. Dr. Wortham shared powerful insights on how leaders move systems forward by focusing on culture, confidence, and consistency. If you’re leading a system and striving to create the conditions for lasting transformation, here are 3 key takeaways: ✨ 1. Setting the Atmosphere & Belief-Driven Leadership: Dr. Wortham grounds her leadership in creating a cultural field that gives people permission to grow, develop, and succeed. ...
info_outline
Seeing the Unseen Child: David K. Richards and the Vision for Micro Schools
An Imperfect Leader: The Superintendents and Leadership Podcast
We recently had a powerful conversation with , nationally recognized education leader, innovator, CEO of , and host of the . The episode delves into an innovative model for educational leaders to consider. Here are three key takeaways from our conversation: 1. Understanding the Micro School Model A microschool is defined by its intimacy. David envisions Changemaker MicroSchools as small learning environments, which can range anywhere from five to 150 students. 2. Navigating Change: Disruption with Love Introducing bold ideas often means navigating resistance and naysayers....
info_outline
What If AI Were Your Business Partner? A Conversation with Matt Leta
An Imperfect Leader: The Superintendents and Leadership Podcast
What If AI Were Your Business Partner? How can school leaders use AI as a thought partner and collaborator? The conversation around AI isn’t about the future anymore, it’s about now. This week’s episode is a thought-provoking one. I sit down with , founder and CEO of FutureWorks, a serial entrepreneur, and a forward-thinking voice on AI in leadership and education. Matt doesn’t just talk about AI. He lives it. In this conversation, he shares how he launched a company with AI as his business partner, what he learned from the experience, and how those lessons connect to...
info_outline
John Rogers: The Future of Education Depends on Democracy
An Imperfect Leader: The Superintendents and Leadership Podcast
What does it really mean to lead for democracy in our schools today? This week on An Imperfect Leader: The Superintendents and Leadership Podcast, I sit down with of UCLA’s School of Education and Information Studies for a powerful conversation on one of the biggest drains on schools today: culturally divisive conflict. Dr. Rogers makes a clear distinction between healthy political debate and the anti-democratic conflict fueled by violent rhetoric and misinformation. His : 💸 One midsize district spent $1M in staff time grappling with divisive conflicts. 🕰️ Another saw public records...
info_outline
From Skepticism to Trust: Dr. Jason Radford’s Journey
An Imperfect Leader: The Superintendents and Leadership Podcast
Thrilled to welcome Dr. Jason Radford, recently-retired Superintendent of Oldham County Schools (KY), to An Imperfect Leader: The Superintendents and Leadership Podcast. His journey is a terrific example of trust, strategy, and servant leadership. Here are three big takeaways for all of us imperfect leaders: ✨ 1. Trust Through Transparency & Vulnerability: When trust was low and turnover high, Dr. Radford launched a “Rounding Roadshow” to connect with all 1,500 employees. In year one, he publicly shared the most critical feedback (including comments about himself). That honesty...
info_outlineBook Update!
Imperfect Leaders! My book, An Imperfect Leader: Leadership in (After) Action is available on Amazon.com. If there is no hyperlink to follow, please go to Amazon.com or peterstiepleman.com. You can order it there.
Intro: Hello Imperfect Leaders. Sometimes, when I am listening to a podcast, I hear the host say, “This week, we’re only playing part 1 of a two-part podcast.” And I think to myself, “Do they really have that much good material to warrant two weeks or are they just being lazy??” Most of the time, it’s really because the guest does have a lot of good examples to share. That’s definitely the case this week with my guest, Joe Santana.
You’re really going to enjoy Joe (not in the sense of when your mother would tell you you'll be so happy if you got a haircut - oh, was that just me?). I mean it, you REALLY are going to enjoy this episode and the follow up next week.
In Part 1, you are going to learn more about Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) and why they really are important for any organization, especially for school districts. Thanks for tuning in!
Bio: Joe Santana is Chairman of CDO PowerCircle, an association of top DEI leaders. Joe is also the creator and host of the award-winning ERG PowerTalk podcast reaching over 300 million listeners AND he is also an author of many articles and books, including his latest, Supercharge Your ERG’s Tips to Power-up Your ERG/BRG Strategy. His work has been published in multiple languages.
-------
An Imperfect Leader: Leadership in (After) Action is supported by ILAA, LLC, a firm dedicated to supporting aspiring, new, and established leaders. For more information, please find them at www.human-centeredleaders.com.
Music for An Imperfect Leader was written and arranged by Ian Varley.
Sam Falbo created our artwork, a wood-print inspired daruma doll butterfly.