Voices at the Vanguard: Dr. Avis Williams Talks Transformational Leadership, Teacher Engagement, and Communication
An Imperfect Leader: The Superintendents and Leadership Podcast
Release Date: 10/24/2023
Merle Horowitz Reminds Us to Empathize, Sympathize, and Energize
An Imperfect Leader: The Superintendents and Leadership Podcast
In this week’s An Imperfect Leader: The Superintendents and Leadership Podcast, we dive into another authentic story of someone navigating the complexities of leadership. I'm your host, Peter Stiepleman, and today, we have the honor of welcoming a remarkable leader, . Today, we’ll explore Merle's journey through a lens of empathy, resilience, and the pursuit of progress - or in her wise words: we’re going to empathize, sympathize, and energize. With a focus on the profound impact of mentors and the challenges of cyberbullying in education, Merle shares her insights drawn from...
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Understanding Trauma: Insights from Dan Joseph
An Imperfect Leader: The Superintendents and Leadership Podcast
INTRO: Before listening to this episode, I want to make sure that you know that this episode deals with trauma. If you have experienced trauma in your past, you might want to find the right time to listen to this episode. And remember, if you or someone you know needs the suicide or crisis lifeline, you can dial 988 from any phone. For me, the experiences my guest describes in this episode were a reminder of leading a school district during the pandemic. I can still remember it like it was yesterday. The year was turning from 2019 to 2020. I was a superintendent and I started hearing...
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Be Caught Trying with Samir Goel
An Imperfect Leader: The Superintendents and Leadership Podcast
INTRO: Hello Imperfect Leaders! In this episode, co-founder, Samir Goel, talks about empowering individuals to build credit and access financial opportunities previously out of reach. 💡 Samir shares invaluable insights gleaned from his partner, and mentor (emphasizing the crucial role of compassion and transparency). In part 1, we talk about the company he co-founded and in part 2, we talk about what he has learned about giving feedback to employees. Join us as we talk about the different types of feedback: appreciative, motivational, constructive (and even...
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Infiltrating Perspectives: Danielle Nuhfer Unveils Leadership Insights Using a Teacher's Lens
An Imperfect Leader: The Superintendents and Leadership Podcast
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Mission & Purpose: Insights from John McGlothlin
An Imperfect Leader: The Superintendents and Leadership Podcast
INTRO: I was interested to see how ChatGPT might create an intro for me. I gave it some information and it spat out: “Welcome to a journey that transcends the conventional boundaries of education. Imagine a school where purpose is not just a buzzword but the very essence that breathes life into every corridor, classroom, and curriculum.” Yeesh. I asked it to sound less like a carnival announcer and it got worse: “Hey there, folks! Get ready for a wild ride into the heart and soul of education – where purpose isn't just a fancy word, but the very lifeblood of...
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Challenges to Triumph with: Dr. Monique Darrisaw-Akil
An Imperfect Leader: The Superintendents and Leadership Podcast
the Superintendent of the Uniondale School District, is my guest. One simply had to read the following excerpt from the to know why had to talk with Dr. Akil: “Residents throughout Uniondale will tell you — this community, once grappling with educational challenges that seemed insurmountable, has undergone a remarkable transformation under the leadership of the Herald Beacon’s inaugural Person of the Year, Monique Darrisaw-Akil, the superintendent of the Uniondale School District.” When she took over in Uniondale, the district faced many challenges: ...
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Julio Nuñez Leads with Heart
An Imperfect Leader: The Superintendents and Leadership Podcast
INTRO: About a year ago, at about the one-year anniversary of Justice Ginsburg’s death, I was asked by my family to be a part a school naming committee in Philadelphia. There was a school there considering her name for the new name, and I was to represent Justice Ginsburg. In the end, the school community didn’t choose to name the school Ruth Bader Ginsburg Elementary School. Instead, they chose . Gloria was an LGBTQ+ advocate who served Philadelphia’s City Hall as the director of LGBT Affairs from 2008 to 2014 and she was attended this school as child. This was the perfect...
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Visualizing Leadership with James Sturm
An Imperfect Leader: The Superintendents and Leadership Podcast
INTRO: This week, we feature James Sturm, co-founder of the Center for Cartoon Studies. In this our conversation, we explore the dynamic interplay between the power of language and the power of images in shaping a district's narrative. Join us as we delve into strategies for effectively communication of vision and values. In the second half, James shares a compelling story about navigating a crisis when a flood threatened the campus library, sparking a reflection on proactive leadership, or the bias toward action. Get ready for a thought-provoking conversation on leadership with James Sturm....
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The Heart of Leadership: Mike Erwin and Building Relationships that Matter
An Imperfect Leader: The Superintendents and Leadership Podcast
INTRO: In just a few weeks, I will be traveling with a small group of amazing volunteers from all over the United States and Australia . I serve on the Board of Directors for Be the Change Volunteers, an organization committed to building schools all over the world for communities interested in providing opportunities to their children, especially their girls. Our co-founders, Jimi and Cristi Cook, believe that communities with educated women thrive - and they’re right! BTCV is also building schools in Peru, Malawi, Rwanda, India, and Puerto Rico, so, if you’re interested in joining us...
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Relentless Leadership with Yaw Obeng
An Imperfect Leader: The Superintendents and Leadership Podcast
Intro: As I prepared for this week’s episode, I traded in personal anecdotes with a traditional story, one about two farmers and their approach to change. One always bought the latest tools for his farm, hoping they would solve his problems. Meanwhile, his neighbor focused on building relationships with other farmers, learning from their experiences, and sharing his own knowledge. When a drought hit, the first farmer struggled alone with his fancy equipment, while his neighbor’s network came together to devise solutions. In the end, it was the approach of building in instead...
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! On August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina, a Category 3 hurricane with recorded wind speeds of 140 miles per hour devastated communities in Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana. I remember being a teacher in Missouri, and hearing reports of families heading north to find refuge all along the Mississippi River.
Our school system welcomed families, and quickly learned of their very specific needs. The children had been through a great deal of trauma. What I didn’t know until now was that after Katrina, in 2014, the New Orleans Public Schools transitioned from a traditional school district to a 100% charter school district. The superintendent would be hired by a school board, and it would be their responsibility to oversee and authorize each charter school (working with each charter school’s own school boards). What a task!
My guest this week describes that important work. Dr. Avis Williams is the New Orleans superintendent. She reminds us that “When you’re bringing people together around an issue, there is a difference between buy in and commitment (you’ll hear her say, “if people can buy in, they can be bought out.”). Listen for it.
She also describes the creation of a Joyful Educator Collaborative where she convenes teachers to learn more about what is going well as well as areas for continued growth. Thanks for tuning in!
Bio: Dr. Avis Williams is the superintendent of schools for the NOLA Public Schools in New Orleans, Louisiana. Prior to her historic appointment to lead the Nola Public Schools, Dr. Williams served as superintendent of Historic Selma City Schools in Selma, AL for five years.
An award-winning educator and sought-after speaker, she is a native of Salisbury, NC. A product of poverty, Dr. Williams dreamed of being a teacher from an early age. As a first generation 4-year college student, she followed the path of her older siblings and joined the Army right after high school. While in the Army, she was stationed at Fort Jackson, SC, Yongsan, Korea, and Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, AL.
Further Info: Dr. Williams is a leader, a learner, and an author. She is the author of Welcome to Chase Shadows and of professional articles like Leading with Joy as a Prerequisite to Better Outcomes. Additionally, she has a professional book (co-authored with Bren Elliott) coming out soon.
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This episode is brought to you, in part, by the Waters Center for Systems Thinking. The Waters Center helps people understand what systems thinking is and how to incorporate the Habits, tools and concepts of systems thinking into their work and life to achieve desired results. To learn more, go to waterscenterst.org.
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An Imperfect Leader: The Superintendents and Leadership Podcast 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.