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Encore Episode: Nick Polyak Describes How An Unfinished Leader Is Nearly Finished By His Decision!

An Imperfect Leader: The Superintendents and Leadership Podcast

Release Date: 11/21/2023

Merle Horowitz Reminds Us to Empathize, Sympathize, and Energize show art 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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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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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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An Imperfect Leader: The Superintendents and Leadership Podcast

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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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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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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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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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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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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...

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NEW EDUCATIONAL RESOURCE

"What do we want to create together?" 

So proud to have co-written the foreword with Zach Taylor to this essential book on Human-Centered School Transformation. If you're a school leader looking to make sense of what you know to be true about schools, check it out. If you're a corporate leader, you will find a pathway to better results in every page.

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INTRO: Hello Imperfect Leaders. This week, many of us are joining the millions of people traveling for the Thanksgiving holidays. In my book, I use the term the power of language to describe the work of a leader. Stories, the art of framing, and the use of metaphors make specific appearances. You know, road trips are an appropriate metaphor for leadership.

In this encore episode of the podcast, let’s do that, let’s think of leadership as a road trip. We'll invite Dr. Nick Polyak to be our seasoned driver. In our conversation about the routes of continual improvement (for which there are many – highways, byways, detours, and dead ends). But in this case, my take away was it's not about reaching a final destination; it's about enjoying the ride and growing along the way.

We'll stop at Nick’s role as the moderator of #SuptChat, a digital caravan of leaders sharing insights and creating a community that's essential for the road ahead. We'll talk about The Unfinished Leader, a book Nick co-wrote with Michael Lubelfied and PJ Caposey. During our "Imperfect Leadership in After Action" segment, Nick opens up about involving family in major life choices, a real and raw aspect of the leadership road trip. 

As we cruise along, Nick leaves us with a personal roadmap of advice for aspiring leaders. Buckle up, friends! We're about to hit the road on this personal and insightful journey of unfinished leadership withDr. Nick Polyak. The engine is humming, the GPS is set, and our podcast adventure is ready to roll!

Too much? Thanks for tuning in! 

I am pleased to announce he and his co-autors have a new book coming out In January. You can order your copy of The Unfinished Teacher today!

Bio: Dr. Nick Polyak is the superintendent for Leyden Community High School District in Cook County, Illinois. He has served as a math teacher and tennis and soccer coach before moving into administrative roles at the building and central office levels. As the leader of Leyden schools, the school district has received many recognitions, including awards from the College Board and the National School Board Association. 

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An Imperfect Leader is sponsored by Yondr. Schools around the world are seeing the damaging effects of phones on student engagement, social development, and mental health.

Yondr has developed a unique product and program to allow schools to become phone-free, from arrival to dismissal.

Learn why 1 Million Students use Yondr every day.

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Go to overyondr.com to learn more.

 

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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.

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AN IMPERFECT LEADER IS AVAILABLE ON AMAZON

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.