Getting Unstuck – Cultivating Curiosity

What is the goal of U.S. education in an ever-changing world? What do we want for our students when they walk across the stage to receive their high school diplomas? How do we need to look at developing new and current teachers differently? To help answer these questions, we welcome educator Peter McWain. Here, Peter reviews the lack of agreement among key stakeholders on answers to these questions and notes the obstacles standing in the way of more systemic change in K12 education.

In this episode, we interview Joe Kwon who, as he says, "pulls back the curtain" on life in his entertaining and informative "Why it Works" podcast. There he interviews a diverse cohort of guests who speak to the universal principles behind what they do. Joe's other love is Aikido, the Japanese martial art. After gaining a basic understanding of some of the principles underlying it, we asked Joe to use Aikido principles to diagnose two situations where individuals needed to get out of their own way.

Our lives are rarely linear. Most of start out "here" and then make a series of twists and turns. In this "Transformation Story," we talk with Shelley Brown. Shelley's life took a dramatic turn due to a physical ailment, but that physical challenge soon pushed her into the emotional grip of deep anxiety and fear. She tried numerous ways to get back on a level emotional plain, but nothing seemed to work — until she made a major discovery. As she relates in her story, it was the only solution left to her.

How do you view life's changes? As a series of one-off events that are largely disconnected from each other? Or as an ongoing transition? To get a perspective on those question, we listen in on an interview our friend, Sarah Elkins, conducted with Kris Macchiarola on her podcast, "Your Stories Don't Define You, How You Tell Them Will." Kris is a consultant, speaker, leader, coach, and author of #NoApprovalNeeded. She helps organizations create a culture where employees feel energized, enabled, and engaged.

How do you show up as a leader at work (and in life)? What impact do you want and need to have to feel engaged, energized, and accomplished? In this episode, Kirsten and Jeff talk with leadership expert, Kimberly Davis, author of the best seller, Brave Leadership. Here we'll learn how to show up authentically in life and at work, and how to define our "super objective" – our personal impact statement – and what can hold us back from implementing it.

Our lives are rarely linear. Most of start out "here" and then make a series of twists and turns. In this "Transformation Story," we talk with Becca Bycott. Becca's life began to take a major turn one day riding the Metro in Washington D.C. "Courage" she would later say, "is the willingness to realize that something isn't working and to change it." As she stepped off the train, she began a journey toward self-awareness that now expresses itself in rich and honest conversation, and at the keyboard.

How do you view change – as episodic or as a constant? In this episode, which is Part 2 of a two-part series, we'll continue to explore the idea of building a culture of change – a culture of continuous curiosity, experimentation, and learning. We'll focus primarily on leaders and organizations that operate in the absence of that philosophy. We're joined Amy Sokal. Amy brings almost twenty-years as a leader in non‐profit development and fundraising.

How do you view complex changes – as one-offs, or as a constant to support getting desired results? In this episode, which is Part 1 of a two-part series, we'll start to explore the idea of building a culture of change, or as we prefer to call it, a culture of continuous learning and improvement. We'll be joined mid-way through the episode by Edtech innovator, Claire Hollenbeck. Claire will draw on her extensive experience to share what happens in an organization that encourages a culture of learning.

OK, you've agreed on a plan for a complex change. Now, what do you need to consider to implement the plan? How do you get staff buy-in? In the first part of this episode, we'll suggest some answers to those questions. Then we'll hear from veteran educator and consultant Margaret Zacchei. With more than 25 years of experience as a school principal and teacher backing her up, Margaret will comment on how she worked with her staff to increase the likelihood of implement successful complex changes.

How can organizations and individuals experiment with change in a way that reduces risk and prevents the "fixedness" monster from keeping them stuck? In this episode, we focus on the experimentation phase of change for both organizations and individuals. Midway through, we'll hear from master experimenter, Alyssa Boehm. She describes the various methods she and her team use to prototype, test, and adapt new product concepts so as to increase the likelihood that the customer will like and benefit from them.