Today’s guest is likely quite familiar to our audience here. Will Parker is host of Principal Matters: The School Leader's Podcast, with more than 1.5 million downloads to date.

An Oklahoma educator since 1993, Will won a teacher of the year award in 1998, was named Oklahoma Assistant Principal of the Year by the National Association of Secondary Principals in 2012, was principal of a Title I school, and served as executive director of the Oklahoma Association of Secondary School Principals and the Oklahoma Middle Level Education Association for six years.

His new book is Whose Permission Are You Waiting For?: An Educator’s Guide to Doing What You Love.

We discuss:

• What motivated this new book
• “An Educator’s Guide to Doing What You Love”
• Understanding your pathways in education: “Do I choose A or B?” or “What’s next for me?”
• Why and how to be coached
• The importance of avoiding the binary in decision-making
• Keys for new ideas: Thinking, Planning, Experimenting, Executing
• Executing with intention
• Why is it important for leaders to give themselves permission for growth?
• Value of becoming a mentor

Connect with Will or listen to his podcast here: https://williamdparker.com. Learn more about all of his books here: https://williamdparker.com/books

About today’s guest

William D. Parker is the founder of Principal Matters, LLC—an educator, author, speaker, and executive coach who leverages his expertise in school culture, leadership, and communication to equip educators with strategies for motivating students, inspiring teachers, and reaching communities.

He is also the host of Principal Matters: The School Leader's Podcast, with more than 1.5 million downloads to date. Will supports schools through professional development and leadership coaching.

An Oklahoma educator since 1993, Will was named South Intermediate High School Teacher of the Year for Broken Arrow Public Schools in 1998. He became an assistant principal in 2004 and was named Oklahoma Assistant Principal of the Year by the National Association of Secondary Principals in 2012. As a principal of a Title I school, he helped lead initiatives in collaboration, remediation, and mentoring that significantly improved student achievement. For six years, Will served as executive director of the Oklahoma Association of Secondary School Principals and the Oklahoma Middle Level Education Association.

Find out more about his leadership academies, masterminds, executive coaching, books, and keynote presentations at williamdparker.com.

About the host

Ross Romano is a co-founder of the Be Podcast Network and CEO of September Strategies, a coaching and consulting firm that helps organizations and high-performing leaders in the K-12 education industry communicate their vision and make strategic decisions that lead to long-term success. Connect on Bluesky or LinkedIn

I also host Sideline Sessions, a podcast for coaches and parents of student-athletes. The show features conversations with coaches and performance experts in the NFL, NBA, NCAA, Olympics, and more. Listen here: https://bit.ly/3Rp0QGt

Today I'm pleased to share an episode from my friend Dr. Karen Dudek-Brannan, a previous guest on The Authority and host of De Facto Leaders, a popular show on the Be Podcast Network.

Ever feel like your school is trying all the “right” strategies—social skills groups, planners, behavior charts—but students still struggle with time management, motivation, and peer relationships?

You’re not alone—and there’s a reason why, says Dr. Karen.

This episode is a clip from her free training, “Create a Research-Based Implementation Plan for your School Team.”

It’s designed for school leaders who want to guide their teams in embedding executive functioning support across both general and special education settings—without burning out staff.

This episode is for you if you’re ready to:
✔️ Help students truly benefit from academic instruction
✔️ Support social-emotional growth alongside learning
✔️ Avoid overwhelming your team with another “initiative”

This episode is the first half of the training in audio format, but to view the whole training with the video, you can go to drkarendudekbrannan.com/efteams.

Listen and subscribe at https://defactoleaders.com

For over 20 years, Tony Chatman has partnered with some of the most successful organizations in the world—including Chase Bank, the U.S. Secret Service, Phillips 66, Clear Channel, and St. Joseph’s Health. He specializes in bridging differences in perspectives, communication styles, and experiences by addressing the universal need we all share: to feel valued and seen.

As a scientist and chemical engineer, as well as a husband, father, and former leader of a nonprofit dedicated to community upliftment, Tony combines intellect with humanity. He is equal parts head and heart.

Tony’s book is The Force Multiplier: How to Lead Teams Where Everyone Wins.

We discuss:

• The mission statement of leadership
• What is a Force Multiplier?
• What makes relationship-based leadership effective?
• Relationship deposits and relationship withdrawals
• Seven keys to being a force multiplier
• Ross: “I earned it, but now I have to learn it.”

Learn more about Tony Chatman: www.tonychatman.com

About the host

Ross Romano is a co-founder of the Be Podcast Network and CEO of September Strategies, a coaching and consulting firm that helps organizations and high-performing leaders in the K-12 education industry communicate their vision and make strategic decisions that lead to long-term success. Connect on Bluesky or LinkedIn

I also host Sideline Sessions, a podcast for coaches and parents of student-athletes. The show features conversations with coaches and performance experts in the NFL, NBA, NCAA, Olympics, and more. Listen here: https://bit.ly/3Rp0QGt

Kimberly Spencer is an award-winning high-performance, trauma-informed coach and trainer, Amazon best-selling author, TEDx speaker, and the founder of CrownYourself.com, helping visionary leaders transform their self-limiting stories, build their empire, stand out fearlessly, and make the income and the impact they deserve.

Her book is Make Every Podcast Want You: How to be so Radically Interesting You'll Barely Keep from Interviewing Yourself.

We talk about:

• Why should leaders want to be on podcasts?
• What matters when deciding which shows to target?
• How to find the right shows
• How to be an interesting guest and how to prepare
• Visibility, messaging, and presence
• What to do after you’re on a podcast

Get the book or connect with Kimberly’s podcasts:

• Get the book: https://www.communicationqueens.com/book
• Listen to the Crown Yourself Podcast: https://www.crownyourself/com/podcast
• Listen to the Communication Queen Podcast: https://www.communicationqueens.com/podcast
• Get booked & coached LIVE on the Communication Queen Podcast: https://bit.ly/get-on-communication-queen-podcast

About the host

Ross Romano is a co-founder of the Be Podcast Network and CEO of September Strategies, a coaching and consulting firm that helps organizations and high-performing leaders in the K-12 education industry communicate their vision and make strategic decisions that lead to long-term success. Connect on Bluesky or LinkedIn

I also host Sideline Sessions, a podcast for coaches and parents of student-athletes. The show features conversations with coaches and performance experts in the NFL, NBA, NCAA, Olympics, and more. Listen here: https://bit.ly/3Rp0QGt

My guests Charle Peck and Josh Stamper are co-authors of The Language of Behavior: A Framework to Elevate Student Success, winner of the 2025 Firebird Educational Book Award.

We talk about:

• Like our last episode with Dr. Bill Penuel, co-author of Creating Compassionate Change in School Communities, this book also refers to a compassionate approach to school culture and student behavior.
• Discussing student behavior as a form of communication
• Trauma-informed framework, 3 core tenets: Consider the Environment, Explore the Root Causes of Behavior, Respond with Intentionality
• How improving student behavior with this framework affects other areas, like academic performance or classroom culture
• What would the authors say to educators or school administrators who might be skeptical about trying a new approach?

Find The Language of Behavior on Amazon or wherever you get your books.

About today’s guests

Charle Peck holds an MS in Education and an MS in Social Work as a 20+ year veteran in education (K-12). As a global keynote speaker, she delivers powerful messages of hope to educators and facilitates meaningful professional learning sessions to equip adults with tools that integrate into everyday practice. Her unique lens as a high school teacher turned clinical therapist, and her work with adolescents and families in crisis, makes her stories relevant and captivating to those struggling in today’s system. You can purchase her books on Amazon and connect with her via her website CharlePeck.com and on LinkedIn @CharlePeck

Joshua Stamper is a dedicated educator, speaker, author, and creator of Aspire to Lead. With a rich background in teaching and school administration, Joshua brings invaluable insight into the challenges and opportunities within the education system. His personal journey as a struggling student, combined with nine years of experience as a middle school administrator, fuels his passion for creating supportive and transformative learning environments. Joshua is committed to helping educators and leaders unlock their full potential, fostering growth, and inspiring lasting change in education.

About the host

Ross Romano is a co-founder of the Be Podcast Network and CEO of September Strategies, a coaching and consulting firm that helps organizations and high-performing leaders in the K-12 education industry communicate their vision and make strategic decisions that lead to long-term success. Connect on Bluesky or LinkedIn

I also host Sideline Sessions, a podcast for coaches and parents of student-athletes. The show features conversations with coaches and performance experts in the NFL, NBA, NCAA, Olympics, and more. Listen here: https://bit.ly/3Rp0QGt

Dr. William Penuel is Distinguished Professor of Learning Sciences and Human Development in the Institute of Cognitive Science and School of Education at the University of Colorado Boulder.

He is co-author of Creating Compassionate Change in School Communities: Leading Together to Address Everyday Suffering in Schools. We talk about:

• Why does compassion matter for educators?
• How is compassion different from empathy, kindness, and relationship-building?
• How school leaders and educators can put compassion and dignity into action
• Everyday suffering in schools - how can and should educators work to reduce it?
• Fostering inclusiveness
• Relationships with families
• 4 steps to help develop a plan for a more compassionate school
• How can educators create self-compassion to move past burnout toward hope and positive action in their schools?

Creating Compassionate Change in School Communities is published by Wiley. Find it wherever you get your books.

About today’s guest

William R. Penuel, Ph.D., is Distinguished Professor of Learning Sciences and Human Development in the Institute of Cognitive Science and School of Education at the University of Colorado Boulder. He is also a Faculty Fellow at the Renée Crown Wellness Institute. He designs and studies curriculum materials, assessments, and professional learning experiences for teachers in STEM education. He also studies how contemplative practices and critical inquiry can support educators in cultivating more compassionate schools. A third line of his research focuses on how long-term research-practice partnerships can be organized to address systemic inequities in education. He is a co-developer of an approach to partnership research called Design-Based Implementation Research (DBIR) and is a co-author on the new book, Creating Compassionate Change in School Communities.

About the host

Ross Romano is a co-founder of the Be Podcast Network and CEO of September Strategies, a coaching and consulting firm that helps organizations and high-performing leaders in the K-12 education industry communicate their vision and make strategic decisions that lead to long-term success. Connect on Bluesky or LinkedIn

I also host Sideline Sessions, a podcast for coaches and parents of student-athletes. The show features conversations with coaches and performance experts in the NFL, NBA, NCAA, Olympics, and more. Listen here: https://bit.ly/3Rp0QGt

Blending memoir, personal essay, local topography, and culture, Alex Poppe’s Breakfast Wine is a frank, human story of pursuing an unconventional life and finding a way home.

Alex is a business analyst, turned actor, turned teacher who accepted a teaching position in northern Iraq after a chance encounter with an acclaimed journalist. In this episode, you’ll hear her stories and learn what it was like to teach in conflict and post-conflict zones, including during the COVID-19 pandemic — and you’ll find out it was much different than you think.

Get Breakfast Wine at bookshop.org: https://bit.ly/3FTV9hM

About today’s guest

Having lived in conflict zones such as Iraq, the West Bank, and Ukraine, Alex Poppe writes about fierce and funny women rebuilding their lives in the wake of violence. She is the author of four works of literary fiction: Duende, a 2024 American Legacy Book Awards winner, a 2023 International Book Awards winner, and a 2023 Readers’ Choice Book Awards finalist; Jinwar and Other Stories, a 2024 Pen Craft Awards runner-up, a 2023 Readers’ Choice Book Awards winner, and a 2022 International Book Awards finalist; Moxie, and Girl, World, a 35 Over 35 Debut Book Award winner, First Horizon Award finalist, Montaigne Medal finalist, Eric Hoffer Grand Prize finalist, and was awarded an Honorable Mention in General Fiction from the Eric Hoffer Awards. In 2021, Alex was an artist-in-residence at the Atlantic Center for the Arts, where her memoir-in-essay Breakfast Wine began.

About the host

Ross Romano is a co-founder of the Be Podcast Network and CEO of September Strategies, a coaching and consulting firm that helps organizations and high-performing leaders in the K-12 education industry communicate their vision and make strategic decisions that lead to long-term success. Connect on Bluesky or LinkedIn

I also host Sideline Sessions, a podcast for coaches and parents of student-athletes. The show features conversations with coaches and performance experts in the NFL, NBA, NCAA, Olympics, and more. Listen here: https://bit.ly/3Rp0QGt

Today’s guest, Erik Palmer, is an educational consultant from Denver who focuses on showing teachers practical, engaging ways to teach oral communication skills, and showing educational leaders how to be more effective communicators.

He’s the author of several books, including Well Spoken: Teaching Speaking to All Students, 2nd Edition (Routledge).

We discuss:

• Defining modern, effective oral communication today
• What most teachers struggle with, when it comes to teaching speaking
• What is uniquely important about learning speaking? How does it expand on/reveal other skills?
• Building a Speech: Audience, Content, Organization, Visual Aids, and Appearance
• Performing a Speech: Poise, Voice, Life, Eye Contact, Gestures, and Speed (PVLEGS)
• Evaluating a Speech: Creating Effective Rubrics, Guiding Students to Excellence
• Digital speaking contexts including podcasts, webinars, and video/audio apps

Learn more about Erik at www.pvlegs.com and find the book from Routledge

About today’s guest

Erik Palmer is an educational consultant from Denver. Prior to becoming a consultant, he had a successful career in business managing a commodity brokerage office and trading on the floor of a Chicago commodity exchange. He was the national sales leader for a large commodity trading firm. In his second career, he spent 21 years teaching English, math, science, and civics, earning Teacher of the Year in one of the nation’s top school districts. Now in his third career as a consultant, Palmer focuses on showing teachers practical, engaging ways to teach oral communication skills, and showing educational leaders how to be more effective communicators.

Palmer is an internationally acclaimed speaker. He has given keynotes and led in-service trainings for districts across the US and for educators around the world. Palmer is a frequent contributor to educational magazines and is the author of several books: Well-Spoken: Teaching Speaking to All Students (Routledge, 2024), Teaching the Core Skills of Listening & Speaking (ASCD, 2014), Researching in a Digital World (ASCD, 2015), Good Thinking: Teaching Argument, Persuasion, and Reasoning (Stenhouse Publishers, 2016), Own Any Occasion: Mastering the Art of Speaking and Presenting (ATD Press, 2018) and Before You Say a Word: A School Leader’s Guide to Clear and Compelling Communication (ASCD, 2024). He is a program consultant for Houghton Mifflin Harcourt’s Into Reading and Into Literature language arts programs.

About the host

Ross Romano is a co-founder of the Be Podcast Network and CEO of September Strategies, a coaching and consulting firm that helps organizations and high-performing leaders in the K-12 education industry communicate their vision and make strategic decisions that lead to long-term success. Connect on Bluesky or LinkedIn

I also host Sideline Sessions, a podcast for coaches and parents of student-athletes. The show features conversations with coaches and performance experts in the NFL, NBA, NCAA, Olympics, and more. Listen here: https://bit.ly/3Rp0QGt