Lead. Learn. Change‪.‬ David W. Reynolds

University of North Georgia President and retired U.S. Army officer Michael (Mike) Shannon addresses the value of personal relationships, the benefits of collaborating with others, and the role that vision plays in becoming the best you can be. The conversation mentions great teacher Mr. Jones, instructing soldiers at West Point, and how the “magic sauce” of human interaction can lead us to accomplish virtually any worthy aim. Make sure to check out the show notes for more on Mike’s background and experiences.

Kristin Hatcher writes, and she inspires others to write. Kristin lifts lessons from daily events, challenges, victories, quiet reflections, others’ work, and life itself, helping her help others hone their craft and fulfill their dream to write a book. Kristin understands the connections between writing, learning, leading, and teaching, and her insights can support your desire to begin writing, stick with it, and make a difference for someone else along the way.

Georgia’s 2024 Teacher of the Year Christy Todd combines her enthusiasm for teaching with an innate curiosity and a strong desire to connect interests, talents and people, unleashing the creative potential of scores of students day after day, year after year. Christy’s excitement about what she might do next, what her students will do next, and how dedicated educators make possible the fulfillment of those dreams and ideas will inspire you. All of us can benefit from the approach that Christy takes, whether she is serving as a teacher leader or an ambassador for everything that is important in teaching and learning.

Rick Zeisig's fascination with radio started as a young child, he began his on-air radio career as a teenager, and he's never looked back. He's been a DJ in markets as large as Atlanta, and has truly enjoyed his work, whether spinning tunes, reporting traffic, calling Friday night high school football games for thirty years, or attending other community events. He loves his family and friends and gets a kick out of a good story, especially telling one. While he has met many interesting (and some famous) people, he reminds us that it's not the position someone holds, or how much money they have that matters most, but it's all about how we treat one another. Rick truly loves living in a small town – for many reasons – and he shares some of his thinking about that in this conversation, recorded in mid-September, 2023. Rick is also a two-time throat cancer survivor and when we spoke he was battling the disease for the third time.

“Persistence is always generous.” Honesty, integrity, and enthusiasm are skills. “I won the parent lottery.” Curiosity is steeped in Why, not in What. Useful incompetence is a vital part of learning. “Where is the community orchestra in your life?” “There’s no such thing as closing thoughts.” A great definition for creativity. In his now trademark style, bestselling author, Marketing Hall of Fame inductee, entrepreneur, blogger, husband, dad, teacher, and learner Seth Godin addresses these ideas, and more, and nudges us toward adopting a different perspective about making a difference in the world. As an ardent supporter of teachers, Seth’s generosity shines through in this conversation. His latest book, Song of Significance, will shed even more light on the value of community and on taking initiative to do work that matters. You may find yourself listening twice, jotting down some notes, or sharing a listening link with others.

Another installment of readings from Lead. Learn. Change., the book, pages 77-87. The episode includes includes the story Traffic Lights and Bumper Stickers, Reflections and Call to Action, and a PAGE Break titled Shared Commitment. All profits from the sale of the book support the Allene Magill Memorial Scholarship fund, helping paraprofessionals who are pursuing their dream of becoming classroom teachers.