The Principal's Office Podcast

Leaders Building Leaders
  • 4.9 (9)
  • Education
  • Updated Biweekly

Dr. Tom Miller understands the unique set of challenges facing both aspiring and experienced charter school leaders today. Tom has spent more than two decades at the forefront in school leadership. First as an exceptional children’s teacher who worked his way into a middle school principal position. When he wrote his dissertation on the Characteristics of Effective Charter Schools, he was recruited by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction to be a statewide consultant. Through his certification through the John Maxwell Team, he started his own business facilitating elite-level leadership development and executive coaching to school and business leaders seeking to navigate a course from success to significance. Tom lives in Raleigh, North Carolina, he is the father of two and the lucky husband of one beautiful wife, Jennifer.

  1. Episode #240: Before Your Staff Leave for Summer: 10 Questions Every School Leader Needs Answered

    Jun 2

    Episode #240: Before Your Staff Leave for Summer: 10 Questions Every School Leader Needs Answered

    As another school year comes to a close, many leaders immediately shift their focus to hiring, enrollment, summer projects, and preparing for next year. But before your staff sprint out the door for summer, there are important questions every school leader needs answered. In this episode, Dr. Tom Miller shares a practical framework for capturing valuable insights, identifying organizational blind spots, and preparing for a stronger start to the next school year. You'll learn how to gather meaningful feedback from teachers, staff, students, and stakeholders while identifying whether recurring challenges are caused by people, processes, or systems. Download the show notes: https://lbleaders.mykajabi.com/podcast In this episode, you'll discover: ✅ The 10 questions every school leader should ask before summer ✅ Why reflection is a leadership system—not just an activity ✅ How to use the Stakeholder Insight Matrix to gain multiple perspectives ✅ The difference between people problems and system problems ✅ Why high-performing schools plan 12–18 months ahead ✅ How quarterly strategy meetings create continuous improvement ✅ Practical strategies for strengthening culture, communication, staffing, and leadership systems Whether you're a principal, assistant principal, charter school leader, executive director, or district administrator, this episode will help you close the year with greater clarity and build momentum for your strongest first day back. Remember: Don't let valuable insight walk out the door with your staff. And... You are always just one system away from better results. CALL TO ACTION Before your staff leave for summer, take 15 minutes and ask yourself: What are the three most important questions I still need answered? Then identify: Who do I need to hear from? What conversations still need to happen? What systems need attention before August? If you'd like additional support, complete the 10 Indicators of High-Performing Charter Schools Assessment and schedule a complimentary Systems Strategy Session with our team. We'll help you identify strengths, uncover blind spots, prioritize improvement efforts, and build the systems needed to create lasting results. Because strong schools don't improve by accident. They improve intentionally.

    1h 25m
  2. Episode #239: The Leadership Lessons Failure Is Teaching Me | Adversity, Blind Spots, and Systems That Shape Strong Leaders

    May 25

    Episode #239: The Leadership Lessons Failure Is Teaching Me | Adversity, Blind Spots, and Systems That Shape Strong Leaders

    PODCAST DESCRIPTION In this deeply personal and practical episode of Mentorship Monday, Dr. Tom Miller shares the leadership lessons adversity, failure, blind spots, and difficult seasons have taught him over the last several years. This conversation goes beyond leadership theory and into the emotional realities leaders face: * delayed accountability * organizational drift * psychological safety * burnout * communication breakdowns * carrying too much * and the systems leaders need to sustain healthy growth Dr. Miller reflects on the tension between external success and internal alignment, sharing how expanded growth, enrollment, and opportunities can still come at the cost of rapport, trust, communication, and buy-in if leaders are not intentional. This episode also explores: ✅ Why silence is not always alignment ✅ The danger of artificial harmony ✅ Leadership blind spots and emotional maturity ✅ Robert Greene’s leadership insights on leading up ✅ Patrick Lencioni’s principles of healthy conflict ✅ Why strong systems reduce emotional chaos ✅ The 3 R’s: Resistance, Resentment, and Revenge ✅ How adversity can either make leaders bitter…or wiser If you are carrying the weight of leadership right now, this episode will challenge, encourage, and help you reflect on the systems, habits, and emotional patterns shaping your leadership. Remember: “You are always just one system away from better results.” Download the Notes: https://lbleaders.mykajabi.com/podcast

    30 min
  3. Episode #238: How Strong Leaders Evaluate People, Alignment, and Team Fit

    May 22

    Episode #238: How Strong Leaders Evaluate People, Alignment, and Team Fit

    Strong leadership is not just seeing potential in people. It is accurately evaluating whether their behavior, humility, alignment, and consistency strengthen the mission and culture of your organization. In this episode of Mentorship Monday, Dr. Tom Miller breaks down one of the most overlooked leadership skills: evaluating people well. Leaders often struggle because they: hire emotionally overvalue potential ignore patterns give too many chances mistake personality for alignment This session explores: The difference between your best and worst hires Patrick Lencioni’s Ideal Team Player framework Behavior-based interview questions that reveal character and leadership capacity Leadership blind spots and “trust but verify” Why onboarding and orientation shape culture from day one How strong organizations intentionally build alignment, trust, and accountability You’ll also hear practical strategies for: hiring intentionally strengthening onboarding evaluating alignment improving discernment and building healthier teams long term Because every person you hire… every person you retain…and every behavior you tolerate… is shaping your culture. Download the show notes: https://lbleaders.mykajabi.com/podcast

    34 min
  4. Episode #237: Why Strong Leaders Build Next Year’s Team Before Summer

    May 10

    Episode #237: Why Strong Leaders Build Next Year’s Team Before Summer

    Most organizations do not struggle because people do not care. They struggle because leadership systems are inconsistent. In this episode, we unpack how strong leaders intentionally build next year’s team before the school year ends. Dr. Tom Miller shares leadership lessons, organizational systems, communication strategies, and practical frameworks to help leaders strengthen culture, improve alignment, and prepare for long-term success. Topics include: The Executive Operating System for leaders Leadership consistency and organizational culture Maxwell’s Laws of Teamwork Patrick Lencioni’s 5 Dysfunctions of a Team Cascading communication systems The BUILD framework for staffing and leadership development Summer preparation strategies for school leaders This episode is designed for principals, executive directors, school leaders, and organizational leaders who want to build healthier, more intentional teams. Coaching Toolbox: https://www.leaders-building-leaders.com/coaching-toolbox Show Notes and Resources: https://www.leaders-building-leaders.com/podcast

    54 min
  5. Episode #236: The Question Every Leader Must Answer (Fire or Keep)

    May 4

    Episode #236: The Question Every Leader Must Answer (Fire or Keep)

    As the school year winds down, leaders are quietly making decisions that will define next year’s culture. In this episode, we tackle one of the most important—and uncomfortable—questions every leader must answer: If someone on your team applied today… knowing what you know now… would you hire them? This conversation goes beyond staffing decisions and gets to the core of leadership: clarity, accountability, and alignment. We explore: Why leaders avoid difficult decisions The impact of misalignment on culture and team performance How to distinguish between development needs and deeper issues A practical framework for making clear, confident decisions Why your best people are watching what you tolerate If you’re leading a team, navigating end-of-year decisions, or thinking about next year—this episode will challenge how you lead and what you allow. Down load the show notes: https://www.leaders-building-leaders.com/podcast

    1h 1m
  6. Episode #235: Building a Culture People Don’t Want to Leave

    Apr 28

    Episode #235: Building a Culture People Don’t Want to Leave

    Why do your best people leave? Not the ones who struggle—but the ones you wish you could keep. In this episode, we tackle one of the most important leadership challenges in today’s schools: retention. As the year winds down, leaders are facing low morale, burnout, and staff quietly deciding whether they will return. The reality is this—people don’t stay because things are good. They stay because they feel valued. This session goes beyond surface-level appreciation and dives into how leaders can intentionally build a culture that retains, develops, and energizes their team. In this episode, we cover: Why leaders are losing staff emotionally before they leave physically How appreciation directly impacts culture, beliefs, and performance The 5 workplace appreciation languages and why most leaders miss the mark A practical system for consistent, intentional recognition How to use stay interviews to understand and retain your best people If you’re leading a team and want to strengthen culture, improve retention, and build a place people don’t want to leave—this episode will give you a clear path forward. Download the Principal's Guide, Survey and Stay Interview Sheet: https://www.leaders-building-leaders.com/appreciation New episodes released every Monday.

    52 min
  7. Episode #234: Leading Under Pressure: How to Stay Clear, Confident, and in Control

    Apr 20

    Episode #234: Leading Under Pressure: How to Stay Clear, Confident, and in Control

    Pressure doesn’t create your leadership—it reveals it. In this episode, we focus on one of the most important (and most tested) leadership skills: how to lead under pressure. As the school year winds down, leaders are facing increased demands—staffing decisions, parent concerns, board expectations, and accountability pressures. In these moments, many leaders shift into reaction mode, making decisions based on emotion instead of principle. This session challenges that approach. You’ll learn how to stay grounded, think clearly, and lead with confidence even when the stakes are high. We also introduce a powerful mindset shift from John Maxwell’s Return on Failure, reframing pressure and failure as essential parts of leadership growth—not obstacles to avoid. In this episode, we cover: Why pressure reveals your leadership How reactive leadership creates inconsistency The importance of clarity, emotional discipline, and systems How to reframe failure and setbacks as leadership development Practical strategies for handling parent, board, and staff pressure If you’re leading in a high-stakes environment and feel the weight of decisions, this episode will help you reset your mindset and lead with intention. New episodes released every Monday. Download the show notes and summary. https://lbleaders.mykajabi.com/podcast

    38 min
  8. Episode #233: The Law of Recruitment: The Board You Build Is the School You Become

    Apr 16

    Episode #233: The Law of Recruitment: The Board You Build Is the School You Become

    Most charter school boards don’t struggle because of effort—they struggle because of recruitment. In this training, Dr. Tom Miller breaks down The Law of Recruitment and why the long-term success of your school is directly tied to the board you intentionally build and sustain. You’ll learn why common governance challenges—like micromanagement, leadership turnover, lack of accountability, and stalled growth—are often not leadership issues first, but recruitment failures. This session will walk you through: The critical difference between reactive and strategic board recruitment The 5 principles of building a high-performing board How to identify skill gaps and build a leadership pipeline Why board composition directly impacts your Head of School’s ability to lead Practical strategies you can implement immediately If you want to move from filling seats to building a board that protects your mission and drives results, this training will give you a clear path forward. Don’t just listen—take action. Download the Board Transformation Toolkit in the show notes, which includes: Board Health Assessment Roles & Responsibilities Sheet Board Recruitment Plan Board Structure eBook Chapter 10: Effective Governance Link: https://www.leaders-building-leaders.com/ebook-board-structure These tools will help you begin applying the Law of Recruitment immediately. Remember: The board you build is the school you become.

    37 min
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Ratings & Reviews

4.9
out of 5
9 Ratings

About

Dr. Tom Miller understands the unique set of challenges facing both aspiring and experienced charter school leaders today. Tom has spent more than two decades at the forefront in school leadership. First as an exceptional children’s teacher who worked his way into a middle school principal position. When he wrote his dissertation on the Characteristics of Effective Charter Schools, he was recruited by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction to be a statewide consultant. Through his certification through the John Maxwell Team, he started his own business facilitating elite-level leadership development and executive coaching to school and business leaders seeking to navigate a course from success to significance. Tom lives in Raleigh, North Carolina, he is the father of two and the lucky husband of one beautiful wife, Jennifer.

Information

  • Creator
    Leaders Building Leaders
  • Years Active
    2016 - 2026
  • Episodes
    253
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © All rights reserved
  • Show Website
    The Principal's Office Podcast

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