Change Starts Here

Franklin Covey Education
  • 4.9 (41)
  • Education
  • Updated Weekly

Change Starts Here, presented by FranklinCovey Education, is the podcast for K–12 school and district leaders who are shaping—or ready to lead—meaningful change in their schools and communities. Through interviews with innovative educators and research-backed insights, each episode explores how to build leadership at all levels, foster high-trust school cultures, and achieve breakthrough results around what matters most. This podcast offers practical ideas and bold thinking to help you create lasting impact in your school community. Explore the episodes and dive into real stories, proven strategies, and the leadership mindset that transforms schools. This is your space for inspiration, clarity, and action. Real change starts here.

  1. 2d ago

    Are You Getting In The Way of Student Leadership?

    In this episode, Dustin sits down with Adam Welcome, a former teacher, principal, and district leader who has spent his career challenging educators to rethink what kids are actually capable of. Adam has worked with over 500 school districts in 49 states, and he brings that same high energy into a conversation about the gap between the world schools are preparing kids for and the world they're actually walking into. Adam and Dustin dig into why adults do too much for kids instead of with them, what it actually takes to let go of control in a classroom or at home, and how small shifts like starting a student podcast or a coding club can build real ownership without adding another initiative to an already full plate. Learn more about Adam and his work: https://www.adamwelcome.com Symposium: https://www.leaderinme.org/symposiums/?utm_source=shownotes Host: Dustin Odham Guest: Adam Welcome, Speaker, Bestselling Author, Former Principal Timestamps:  00:00 Cold open: everything is contagious 00:32 Meet Adam Welcome 02:34 Welcome to the show 03:30 Who are you and what do you love 05:12 What's changed for kids in five years 07:50 The skills schools aren't teaching 09:10 What adults hold onto for comfort 12:54 Get kids ready for the world they're growing up in 14:41 Letting go and giving it to students 17:00 Learning through trying, failing, and following curiosity 22:41 Getting over the fear of trusting kids 25:21 What changes when kids stop just complying 29:25 All kids can achieve 30:13 One small shift, and what principals should stop doing 36:14 Everything is contagious 39:08 What to make contagious in kids 40:21 Closing message, where to find Adam, and final thoughts

    Are You Getting In The Way of Student Leadership?

  2. Sep 8

    Working Within Your Circle of Influence

    In this episode of Change Starts Here, Kim Yaris and Dr. Eve Miller dig into what happens in the first few weeks of school, when attention quietly starts to slide toward the schedule, the mandate, or the situation you have no say over. They unpack Stephen Covey's Circle of Influence and revisit decades of research on learned helplessness, including newer work from psychologists Steven Maier and Martin Seligman that offers a different way of thinking about control and agency. Kim and Eve also explore the Whitehall studies on job control and health, why repeated venting can sometimes keep us stuck in frustration, and what all of this means for leaders working in the real-world pressures of schools and districts. Most importantly, they turn the research into three practical moves you can use when your attention starts drifting toward what you can’t change: catch the drift, find the edge, and act. Listen now & download the episode handout for a deeper look at the research and practical ways to use Catch the Drift, Find the Edge, and Act with yourself or your team: https://resources.franklincovey.com/c/csh_s7e4_handout?x=aD_z_A&utm_source=show-notes  Hosts:  Kim Yaris, M.Ed. (Associate Director of Research with FranklinCovey Education) Dr. Eve Miller (Director of Research with FranklinCovey Education) Timestamps:  00:00 Podcast intro 00:15 Welcome back and the September feeling 02:21 The circle of influence 03:38 Download the handout 04:29 The research on learned helplessness 06:14 From learned helplessness to learned agency 08:25 Our natural response to what we can't control 09:36 When there's just too much to do 10:40 A Monday morning example 11:54 The trouble with venting 14:59 Three practical moves: catch the drift, find the edge, act 17:54 Closing thoughts

    Working Within Your Circle of Influence

  3. Sep 2

    Your Culture Is What You Repeat

    Culture isn't built in a kickoff meeting or a mission statement, it's built in what leaders repeat when nobody's watching. In this solo episode, host Dustin Odham explores how the small behaviors leaders notice, encourage, or allow each day ultimately shape the culture their people experience. Drawing on the story of a broken thread on a 19th-century weaving loom, Dustin explores why excitement fades but repetition sticks. Dustin shares new research connecting school leadership to teacher retention, breaks down See, Do, Get through the lens of Leader in Me, and leaves school and district leaders with three questions to bring back to their own teams this month. Read the research Dustin references: Teacher Turnover in the United States: Who Moves, Who Leaves, and Why (Learning Policy Institute, 2026): https://learningpolicyinstitute.org/product/teacher-turnover-united-states-report Host: Dustin Odham Timestamps:  00:00 The thing you've stopped noticing 02:16 Good intentions and matching t-shirts 03:31 Where culture actually gets built 04:29 What culture really is 06:00 The story of a loom 07:17 Every school has broken threads 08:55 What the research says about leadership 09:58 See, do, get 12:49 Model it, notice it, repeat it 15:29 Three questions for your team 16:49 To the exhausted leader listening 18:59 What are we repeating

    Your Culture Is What You Repeat

  4. Aug 25

    Reaching Today's Teens Beyond the Screen

    Today’s teens are growing up in a world that looks dramatically different than it did even a decade ago—but have the principles they need to thrive really changed? In this episode of Change Starts Here, Dustin sits down with Sean Covey, President of FranklinCovey Education and bestselling author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens, for a candid conversation about what today’s young people need most from the adults in their lives. Drawing from his experience raising eight children, Sean shares hard-won lessons about connection, confidence, and knowing when to step back and let kids find their own way. He also takes us behind the scenes of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens: A Graphic Novel, sharing how his own family experiences shaped the story, why timeless principles still resonate with today’s teens, and why the way we deliver those principles needs to evolve. Whether you’re a parent, educator, or school leader, this is a conversation you won’t want to miss. Get Sean’s newest book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens: A Graphic Novel: https://www.amazon.com/Habits-Highly-Effective-Teens-Graphic/dp/1668024926/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0 Host: Dustin Odham Guest: Sean Covey, President of FranklinCovey Education Timestamps:  00:00 Cold open: hope for teens 00:34 Welcome to Change Starts Here 03:40 What humbled Sean as a parent 06:47 Trust, discipline, and apology 09:34 Why love is spelled time 11:20 Making time for one-on-one moments 15:48 Sharpening the saw in Moab 18:06 Modeling honesty over teaching it 21:07 How today's teens are different 24:11 Screen time, comparison, and mental health 26:09 What teens need most 29:26 Bringing the habits to life in a graphic novel 34:11 Victoria's story and the hope behind the habits 39:21 Using the book with your family 43:33 Raising free range chickens 46:03 The Leader in Me and the power of affirmation 48:26 Closing thoughts

    Reaching Today's Teens Beyond the Screen

  5. Aug 18

    The Greatest Threat to Your Leadership

    In the season seven premiere of Change Starts Here, Dustin Odham asks a critical question: "What is the greatest threat to our leadership?" While it’s easy to point to external factors like budgets, teacher shortages, or politics, Dustin argues that the real danger lies within the internal conversations leaders have with themselves. Drawing on his own experiences, including a moment of deep reflection in a hospital bed, Dustin explores how leaders often mistake performance for identity, carrying the weight of unnecessary pressure. Listeners will be challenged to evaluate their internal dialogue and consider whether they would allow someone to speak to their team the way they speak to themselves. This episode sets the tone for the upcoming season, emphasizing that healthy leadership begins from the inside out. By focusing on who they are becoming rather than just what they are accomplishing, leaders can build healthier cultures, achieve extraordinary results, and truly transform the lives of their students. Host: Dustin Odham (FranklinCovey Education) Timestamps:  00:00 Podcast intro  01:15 Building a community of leaders  02:10 Leadership is a privilege  03:38 The greatest threat to leadership  05:03 The inner critic  06:23 Carrying unnecessary pressure  07:21 The hypocrisy of educational leaders  08:21 Stephen Covey's Private Victory  09:26 Why Dustin wears black  11:34 A life-changing hospital stay  12:32 Performance vs identity  14:05 How do you speak to yourself?  15:01 Change starts inside

    The Greatest Threat to Your Leadership

  6. Jun 2

    Return With Clarity: A Summer Leadership Challenge

    In the season 6 finale of Change Starts Here, Dustin Odham invites educators and leaders to rethink their summer break. While taking time off is crucial for physical recovery, Dustin challenges listeners to aim for true renewal and clarity. By applying Dr. Covey's 7th Habit, "Sharpen the Saw," leaders can intentionally renew themselves mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Listeners are challenged to take one uninterrupted day alone this summer to pause and reflect. Dustin guides leaders through a powerful internal process: starting with gratitude rather than problem-solving, identifying personal "genius" to avoid disconnecting from their true selves, and defining a lasting leadership legacy. By crafting or refining a personal mission statement, educators can ensure they return in the fall not just rested, but deeply intentional. Download the Handout, Reflection and Mission Statement Guide: https://resources.franklincovey.com/c/csh_summer-reflectio?x=bfYNCN Hosts: Dustin Odham (FranklinCovey Education) Timestamps: 00:00 Podcast intro 01:06 Wrapping up the season 02:28 The weight educators carry 03:20 Habit 7 Sharpen the saw 04:54 Start with gratitude 05:51 Reflect on your genius 06:52 Define your legacy 08:11 Your personal mission statement 09:19 Rest deeply and reflect 10:39 Closing the season

    Return With Clarity: A Summer Leadership Challenge

  7. May 27

    What To Do With The Year You Just Had

    In this episode of Change Starts Here, Kim Yaris and Dr. Eve Miller explore how educators and leaders can effectively transition out of a demanding school year. Drawing on a Yale study, they discuss how a leader's ability to manage their own emotions directly impacts the well-being of their staff. Because of "emotion contagion theory," the emotional residue leaders carry out of the spring can set the tone for the entire school environment in the fall. Listeners will discover why end-of-year recovery is an essential part of leadership, rather than optional self-care. The conversation highlights three research-backed practices: savoring positive moments to combat exhaustion , using narrative identity to make meaning of difficult experiences rather than ruminating on them , and engaging in the challenging but necessary practice of mentally disengaging from work. By leaning into self-compassion, educators can process the year, recover fully, and prepare a healthier emotional climate for the future. Download the Handout: https://resources.franklincovey.com/c/podcast_handout_s6e37?x=Z0wt6j Hosts:  Kim Yaris, M.Ed. Associate Director of Research with FranklinCovey Education Dr. Eve Miller (Director of Research with FranklinCovey Education) Timestamps: 00:00 Podcast intro 00:42 Transitions for adults 01:30 The reality of exhaustion 03:00 Yale wellbeing study 03:47 Emotion contagion theory 05:08 Recovery is leadership 06:06 Practice one savoring 08:52 When savoring matters most 09:58 The savoring prompt 11:06 Practice two narrative identity 13:58 Meaning making versus rumination 15:01 Three reflection questions 16:51 Practice three mental disengagement 18:36 Nervous system discomfort 19:38 The power of self-compassion 20:56 Closing thoughts

    What To Do With The Year You Just Had

  8. May 19

    The Gift of Pause When Leading What’s Next

    In this episode of Change Starts Here, Dustin Odham sits down with global leadership expert and executive coach Victoria Roos Olsson to discuss the importance of pausing at the end of a busy school year. While exhausted leaders often want to rush to the finish line or immediately tackle the next challenge, Victoria explains why using the end of a season for reflection is vital for sustainable success. Listeners will discover how to ask more effective questions and evaluate the past year through creative exercises, such as having their team draw their experiences. Victoria also shares practical strategies for re-energizing staff, from conducting walking meetings to providing reflective summer assignments. Ultimately, this conversation serves as a powerful reminder that leadership is a human endeavor, and slowing down is often the key to moving forward effectively. Get your copy of The 6 Critical Practices for Leading a Team: https://www.amazon.com/Everyone-Deserves-Great-Manager-Practices/dp/1982112077  Hosts: Dustin Odham (Host) Victoria Roos-Olssen. Global Leadership Expert, Executive Coach, & Bestselling Author  Timestamps: 00:00 Podcast intro 02:46 Victoria's leadership journey 04:34 The power of reflection 08:16 Finishing the race strong 12:38 Questions as power tools 14:21 Drawing the school year 17:22 Re-energizing your team 21:16 The extended mind 24:44 Craving our own imbalances 29:16 Creating leadership habits 35:35 A healthy summer reset 38:37 Human side of leadership 42:03 Closing thoughts

    The Gift of Pause When Leading What’s Next
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About

Change Starts Here, presented by FranklinCovey Education, is the podcast for K–12 school and district leaders who are shaping—or ready to lead—meaningful change in their schools and communities. Through interviews with innovative educators and research-backed insights, each episode explores how to build leadership at all levels, foster high-trust school cultures, and achieve breakthrough results around what matters most. This podcast offers practical ideas and bold thinking to help you create lasting impact in your school community. Explore the episodes and dive into real stories, proven strategies, and the leadership mindset that transforms schools. This is your space for inspiration, clarity, and action. Real change starts here.

Information

  • Creator
    Franklin Covey Education
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    232
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2023
  • Show Website
    Change Starts Here

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