PMP454: Maximizing Systems, Focus, and Impact with PJ Caposey

A Quick Note to Listeners:

Before this week’s interview, Will Parker answers a question from a student in Jen Schwanke’s graduate class at OSU.

The question is: From your experience as a podcaster, what are the most compelling or surprising insights you’ve gained from other educational leaders regarding human capital management? (This question is asked by Brenna Cropper, a first grade teacher in Worthington, Ohio)

Listen in to hear his response and thank you for doing what matters!

Meet PJ Caposey:

PJ Caposey is a dynamic speaker and a transformational leader and educator. PJ began his career as an award-winning teacher in the inner-city of Chicago and has subsequently led significant change in every administrative post he has held. PJ became a principal at the age of 28 and within three years was able to lead a small-town/rural school historically achieving near the bottom of its county to multiple national recognitions. After four years, PJ moved to his current district, Meridian CUSD 223, as superintendent and has led a similar turnaround leading to multiple national recognitions for multiple different efforts. He was the 2023 Illinois Superintendent of the Year, a finalist for 2023 National Superintendent of the Year, and a best-selling author. His latest book, coauthored with Bryan Wills, is Cracking the Coaching Code: Using Personality Archetypes to Maximize Performance (Rowman & Littlefield, 2023).

Show Summary:

In this episode of the Principal Matters podcast, Jen Schwanke interviews PJ Caposey, a superintendent overseeing two school districts and a prolific author and speaker. Caposey, a three-time cancer survivor, shares his unique perspective on time management and leadership, driven by a core belief in maximizing life’s finite resources. He emphasizes the importance of aligning personal ego demands, societal norms, and the inner drive for greatness to achieve focus and productivity.

Caposey advocates for a critical approach to time management, encouraging listeners to challenge accepted norms and prioritize tasks that yield the greatest impact. He questions the effectiveness of open-door policies, suggesting open calendar policies as a more efficient alternative. Part of his success relies on setting boundaries between work and personal life, sharing his personal strategy of achieving a “zero inbox” to fully engage with family. Caposey believes in giving his all to each aspect of his life, whether it’s work or family time, and encourages listeners to find what works best for them.

Jen and Caposey dive into a conversation, dear to Jen’s heart, about systems and people. Caposey draws from his experience with the Baldrige framework in solidifying his belief that simplifying and streamlining systems can empower teachers and leaders by reducing bureaucracy and increasing efficiency. He encourages principals to connect the dots between various initiatives and focus on a few core values to drive school improvement efforts, noting the power of language and consistent messaging in aligning actions with values, citing examples from his own district.

Caposey acknowledges that not all principals have the support of a systems-focused superintendent and offers strategies for simplifying systems at the building level. He suggests conducting an initiative purge to identify and group related efforts, reducing feelings of disjointedness. He also encourages principals to identify their strengths and build a team that complements those strengths, rather than striving to be a generalist. For all school leaders, an ongoing focus on  continuous improvement and self-awareness will be an important component in success.

Staying Connected:

You can connect with PJ Caposey via the following:

• Website:  pjcaposey.com
• LinkedIn:  PJ Caposey
• Instagram:  @pjacaposey   
• Email: pcaposey@gmail.com 

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