Run Your Life Show With Andy Vasily

Send us a textIn today's episode, I interview Rasmus Hougaard, the CEO/Founder of the Potential Project and best-selling author (Compassionate Leadership, The Mind of the Leader, and One Second Ahead). In the conversation, we cover such themes as living a mindful life, leadership,  dealing with trauma and helping organizations to thrive. Rasmus brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the field of leadership development around the world and continues to make a difference every day in the work he does. It was a pleasure and honor to have him on the podcast. Please share this episode with anyone who you feel will benefit from listening. Rasmus' BioRasmus Hougaard is the Founder and Managing Director of Potential Project, a global research, leadership development, and consulting firm on a mission to create a more human world of work. His prescient views on the critical qualities of future leaders got him recognized by Thinkers50 as one of the world’s most influential business thinkers. He has partnered with forward-thinking organizations like IKEA,Unilever, and Cisco to create a more human world of work by helping individuals, leaders, and teams to unlock the full potential of the mind. Rasmus is an experienced, authentic, and engaging speaker, having led morethan 1,500 keynotes and workshops. Rasmus is the co-author of Compassionate Leadership: How to Do Hard Things in a Human Way (Harvard Business Review Press, 2022). Using data from thousands of leaders, employees, and companies in nearly 100 countries, the book finds that when leaders bring the right balance of compassion and wisdom to work, they foster much higher levels of employee engagement, performance, loyalty, and well-being. Rasmus also co-authored The Mind of the Leader: How to Lead Yourself, Your People and Your Organization for Extraordinary Results and One Second Ahead: Enhance Your Performance at Work with Mindfulness. In addition, he writes for leading publications such as Harvard Business Review, Fortune, Forbes, and Business Insider.Connect With Rasmus:WebsiteTwitterLindkedInRasmus' BooksCompassionate LeadershipThe Mind of the LeaderOne Second AheadForbes Article Mentioned in EpisodeOther Forbes Articles Written By RasmusMindfulness For Well-Being at Work Talk

Send us a textDr. Jim Knight has been on my show two times previously and, in these episodes, we took a deep dive into the work he has done in the field of instructional coaching for the past two decades.In both of these episodes, Jim shared great insight into what instructional coaching is and how coaches work alongside educators to bring out their very best in order to have a positive impact on student learning. Although Jim and I will do a review of instructional coaching in our episode today, the focus of our conversation is more about Jim’s recent learning in relation to his own research, what he feels most compelled to share with the world through his work and how schools and their leaders can best support coaches in order to help them thrive within their roles. I hope you tune into today's episode and share it with anyone who you feel will benefit from listening to it. Thanks. About Jim:Jim Knight, Founder and Senior Partner of Instructional Coaching Group (ICG), is also a research associate at the University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning. He has spent more than two decades studying professional learning and instructional coaching. Jim earned his PhD in Education from the University of Kansas and has won several university teaching, innovation, and service awards. The pioneering work Jim and his colleagues have conducted has led to many innovations that are now central to professional development in schools. Jim wrote the first major article about instructional coaching for the Journal of Staff Development, and his book Instructional Coaching (2007) offered the first extended description of instructional coaching. Jim’s book Focus on Teaching (2014) was the first extended description of how video should be used for professional learning. Recently, writing with Ann Hoffman, Michelle Harris, and Sharon Thomas, Jim introduced the idea of instructional playbooks with their book on that topic. Jim has written several books in addition to those described above, including Unmistakable Impact (2011), High-Impact Instruction (2013), Better Conversations (2015), The Impact Cycle (2018), and The Definitive Guide to Instructional Coaching (2021). Knight has also authored articles on instructional coaching and professional learning in publications such as Educational Leadership, The Journal of Staff Development, Principal Leadership, The School Administrator, and Kappan. Jim is also a columnist for Educational Leadership.Through ICG, Knight conducts coaching workshops, hosts the Facebook Live series, “Coaching Conversations,” and provides consulting for coaching programs around the world.Connect With Jim:WebsiteTwitterOur Previous Two Podcasts:January 2021September 2021

Send us a textRick was first on my show back in 2017 and, in this initial conversation, we explored the work he had done up until that point training teachers around the areas of assessment, feedback, and differentiated instruction. Rick’s work has received numerous media coverage over the years. Some examples include The Good Morning America Show, Hardball with Chris Matthews, The Washington Post, the National Geographic and Good Housekeeping magazines (among many other publications).In today’s episode, Rick and I explore early days in his life and how this journey went on to shape who he became as an educator and ultimately the work he has done as a writer, presenter and trainer of teachers, principals, superintendents, school boards and business organizations. Rick shares deep insight into what it takes to be a great teacher and what the best leaders do to empower all stakeholders in their organizations to thrive and flourish within their roles. As well, he shares some valuable resources and ideas to help improve pedagogy and leadership practice. You are sure to enjoy this discussion with Rick. Connect With RickTwitter: https://twitter.com/rickwormeli2Website: https://www.rickwormeli.com/The 2017 episode I recorded with Rick can be found here.

Send us a textIn this episode, we will explore the power of personal narrative and the impact that mindset training has on sparking the very best within ourselves. We will double click on how we can all pursue our own level of excellence and in this episode, I will share snippets from interviews I’ve done on my podcast with three very uniquely talented and inspiring individuals who have carved out their own path of excellence in life. We will hear from world renowned performance psychologists Dr. Michael Gervais and Dr. Jim Loehr, as well as 2020 Tokyo Olympic gold medallist Andrea Proske. Through the conversations I have on my podcast, I love nothing more than to pull back the curtain on optimal performance and the conditions necessary to perform at our best, regardless of what it is we do. Maybe it’s being the best parent we can be or the best partner or spouse. Maybe it’s being the best in the workplace or even being the best in our sport. Regardless, it’s about pursuing personal and professional excellence and how the best in the world do this with consistency in their lives. I hope you enjoy this episode and it inspires you to pursue your best self. Thanks so much for listening and for sharing with anyone who you feel will benefit from listening. Shine on and thrive!Connect with Michael GervaisTwitter: https://twitter.com/michaelgervaisWebsite: https://findingmastery.net/category/podcasts/Online Training Course: https://competetocreate.net/Connect With Dr. Jim LoehrWebsite: https://www.jim-loehr.com/Leading with Character Book: https://www.jim-loehr.com/booksAndrea Proske: Website: https://andreaproske.com/Twitter: https://twitter.com/andreaproskeAndy Vasily: Website: https://andyvasily.com/Twitter: https://andyvasily.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andy-vasily-07b551157/

Send us a textMy guest today is Kath Murdoch. In today's show, we’ll explore leading and learning through the lens of inquiry and how taking on an inquiry stance, both internally and externally, can greatly shape what we learn about ourselves, others, and the world around usFrom the TED X stage to countless conferences, to lecture halls and schools around the globe, Kath has had a huge impact on the field of teaching and learning. She’s written 15 books and numerous articles for teachers – including her best-seller ‘The Power of Inquiry’ (2015) and two of her latest books Getting Personal With Inquiry Learning and The Wonder of Winsome. If you haven’t seen her TED X talk, you should check it out, because it was in this talk that she had the chance to speak so eloquently about The Power of Umm and share how silence allows young people to pick up lose threads of knowledge and reflection that open their minds to the most beautiful moments of curiosity that come alive through the questions that they come up with.  Kath emphasizes that it’s not the answers that enlighten but rather powerful questions instead which are responsible for sparking deep learning in young people. So in today’s episode, Kath and I are going to pull back the curtain on how she has continued to evolve her own learning related to the work she does inspiring teachers and students around the world to do their best work possible. As well, how curiosity, genuine reflection and asking the right questions all play a critical role in helping leaders be the best they can be for the organizations they lead. What was revealed to me through this discussion today was the impact that taking on an inquiry stance has on helping to build such a strong culture of genuine learning across the board in educational organizations. Hope you enjoy this discussion and share it with anyone who you feel will benefit from listening. Connect With Kath: Website: https://www.kathmurdoch.com.au/Twitter: https://twitter.com/kjinquiryInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/kjinquiry/Credits for this Podcast Go To: Kath Murdoch and Her TED X Talk: The Power of UmmSir Ken Robinson and His Talk on How Schools Killed CreativityRun Your Life Podcast With Andy VasilyCheck out my podcast with the amazing Cal Fussman which was mentioned in this episode. 

Send us a textIn today's episode, Olli-Pekka Heinonen and I have a conversation about his journey of learning as the Director-General of the International Baccalaureate Organization. In this discussion, Ollie-Pekka shares what his vision of education is and what he has committed himself to in order to bring out the best in those who he leads. With that in mind, we chat about the conditions necessary to help educational leaders and teachers best prepare young learners for the uncertain world they will one day face.  If you are on Twitter, you can connect with Ollie-Pekka and the IBO. I've included their Twitter handles below. Please share this episode with anyone who you feel will benefit from listening to it. Olli-Pekka Heinonen Bio: Mr Olli-Pekka Heinonen became the 8th Director General of the International Baccalaureate Organization on 1 May 2021. Prior to joining the IB, Mr Heinonen was Director General of the Finnish National Agency for Education where he worked from January 2017. Mr Heinonen had an active career in politics in Finland between 1994 and 2002: he was Minister of Education and Science from 1994-1999; Minister of Transport and Communication from 1999-2002 and a Member of Parliament from 1995-2002. From 2002 to 2012, Mr Heinonen was Director of Yle, the Finnish national public broadcasting company, before joining the Finnish Prime Minister’s Office in March 2012 as State Secretary, responsible for organizing and leading the office. He has also been responsible, as State Secretary, for the portfolios of the Ministry of Education and Culture, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Development and then as State Secretary at the Ministry of Finance of Finland. Mr Heinonen holds a Master of Laws from the University of Helsinki in Finland and has been awarded an honorary doctorate by the Faculty of Education and Psychology at the University of Jyväskylä in Finland. He is married and has three children.Connect With Ollie-Pekka: Twitter: https://twitter.com/Heino1OlliConnect with the IBO: Twitter: https://twitter.com/iborganizationWebsite: https://www.ibo.org/

Send us a textTop-down leadership is not only outdated, it’s also incredibly counterproductive in this day and age. It simply doesn’t work as it once did, yet many leaders still feel the need to direct and command from above. Perhaps it’s self-imposed pressure, fear of looking incompetent, or the need to appear in complete control that causes these types of leaders to undervalue and push aside the importance of prioritizing people and relationships in their organization.This short podcast takes a quick look at what it means to lead with humility and gratitude. Hope you enjoy it.Connect with AndyTwitter: https://twitter.com/andyvasilyLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andy-vasily-07b551157/Special credit to the amazing Jordi Savall for the background music

Send us a textDyslexia can be difficult for educational leaders, teachers, parents, and communities to oftentimes deal with as there is no universal understanding of how to recognize and identify it, screen for it and/or aid students who struggle to read because of it. The fact is that many young people can face enormous hardship as they journey through school due to diagnosing issues. Many of these students never even find out that they do in fact have a learning difference. October 3rd-9th of this month is World Dyslexia Week, with a particular focused theme of ‘Breaking Through Barriers’, therefore, I have decided to devote this episode to raising awareness around the issue of dyslexia by interviewing three special guests on today’s show in order to share three very different, yet deeply interwoven perspectives on the issue of dyslexia (Dr. Paul O'Callaghan, Marie Keçecioğlu & Megan Jeffries)In today’s episode, we will look at what dyslexia is, the obstacles that get in the way of addressing dyslexia on a deeper level, how dyslexia reveals itself at home and in school, and we will also share valuable resources that any teacher, parent, or school leader can access right away to help better support students who have dyslexia or dyslexic tendencies. To a dyslexic child, their world can oftentimes be filled with words and phrases such as ‘he or she is stubborn’ or ‘not working to their potential, or even ‘lazy and unintelligent’. Many young people who struggle to read and write often hear themselves described in this manner and sadly oftentimes have learned to label themselves in the same way as well. As I interviewed each guest that you will hear today, I couldn’t help but think of  quote that I once heard by Soren Kierkegaard: “Once you label me, you negate me".  A powerful quote that sums up how labels can make us feel at times. As a young person myself, I was labelled as a poor reader. Although not dyslexic, I do remember the impact that this had on my own self-esteem and how I felt about myself….the shame and embarrassment from being forced to read in front of the class was awful for me when I was young. The reading comprehension tests that were projected on the wall forced all the students to read at the same pace. I remember the anxiety it caused me not being able to keep up with my peers. This led to a total disengagement of reading which continued through my high school years. It wasn’t until well after high school that I found my own passion for reading. I’ve learned to develop a deep love of reading over the years which has made such a huge difference in my own life. Resources mentioned in this episode: Paul's Recommendations: Margaret Goldburg’s BlogTimothy Shanahan’s Blog Amplify’s Brain Builder Series for Children Explaining the Science of Reading and the BrainMeasured Mom Website  Marie's Recommendations:Positive DisciplineUniversity of Florida Literacy InstituteMegan's Recommendations:https://homeschoolingwithdyslexia.com/Steps Web

Send us a textHi everyone, thanks for tuning into another episode of my Run Your Life podcast. I just wanted to do a quick introduction into the new podcast series SPARKS OF REFLECTION that I am starting up to give you a bit of background into why I am choosing to do this new series. The purpose of this series is to do a number of very short episodes devoted to sharing my thinking around some important themes that consistently come up in the work that I do as a coach, an educator, a consultant, and a podcast host. Over the past few years, I have had the opportunity to work with many different people across a number of different fields. Although most of this work was initially done in the field of education, I find that, regardless of profession, there are many commonalities when it comes to what high performance means and what obstacles stand in the way of people becoming the best version of themselves possible in order to be deeply impactful in their personal and professional life. The themes of mental, social, emotional and physical well-being, resilience, joy and fulfillment, vulnerability, motivation, staying inspired, and leading with authenticity are consistently woven into the discussions that I have with many high performers. What separates the great from the good or average is the willingness that certain people have to better understand their own life context and to consistently reflect on what it is they need to do to continually grow, evolve and improve themselves on a daily basis. This podcast series will be devoted to sharing what I’ve learned and the things I reflect on myself as I pursue my own deeper learning. My hope is that this podcast series challenges you to think differently about your own life and what may be possible. Each episode will probably be only 5-7 minutes, but it is my goal and intention to leave you thinking and reflecting on your own performance. Some episodes may resonate, some may not. What matters most to me is that you stay open and receptive to change and growth in your life. As the saying goes, ‘Sometimes change may not be what we want, but it is exactly what we need in order to keep growing.”Thanks for listening. Connect With Andy:Twitter: https://twitter.com/andyvasilyLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andy-vasily-07b551157/Quotes from this Episode: "When inner conflict ends, peace begins." ~Tich Nhat Hanh"Every single human has a violent civil war raging within”. ~Martin Luther King

Send us a textI’m joined today by Jennifer Abrams, an international educational and communications consultant for public and independent schools, universities and non-profits. Jennifer’s publications include Having Hard Conversations, The Multigenerational Workplace: Communicating, Collaborating & Creating Community and Hard Conversations Unpacked – the Whos, the Whens and the What Ifs, Swimming in the Deep End: Four Foundational Skills for Leading Successful School Initiatives, and her newest book, Stretching Your Learning Edges: Growing (Up) at Work.My original intention for having this conversation with Jen was to discuss her particular latest book, Stretching Your Learning Edges: Growing Up at Work. My hope was to take a dive into her work through the lens of her writing but to also discuss her role as a consultant and the work she does training leaders to bring out the best in their organizationsAs we started this conversation off, we discussed early experiences in Jenn’s life and the major lessons learned that ultimately propelled her on to doing the work she now does in the world. We took a few unexpected turns in this conversation that helped to better frame up Jen’s life and work.As we moved deeper into our discussion, the themes of well-being, authenticity, self-reflection, and vulnerability came alive which helped to provide even more context for the journey Jen has been on and why the work she does matters so much to her. I appreciate the honest nature of this conversation and the way Jen models what it means to stand in her own truth. We agreed that this is really a part 1 to our conversation and have committed ourselves to recording part 2 in later October. We will dive deeply into her latest book: Stretching Your Learning Edges: Growing Up at Work in our next conversation which will no doubt strongly connect to the previous books she has written as well. It was an honor to have this conversation with Jen. I hope you find value in our discussion today and share this episode with anyone who you feel will benefit from listening to it.Connect With JenWebsite: https://jenniferabrams.com/Twitter: https://twitter.com/jenniferabramsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/jenniferbethabrams/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-abrams-439176Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jennifer.abrams.50