Shows
The Smart Thinking PodcastEpisode 361: Parent’s Pay Attention (Leadership and Strategy)Two questions are addressed on this episode. How do I support my child so that they fend and fail for themselves and how do I deal with the manipulation of children as a parent? Ted discusses parenting techniques and this episode is very relevant for anyone who works with, supports, teaches, or cares about children. Share this one far and wide to help parents and guardians support more resilient and independent children.
Don't forget to attend the Smart Thinking Mid-Year Retreat. Register here.
2025-11-3033 minThe Smart Thinking PodcastEpisode 360: Life on the Upbeat: A Conversation with Dr. Matthew Arau (Leadership)This conversation is a fantastic reminder of the impact we all have on others - especially how young people can change our direction.
Listen as Ted and Matthew explore the impact of maintaining positivity, listening to the influences around you and finding joy in the work of life. Matthew’s journey from musician to music teacher, professor and motivator comes from a place of genuine curiosity and passion. Matthew shares how to shift culture while growing leaders from within. Listen as he describes the power of each of us and how music has influenced his life and th...
2025-11-241h 09The Smart Thinking PodcastEpisode 359: Dedication to Gratitude (Process and leadershipDedication to gratitude is a skill worth building and this is what Ted focuses on in this episode. Listen as we take a fun approach to gratitude and supporting those we are around so that they are stronger as individuals. You will hear a great way to use music to demonstrate gratitude and make dedications to elevate others. Most importantly this process will help others see and hear how that they matter!
2025-11-1628 minThe Smart Thinking PodcastEpisode 358: The Future Begins With Z: A Conversation with Author Dr. Tim ElmoreEach generation has the ability to define itself and grow into the role of leadership. Take a listen as Ted and Tim discuss how to support the newest workforce generation and support their success in life and leadership. Tim’s new book is a fantastic read, guide, and tactic filled study. If you want to be a great leader of/for others, it begins with empathy and this book will grow your skills and leadership as you work to support this amazing generation, Generation Z.
Book: The Future Begins with Z - order here
2025-11-091h 09The Smart Thinking PodcastEpisode 357: C2S: From Complaint to Solution (Leadership & Mindset)Take a listen as Ted explores how we can grow our ability o respond to situations with solutions instead of complaints. You see, complaining and criticizing is easy if you don't have the skills to seek solutions or strategies. Everyone has a response when they are squeezed and Ted shares with you his "8 is Enough" tactics to help you as well as help you help others.
2025-11-0229 minThe Smart Thinking PodcastEpisode 356: Let’s Get Engaged (Leadership & Process)There are three things that we all control: our happiness, our engagement, and our choices. On this episode Ted talks about how we can increase our own engagement by empowering ourselves and checking our mindset while using tools to find empowerment. Ted explains how to use AI to help you increase your engagement in areas where you may struggle and/or how to coach others to higher levels of engagement.
He coaches you with these steps:
Stop blaming others
Control what you can control
Check your biases
2025-10-1933 minThe Smart Thinking PodcastEpisode 355: Readers are Leaders: Books for Fall 2025This fall Ted has compiled a great reading list to help you, help yourself. Help you grow skills as a parent or to support parents and one book to increase your perspective.
This fall's collection:
Aristotle’s Guide to Self Persuasion: Jay Heinrichs
The Happiness Files: Arthur Brooks
Fight, How Gen Z is Channeling Their Fear and Passion to Save America: John Della Volpe
Good Inside, A Guide To Becoming The Parent You Want To Be: Becky Kennedy
Raising Mentally Strong Kids, Daniel Amen and Charles Fay
Lewis and Clark Through Indian Eyes, Alvin Josephy Jr.
2025-10-1237 minThe Smart Thinking PodcastEpisode 353: Organizational Minefields (Leadership and Tool)When you are new to an organization or team, it is critical to understand the landscape. Too often leaders forget to employ a process to help them create a map and end up stepping on system or individual landmines. Take a listen as Ted shares a process to help you collect the things that trigger organizational frustration and individual frustration so that you can create a proactive map and find success.
2025-09-2228 minThe Smart Thinking PodcastEpisode 352: Positivity is a Habit - A Conversation with Author Aaron SadoffThe new book MindCraft, by Aaron Sadoff is a wonderful text that describes all of the positive ways in which you can approach your daily leadership. Join Ted and Aaron as they discuss the highlights of his new book and also reflect upon the ways in which they have both grown as leaders. Aaron shares many ways to grow your leadership, mindset, and strengths.
Purchase Book Here: MindCraft, The Art of Positive Thinking RIGHT NOW
2025-09-141h 06The Smart Thinking PodcastEpisode 351: See It To Believe It! (Process)Why do most initiatives in schools and the workplace fail after only a few months? Answer: We ignore the needs of the people or students. People are not going to adopt new ideas unless they can grow together through shared experiences. Take a listen as Ted explores the impact and importance of taking a field trip and seeing, hearing, and feeling the world around you.
Experiences shared together create lasting change.
2025-09-0730 minThe Smart Thinking PodcastEpisode 350: Reflect Like A Leader (Reflection, Process and Surprise!)For 350 episodes Ted has suggested reflection in your daily practices. On this milestone episode, he describes a process and shares tools to help you increase your well-being through intentional reflective practices. Why? If you don't fill your brain, it'll fill itself with all the wonderful weirdness it is capable of creating.
Tools can be found here
2025-09-0137 minThe Smart Thinking PodcastEpisode 349: The Story In Your Head: A conversation with Bob Vajgrt: Architect, Pilot & AuthorIn this conversation Bob and Ted (not a morning radio show) have a great discussion around leadership, life, and Bob's two new books. Bob is a creative, humble and gifted architect who describes his process for getting the most out of other people with inspirational ideas and mindsets. This conversation will help you learn, grow, and go into the storm!
Books:
The Story in Your Head & Along for the Ride can be found here
2025-08-241h 18The Smart Thinking PodcastEpisode 348: There Is No Scorecard in Leadership (Leadership & Process)Too often we get stuck because of the culture and we need to find ways to support ourselves and others so that we can collect wisdom from the amazing people around us. Join Ted as he shares a great teaming tool to help you build a stronger and safer classroom, teaming environment, meeting or board room. Less judgment and more investment!
If you could share one piece of advice with your past self or in your first year of your career -- what would you tell yourself.
What was the the best piece of advice you’ve e...
2025-08-1734 minThe Smart Thinking PodcastEpisode 345: Pause and Applause (Reflection and Engagement Tactic)During the summer and in between projects we need to create opportunities for people to understand how they make a difference and matter. Join Ted for a conversation and tactic to allow for you to pause and applaud the way in which others make a difference in the world in which we live.
2025-06-2226 minThe Smart Thinking PodcastEpisode 344: Learning Begins In Summer! (Leadership, Parent Strategies and Reflection)Summer slide is a real thing and impacts children significantly. However, summer is an opportunity to increase student learning and skill application if we are willing to help parents out with ideas and activities. Ted shares how parents can support learning over the summer and how educators can fuel parents with tips and tricks to support learning.
Parents are equal partners in the journey of learning.
2025-06-0840 min
The School Perceptions Podcast9. From Binders to Bylaws: The Evolution of Strategic Planning, with Ted NeitzkeIn part one of this two-part episode, leadership expert Ted Neitzke sits down with us to talk about the Baldrige Excellence Framework, the human need for structure and status, and how to draw upon "legacy experts" in the developing a strategic plan.Give Ted's Smart Thinking podcast a listen, if you haven't already; subscribe to our newsletter to stay on top of the resources we have to share; and take a look at our leadership surveys to help you in your own planning processes.
2025-06-0331 minThe Smart Thinking PodcastEpisode 343: A Conversation with Urs Koenig (Author: Radical Humility)Urs and Ted have an engaging conversation on the impact of Radical Humility when leading others. Urs shares empowering stories and processes that will help you help others. Ted’s favorite part of the book is the idea that we can all be “tough on results and tender on people.”
2025-05-2654 minThe Smart Thinking PodcastEpisode 342: End With Predictability (Leadership & Process)Too often we hide upcoming shifts and changes from people for fear that we will create tension. This is just a wasted opportunity to support people. Listen as Ted shares the research and a process to support increasing predictability for those you serve by outlining what people can expect during the next cycle or school year. Summer is an incredible time to help people see the change and find the support for their own engagement and empowerment.
2025-05-1835 minThe Smart Thinking PodcastEpisode 341: A Graduate's Gift: Empathy and PredictabilityWhat do people in transition need the most? Well, the greatest gift we can give them is empathy and predictability. Ted breaks down how to give a gift that will be meaningful and needed for the people graduating or transitioning as well as describes how to support people as they take on their newest challenge.
Simple process:
Give clear expectations of how you will be there for them
Recognize how hard they've worked to get where they are
Tell them you love them
Provide praise for the way in which they live their lives.
Buy T...
2025-05-1133 minThe Smart Thinking PodcastEpisode 340: Recognition Month (Leadership & Process)The month of May is filled with opportunities for recognition and especially within our schools. Take a listen as Ted shares a process to use to create intentional and meaningful recognition in your culture. The process will bring Rays of Recognition throughout your culture.
Click here for retreat registration.
2025-04-2730 minThe Smart Thinking PodcastEpisode 339: Genius, AI, and Challenging 4kr’s: A Conversation with Neuroscientist Jared Horvath (Reflection)What is a genius? What is the impact of AI on our learning? How is our memory being impacted by digital technology? Why are little kids becoming more challenging? Find out in this conversation with Ted and Dr. Jared Horvath: neuroscientist, professor, author, documentary filmmaker, dad, and entrepreneur.
https://www.lmeglobal.net
2025-04-201h 13The Smart Thinking PodcastEpisode 338: We Need To Talk: Online Gambling (Leadership and Reflection)Did you know that 60% of male teens have online gambled at least once? Our children have too many opportunities to make bad choices, create addiction, and find themselves in accelerated anxiety loops. Ted tackles the newest research and findings on online and app-based gambling and the impact on teens. He ends with a simple suggestion: TALK TO YOUR CHILDREN!
Summer leadership retreat registration: https://store.cesa6.org/products/smart-thinking-summer-leadership-retreat-in-person
2025-04-1330 minThe Smart Thinking PodcastEpisode 337: Optimism Needs Energy (Reflection & Leadership)Tired of all of the negativity? It can be hard not to be and negativity is fueled by uncertainty and there is a lot of that lately.
Let's do something about it. Let's get optimistic (Think Olivia Newton-John)! Take a listen as we explore reflective questions to frame your day and bring renewed energy towards your mindset. Ted has a ton of energy on this episode and brings you a great way to frame your oncoming storms!
Stop by our store to purchase Ted's tools: https://store.cesa6.org/
...
2025-04-0636 minThe Smart Thinking PodcastEpisode 336: Books to Grow Your Leadership and Life (Learning)This week Ted continues to bring you texts to read and the theme this week is -- growing yourself. Leaders are readers and readers are leaders. This collection of texts will help you with your self-discipline, mindset, leadership behaviors, and reflections as a person for others. A great collection of texts to support you and allow you to grow.
The books:
Discipline is Destiny, Ryan Holiday
The Let Them Theory, Mel Robbins
MindCraft, Aaron Sadoff
Radical Humility, Urs Koenig
Meditation for Mortals, Oliver Burkeman
Duke’s Storm, Ted Neitzke
Buy Ted's book and tools here: htt...
2025-03-3033 minThe Smart Thinking PodcastEpisode 335: Please Stay (Tool and Leadership)People are leaving their jobs and we need a proactive process that allows us to understand how to help. Ted explores the idea of stay interviews and explains the powerful impact that asking positively framed questions can have for leaders as they are seeking to retain staff. He then adds a twist at the end which will help students!
2025-03-1636 minThe Smart Thinking PodcastEpisode 332: HR in the 20's (Reflection & Process)Organizations create structure and people create culture. So how do we better support Gen Z in the workforce for a great culture? Take a listen as Ted breaks down strategies to support younger employees and colleagues - -oh heck -- these processes are actually good for everybody.
Describe how you set yourself up for the future.
List programs and supports you need in your current season of life.
Describe innovations you could support in your workplace to increase success.
Song: Better Days by Thomas LaVine
2025-02-1731 minThe Smart Thinking PodcastEpisode 331: Colleagues to the RESCUE (Leadership & Process)The RESCUE principle will help us increase the success of others as well as ourselves. Take a listen as Ted breaks down the behaviors of great friends and colleagues to support wellbeing, engagement, and the application of our strengths.
Resources
Empathy
Support their strengths
Challenge
Understand
Expectations
Buy Ted's book Duke's Storm here.
2025-02-0929 minThe Smart Thinking PodcastEpisode 330: Using a Tabletop to PlanHow good are you or your organization at proactively anticipating what could happen? This episode shares a process borrowed from emergency management and discusses the positive impact of using the wisdom of the crowd to proactively plan for the future. This way everyone understands their role and can support the system in better ways.
Describe where you could apply this process to increase team ownership and understanding.
List people that need to always be in the room when proactively planning.
Describe a past experience that would have been more successful had you done a tabletop.
Buy Duke's...
2025-01-2629 minThe Smart Thinking PodcastEpisode 329: I Was Inspired To Write A Book: A Discussion with Ted (author) and Allison (Illustrator).There is now a name to our buffalo... Duke! Ted is now the author of a children's book entitled: Duke's Storm: A Story of Courage.
This episode is the story about the story and how Ted was "nudged" by a high school sophomore that had participated in his student leadership training. Listen and hear how their shared experience has created a beautiful book.
This episode details how multi-generational people can do great things together. Ted and Allison combined their talents to create an amazing book!
Buy book here: https://store.cesa6.org/products/d...
2025-01-1952 minThe Smart Thinking PodcastEpisode 328: Midway Energy – BINGO (Process & Leadership)What is your process to provide energy whenever you are midway through a process, project or year? This process introduces an engaging practice to support what Ted calls MC Squared. Milestones, Communicated, and Celebrated for engagement and empowerment. All by playing BINGO!
List current initiatives that could use a boost.
Describe how you provide energy midway in your classroom, school, department, or office.
Determine how you’re going to celebrate effort to bring energy
Resource: https://myfreebingocards.com
2025-01-1232 minThe Smart Thinking PodcastEpisode 327: Reading in the Context of Your Life - Five Books To ReadThis week Ted continues his tradition of bringing you books in the context of your life. This "pile" is all about you developing you! Listen as he breaks down five texts that are best read in order. These books will help you plan forward your life and leadership.
The books:
Build the Life You Want, Brooks and Winfrey (Not a country band)
Principles, Dalio
The Mountain is You, Wiest
Tiny Habits, Fogg
10 to 25 The Science of Motivating Young People, Yeager
Song: Somnolent Love, James Tutson
2025-01-0636 minThe Smart Thinking PodcastEpisode 326: Resolution by Committee (Process & Leadership)Did you know that only 1% of the people who make resolutions succeed after one year? Let's disrupt that pattern by taking a new approach. The approach? Resolution by committee. Get a group together to increase your success, hold each other accountable, and make micro changes for macro outcomes!
List who your resolution committee will be.
Describe your commitment to self growth and improvement.
List the people who would benefit from this process.
BONUS: describe how you will be different on December 31, 2025.
Ted has also started a playlist that you can follow on Spotify
2024-12-3142 minThe Smart Thinking PodcastEpisode 324: Overthinkers of the World Unite. A conversation with Meredith Arthur author of Get Out Of My Head (Tools & Reflections)Great leaders apply empathy to every situation. They also practice self-empathy. This conversation with Meredith about her learning and tactics around overthinking will help you in many ways. First, empathy/self-empathy. Second, identifying what is going on in your heart and head. Third, providing you with strategies to support yourself and others. Finally, a language to help you claim and tame what causes you to be mentally or emotionally restless.
Book: Get Out Of My Head. Inspiration for overthinkers in an anxious world. Meredith Arthur.
Meredith is the founder of Beautiful Voyager
2024-12-221h 13The Smart Thinking PodcastEpisode 323: A Carol for Reflecting (Leadership & Process)As we close out 2025, there are opportunities to support reflection and planning. Take a listen on this spin of a classic Charles Dickens tale and how Ted created reflection prompts to support those that you lead.
Here are the prompts:
Please share advice you would give yourself when visiting 14-year-old you.
Please share advice you would give yourself when visiting you your first-year teaching/in your career.
Please share something you successfully challenged and overcame this year.
Please share a way in which someone else on our team impacted you this year.
Please describe an area y...
2024-12-1531 minThe Smart Thinking PodcastEpisode 322: A Conversation about Recognition, Strengths, and Engagement with Dr. Emily Lorenz and Dr. Tim HodgesThis episode is a great conversation between Emily, Tim and Ted about all things recognition, engagement and how using your Clifton Strengths can amplify the world around you. Listen in for great new research, tips for coaching others and some new ways to support others.
The research on great recognition practices. It must be:
Fulfilling
Authentic
Equitable
Embedded
Personalized
2024-12-081h 19The Smart Thinking PodcastEpisode 321: Thank you For The Advice (Reflection and Tool)Have you ever asked a kid for advice? If not, you should start. Take a listen as Ted shares the wisdom of nearly 200 middle school students. These young people gave great advice for the adults in their lives. Use his process to amplify your teams, friends and family this Thanksgiving.
Describe the advice you’ll take from the students.
List who would benefit from getting this type of advice.
Describe how you could use this process to elevate others.
2024-11-2428 minThe Smart Thinking PodcastEpisode 320: I Found Us Some AMAZING AI! (Tool & Reflection)Join Ted and listen to him with what might be the most enthusiasm he's had yet on the podcast. He found a new Google tool called NotebookLM and he breaks down the power of this AI for use in leadership, organizations, and classrooms. There is a AI generated podcast within the podcast. Super smart thinking this week.
List application you have for NotebookLM.
Describe your wonderings around applying AI in your work.
List you worries about applying storm generating technologies.
Click here to take you to NotebookLM
Click here to take you to CESA 6 AI...
2024-11-1742 minThe Smart Thinking PodcastEpisode 319: Your team. Your choice. (Leadership & Tool)A behavior ignored, is a behavior reinforced. In your culture what are you expecting and what are you tolerating? Listen as Ted describes a mindset and tool to help you have the needed conversations so that your culture grows in a positive way and people are either coached up to the expectations or coached out of the situation.
List the people coming with you and who is not
Describe what you need to do in order to grow your invitation list
Describe what you need to do different within your culture
2024-11-1037 minThe Smart Thinking PodcastEpisode 318: What to do about a stubborn buffalo? (Leadership & Process)When people are stubborn it is usually for a good reason. Likely fear of change or of the unknown consequences of taking the "risk." Take a listen as Ted explore how to support good people who seem unwilling to change or move into the direction of the storm they are facing.
List people who can help you move past a stubborn moment you are facing.
Describe how you can support others who have the wrong gear but right mindset.
List the ways in which you can support others in finding their way.
2024-11-0334 minThe Smart Thinking PodcastEpisode 317: There Is No Score: 0-0 Mindset (Leadership & Reflection)Transactional relationships and mindsets create disengagement, sadness, and resentment. Transactional thinking is the opposite of leadership and keeping score needs to stop.
Listen as Ted explores how to shift to a zero-zero mindset and support a positive narrative in your noggin and help you - help others grow.
Describe where in your life you are keeping score
List the people in your life that need to be modeled 0-0
Describe how you can lead with a 0-0 mindset
2024-10-2034 minThe Smart Thinking PodcastEpisode 316: Recess is a Right (Leadership & Policy)Recess might actually be the process to help children learn more, decrease classroom behavioral issues, and increase teacher retention.
Wait, how could that be? In this episode Ted shares research that shows how increasing recess - decreases all the negative things occurring in school and increases all of the positive things. The answer for improvement has likely been in front of us the entire time (recess). However, we’re going to need to be buffaloes and charge into several storms to create the ideal conditions.
2024-10-1334 minThe Smart Thinking PodcastEpisode 315: Two Studies, Four Books and Two Records for Fall (Resources)Listen as Ted shares great resources to help you grow and support others. These resources are building off of themes presented this season on the podcast and will help you support parents, fuel your inner buffalo and frame your mindset.
Studies:
The Evolving Needs of Working Parent’s: Kindercare Study
Walton Family Foundation Voices of Gen Z Study: Gallup/Walton Family Foundation
Books:
Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents, Lindsay Gibson
The Anxious Generation, Jonathan Haidt
Twelve and A Half, Gary Vaynerchuk
The Happiest Man on Earth, Eddie Jaku
Albums:
Col...
2024-10-0632 minThe Smart Thinking PodcastEpisode 314: Empower the Parents (Process and Leadership)How does your system support parents? Too often we are casting blame on the parents and not recognizing the opportunities and responsibilities we have to empower parents.
Take a listen as Ted challenges us to create systems of support and empowerment while the children are on their educational journey. You can't meet unspoken expectations and parenting is an anxiety riddled journey and everyone has questions. That anxiety turns to defensiveness very quickly, so let's make navigating schools less worrisome and help parents support their children in new ways.
2024-09-2940 minThe Smart Thinking PodcastEpisode 313: Be a Sage with IMPACT (Process and Leadership)Are you wise enough to be a Sage? YES! This week join us as we discuss the IMPACT our words can have on others as Ted reviews the people who've impacted him and how we can all grow from those around us. Listen to the very end..... for some really sage advice.
Here are the 180 degree cards for purchase: https://store.cesa6.org/products/buffalo-note-cards
List the sages in your life
Describe your ability to support others with your collected wisdom
List who needs you to step into their storm with IMPACT?
2024-09-1531 minThe Smart Thinking PodcastEpisode 312: Celebrate Failure (Process and Leadership)How well do you celebrate failure? In this episode, Ted discusses how we can all learn from slime mold to get ourselves into a routine of never losing and instead, always learning.
The road to excellence has no destination and is filled with failures. To keep moving forward - we have to celebrate all the learning! We're never losing -- we're always learning.
Describe where you can apply slime mold strategies.
List where this process would be helpful in increasing risk.
Describe a recent failure that should be celebrated.
2024-09-0833 minThe Smart Thinking PodcastEpisode 311: Include All Ideas Using "And" (Process and Leadership Tools)Join Ted as he discusses the importance of having a process that allows for people to contribute instead of simply complaining. The tool and mindset are simple- operate in “AND” mode not “BUT” mode. This episode has a bonus process tool using wisdom and conjunctions to create a great cultural reflection process (this is what happens when Ted has an idea while recording).
List where this process would benefit the most
Describe your ability to move from “yeah but” to “and”
List the people who would go noticed if you employed processes like this.
Song: Brad & Kate- Flame
2024-09-0231 minThe Smart Thinking PodcastEpisode 310: They're All Olympians (Process & Tool)Behind every Olympian is a story. Listen as Ted breaks down how to become fans of all of those you serve. Every child, colleague, friend and loved one has a complicated story and it is always unique. What if we had a way to learn that story? It would be like when we watch the Olympics and learn the Olympians "whole" story and suddenly we become that persons fan.
Describe your biggest fan
List the people in your life that will need a fan
List who you can interview in order to understand their story
2024-08-2532 minThe Smart Thinking PodcastEpisode 309: The Buffaloes That Charged To The Burning Van: WAHBL's (Tools and Reflections)Welcome to Season 7!
On this episode Ted shares a process to help you preplan for the unexpected. Ted describes the behaviors needed to have an engaged group of leaders and talks about an accident where he observed random buffalo leaders charge into a WAHBL situation. Listen as he discusses the best of the buffaloes -- a 3rd grade teacher who was everything to everyone at this accident scene.
Burning cars, buffaloes, and process!
Describe who in your life is always willing to run to the storm.
List the behaviors of the people who run...
2024-08-1836 minThe Smart Thinking PodcastEpisode 308: Reviewing Your Strategic Life Plan (Process Tool & Leadership)In this episode Ted shares the importance of doing a personal strategic review in the summer by utilizing process and taking clarity breaks. Too often we are not taking time to reflect on what works, what needs iteration and what we need to stop doing in our lives. Take a listen as he shares a simple and tested process to support you growing forward.
List when you will take clarity breaks.
Describe who can run your strategic plan out with you.
Describe where you will build your plan?
2024-06-2329 minThe Smart Thinking PodcastEpisode 307: Forces for Change (Tools)Too often in summer or between projects we employ retreats to look at results and we create a bunch of documents that rarely get deployed. This usually occurs because people are using lagging data and negotiating on what the culture will allow.
This episode will help frame the need for cultural languages and tools to ensure that what we want to stick - -stays stuck and works. Organizations create binders of steps and yet they fail to start with an evaluation of the organization to measure for capacity, desire, or the skills to employ the changes. No l...
2024-06-0935 minThe Smart Thinking PodcastEpisode 306: Seven Books for Summer - A Great Summer of PD (Learning & Leadership)Ted is sharing books that he believes must be read this summer to help us all grow as leaders. Especially, those that serve children or have children. The curated list of texts are meant to be read in order to help each of us grow. There is a growing crisis on how children are learning and behaving, and these books will help you help the children in your life. Take a listen as Ted shares seven books – in order – that you need to read this summer.
Psych, The Story of the Human Mind: Paul Bloom
Radical Respe...
2024-06-0235 minThe Smart Thinking PodcastEpisode 305: Do you EnJOY? (Reflection and Process)When the seasons change, it provides us the opportunity to seek improvement through process. Take a listen as Ted describes a process to help you find the joy in your life. We choose to enJOY our work and there are two hungers we have to feed- ourselves and our passions.
Describe what your passions are.
List the people who could be coached to reflect upon their passions.
List who you trust to guide you through a reflective process.
Describe how you can increase your own ability to be engaged and self-empowered.
2024-05-2730 minThe Smart Thinking PodcastEpisode 304: You Want Stronger Readers? (Leadership & Process)How do we get more children and adults to read? Take a listen as Ted shares a strategy for increasing the amount of children reading. It all boils down to one key idea -- if we want children to read - -the adults have to read!
List who you should read with.
Describe the books you like to read verses the books others like to read. .
List the books you'd like to read with others.
2024-05-1931 minThe Smart Thinking PodcastEpisode 303: Finish Strong (Leadership and Process)How will you remember this school year? Take a listen as Ted explains a process to use to help you and your system reflect - with intention - in an effort to create a realistic memory of the year. Learn how to identify the peaks, the pits and the transitions so that you can celebrate and acknowledge the real journey and use the information to better serve your classroom, school or system in the future.
Describe how you can increase the awareness of others while on the journey.
List who would benefit from reviewing the peaks, p...
2024-05-0534 minThe Smart Thinking PodcastEpisode 302: A Conversation with Neuroscientist Dr. Jared Horvath: Emotions, Reading, Parenting, AI & More! (Reflection & Leadership)Ever wonder how memory is impacted by emotions, or how the amount of books in your home informs your child's intellectual skills, or how electronics are impacting development or what AI is doing to the brain? Wonder no longer -- these and many more questions are answered in this conversation with Jared as we explore the brain and his newest research and discoveries.
Find him: https://www.youtube.com/@JaredCooney
Song: Andrew Hoyt - Dance with Somebody
2024-04-271h 31The Smart Thinking PodcastEpisode 301: Leadership AND Followership (Reflection)We all need to be both leaders and followers and we can do that if we CARE. Listen as Ted explains the need for us each to be in two lanes at once - lead and follow. CARE is a simple way of explaining what a good follower does.
Collaborate
Accept responsibility
Resilient
Engagement with intention
2024-04-2228 minThe Smart Thinking PodcastEpisode 300: Celebration of 300 “You Should Absorb The Nudge” (Reflection)Listen as Ted reminds us of the power of listening to the "nudges." This is the 300th episode of the podcast and Ted walks through how important it is to listen to the ideas of others and shares a simple process to support coaching yourself to higher levels of engagement and happiness.
Song: Sunflower Bouquet by Anderson Coates - Golden Bear Studios
Reflections:
List the "should’s" you heard this past week.
Describe who in your life nudges you towards excellence.
List the people and the nudges that have changed your life.
2024-04-1432 minThe Smart Thinking PodcastEpisode 299: The Real Narrative: "Our Story" (Reflection & Tool)Too often in our organizations, we forget to provide the leadership so that we have a strong cultural understanding of our journey. As a result, we need a process. Join Ted as he explains why and how to create a unified story(narrative) so that more people can celebrate all they've done together so that you can end the year together!
Process prompts:
Celebrations (Internal)
Celebrations (External)
Grow my engagement
Professional development WE need
Elephants in the room
Recognitions
Can you believe?
2024-04-0731 minThe Smart Thinking PodcastEpisode 298: Your Individual Advocacy Plan (IAP) (Leadership & Process)What is your process for advocating for yourself and your strengths? Too often other people judge us and do not understand us so we need a process to help others see our strengths. Join Ted as he shares a process to employ for you to create your own self advocacy plan or IAP.
Identify your strengths and soft strengths.
Describe who in your world needs to be coached to self-advocacy.
List ways in which you can support others through their strengths and weaknesses.
2024-03-1735 minThe Smart Thinking PodcastEpisode 297: “Stop Being Afraid of Being Afraid” A Conversation with Greg Harden (Leadership & Reflection)This conversation with author and mental fitness guru Greg Harden is going to change you, your leadership and maybe even your life. His book is fantastic, his career is amazing, and this conversation is a game changer. Take a listen as Greg and Ted – two obnoxious optimists – discuss how to support your own journey and how to focus on being your own best friend.
Book: Stay Sane in an Insane World: How To Control the Controllables and Thrive
2024-03-101h 26The Smart Thinking PodcastEpisode 296: Empathy Diminishes Fear: The Appendix Episode (Reflection and Leadership)Join us for a discussion of how an emergency surgery supercharged Ted's belief that empathy is the greatest leadership quality. Hear as he discusses the great care he received and how the healthcare workers supporting him diminished his vulnerability by being empathetic. You'll be inspired to think about how you matter in the moments when others need you the most!
Describe the last time you felt vulnerable and how you overcame that emotion
List the people in your life that would benefit from your empathy
Describe how you can increase your empathy in your actions
2024-03-0326 minThe Smart Thinking PodcastEpisode 295: Conversations with Outcomes- An Discussion with Author Craig WeberWhat is your intentional process to ensure you get the best from an interaction with someone else? Seriously, people you like, people you work with, people you over and even people on the opposite side of politics?
Join us a for a great conversation where Craig and Ted trade a ton of strategies and tactics to support you in developing a stronger ability to have great conversations.
2024-02-251h 09The Smart Thinking PodcastEpisode 294: Six Books For Spring! (Learning & Growing)As we look to the start of spring and a break for many of us, I want to give you some texts to read to invest in yourself and others! This list of texts is best read in the order explained and below. However, each book, by itself, is fantastic!
Stay Sane In An Insane World, Greg Harden
A New Kind Of Diversity, Tim Elmore
Yes To The Mess, Frank Barrett
How To Know A Person, David Brooks
The Little Liar, Mitch Albom
Maybe, Kobi Y...
2024-02-1831 minThe Smart Thinking PodcastEpisode 293: Let's Talk About Strengths! A conversation with Tim Hodges (Reflection and Tools)Gallup has so many great resources and one of my favorites is the Clifton Strength Finder. Join me for a conversation with Dr. Tim Hodges who over sees the Clifton Strengths Institute and learn how to apply your strengths and utilize the tool in new and rewarding ways.
2024-02-041h 09The Smart Thinking PodcastEpisode 292: The Advantage of a Short Attention Span (Tool & Reflection)Maybe we all need to learn a new habit. Short-term memory when leading. In other words, how to move ourselves along quickly so that we don't get trapped in a narrative that causes us more stress and pressure. Well, as Ted Lasso says: be a goldfish.
Use the four f's to get you there: fast, forgive, forget and forward!
2024-01-2822 minThe Smart Thinking PodcastEpisode 291: Generational Diversity: A Conversation with Author Tim ElmoreJoin me for a conversation with author Tim Elmore as we discuss his newest book: A New Kind of Diversity. Our conversation focuses on how to bridge the gap between generations and become more empathetic for those you serve.
I highly recommend his book and exploring his website: growingleaders.com
2024-01-2257 minThe Smart Thinking PodcastEpisode 290: Take a Walk: The Power of Organizational Field Trips (Process and Tool)Too often we miss the opportunity to SHOW our teams why we need to change. Take a listen as we explore the impact of taking organizational field trips.
Where do you need to go and visit?
Describe a process you could employ to increase collective empathy and understanding.
List who needs to go on a field trip.
Book: The Power of Moments- Chip and Dan Heath
2024-01-1431 min
Lutheran Education PodcastEpisode 36: Ted Neitzke returns to the podcast to discuss developing leaders in educationTed Neitzke makes a return visit to the podcast and shares his insights on developing good leaders in our educators and helping teachers embrace the idea of being a leader and how administrators can support them in their roles. Neitzke has an extensive background in education and leadership. The former teacher, principal and superintendent is currently the mayor of Port Washington, Wisconsin and is also the CEO of CESA 6, an educational service agency focusing on the current education landscape and the changing needs of educators.
2024-01-101h 04The Smart Thinking PodcastEpisode 289: It’s Halftime! Let’s Create Some Energy for the School Year!!! (Process & Reflection)Do you have an intentional strategy to bring energy to the staff and students as you enter the second half of the year? You do now.
Take a listen and hear a few ways in which you can provide the energy and motivation to take you through the rest of the year.
Describe your strategy to create mid-year energy
List the activities you’ll do or do to create lift mid-year
Describe how you can energize all staff
Song: Yellow by artist Andrew Hoyt
2024-01-0730 minThe Smart Thinking PodcastEpisode 288: 2024- The Year of Generosity (Reflection and Process)This year, we need to practice being better to ourselves. Take a listen as we explore a great communication process for self reflection and goal setting. Hear why we need to be more generous -- not necessarily to others -- - but to ourselves.
List ways you can increase generosity towards yourself
Describe a process you can use to set your goals
List other ways you can use this process to support others
2024-01-0130 minThe Smart Thinking PodcastEpisode 287: Two Future Educators and Their Dad (Reflection)I thought I’d turn on the mic and sit down with my kids and ask them to describe their experiences as college students and why they want to be teachers.
2023-12-1840 minThe Smart Thinking PodcastEpisode 286: Hope: Because It All Works Out (Reflection and Process)It is the time of the year for us to focus on belief. Belief in ourselves, our abilities and the future. That is - hope. Take a listen as we explore the research behind hope and utilize two great people and two great coaches to frame hope for this season!
Describe your hope strategies
List people that need to know they matter
Describe a process you can employ to utilize this learning
2023-12-1126 minThe Smart Thinking PodcastEpisode 285: Are you Coachable? (Leadership & Reflection)Are you good at being coached? Do you have the courage and vulnerability needed to improve to be the best version of yourself? This episode offers reflections, tips, and looks at specific ways to become more coachable as well as be a better coach for others.
Describe your willingness to be coached.
List the people in your life that you would want coaching from.
Describe how you have traditionally responded to being coached.
2023-12-0430 minThe Smart Thinking PodcastEpisode 284: The Neuroscience of Thanks (Reflection and Tool)What happens to your brain when you're grateful? It send hormones through your body and supports joy!
Gratitude supports mental fitness and your overall well-being. Good news - we have a holiday called Thanksgiving and we'll help you in this episode learn the benefits of being grateful.
Describe how you can build a stronger frontal lobe through gratitude
List those you need to thank
Describe your process for making gratitude front of mind
2023-11-1925 minThe Smart Thinking PodcastEpisode 283: Managing “The Kids.” Reflections for Parents and Teachers (Tactics)Kids can be challenging and adults can sometimes make it harder on themselves as a result of inconstant behaviors. Take a listen as we discuss what needs to happen in order to have strong kids.
Clarity creates predictability.
Predictability creates consistency in behaviors and relationships.
Consistency builds trust and reinforces love and concern.
List the strategies you’ll employ.
Describe what you will now do different.
List the ways in which you can recover from losing it.
2023-11-0529 minThe Smart Thinking PodcastEpisode 282: Take Note: The power of the note! (Reflection and Tactics)Be intentional about demonstrating gratitude in writing. Not always texts - but cards and paper! Take a minute to see how others are leading and recognize it and share it with them and even their family!
2023-10-2926 minThe Smart Thinking PodcastEpisode 281: What is your brand and are you a great teammate? (Reflection and Tactics)How are you described when you're not in the room? Are you paying attention to your brand? Take a listen as Ted describes five different brands on a team and reflect upon which you are most like:
Captain
Cheerleader
Therapist
Nurse
Detective
This is a great episode to share with teams you support, serve on or alongside.
Describe your favorite teammates brand
List the qualities of your brand
Describe how your teammates describe your brand to others
2023-10-2222 minThe Smart Thinking PodcastEpisode 280: Unspoken Expectations Can Never Be Met (Process and Leadership)In your life and leadership, how many unwritten rules do you have? Take a listen to a process that will support you getting a clearer set of working expectations for those you love and serve.
We too often have expectations for people that they are not even aware of. Let's get them out and increase success.
List the person you need to try "should or shouldn’t" with
Describe your unwritten rules for others
List the places this needs to be employed
2023-10-1523 minThe Smart Thinking PodcastEpisode 279: Five Books For Fall 2023 (Leadership)Leaders are readers and readers lead by sharing their learning. Here are five books for you for this fall. One to help with decision making, one to help with perspective, one to help develop as a leader, one to help your mindset, and one to build your capacity to support others through reflection.
The Art of Clear Thinking (Leadership and Decision Making)
The Noticer (Empathy and Leadership)
The Leap to Leader (Leadership, Leadership, & Strategy)
Yes to Life (Mindset & Leadership)
Just Because (Life and Leadership)
2023-10-0829 minThe Smart Thinking PodcastEpisode 278: Leaders Are The Biggest Fan (Reflection)Being a fan of those around you is a leadership quality. Join us for a reflection of the key characteristics of great fans. Great fans are constantly cheering for you, promoting you and guiding you.
List the people you’re a fan of.
Describe how you are as a fan for others.
List who’s in your fan club.
2023-09-2524 minThe Smart Thinking PodcastEpisode 277: Parenting 101: Reflections (Wisdom)Parenting can be so difficult and rewarding all at once. Take a listen as we reflect on how to support your children with great parenting skills.
2023-09-1829 minThe Smart Thinking PodcastEpisode 276: Caution: Change Ahead. The Chesterton Principle (Process and Reflection)Driving change and being thoughtful are critical in change management. Change often fails because we are not intentional in investigating why things exist before we change them.
Take a listen and learn away to avoid this mistake.
Describe where you can institute the Chesterton principle
List decisions you’re facing that could apply the principle.
Identify a lesson you’ve learned from breaking the principle.
2023-09-1122 minThe Smart Thinking PodcastEpisode 275: Advocate For You - A Me & We Process (Tool)Being yourself is difficult. Listen as we share a process to speed transitions and support authenticity so that more people are successful. This is a simple process that will accelerate relationships, trust, and collaboration.
2023-09-0428 minThe Smart Thinking PodcastEpisode 274: Empathy: Lessons From An Unlikely Leadership Text (Reflection)Leadership lessons are everywhere - -well that is of course if you're looking. This week join us for a discussion on the power of empathy and the lessons learned from a young adult fiction novel. Empathy is a key driver in supporting the success of others.
Describe how you practice empathy
List your empathy reflective questions
Describe to yourself what it would be like to be YOU today in the eyes of others.
Book: Unteachables by Gordon Korman
2023-08-2722 minThe Smart Thinking PodcastEpisode 273: Focus on the Asset (Reflection & Tool)Need a framework for focusing on the positives? Take a listen as we explore asset v. deficit thinking and the impact it has on the world around you! Smart Thinkers - -they bet on the strengths of others!
Describe your habit. Do you lean asset based or deficit based?
List those in your life that would benefit from hearing more about their assets.
Describe how you can be a better leader by focusing on your own assets.
2023-08-2028 minThe Smart Thinking PodcastEpisode 272: This Year: Balance and Boundaries (Tool & Process)It is time for us to create the conditions for success in communications in schools. Flexibility/freedom & protections/permissions.
Listen as we explore two f's and two p's and how to use a tool to set expectations and create empowered and engaged staff!
List the boundaries you can establish for yourself and others
Describe a process you can use to collect your cultures communication needs and expectations
List one communication habit you need to address in yourself…. Like emailing people at 1:00am
2023-08-1331 minThe Smart Thinking PodcastEpisode 271: The Reboot Checklist: Catch Yourself Before Burning Out (Reflection & Leadership)What is your process to monitor your life? How are you proactively stopping yourself from burning out?
Take a listen as we discuss the symptoms, signs and solutions for burnout and share a process for you to check yourself!
Describe the behaviors you have when you know you need a reboot
List your processes for reducing stress and being present
Describe a time when you needed a reboot
2023-06-2525 minThe Smart Thinking PodcastEpisode 270: Summer Reads, Listens, and Reflections (Leadership & Growth)Here are four books to read and two artists to listen to this summer.
Books:
The School of Life: Confidence
Smart Brevity: The Power of Saying More With Less
The Wisdom of the Bullfrog: Leadership Made Simple (But Not Easy)
Be Your Future Self Now
Listen:
Ben Folds: What Matters Most
Inhaler: Cuts and Bruises
2023-06-1821 minThe Smart Thinking PodcastEpisode 269: Take The Risk and Live In A State of Gratitude: A Recipe For Transition and Graduation (Reflection & Leadership)What is your message to those in transition and graduating? Take a listen as we break down the four areas to focus on to support others to be the best version of themselves and help you.
These are the prompts to add into your graduation cards or notes to those you serve:
Describe what frustrated you this year and how you will avoid that in the future. (Frustrations)
Analyze the opportunities you have this coming year and describe how you will take advantage of them. (Risks)
Identify a regret and explain how you will wor...
2023-06-1124 minThe Smart Thinking PodcastEpisode 268: A Great Relationship is 70/30! (Reflection & Leadership)What are the keys to a great relationship?
Simple- give and take as needed, don't keep a scorecard, the playground rule of "do over's" and traditions. Take a listen as we explore those tenants and learn a bit about how to improve your relationships with those you serve and love.
Describe relationships that help you
List the people you can serve better with the 70/30 principle
Develop a code to support others – like “do over”
2023-06-0422 minThe Smart Thinking PodcastEpisode 267: Memorial Day: Learn Through Curiosity (Reflection & LeadershipThe history of others can help you lead people in new ways. Take a listen as we explore Ted's great-grandfathers history and how a little curiosity goes a long way to remember the leadership, service and impact of others.
List those in your world you need to learn more about.
Describe a story within your DNA that explains more about you and your family.
List people you need to share your story with.
2023-05-3023 minThe Smart Thinking PodcastEpisode 266: Safety from Predictability: Tips to Reduce Educator/Student Anxiety (Reflection & Process)We owe it to those we serve to create practices that increase predictability and reduce anxiety. Take a listen as we explore a strategy to end the year with a preview and reduce worries over the summer.
Describe your opportunities to create predictability in your world.
List where you would like more predictability
Describe a time when you became anxious as a result of a sudden shift - -what did you learn?
2023-05-2126 minThe Smart Thinking PodcastEpisode 265: Check Out and Tune Up (Leadership & Process)Listen to a process so that you can take advantage of the end of the season (school year) and create the conditions so that staff and students can come back next year stronger!
Check Out Prompts:
What matters to me most here is…
This worked really -- really well…
I’m grateful that we…
I’m grateful for…
This person deserves to be recognized…
I’m happy that we…
What I need to be successful…
Next year we need to avoid…
Next...
2023-05-0721 minThe Smart Thinking PodcastEpisode 264: Your Relationship with Music: A Conversation with Author, Scientist, and Music Engineer Susan RogersTake a listen as we explore the perseverant life of Susan Rogers. Imagine if your teacher could say "I am a neuroscientist who has also worked with Prince, Van Morrison, T-Bone Burnett, The Violent Femmes, The Bare Naked Ladies, David Byrne and many others."
This was an incredibly enlightening discussion!
2023-04-301h 28The Smart Thinking PodcastEpisode 263: The Discipline of Being Positive: Lessons from a Shearwater (Reflection & Leadership)We'll explore how positivity is learned and takes discipline to master. We also learn about a tough little one that can give us the courage to take on any size storm.
PLUS - Two great processes to support your culture, family and life as well as a new mindset: 70/30!
Describe the typhoons you are facing that will challenge your positivity.
List which processes you will employ to support the discipline of others
Describe what you can do different to increase your positive discipline.
2023-04-2330 minThe Smart Thinking PodcastEpisode 262: Fuel Joy- Avoid Negative Contractions! (Leadership & Reflection)Negative contractions need to be eliminated from your culture and the focus needs to be on the positive ways in which we've worked. As we finish the year - finish strong focusing on how little time we have left to make a difference!
Describe where you can drop the use of negative contractions.
List the people who need to reflect and review the joy.
Describe where you can apply a review process to provide the fuel needed to end the journey optimistically.
2023-04-1621 minThe Smart Thinking PodcastEpisode 261: Purposeful Check Up (Reflection & Process)It is critical to regularly check up on those you care about. Listen as we discuss a quick process to use to ensure you avoid the "weirdness" too often associated with demonstrating care for others.
Describe your approach to checking in.
List people who you need to purposefully check in with.
Describe your approach for building confidence in your conversations with others.
2023-03-1923 minThe Smart Thinking PodcastEpisode 260: A Neuroscientist, Music Producer, Chef, Psychologist and a Nun – Books (Tools)Take a listen as Ted rapidly reviews and suggests a few books to support your growth and leadership.
This is What It Sounds Like- Susan Rogers and Ogi Ogas
The Creative Act: A Way Of Being – Rick Rubin
Unreasonable Hospitality – Will Guidara
The Anxiety Toolkit – Alice Boyes
Wake Up With Purpose – Sister Jean
2023-03-0522 min
Mastering Social Media for SchoolsYour 2022 Pep Talk for School Communicators with Ted NeitzkeYou are the storyteller for your school district! Let that important role fuel the energy you bring to celebrating the many stories that deserve to be told. Today’s podcast is going to give you the confidence and tools to do that in 2022!IN THIS EPISODE, TED SHARES:The story of the buffalo and how you can use it to help your district navigate 2022Why celebrating your students and staff is so importantHow to combat the “No one sends me anything” mentality when it com...
2022-01-1743 minLutheran Education PodcastEpisode 28: Ted Neitzke talks about the ability of us all to be leadersTed Neitzke is CEO of Cesa 6, an influential and innovative education service agency based in Oshkosh, WI. His background consists of a life-long dedication to children; serving on all levels from middle school teacher to superintendent. Ted, who is also the mayor of Port Washington, WI, joins the podcast and talks about the ability for us all to be leaders. In this entertaining episode you'll learn about buffalo leaders and feel Ted's enthusiasm and passion for education and leadership jump right out of the speakers.
2021-09-081h 03