Ep #461: Why Connection Comes Before Correction in Schools with Steve McMahon

When students struggle with intense emotions or challenging behaviors, how we respond can shape the relationship we build with them. But what if the most effective response isn't correcting the behavior, but understanding the human being behind it?

In this episode, I talk with Steve McMahon, an educator and behavior intervention specialist who helps schools respond to intense behaviors through connection, mindset, and de-escalation. Steve shares stories from his work with students and school le

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Ep #461: Why Connection Comes Before Correction in Schools with Steve McMahon

461

Oct. 26, 2026

Ep #461: Why Connection Comes Before Correction in Schools with Steve McMahon

When students struggle with intense emotions or challenging behaviors, how we respond can shape the relationship we build with them. But what if the most effective response isn't correcting the behavior, but understanding the human being behind it? In this episode, I talk with Steve McMahon, an educator and behavior intervention specialist who helps schools respond to intense behaviors through connection, mindset, and de-escalation. Steve shares stories from his work with students and school le

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#460: Flip the Fall Dip: When the New School Year Loses Momentum

460

Oct. 19, 2026

#460: Flip the Fall Dip: When the New School Year Loses Momentum

The beginning of a new school year often brings excitement, fresh energy, and momentum. But as September and October roll around, that initial enthusiasm can start to fade, leaving school leaders feeling exhausted, overwhelmed, and wondering why everything suddenly feels harder. In this special preview episode, I share clips from my Flip the Fall Dip 2026 series, exploring the highs and lows of school culture and the emotional energy that shapes our experience as leaders. I discuss why the shif

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Ep #459: Internal Data: Leading Beyond the Numbers

459

Oct. 12, 2026

Ep #459: Internal Data: Leading Beyond the Numbers

School leaders are surrounded by data every day. From attendance and academics to behavior and surveys, there is no shortage of information available to guide decisions. But what if the most important data is the information we receive from within ourselves? In this episode, I explore internal data and why understanding your own thoughts, beliefs, emotions, values, and intuition is essential for effective leadership. We often focus so much on external data that we overlook the internal guidance

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Ep #458: When Your Empowerment Takes a Hit

458

Oct. 5, 2026

Ep #458: When Your Empowerment Takes a Hit

Even the most empowered leaders have moments when their confidence, certainty, and sense of personal power are shaken. Sometimes it happens gradually through small moments we overlook; other times, it arrives as a major challenge that changes everything. In this episode, I share a deeply personal reflection on what happens when your empowerment takes a hit. I explore the moments when you question yourself, doubt your decisions, or wonder whether you can recover from a difficult season. These mo

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Ep #457: Authority in Leadership: The Beliefs That Shape How You Lead

457

Sept. 28, 2026

Ep #457: Authority in Leadership: The Beliefs That Shape How You Lead

The way you think about authority shapes the way you lead. Every interaction with a person in a position of power, influence, or experience is filtered through the beliefs you carry about yourself, your voice, and what you are capable of. In this episode, I explore authority in leadership and the beliefs that influence how we show up with peers, supervisors, and other people in positions of authority. I look at how childhood experiences, past relationships, and deeply held assumptions can shape

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Ep #456: A New School Leadership Architecture: Rethinking How We Lead with Lindsay Whorton

456

Sept. 21, 2026

Ep #456: A New School Leadership Architecture: Rethinking How We Lead with Lindsay Whorton

School leaders are carrying more responsibility than ever, but what if the solution is not simply asking them to do more? In this episode, I talk with Lindsay Whorton, president of The Holdsworth Center and author of A New School Leadership Architecture, about why the future of school leadership requires a different approach. We discuss how the principal's role has expanded over time, why expecting one person to carry every aspect of instructional leadership is unsustainable, and how schools ca

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About the Host

Angela Kelly Robeck

Angela Kelly Robeck is a certified life and leadership coach for school leaders. She teaches them how to create exceptional results and enjoy the school leadership experience to promote principal sustainability. A former teacher, principal, and district administrator, Angela has over 25 years of experience in education and is the founder and CEO of Angela Kelly Coaching. She’s the creator and host of The Empowered Principal(TM) Podcast and the innovative Empowered Principal(TM) Life and Leadership Coaching Program. She empowers school leaders through her simple process of creating alignment, clarity, and strategy.