Ron Clark is more than just an educator. He has been featured on Oprah and the Today Show, and his school, the Ron Clark Academy (RCA) in Atlanta, is known around the world for its innovative teaching methods. Nearly 50,000 educators, teachers and administrators have visited the Academy to learn the “out-of-the-box” methods for student success, and you’ve probably seen some of the viral videos of students singing, dancing and bringing joy to the classroom. Ron is the 2000 Disney American Teacher of the year, the subject of a TV movie, and the New York Times bestselling author of The Essential 55 and Move Your Bus. On this episode, we talk about how to really motivate your people to effect change, embracing a fearless mindset, and how to lead with love, passion, and high expectations.
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Show Notes
- The unexpected way Ron Clark got started teaching (1:49)
- When and where he got the idea to start the Ron Clark Academy (3:52)
- How he combines love, energy and passion with discipline, structure and high expectations in the classroom (6:04)
- The most important thing you can do as a leader is hire the right talent (9:03)
- Running your organization like a bus- are your people drivers, runners, joggers, walkers, or riders? (10:32)
- How to create unforgettable moments as a leader (15:23)
- The success of The Ron Clark Academy (17:10)
- How leaders can embrace fearlessness and risk taking in a way that fosters innovation and creativity (18:37)
- A mistake Ron made as a leader professionally that he learned from (20:56)
- What he’s learned from his friendship with Oprah (24:03)
- How he re-charges and maximizes his energy (27:06)
- The future of The Ron Clark Academy (29:03)
Resources / People Mentioned
- The Ron Clark Academy
- The Ron Clark Academy Educator Training
- Ron Clark on the Oprah Winfrey Show
- Ron Clark on CNN
- The Essential 55 by Ron Clark (book)
- Move Your Bus by Ron Clark (book)
- The Ron Clark Story (movie)
- Oprah donates $5 million to Ron Clark Academy
- Harry Potter and The Chamber of Secrets
- Michael Jackson
Recommended For You
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- Patty McCord on How Netflix Built A Culture of Freedom and Responsibility
- Dan Heath on How to Create Powerful Moments for our Customers and Employees
- Mike Feinberg on Purpose-Driven Leadership
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