647 Lead Beside Them: What Great Directors Do Differently

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What separates a director who simply manages a program from a leader teachers actually want to work for?

In this episode of The Child Care Director’s Chair, Erica Saccoccio sits down with Nicole, a preschool owner and director from Seymour, Connecticut, live at the Connecticut AEYC Conference for an honest conversation about leadership, staff support, culture, and what it really takes to build a strong early childhood program.

Nicole shares why great directors cannot lead from behind a desk. They have to show up, communicate clearly, support their educators, and be willing to stand beside their team when challenges arise. Erica and Nicole talk about the difference between a good teacher and a great one, why appreciation has to be personal, and how leaders can create space for every educator to have a voice.

They also dig into some of the realities affecting the field right now, including burnout, parent pressure, staff retention, compensation, and the importance of building relationships across generations and experience levels.

Nicole shares practical ideas for strengthening morale, recognizing staff, creating shared goals, and bringing a team back together when the work starts to feel heavy.

This episode is for directors, owners, administrators, and educators who want to build programs where teachers feel supported, children remain at the center, and leadership is something people experience every day, not just something written in a handbook.

Because strong programs are built when leaders are willing to work beside the people they lead.

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The Child Care Director's Chair Podcast is proudly powered by WatchMeGrow, our premier podcast sponsor and a trusted partner in early childhood education.

WatchMeGrow helps child care programs strengthen family engagement through secure live-streaming, classroom video access, and communication tools that build transparency, trust, and peace of mind for families. Their innovative technology empowers programs to enhance safety, strengthen relationships, and showcase the incredible learning happening in their classrooms every day.

To learn more about how WatchMeGrow can support your program, visit www.watchmegrow.com.

Thank you to WatchMeGrow for supporting our mission to inspire, equip, and empower child care leaders around the world.