A teacher can change your writing, your courage, and the way you think, and you might not realize it until decades later.

This week, on Workplace Confessions: Behind Closed Doors, we sit down with Robert Pacilio, a longtime English teacher, legendary speech and debate coach, and self-published author, to hear how a kid from Brooklyn builds a life in education and then turns those lessons into seven books.

Along the way, we get the behind-closed-doors version of what it really takes to lead a room full of teenagers and still keep your heart open. We talk about a teaching philosophy centered on teaching to kids, not at them.

Then we go into the publishing world with the same honesty. He breaks down the myths around self-publishing, why agents often push authors toward whatever is selling, and what “getting the word out” looks like without connections.

You will also hear some unforgettable workplace moments, including a final day straight out of Dead Poets Society, a dance-based final exam built around The Great Gatsby era, and how he learned to speak to students about 9/11 with care and clarity.

If you love stories about leadership, education, mentorship, self-publishing, and meaningful work, this one will stick with you. Subscribe, share with a friend who had a life-changing teacher, and leave a review so more listeners can find the show.

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