#ACSA

Dr. Lisa Gonzales

Oct 8, 2019
4 min

Progress Over Perfection

Earlier in my career as a school administrator, my focus was on perfection. Make sure to do it right. Every time. At times, it was more process over people and I aimed to get things right at all costs. Thank goodness that was MUCH earlier in my career. There is wisdom that comes with time and experiences, and in that time, much of what I learned was the importance of progress over perfection. The younger me would have processed in ways that sounded like: - I only have one att

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Dr. Lisa Gonzales

Sep 3, 2019
3 min

Need to Overcome Fear and Worry?

reaOne thing most of us have in common is that we all worry. Our work performance. Kids. Getting safely from point A to B. Finances. The economy. Being safe in our own our homes, in our communities, at shopping malls. The worries can become overwhelming and paralyzing. I remember when my twins were two and a half and one of them had a terrible fall in a parking lot. It came on the heels of a girlfriend dying of lung cancer. After a few weeks, I was paralyzed with fear and wor

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Dr. Lisa Gonzales

Jul 30, 2019
2 min

Is it so Hard to be Kind?

I believe in kindness. But there are days when the world doesn't seem so kind. Twenty four hours ago there was a senseless shooting in Gilroy, California - a mass shooting that feels like so many other shootings that, as of today, are happening at a rate of more than one a day. As the evening pressed on, many of my fellow Gilroy High School graduates messaged to process, always ending with how much we care about each other. It got me to wonder about kindness and caring. Can w

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Dr. Lisa Gonzales

Jul 16, 2019
3 min

The Dreaded "C" Word

There aren’t many words that can bring a seasoned runner to her or his knee faster than the dreaded “C” word. Chafing. Just reading it makes me cringe. If you’re fortunate to have not dealt with it this far in your running career, congratulations. And if you drew the short stick, as I did last weekend, let me pain be your knowledge gain. Chafing is awful. It is painful, it can be difficult to treat, it is often in unmentionable areas, and it can get infected. Scared yet? Read

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Dr. Lisa Gonzales

May 13, 2019
2 min

Living in the Present

So much going on. So many distractions. And its Monday, which means we'll likely be bombarded by more today than most days. What does that quote make you think about? Maybe you can relate? I know I can. Keeping my mind in the present is likely as challenging for me as it is for many of you. The Buddhists call it "monkey mind" and I'm surprised I haven't heard that reference before. As a mom of teenage girls who are incredibly active, and being a school administrator with volu

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Dr. Lisa Gonzales

Apr 1, 2019
2 min

The Power of the Pack

I'm not going to apologize in advance that I'm going to talk about women in leadership. It's part of my mantra, and I'm also learning to STOP apologizing. But I digress.... Over the last ten years or so since I started working to resurrect the Women's Leadership Network with the Association of California School Administrators (ACSA), the nation's largest administrative organization, I've learned a lot about leadership, women, challenges with women, lifting each other, and mor

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Dr. Lisa Gonzales

Mar 26, 2019
3 min

The Danger of Silence

A lot has been said about the importance of speaking up to injustices, unfairness, unethical behavior, and more. In the current era of politics and the state of our nation in general, I think the "speaking up" movement has gained momentum...especially with #metoo issues. But speaking up isn't just about what goes on in the nation. When we apply the actions to our work lives, innate challenges arise. What if I speak up? Will it cost me my job? Will I be able to find another jo

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Dr. Lisa Gonzales

Mar 11, 2019
3 min

International Women's Day

Friday was International Women’s Day….and it gave many friends and I time to pause over the weekend and reflect on our experiences as women and with women. Yes, go ahead and poke a little fun at that phrase, as there is no way to really experience anything in a role other than that as a female, but you get where I’m going. A few of us gathered for a run on Sunday morning, mostly women but a few men sprinkled through our group that hung together for an hour. As we wound our wa

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Dr. Lisa Gonzales

Mar 5, 2019
2 min

Ever Feel Incompetent?

Ever feel incompetent? Join the club. We all go through it. Incompetence is a perfectly normal, albeit it uncomfortable feeling. Sometimes is about not knowing a new platform at work. Other times it is blanking in the middle of a presentation when our brain takes an unexpected break. And sometimes, it is being asked to respond to an inquiry on a topic where our knowledge is at a C level and we expect at least a B is needed to not sound like an idiot. Yes, it is uncomfortable.

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A Coffee Break of Inspirational Leadership: Walking in our Stories

Dr. Lisa Gonzales

Feb 19, 2019
2 min

A Coffee Break of Inspirational Leadership: Walking in our Stories

I've been reading and listening to a lot of Brene Brown as of late - whether the paperback Rising Strong that I've dog-eared the heck out of or my new Audible membership and learning how to bookmark those segments that just say WOW! What I love about her work is how personable she is when she speaks, and how spot on she is with her messaging. Having been a long term researcher, she is very keen on sharing what extensive studies have noted....and those parallel what we profess

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A Coffee Break of Inspirational Leadership: Microvulnerability

Dr. Lisa Gonzales

Feb 11, 2019
3 min

A Coffee Break of Inspirational Leadership: Microvulnerability

Ran across this term a week or so ago. Microvulnerability. (Note - spellcheck doesn't like it...yet). When I think of leadership, I can't think of many leaders who have been brutally vulnerable about their skills, their knowledge, and their perspectives, because let's face it. Vulnerability comes with risk taking. Fear. Microvulnerability is about letting people know that you don't have it all together all the time. And that makes you shockingly human, right? Those of us who

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A Coffee Break of Inspirational Leadership: Power Hours?

Dr. Lisa Gonzales

Jan 15, 2019
3 min

A Coffee Break of Inspirational Leadership: Power Hours?

Sometimes I blog over the weekend, and sometimes I leave it for early Monday morning (very early, like way before I need to get ready for work). And when I do too much on Sunday, that Monday morning wake-up becomes a bit more challenging. That's what happened yesterday. I was tired and I didn't take into account what my power hours would be for a Monday, or at least that particular Monday. Have you heard of personal power hours? It's a really cool and valid concept - there

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A Coffee Break of Inspirational Leadership: Anticipation

Dr. Lisa Gonzales

Dec 18, 2018
2 min

A Coffee Break of Inspirational Leadership: Anticipation

I love the anticipation that comes with the holidays....vacations....time with the kids off school...the new year ahead. Maybe its the fresh scent of the cut Christmas tree in the living room, or the vision board I know I'll create for the 2019. And sometimes I wonder if its just the new start that comes with a new year. Yes, resolutions may come and go, but that newness always returns every year. The Dutch have a word for that special anticipation that comes with a big event

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A Coffee Break of Inspirational Leadership: #YouAreNotAlone

Dr. Lisa Gonzales

Dec 10, 2018
3 min

A Coffee Break of Inspirational Leadership: #YouAreNotAlone

Dear Evan Hansen recently arrived in San Francisco and wow...just wow. Was fortunate to see it last night with friends and it was as good as I expected. Maybe better. Having listened to the soundtrack for the last year or so meant I was singing along (quietly) to a performance where I didn't really know the story line. Sure, the lyrics helped with my insights, but the real message was about a number of someones who, during the course of the two acts, emerged as souls feeling

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A Coffee Break of Inspirational Leadership: Vulnerability

Dr. Lisa Gonzales

Dec 4, 2018
3 min

A Coffee Break of Inspirational Leadership: Vulnerability

Being vulnerable didn't come easy for me. I grew up in a world of judgment in ways that often felt harsh. Mean. Inconsiderate. In many ways it hardened me to be more sterile to those I didn't know, perhaps in a way to protect myself. It wasn't until I had a heart to heart with a true leader who embodied what I was seeking....missing. It helped me see that my desire to be safe was compromising my ability to connect with others. Its sad to say that my female role models weren't

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A Coffee Break of Inspirational Leadership: Overcoming Frustration

Dr. Lisa Gonzales

Nov 26, 2018
3 min

A Coffee Break of Inspirational Leadership: Overcoming Frustration

We all face frustration. At work. In relationships. Behind the wheel. With our neighbors. Frustration is a way of life, but we don't always approach it the same way and the obstacles to overcome that are the source of our frustrations aren't always easy to discern. There have been many articles written, and research projects conducted, on the topic of frustration. Many equate frustration to anger, which doesn't need to be the case. I tend to see frustration differently. Wikpe

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A Coffee Break of Inspirational Leadership: Let's Laugh More

Dr. Lisa Gonzales

Nov 6, 2018
2 min

A Coffee Break of Inspirational Leadership: Let's Laugh More

I've always felt the phase, "laughter is the best medicine," was kind of dumb. But having visited hospital rooms of friends, I get it. Having been a middle school teacher (yes, there is a special place in heaven for me), I know the importance of finding laughter with students and the learning that comes with it, especially when said laughter is not at the expense of someone else. When we laugh, we relax. We take things a little lighter. We're less on edge. And when we laugh,

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A Coffee Break of Inspirational Leadership: Risk-Taking

Dr. Lisa Gonzales

Oct 29, 2018
4 min

A Coffee Break of Inspirational Leadership: Risk-Taking

Knowingly or not, we make decisions based on perceived risk. And men and women process that perceived risk very differently. Ever think of applying for a job that might have been a stretch? If so, you might be able to relate to this in some way. Research shows that men are much more likely to apply for a position or role in leadership that is a stretch and believe they can figure it out if they get the job, whereas women need to feel they have a greater chance of succeeding i

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A Coffee Break of Inspirational Leadership: The Power to Forgive

Dr. Lisa Gonzales

Oct 16, 2018
2 min

A Coffee Break of Inspirational Leadership: The Power to Forgive

for·give·ness ˌfərˈɡivnəs/ I've been thinking a lot about this word lately, although I must give a bit of credit where credit is due. Maria Shriver and her "The Sunday Paper" blog is a great thought provoker. Having spent some time at Holocaust Museums on both coasts here in the United States this spring, I had an opportunity to talk to two different survivors and both spoke on their healing process through forgiveness. Here are two individuals who had every reason in the wor

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A Coffee Break of Inspirational Leadership: Know Your Worth

Dr. Lisa Gonzales

Sep 27, 2018
3 min

A Coffee Break of Inspirational Leadership: Know Your Worth

Here we go, team. It's Monday! Up and at 'em..... This week's theme is one that is uber important - know your worth. As public school leaders, I sometimes think we lose sight of our value, of our worth and what we bring to the table. Do we take the time to sit back, reflect, and practice self-care and gratitude to think about our contributions and what we did to advance the needs of students? Let's face it - we probably haven't. Similarly, as a female leader, I also struggle

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Dr. Lisa Marie Gonzales

#brandher