Dr. Lisa Marie Gonzales

#brandher

  • Home

  • Presentations

  • Publications

    • Videos
  • Leadership

  • Volunteer Work

  • About

    • Photos
  • Contact

  • Blog

  • More

    Use tab to navigate through the menu items.
    • All Posts
    • organizational leadership
    • leadership
    • #brandher
    • inspiration
    • education
    • parenting
    Search
    Strong People Rarely Have Easy Lives
    Dr. Lisa Gonzales
    • Oct 21, 2019
    • 1 min

    Strong People Rarely Have Easy Lives

    Albert Einstein has many great quotes that circulate LinkedIn and Facebook. One of my personal faves is: If you're a go getter, if your inner drive strives for more, if you've had challenges that keep you wondering, the difficulty that flows soon ebbs. But it helps us grow, it helps us learn, and most importantly it strengthens our resilience factor. The human spirit is one that speaks of perseverance and flexibility. Think about the times when you have been knocked down. The
    2 views0 comments
    Doing Your Situational Best
    Dr. Lisa Gonzales
    • Oct 15, 2019
    • 3 min

    Doing Your Situational Best

    It's pretty normal to try to do your best at all times - in work, in relationships, with your children, as a neighbor. But striving for the best can ebb and flow and then the ensuing stress about not being at your best in one realm can affect another. Think of the holiday that many had yesterday. A day off to you might mean a list of many items to do: - go for a run - do a couple of loads of laundry - stop by the pharmacy for a prescription - grocery shop - get the car washed
    130 views0 comments
    Need to Overcome Fear and Worry?
    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
    4 views0 comments
    Building the Confidence Muscle
    Dr. Lisa Gonzales
    • Jun 25, 2019
    • 2 min

    Building the Confidence Muscle

    I am fortunate to coach a number of administrators, mostly females, around the nation. I do it because, along the way, many leaders took their time to do the same with me. What I've noticed is that so many leaders don't see themselves the way their colleagues do, the way I do. As a teacher, I watched how elementary students progressed into middle school and students lost their edge, especially girls. Gone was the "I can do it" outlook that was so prevalent in kindergarten. It
    2 views0 comments
    A Coffee Break of Inspirational Leadership: Priorities
    Dr. Lisa Gonzales
    • Apr 29, 2019
    • 2 min

    A Coffee Break of Inspirational Leadership: Priorities

    I've been thinking about what I'm good at. Do you do that? From an HR perspective, we often look at firming up the weaknesses of others, rather than maximizing the strengths. And that's what got me to thinking about what I'm good at. I mean really good. Over the weekend I talked to a great friend who asked me about what I thought were my two greatest strengths and I had to think. And think. Share. Change my mind. Think again. I was exhausted, not because I thought I was great
    3 views0 comments
    Working with Obstructionists
    Dr. Lisa Gonzales
    • Apr 22, 2019
    • 2 min

    Working with Obstructionists

    We've all worked with them. Around them. Tried to avoid them. Some are really obvious. Others are a bit more underground, but their impact is the same. Obstructionists, often affectionately known as bottleneckers, are those who hold things up. They miss deadlines. They don't follow through. They talk a good talk, and then disappear. Or they show up, look you straight in the face, and make you second guess - did we really have that conversation? Was I clear? Yes, you were. And
    2 views0 comments
    The Danger of Silence
    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
    19 views0 comments
    International Women's Day
    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
    2 views0 comments
    Ever Feel Incompetent?
    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.
    2 views0 comments
    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
    3 views0 comments
    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
    0 views0 comments
    A Coffee Break of Inspirational Leadership: Lead Like a Girl
    Dr. Lisa Gonzales
    • Feb 4, 2019
    • 3 min

    A Coffee Break of Inspirational Leadership: Lead Like a Girl

    Growing up, I was a tomboy in every sense of the word. I was sent to the principal's office for playing tackle football in middle school (still not sure how it was okay for the boys but not the girls). I followed men's professional sporting teams religiously and analyzed data from the newspaper a few days a week. My favorite clothes were always what I was able to stealthily remove from my brother's drawers and closet. But being a female in a realm of school leadership that da
    1 view0 comments
    Resolution Over Yet? Try Vision Boards
    Dr. Lisa Gonzales
    • Feb 1, 2019
    • 3 min

    Resolution Over Yet? Try Vision Boards

    This past week marks the time when New Year’s resolutions fall by the wayside. Did yours? I’ll admit that I haven’t bailed on mine yet because….I didn’t create any! Years ago, we’ll call it the “before kids” time in my life, I had goals. I’d write about that. Reflect about them. Talk about them to others, mostly because when you put them out there, they become real. But over the years, I learned that setting goals wasn’t that effective in the way that resolutions are generall
    5 views0 comments
    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
    1 view0 comments
    A Coffee Break of Inspirational Leadership: Being Goodish
    Dr. Lisa Gonzales
    • Jan 8, 2019
    • 2 min

    A Coffee Break of Inspirational Leadership: Being Goodish

    A few months ago, I learned a new phrase - being goodish. It didn't take much reflection to realize that this phrase rocks. Really. But what it really means and stands for is so much more. As a working mom, I can say that I've struggled with that balance in life - trying to be all to everyone and to myself at the same time. Possible? No. Then there's that word perfect that we've all decided to retire, unless we are talking about an Olympic gymnastic score or if we're referrin
    0 views0 comments
    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
    2 views0 comments
    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
    5 views0 comments
    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
    2 views0 comments
    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
    1 view0 comments
    A Coffee Break of Inspirational Leadership: Thanks and Progress
    Dr. Lisa Gonzales
    • Nov 20, 2018
    • 2 min

    A Coffee Break of Inspirational Leadership: Thanks and Progress

    It's that holiday time of the year. This Thanksgiving week is one where children jump in cars and travel to see the grandparents, runners and non-runners don their shoes to take on the local Turkey Trot, and many climb into the hills for an early Christmas tree search. I always try to spend a little time around Thanksgiving for thoughtful introspection and reflection. Am I making decisions that are true to who I am? Am I standing in my truth? Am I telling those who mean a lot
    0 views0 comments
    1
    234

    Copyright 2021

    Dr. Lisa Marie Gonzales, #brandher
    Proudly created with Wix.com

    education educational leadership California national expert visionary inspirational female women ACSA legislation advocacy

    c/o Association of California School Administrators

    1029 J Street, Ste. 500

    Sacramento, CA 95814

    lgonzales@acsa.org