Maria Shriver recently wrote about women she admires who have stepped out of line in one way or another. They included some familiar names: - Greta Thunberg (the 16 year old Swedish student who challenged world leaders to address climate change at the U.N. Climate Action Summit) - Alex Bornstein (the actress whose Emmy award winning speech honored her Holocaust surviving mother) -Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (bringing forth impeachment hearings against President Trump) I

re·jec·tion /rəˈjekSH(ə)n/ noun: rejection; plural noun: rejections the dismissing or refusing of a proposal, idea, etc. synonyms:refusal, nonacceptance, declining, turning down, no, dismissal, spurning, rebuff, kick in the teeth Kick in the teeth? Ouch! But if you've experienced rejection in the professional realm, that's a seemingly realistic descriptor. Rejection isn't the end of our stories. They help us to grow and they remind us that taking risks isn't always easy but h

In this week's edition of "A Coffee Break of Inspirational Leadership," the focus is on learning to love your learning curves. Does like make you feel a little better than love? We can all learn to like taking on something new, or even doing something for the first time. Think yoga, boba tea, running a half marathon, taking on a new project with a huge learning curve, or meditating. The first time.....maybe your face scrunched up and you thought "Really? All this for that?" A

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

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

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

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

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

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,

Ready for another great week? Years ago, I had a long talk with a great male mentor. We were talking about the dreaded work...intimidation. His comment to me was something like, "You need to be able to stand up for what you believe and for doing the good job others know you will do. Sometimes that work may get you into a little hot water, because you are strong and competent. Don't ever shirk who you are because you are afraid it will make others uncomfortable." He was right.

What a wonderful week we have in store for us. Are you ready for it? Let’s start with a conversation about you. Do you know who you are? I mean….do you really know who you are and what you stand for? I say this respectfully because if you’ve had few challenges to overcome, you might not know where you draw the line in the sand, when you would kneel instead of stand, what you would be willing to protest when push came to shove. As my birthday approaches, I reflect on how my vi

Check out my latest blog post for the Biofreeze Berkeley Half Marathon - it's all about pacing and helping others with their goals! #assistantsuperintendent #dublinunified #asca #PortolaValley #LisaGonzalesSuperintendent #leadershipdevelopment #leadership #good #lisa #ACSA #knowledge #competent #positive #acsapresident

Happy Monday! Quite a few years ago, I ran across Liz Wiseman's book, The Multiplier Effect. WOW! As a second year superintendent, I was convinced that this book was an essential read for my leadership team. Each week, we'd focus in on a chapter and identify a key individual who we would hone in on to support and encourage. We'd articulate our objectives and hold one another accountable. Want to lead like a multiplier? When I arrived in Dublin as an Assistant Superintendent,

A new mentee of mine on LinkedIn engaged me in a conversation the other day. A principal with a four year old at home, her concern was balance. "How do I do it?" she asked. Ah.....such a great question. And I can't say I have all the answers because we, as moms, sort of figure it out as we go. What research of current administrative staffing data will show is that more than half of public school principals are women and for the most part, with the retirements of so many bab

Kindergarten teachers are angels that walk on earth. Their skills and compassion for little people who are waist-high to me is something that most teachers don't have. They make my days as a middle school teacher look like a walk in the park. So when they were asked what skills they thought were most notable and helpful in the wee ones in our educational system, their responses paralleled the conclusions of a 19 year longitudinal study of thousands of students conducted by th

The term STEAM has been pretty consistently bantered around for years as a replacement to STEM. Are the educational acronyms driving you crazy? Here you go.... STEAM - science, technology, engineering, arts, math STEM - science, technology, engineering, math The arts. In or out? Most top business leaders and scientists will argue - IN. The reason is fairly simple. The arts bring an entirely new array of skills that are necessary but often not consistently found in the workpl

Are you looking for a mentor? Look no further (no, I'm not offering my services but I am offering some tips). Over the years I've had many mentors and been part of formal mentoring programs through San Jose State University, the Association of California School Administrators (ACSA), and the California Association of Latino Superintendents and Administrators (CALSA). And along the way, I've learned a thing or two. Know what you want. When seeking a mentor, look to those who y

Fortunate (or unfortunate, depending on perspective) for my staff, I attended the ACSA Women's Leadership Conference in Redondo Beach in September. One of the keynotes raved about Lolly Daskal's book, The Leadership Gap: What Gets Between You and Your Greatness. Within a week, all of my direct reports and the principals I am evaluating (affectionately known as our team) had their own personal copies and the year began. The first task for our team was to read the book. 200 pag

At a time of smart phones, smart watches, always-on round-the-clock atmosphere, and immediate access to just about everyone and everything, distractions are at a premium. That’s where being a mindful leader is so very powerful. Mindfulness is just this - the act of being consciously aware, of focusing on the present moment in a nonjudgmental way. Mindfulness has had a recent surge in popularity, having started back some 2,600 years ago in Buddhist times because of the self-aw

Ever used Padlet? If the answer is no, think again. Padlet is an easy but effective approach to collecting, displaying and sharing information. It is an online message board - think allowing people to put post-its on a webpage. There's both an app or you can simply go to the webpage and sign up for a free account. Another perk? They don't really send you emails. Okay, maybe one or two a year and I've had my account for at least five years. And its easy. Did I mention its easy