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Dr. Lisa Gonzales
- Nov 13, 2019
- 3 min
Stepping Out of Line
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
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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
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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
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Dr. Lisa Gonzales
- Sep 17, 2019
- 3 min
Rewriting Your Narrative
Much of our lives are spent trying to get to that next level....middle school, high school, college, graduate school, the first job, the next job, marriage, children, the next job. And most of us didn't do things in quite that order. But life really is so much about going and going and going. As I approach another birthday, I've paused to explore where I've been and where I want to go. The majority of the journey is about the narrative that is crafted and honed along the way.
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Dr. Lisa Gonzales
- Aug 13, 2019
- 3 min
Learn to Love Your Learning Curves
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
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Dr. Lisa Gonzales
- Jun 3, 2019
- 2 min
A Coffee Break of Inspirational Leadership: Being Brave
What does being brave really mean? I was recently reading a book that referenced the bravery of the character in the way she overcame adversity, how she didn't let others dim her sparkle, how she moved beyond feeling that she needed to be perfect and invincible. And it got me to thinking......how do you strengthen those skills? It's much like the question - how do you teach students about resiliency and grit? Reshma Saujani in the founder and CEO of the nonprofit Girls Who Co
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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 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
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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
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Dr. Lisa Gonzales
- Apr 15, 2019
- 2 min
A Coffee Break of Inspirational Leadership: Where Are You Headed?
Feeling foggy. Traffic at work. Sometimes they aren't just metaphors but real. We all get stuck. Really. WE ALL GET STUCK. And even those who look like they might have it all really might feel stuck. Sometimes we talk to others about it, and other times its the reason behind sleepless nights and wandering off mid-conversation or in the middle of a meeting. There is a comfort that can arise from being patient with ourselves and the situations we find ourselves in. And it's ok
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Dr. Lisa Gonzales
- Apr 8, 2019
- 1 min
Branding Your District
This week's post is a little different than the rest, simply because I wanted to stay current with what I'm doing. I'll be presenting with a newer colleague in Ohio at the Ohio Superintendent Leadership Academy with the world-renowned Trish Rubin. A very special friend taught me an invaluable lesson about a year ago - there are no unintended conversations. Trish is living proof of that. Our paths crossed at the Women's Leadership Conference this past fall in Newport Beach. Sh
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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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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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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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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
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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
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