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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: 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: It's About Perspective

Dr. Lisa Gonzales

Sep 24, 2018
2 min

A Coffee Break of Inspirational Leadership: It's About Perspective

Here we go, team. It's Monday! Up and at 'em..... This week's thoughts surround perspective, and it has been a common topic for many of my colleagues and I recently. How do we put ourselves in the place to best understand our staff, our teachers, our parents, our other constituents. Understanding the perspective of others really is a key leadership skill. Perspective is how we see the world and how we process what we encounter. For the most part, our past experiences impact h

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A Coffee Break of Inspirational Leadership: Who Are You?

Dr. Lisa Gonzales

Sep 11, 2018
2 min

A Coffee Break of Inspirational Leadership: Who Are You?

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

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A Coffee Break of Inspirational Leadership: Replace Yourself

Dr. Lisa Gonzales

Sep 4, 2018
2 min

A Coffee Break of Inspirational Leadership: Replace Yourself

Alas…it’s Monday! Happy new week. This week’s theme is about mentoring, although I’ve affectionately referred to it throughout my year as ACSA President as – replacing myself. Each and every good leader should be looking in the rear view mirror. Who is out there behind us that we can mentor and bring along on our ride in leadership? Who do we see with potential, that person who needs a tap on the shoulder to say, “I see something in you” or even “You’re next in this role and

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A Coffee Break of Inspirational Leadership: Be a Multiplier

Dr. Lisa Gonzales

Aug 20, 2018
2 min

A Coffee Break of Inspirational Leadership: Be a Multiplier

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,

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And So It Begins....A Coffee Break of Inspirational Leadership

Dr. Lisa Gonzales

Aug 1, 2018
3 min

And So It Begins....A Coffee Break of Inspirational Leadership

After much prodding by friends and colleagues, and even more from complete strangers with whom I’ve connected on LinkedIn, I decided to launch a weekly blog about leadership with intentional activities that you can do. A few of us vacillated over the name, and finally landed on “A Coffee Break of Inspirational Leadership.” It may not be the best name, as some weeks it may not be inspiring, but just thought provoking, and that’s fine too (and I have to be true to who I am – co

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Mother, Leader, Administrator - You Can Do It

Dr. Lisa Gonzales

Jul 19, 2018
3 min

Mother, Leader, Administrator - You Can Do It

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

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Why STEAM Needs to Take a Front Seat to STEM

Dr. Lisa Gonzales

May 11, 2018
1 min

Why STEAM Needs to Take a Front Seat to STEM

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

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Dr. Lisa Gonzales

May 2, 2018
2 min

Need a Mentor?

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

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Even Google Comes Up With One Word - Trust

Dr. Lisa Gonzales

Apr 19, 2018
2 min

Even Google Comes Up With One Word - Trust

Yes, I'm akin to googling what I need to find. But I was a little surprised last week when I ran across an article about what Google studied for years and the conclusion it derived. The question was - what is the single quality that contributed most to Google's success? The answer? TRUST. Now, I'm not surprised with the answer, as for as long as I've been in public education, key reference materials have focused on trust: The Speed of Trust (Stephen Covey), Building Trust at

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Dr. Lisa Gonzales

Jan 16, 2018
1 min

A Few Tips on Gratitude

As we head into 2018, have you made a resolution? Okay...let's just call it a goal. Have you set any goals? If not, why not consider focusing on gratitude, especially if you are in the people business. Our employees probably don't get enough thanks and appreciation and you might be able to change that. And while you are doing that, you may just be decreasing your turnover rate and increase retention amongst your employees. Here are some phrases you might want to use to thank

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Dr. Lisa Gonzales

Dec 22, 2017
1 min

Anyone CAN Change the World

Inspiring a new generation isn't easy work. But their energy and excitement for having an impact is something that shouldn't be ruled out. As I've watched life through the eyes of my own daughters, now approaching their teen years, they have great convictions for caring for the Earth, recycling, and justice. Here's a great video that can be used with students and the adults who work with them. Age isn't a huge consideration. Anyone CAN change the world! #literacy #leadership

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The Teacher Shortage…What to do? What to do?

Dr. Lisa Gonzales

Feb 18, 2017
2 min

The Teacher Shortage…What to do? What to do?

Here in California, not all school districts started the 2016/17 school year in rare form. Oakland Unified had some 400 vacant teaching positions. The behemoth Los Angeles Unified had 1,000 educator and support positions unfilled. And it isn’t for a lack of effort or recruiting. The additional challenge is that the locations most in need of credentialed teachers are school sites that are traditionally filled with large numbers of unrepresented minority students, truly those m

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Dr. Lisa Gonzales

Jan 2, 2017
3 min

Why 2016 Was a Spectacular Year

Call me an optimist. 2016 was a very good year. But for a number of very valid reasons, many of us didn't see 2016 ending on quite the high that the title of this article suggests, especially if you frequent social media or are a fan of the big screen and music industry. Here are 10 reasons why I think 2016 was spectacular, and how it can set us on a trajectory for an even greater 2017. #10 – The Giant Panda is now off the endangered list. Since I was a child, this rare anima

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Duct Tape, Recyclables and MakerSpaces: Skills for the Future

Dr. Lisa Gonzales

Nov 23, 2016
2 min

Duct Tape, Recyclables and MakerSpaces: Skills for the Future

Not sure if you can relate to that picture above, but if you can, you likely have a child somewhere in your world between the age of 5 and 15. Duct tape. I've always known the value of duct tape, having worked for years at the NASA Ames Research Center. Duct tape was frequently used by engineers and scientists, and you've heard of Apollo 13, right? The makeshift scrubber modification that saved the lives of the three astronauts relied on...you've got it....duct tape. Yes, tru

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Planning for Conferences...and Millennials

Dr. Lisa Gonzales

Oct 16, 2016
2 min

Planning for Conferences...and Millennials

Here I sit, on the precipice of planning a statewide leadership conference for public school administrators in November 2017. But I'll be asking many more questions than 'do they know the way to San Jose?' My aptly talented and skilled compadres from the Technology Information Center for Administrative Leadership (TICAL) will serve as my co-chairs, their names not publicly shared just in case they haven't informed their spouses that I roped them into more work. But as we begi

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Dr. Lisa Gonzales

Jul 9, 2016
2 min

Why Diversity Makes Us Smarter

In an era where politics is covering issues of diversity, and not always in a positive light, the efforts of leveling playing fields of the last decade seems to be in question. Whether immigrants being told they need to leave our country, acceptance of gays in the military, equal pay for equal work, the issues are deep seeded and emotionally charged. How does diversity make a difference? Most of those topics aside, to build teams that are strong, functioning and innovative, d

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Dr. Lisa Gonzales

Jun 29, 2016
2 min

PR Time - Let's Go, Educators!

Do we need to promote ourselves as educators? Absolutely. Do we do a good job of it? Absolutely not. Welcome to PR 101, that's for Public Relations 101. Back when I started teaching, it was not common for anyone to toot their own horn. As a matter of fact, sharing any of our successes as individual teachers was taboo at the site where I worked. Sad, isn't it? Face it. As educators, we don't do a great job of telling our stories....not even a good job most of the time. Why do

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Dr. Lisa Gonzales

Jun 24, 2016
2 min

Here's to the Grads!

Now that most schools are out of session for the summer, the celebration of graduations and promotions is about over. And certainly, those on the higher ends of education have received their fair share of unsolicited advice. They’ve been exposed to the useful messages, the not-so-useful. They’ve heard the stories and the ramblings of those who turned speeches into political statements (not a criticism, just an observation). Have you ever stopped to consider what you might wan

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Dr. Lisa Marie Gonzales

#brandher