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  • Writer's pictureDr. Lisa Gonzales

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 views and perspectives have changed as I have aged and I know where most of those lines are in my world, but challenges continue to come that allow me to recalibrate my perspectives.

Maybe I’ll call them “value checks”….where I can check in on my values and what I really still believe and feel, and where I’d be willing to stand up and go to battle.

So on this Monday…what do you stand for? If you want to ponder further, check out the video and article below, and then thank someone you know who has taken a stance or fought a tough fight and share the images. Inspire away….it’s Monday!

  • Read It

What do you stand for? Carl Phillips wrote an article for the Washington Post a few years ago and his message really nails this conversation (much better than I can, I may add – gotta give credit where credit is due). I especially like how he shares that if you (we) don’t act, someone else will and it may not be for the good. In our challenging political climate, ponder that one for a moment.

Then read this article…..

Olympian Heather McPhie uses a TED Talk opportunity to really hone in on knowing who you are and what you stand for. Check her out (and share it with colleagues and young people).

Take a look! I love her strategy of checking in on yourself as you go through the journey….and conquering inner demons.

  • Share It

I love to take images that I find online and turn them into note cards. I take a blank powerpoint slide and put four images on a page so they are easy to size and cut down into note cards that fit into small envelopes. I then carry them around in my briefcase so I can write a note of gratitude any time I see something I want to acknowledge at work, or when I want someone to know they are appreciated.

Print in color on cardstock….practically free! Here are a couple to consider….and to give frequently. It’s up to us to mentor. To encourage. To support. Try these out for size…

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