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 – coffee is a lovely treat).
Each week, my message will be a theme that struck a cord with me in the last week, an experience I had as a public school leader, an article I read or video I watched, or a topic I’ve been struggling with and that I’ve blogged about in an effort to reconcile my thoughts and quite my big brain. Or maybe it will be a topic that one of you has recommended (keep reading…)
Each week’s message will be built around a theme and will include a segment for further thought on that theme, such as:
Read It (an article on the topic)
Share It (an image that you can copy and share with others)
Watch It (a video that corresponds with the theme)
Some of the themes I have outlined for the coming weeks include:
Work/Life Alignment for Busy Leaders (and moms)
The Power to Forgive
The Game Changer, Gratitude
The Role of the Multiplier
I’ll keep the posts short enough so that less than 10 minutes with a cup of coffee is really all you need. And don’t feel you need to stick to coffee (water is great too) or that you need to spend that much reading and pondering.
Let me do some of that for us both.
A firm believer in giving credit where credit is due, I was similarly inspired by the weekly Sunday blog by Maria Shriver, who is arguably one of the most positive role models I’ve found out there, with themes that resonate – she speaks to my heart. I find that each Sunday (and sometimes Monday), I grab my own cup of coffee and read up on the ponderings she shares around a specific theme and then I reflect, reflect, reflect. I like it when others can bring that out in me, and I’ve been told time and time again that I’m that person in the lives of so many that I thought…oh what the heck: let me give this a shot.
I’m grateful to those along the way, especially those who have been with me on my journey as a state and national leadership with the Association of California School Administrators. As my now teenage twin daughters will tall you, much of my life is living in my own head with my thoughts, often in the car chauffeuring them to soccer when they see my eyebrows responding to a conversation in my head that I’m having. However, when other leaders regularly tell me of the reach of my positive messages and thoughts on LinkedIn and articles crafted on my website, the conversations have often encouraged me to do more, so this is where I landed.
Don’t expect everything to be grammatically correct or smooth. I’ve never wanted to be perfect in any way, shape or form, and my messages here are about the content much more so than the delivery. If you have an idea for a topic, feel free to message me with a suggestion via LinkedIn.
For those of you who are leaders, thank you for what you do. For those of you who lead in public education, I am so very grateful that you make a difference in the lives of students and their families and I appreciate being able to serve this noble profession with you.
And for those of you endeavoring to take on that role of leader, please do. While it is not an easy role to play, be it in education, on a nonprofit board, or even in your place of worship, it makes a difference in the lives of others and your work becomes your legacy.
See you next week!