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Bright Morning Blog

Best-selling author and coaching expert, Elena Aguilar, shares her wisdom about coaching, leading teams, and designing and facilitating transformational professional development.

Take the Easy Way Out

Latest Article

Take the Easy Way Out

September 16, 2024

There are some non-negotiable things that we have to do. There are also a great many things that we can say no to, choose to postpone, or just make a bit easier.

Four Design and Facilitation Learnings

Four Design and Facilitation Learnings

July 22, 2024

Last year, I wanted to take my PD design and facilitation skills to the next level. I felt a little stale.

Do You Struggle with Disengaged Learners?

Do You Struggle with Disengaged Learners?

July 15, 2024

Years ago, I used to get really annoyed when I facilitated PD and saw people browsing Facebook during an activity or while I was giving instructions. Sometimes, they were shameless: I’d hover next to them, hoping my proximity would redirect them, but they didn’t stop. I’d ruminate on their rude behavior and design coercive strategies to try to control them, but those rarely worked.

Are You Avoiding the Conversation?

Are You Avoiding the Conversation?

July 8, 2024

Many people experience fear when discussing equity. This fear is usually rooted in fear of loss of connection, which makes sense.

How to Savor Your Holiday

How to Savor Your Holiday

July 1, 2024

Researchers have found that the happiest people savor the good moments in life. By taking the time and spending the effort to appreciate the positive, we can experience more well-being.

Build a Stronger Team with One Move

Build a Stronger Team with One Move

June 24, 2024

Learn one move that will help strengthen your team.

Do You Want to Make the Next School Year Easier?

Do You Want to Make the Next School Year Easier?

June 17, 2024

If you’re not familiar with it, the 5-Minute Rule is a proven cognitive behavioral therapy technique that can be summed up with “Just do it for five minutes.” It makes starting tasks that have been looming easy by minimizing the effort required to get going.

This Summer, Build Your Skills at Creating Connection

This Summer, Build Your Skills at Creating Connection

June 10, 2024

The top core human need is the need for connection. ‍So how do you create connection between adults? Which structures do you incorporate into coaching, facilitating, and leading teams so that meaningful connection happens?

How to Continue the Quest to Better Know Yourself

How to Continue the Quest to Better Know Yourself

June 3, 2024

In the Onward framework, the topic for June is “Know Yourself.” While the second chapter is on understanding emotions, I think that you can’t know yourself without knowing your emotional landscape.

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Bright Morning Podcast

The Getting-to-Know-You Conversation: Episode 217

September 16, 2024

Aligning Expectations Between Coach and Admin: Episode 216

September 9, 2024

Designing Impactful Coaching Goals

September 2, 2024

Crafting Your Personal Vision for the School Year

August 26, 2024

Six Things Coaches Need to Know Before School Starts

August 19, 2024

Determining Your Schedule for the School Year

August 12, 2024

How to Introduce Yourself to Clients

How to Coach Behaviors: Coaching Conversations

Coaching Behaviors: Teacher-to-Student Interaction Tool

How to Coach Behaviors: The Gaps Framework

Coaching Behaviors: Planning for the Conversation

How to Coach Behaviors

How to Coach Beliefs: Coaching Demonstration

How to Coach Beliefs: Create New Beliefs

Coaching Beliefs: A Simple Three-Step Tool

How to Coach Beliefs: The Drama Triangle

How to Coach Beliefs: Five Things You Need to Know

Coaching Conversation: Coaching Core Human Needs

How to Coach Towards Agency

How to Curb Your “Fix It” Tendency

Core Human Needs and Coaching Conversations

How to Coach Ways of Being

Building Strong Coach/Admin Relationships

Sneak Peek #1: Inside Elena’s Newest Book!

Sneak Peek #2: Inside Elena’s Newest Book!

Sneak Peek #3: Inside Elena’s Newest Book!

Sneak Peek #4: Inside Elena's Newest Book!

What to Do When You’re Not Feeling Compassionate or Curious

What You Need to Know about Classroom Walkthroughs

How to Set Up Meeting Process Observers

February 26, 2024

Coaches of Color, It’s Time to Honor Your Needs

February 19, 2024

How to Use the Ladder of Inference in Your Coaching Conversations

February 12, 2024

I Don’t Want to Co-Sign THOSE Feelings.

February 5, 2024

Try It On: Supercharge Your Learning

November 27, 2023

Try It On: Let Your Coachee Lead

November 20, 2023

Try It On: The Power of Silence

November 13, 2023

Try It On: A Question to Unlock Our Power

November 6, 2023

Try It On: A Question to Surface Underlying Beliefs

October 30, 2023

Try It On: A Confidence Building Sentence Stem

October 23, 1987

Try It On: Less Talking, More Impact

October 16, 2023

Try It On: Learn from Your Coachee’s Non-Verbals

October 9, 2023

Try It On: Improve Your Communication with Non-Verbals

October 2, 2023

What You Need to Know About Taking Notes During Your Coaching Conversations

September 25, 2023

How to Prepare for a Coaching Conversation in Five Minutes

September 18, 2023

How to Set Goals with Your Coachees

September 11, 2023

How to Introduce Yourself as a Coach

September 4, 2023

How to Introduce Coaching to New Clients

August 28, 2023

The Six Elements of Transformational Coaching

August 21, 2023

The Six Most Important Things to Know If You're a New Coach

August 14, 2023

Proactively Mitigating and Responding to Harm in Group Spaces

Facilitating PD: Post-Event Reflection

Designing PD: Reflection Before the Event

Designing & Facilitating Team Meetings - Part 2

Designing & Facilitating Team Meetings: Part 1

Navigating Contagious Negativity

Can I Coach Here?

When Someone Is “Too Far Gone” for Coaching

When “Equity” is Prohibited

Coaching Conversation: Finding Your Power

Coaching Conversation: ACE In Action

Three Resilience Boosters You Haven’t Heard Before

The Role of “Self-Care” for Educators

What do we mean by “every conversation is an equity conversation?”

Coaching When You’re the Boss

Responding When Emotionally Activated

How to Build Your Team’s EQ

How to Close Your Coaching Conversations

How to Determine Your Coaching Conversation Area of Focus

Transformational PD Part 3: Responding to Resistance

February 13, 2023

Transformational PD Part 2: Six Transformational Tips

February 6, 2023

Transformational PD Part 1: What It Is and Why You Need It

January 30, 2023

Coaching Resistance: Part 3 - Coaching Demonstration

January 23, 2023

Coaching Resistance: Part 2 - Preparing OURSELVES

January 16, 2023

Coaching Resistance Part 1: What is Resistance?

January 9, 2022

How to Set Yourself Up For a Great Year

January 2, 2023

In Conversation with Dr. Dena Simmons

November 28, 2022

Disrupting Racism at the Dinner Table…And Beyond

November 21, 2022

Disrupting Racism in Coaching Conversations

November 14, 2022

Why We Need Affinity Spaces

November 7, 2022

Microaggressions 101

October 31, 2022

Coaching Conversation: The Final Conversation

September 26, 2022

Coaching Conversation: Phase 4: Build New Practices

September 19, 2022

Coaching Conversation- What Happens when You Trust the Process

September 12, 2022

Coaching Conversation: Building Relationships and Trust in Phases 1 and 2 of Transformational Coaching

September 5, 2022

Transformational Coaching in Action - Phase 1: Surface Current Reality

August 29, 2022

Limited Series: Starting the School Year Strong - Setting Yourself Up to Coach

August 22, 2022

Limited Series: Starting the School Year Strong Considerations for a Thriving Coaching Program

August 15, 2022

Limited Series: Starting the School Year Strong The PD You Need

Starting Strong: The Power of Vision

Do What You Can: In Conversation with Sharon McMahon of @SharonSaysSo

What to Read This Summer with Dr. Kimberly Parker

Coaching Joy

Coaching Sadness

Coaching Emotions: Anger

10 Strategies to Shift a Mood

It’s All In the Details

When Things Don’t Go According to Plan

Powerful Facilitation Starts and Ends With You

The PD Book Sneak Peek

What to Say: Listener Questions- Asked & Answered