This past week was International brain awareness week. Many leaders coast through life on automatic pilot and never stop to become aware on how they can optimize the power of their brains tp be better leaders.

It turns out that the brains of effective leaders exhibit similar electrical patterns. Subjects rated "inspirational" by their employees generate high levels of coherence in the right frontal part of the brain. That's the region which is responsible for interpersonal communication and social relationships. It's the region where language and interpersonal capabilities such as empathy, co-operation and strategizing happens.

Dr. Ada Gonzalez, LeadershipAda GonzalezMarch 25, 2018Leadership, brain, Neuropsychology Comments

4 Common Barriers to Effective Conversations and how to break them

We all know the frustration of hitting a barrier, a roadblock while traveling. It prevents progress. It usually means a stop in traffic that can extend for miles. In conversations, it's not uncommon for barriers to arise when opinions and worldviews clash. We are human, and because of it, we have an innate need to protect and affirm our beliefs and opinions. Many times this can result in defensive behaviors and uneasy situations. Learn how to overcome your communication barriers.

Dr. Ada Gonzalez, DialogueAda GonzalezMarch 18, 2018communication, leadership, dialogue, barriersComment

Expect Success to Get Success

In case you didn't know it, March is the "International Expect Success Month." Accomplished leaders anticipate success, and that helps them obtain it. Research shows that high expectations lead them to work harder and commit to conquering the challenges ahead.

International Women's Day Theme is #PressforProgress

On March 8, numerous countries around the world – from Algeria to Vietnam, from the USA to Australia – will observe International Women’s Day. Although great strides have been made, and 2017 saw the #metoo movement bring abuse issues to the forefront, and the need for more equality more urgently felt, recent studies project that we are far from reaching equality.

Dr. Ada Gonzalez, LeadershipAda GonzalezMarch 4, 2018leadership and management, leadership, women, #PressforProgress, #IWD2018Comment

How Leaders Can Build Relationships at Work

Leaders who try to go it alone seldom accomplish much. Only until they build productive relationships with the people they lead can they begin to tap into the true potential of the group. But what does it take to build those relationships at work? On this blog post Dr. Ada is summarizing the most relevant findings from recently published research. It includes specific ideas on how to build relationships.

Dr. Ada Gonzalez, LeadershipAda GonzalezFebruary 25, 2018Relaitonships, Leadership, communication, dialogue, trustComment

Why leaders need heart power

In the month of February our society forces us to think about love and relationships. Valentine’s day is all about heart. Today I want to show you that leadership should also be about heart. Leading from the heart is the best way to lead businesses and organizations.

Dr. Ada Gonzalez, LeadershipAda GonzalezFebruary 3, 2018heart, leaders, Churchill, relationshipsComment

Only 8% of people make changes. Are you one of them?

Let me guess: You want to lose weight in 2018, or just eat healthier. Perhaps you want to spend less money or spend more time with your friends and family. Maybe you want to stop procrastinating and finally start your own business. Whatever it is, Self-improvement, or at least the desire for it, is a shared American hobby.

Estimates say more than 40% of Americans make New Year's resolutions. But for all the good intentions, only a tiny fraction keep their resolutions. University of Scranton research suggests that just 8% of people achieve their New Year's goals.

You can be included on that 8%. This blogs explains how.

Dr. Ada Gonzalez, ChangeAda GonzalezJanuary 4, 2018change, coaching, leadership and managementComment

Do you need to change anything?

Many times we talk about our desire to change. As the last month of the year progresses, we start taking inventory and thinking about what we need to change in the new year. We go back and forth between wanting to change and dreading the idea of change. You know deep down there are some things you really need to change, but how do you get ready to change? How can you get to that transformation that will signal you have really changed?

Unless your mind is ready to make a focused, no barrels hold, commitment to change, you are not ready. Do you know where you are in the continuum of readiness to change? December is a good month to contemplate the need for change. Keep reading to learn how to get ready.

Dr. Ada Gonzalez, Change, LeadershipAda GonzalezDecember 10, 2017ChangeComment

Why change doesn't work

We are starting the last month of the year. As the year starts unwinding to it’s end, we tend to become more contemplative of our life and work. We take inventory. We weight opportunities. We think about change. . .

Unfortunately, after many years of doing the same, making new resolutions for the new year, and failing at them, many give up on change and on themselves. If you are like them, you think about change, but have come to HATE change. . . or your failure with change. In today's post learn what works.

Dr. Ada Gonzalez, ChangeAda GonzalezDecember 3, 2017change, transformationComment

Share gratitude

It’s the time of year in the US when we all remember to give thanks for our many blessings. It’s a good practice. Yet, it seems to me that designating only one day a year to giving thanks is not enough given the power of gratitude!

According to Cicero, "Gratitude is not only the greatest of the virtues but the parent of all others." Multiple studies have shown the correlation between gratitude and increased wellbeing not only for the individual but for all people involved. At present there is an impressive body of research showing the benefits gratitude has for the health of our brain and heart, our level of happiness, the contribution to a positive work environment, and increased productivity. Find out how you can express more gratitude.

Dr. Ada Gonzalez, LeadershipAda GonzalezNovember 19, 2017leaddershipComment

The biggest barrier to solving anything

Have you ever tried to solve a specific problem with your team only to be bogged down in endless discussions that make everybody angry and weary and get you nowhere near a solution? You might be surprise at what is the biggest barrier to problem-solving!

Dr. Ada Gonzalez, LeadershipAda GonzalezNovember 12, 2017leaddership, leadership and managementComment

How much would you pay for a smile?

How much do you think a smile would cost? What value would you assign to a smile given to you? How would you calculate the residual effect of seeing a smile, or giving a smile? What if your life depended on smiling?

This world is full of people who run around full of negativity– frustration, anger, disappointment. As their frustration piles up, they become contagious spreading it to other people at work, at home, or on the streets, making many around them miserable too. Frowns abound, smiles are scarcer.

Few people would argue that smiling is bad for you, but new research is showing just how many ways smiling is beneficial to your career and well-being. Here is a short rundown.

Dr. Ada Gonzalez, LeadershipAda GonzalezNovember 5, 2017LeadershipComment

Leadership Words that matter: Responsibility

At the end of the day, if you are irresponsible, you can't expect anybody else to be responsible. It is Responsibility what qualifies you to show up at a higher level of leadership. When you model responsibility, you will also get more responsibility from the other leaders under you and from everybody in the organization.

Dr. Ada Gonzalez, LeadershipAda GonzalezSeptember 24, 2017leadership and management, leadership development, responsibilityComment

Leadership words that matter: Collaboration

Collaboration has evolved in its meaning. In older times it had a negative connotation. A collaborator was a spy, someone that was collaborating with the enemy. For some leaders it would seem that collaboration is still a negative word!

Yet, a current working definition of collaboration, shared by several different disciplines is: joining together to make possible that which cannot be accomplished alone. The present business environment demands that kind of collaboration.

Dr. Ada Gonzalez, LeadershipAda GonzalezSeptember 17, 2017collaboration, leadership, leadership and managementComment

Leadership words that matter: Hope

Hope is one of those words that brings a lot of good feelings. When people become hopeless they get depressed, “lose heart,” “give up.” Some even want to die. However, no case of suicide has ever happened because a person had too much hope.

Without hope you don’t take action on anything, much less tackle change. Hope get us up in the morning. As a leader, hope makes you strategize and act upon your dreams and goals.

So hope is good. . . right? Well. . . kind of. . .

Dr. Ada Gonzalez, LeadershipAda GonzalezSeptember 10, 2017leadership, leadership and managementComment

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