The Bright Morning Podcast with Elena Aguilar

The Unexpected Episode

Surprise! The podcast really is over. But we’re unexpectedly sharing one more episode because I have some unexpected news: I wrote another book. It's called How to

Thank You and What’s Next: Ep 297

It’s the final episode of The Bright Morning Podcast! Elena shares a heartfelt thank you and shares how to keep learning and growing with the Bright Morning Team.   Keep

Three Moves to Start Next Year Strong: Episode 296

If you’re starting to think about next year—and wondering how to set your team up for a strong start—this episode is for you. Elena shares the three most powerful moves l

Plan Less. Capture More: Episode 295

If you’re feeling the urge to plan everything right now—but your brain is fried and your energy is low—this episode is for you. You’ll learn a simple tool to distill your

The Year Didn’t Go as Planned—Now What?: Episode 294

If you’re ending the year with some disappointment or regret—if things didn’t go quite the way you imagined—this episode is for you. Elena offers support and perspective

Ending Well is a Leadership Skill: Episode 293

If you know that ending the year on a high note is important for your team, but you don’t know how to make it happen, this episode is for you! You’ll learn how to create

Ending the Year When You’re Not Coming Back: Episode 292

If you’re wrapping up the school year knowing you won’t be returning to your current role or organization, this episode is for you. Elena shares how to find clarity and i

Strengths-Based Coaching: Episode 291

If you’re ready to move beyond fixing problems and start coaching in a way that builds trust and motivation, this episode is for you. Elena walks you through how to shift

Spheres of Influence: Episode 290

If you’re feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or powerless in the face of things you can’t change, this episode is for you. Elena introduces the Spheres of Influence framework—a

Mind the Gap: Episode 289

If you’ve ever wondered why a client isn’t doing what they say they want to do—and you’re tempted to label it as resistance—this episode is for you. Elena introduces the

Data Conversations That Don’t Shut People Down: Episode 288

What do you do when your client looks at data and shuts down? Or gets defensive? Or spirals into blame? In this episode, Elena explores how to coach through tough data co

Make Virtual Spaces Come Alive: Episode 287

If you’ve ever wondered how to make your virtual PD sessions more energizing, more human, and more engaging—this episode is for you. Elena pulls back the curtain on three

Design for Dignity: Episode 286

What does it look like to design PD that honors people’s identities and experiences? In this episode, Elena shares a story of a dignity-absent PD session she once attende

How Power Shows Up in the Room: Episode 285

If you’ve ever felt the dynamics in a room shift but couldn’t quite name why, this episode is for you. Elena introduces the Power Reflection Map and shares how she used i

Designing for Emotions, Not Just Content: Ep 284

If you’ve ever felt like your session was “technically fine” but still falling flat, this episode is for you. Elena Aguilar explores why PD facilitators must tune into em

The Conditions for Learning Checklist: Ep 283

If you’ve ever designed a PD session that had great content—but still didn’t land—this episode is for you. Elena shares a story of how she redesigned a session to priorit

What Makes PD Transformational: Episode 282

If you’ve ever led a PD session that felt great in the moment but didn’t lead to real change, this episode is for you. Elena Aguilar shares the 3 B’s framework—behavior,

The Lie We’ve Been Told About PD: Episode 281

If you’ve ever walked out of a PD session wondering what the point was, this episode is for you. In this kickoff to our PD podcast series, Elena Aguilar shares a powerful

Coaching Through the Low Points: Episode 280

If you’ve ever found yourself staring at a team member who’s clearly struggling and wondered, “What do I even say right now?”—this episode is for you. Elena explores how

What to Do When a Team Member Breaks Down: Episode 279

If you’ve ever been in a conversation where someone starts crying, shuts down, or lashes out—and you weren’t sure what to do—this episode is for you. Elena offers guidanc