September 15, 2023 • 27 mins
Ever wondered how your core values shape your leadership and decision-making process? Get ready to embark on an enlightening journey as we navigate the role core values play in authentic leadership with distinguished scholar and thought leader, Brené Brown, and our very own deputy superintendent of educational services, Dr. Lorraine Perez. We explore how identifying and embracing your core principles guide you to your authentic self, and how your experiences shape your decisions and interactions.
Join us as we delve into the influence of core values on our decision-making process, fostering authenticity and vulnerability. Hear Dr. Perez share invaluable insights on how we can leverage our experiences to lead with courage and create conditions for others to flourish. Furthermore, we highlight how mentorship plays a crucial role in augmenting leadership. I share my personal journey of how my mentor, Arturo Ortega, played a pivotal role in honing my leadership skills, and how his influence continues to guide my work. This episode, packed with wisdom and insights, promises to nudge you towards being the best version of yourself through the power of core values in leadership.
Visit us at our Buzzsprout site for more ways to listen, links to our social media sites and any referenced materials, and complete transcripts of our full-length episodes: https://bit.ly/SAUSDAmplifyingLeadership
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Episode Transcript
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Bianca Barquin (00:07):
Welcome back to SAUSD's Amplifying Leadership.
I'm your host, Bianca Barquin,the Assistant Superintendent of
Teaching and Learning at theSanta Ana Unified School
District.
Today we're diving into asubject that is fundamental, yet
often overlooked (00:21):
the crucial role of core values in
leadership.
Values aren't just words orideas we casually throw around.
They form the very bedrock ofour actions, our decisions and
how we interact with the world.
Brené Brown, a renowned scholarand thought leader, has
emphasized time and again thatembracing our core values is
(00:44):
synonymous with embracing ourauthentic selves.
To illuminate this compellingtopic, we are once again joined
by a dear friend and a beacon ofeducational leadership, Dr.
Lorraine Perez, our DeputySuperintendent of Educational
Services.
Dr.
Perez's insights andexperiences promise to shed
(01:04):
light on the intricate dancebetween values and leadership.
So, whether you're aneducational leader or an
educator, or simply someone keento dig deeper into the soul of
leadership, today's conversationpromises to be both insightful
and transformative.
Let's begin.
Lorraine, thank you for joiningus today.
(01:26):
To start off, could you sharewith our listeners your
perspective on what core valuesreally mean, especially in the
context of leadership?
Dr. Lorraine Perez (01:36):
Thank you for inviting me back, Bianca.
When I think about core valuesand I think about them a lot
this is something that really isthe compass for you as a person
and provides directionalitywhen you are thinking about your
role as a leader or even asyourself, as just a person
running around in life.
(01:57):
What guides you, what is thatcompass that's pointing you in
the direction that you're goingto go, and that's going to
actually provide thatdirectionality when you have
decisions to make or you have asituation before you and you're
not really sure how to proceed?
Our core values are the thingsthat we lean back on, and it is
(02:19):
our place of comfort when weactually know what they are.
Bianca Barquin (02:25):
So I know that we were going to engage in an
activity during our leadershipsymposium and it was going to be
around core values.
So what I'm hoping this segmentis for us, and really for our
principals, is kind of a previewof what it's going to be like
to engage in that activity.
So when I ask the questions Iwant you to keep that in mind.
(02:46):
Many of us might find itchallenging to pinpoint our core
values amidst the noise ofsocietal expectations.
How did you personally come toidentify and embrace your core
values?
Dr. Lorraine Perez (03:01):
So that's a great question and I think it is
a personal journey.
I know that as people, we tendto lean towards core values that
we think everybody wants tohear.
We're the leader, so peoplewant to hear us say that we
value certain kind of things, orwe want to be viewed as a good
person, and so we say that wevalue certain things like family
(03:24):
and faith, and those arebeautiful and they may be your
core values.
But when you really dig deepand think about yourself as a
person and yourself as a leader,what can you point to as
evidence in your life of yourcore values?
And I think it's not somethingthat you only espouse, but
(03:46):
something that other people,when they think of you, they
think, wow, this person reallyexemplifies these things.
So it's been a journey.
I know for myself, getting toknow myself better and being
honest with myself about what'simportant to me was crucial in
(04:06):
being able to identify my corevalues, accept them and really
lean into them.
Bianca Barquin (04:13):
Thank you for that, Lorraine.
I remember engaging in thisactivity with you and looking at
a sheet that had a list of corevalues on it and I know it's
similar to an exercise we willengage in with principals and I
actually identified with over 20of the core values on that list
(04:34):
and I remember you saying, okay, great B.
, that's wonderful, but can youfigure out how to collapse those
into headers that would reallydefine who you are?
And they can be collapsed and Irealized, oh my gosh, this
isn't as hard as I thought itwould be.
So you can pare it down to one,two or three that really truly
(04:58):
define you.
Can you tell me what your toptwo or three core values are?
Dr. Lorraine Perez (05:04):
Sure, definitely.
So this one sounds very clicheand it was why I didn't wanna
accept it as my core value.
I was like, no, that soundsreal silly.
But when I think about it and Ilook for evidence in my life,
future generations really is acore value of mine and some
(05:25):
people would say, well, ofcourse she's in education, she
cares about the future of theworld and I do, but deeply it's
about future generations.
Of anybody who has sat in anyseat that I've sat in, and I
mean like, in particular, theprincipal role.
It's why I made the crazy leapto say I think I want to do
(05:50):
district leadership, because Ihad such a great experience and
know what the role could be.
And I asked myself how did thatperson create the conditions
for me to fly and really thriveas a school site leader?
And I wanted to do that forothers because it was so
(06:10):
fulfilling and my role as aprincipal was the best role ever
and I want our principals tofeel that way and, yes, it's
tough, but I want them to beexcited about the impact that
they get to have.
And so for me, futuregenerations isn't just about the
students that we serve, it'sabout the leaders that we serve
(06:33):
as well, and knowing that whenwe're creating the space for the
leaders to really thrive andwork with their vision that our
teachers and our staff are gonnabe in a great place, that's how
we create culture on our campusand we know it's gonna impact
kids.
So for me, future generationsgoes really, really deep, and I
(06:56):
can relate that to my personallife as well and the decisions
that I make in my life that aregonna benefit my own family
members and the futuregenerations of my family.
So, through and through, I haveto really acknowledge that that
is a core value of mine, andnow I lean into it and really
(07:18):
just ask myself that questionpretty much on a daily basis am
I doing something that's goingto positively impact future
generations of principals, ofstudents, of deputy
superintendents?
So that is really alive with me.
(07:38):
And then you asked to identifyone or two, and so courage is
really a core value of mine andI will relate this to a couple
of things and draw back to theexample that you gave of having
this list and can you categorizethem.
So when we think about being arisk- taker, I think it takes
(07:59):
courage to take risks and to trynew things.
So I do see myself as a risk-taker and that can be a core
value in and of itself, but Ichoose to couch it under courage
, because in order to take thoserisks, I have to be courageous.
And also equity.
When we think about doing work,that is the equity work and
(08:21):
it's the very, very tough work,you have to be courageous.
And so I couch both of thosevalues under courage in my
leadership to speak up and tosupport folks who are also doing
those things.
And that's another thing, I doask myself, as I prepare for my
(08:42):
day, questions about what am Ireally doing today?
Am I adding value?
Am I living into my values?
Because it's really importantthat you do that.
That's how you feel fulfilled,that's how you make the
difference and really continueto love what you're doing.
Bianca Barquin (09:05):
It makes me think.
I mean, your answers are soprofound, but it really makes me
think of a lot of thecourageous work we're doing in
SAUSD right now.
Just thinking based on what yousaid, our Ethnic Studies work,
the stance we've taken in termsof not banning books, the stance
that we've taken in terms ofsupporting all students, LGBTQ+
(09:29):
that is courageous work, whichleads me to start thinking about
is it so what comes first, thechicken or the egg?
Do you identify your personalcore values and then you work
your way into the organization'score values?
Because I know we're gonnaengage in this work as an
organization as well.
(09:50):
What are your thoughts aroundthat?
Dr. Lorraine Perez (09:54):
So I think the self-work is critical.
We can't really go aboutidentifying the values of the
organization unless we know whatwe value, because collectively
we make up this district and sothe more that we understand
ourselves and what drives us,the better we can identify what
(10:18):
those core values are for thedistrict and really think about
alignment.
So there might be some thingsthat turn out to be outliers in
the core value realm, like if weput all of our leaders together
there might be things that aresitting on the periphery as core
values and maybe we bring themto life by actually couching
(10:41):
them under one of those largervalues that is getting a lot of
energy around it.
It's not that it doesn't matter, it's how do we look at this so
that each person can identifywhat they value and feel a part
of the organization, that theybelong, that what they have to
contribute is an asset.
(11:01):
So I think it starts with self.
Bianca Barquin (11:06):
Thank you.
Let me ask you another question.
Brené Brown emphasizes thecourage to be vulnerable in
leadership.
How do you feel our core valuesplay a role in embracing that
vulnerability?
Dr. Lorraine Perez (11:19):
So that's a really, really great question
and I think again I'm gonnarelate this back to myself I
could not really be vulnerableuntil I knew myself better.
There are a lot of things thatshape us, you know, and that's
for each and every one of us ourchildhood and experiences and I
(11:43):
used to lead in a way thatwasn't really authentic.
You know, I had some walls up,some, you know, things that I
put up to protect myself, that Ithought were protecting myself
so that I can do the work.
And once I learned about myselfmore and really dug deep around
(12:05):
my drivers and why I do a lotof the things that I do, it all
came back to my experiences.
And it wasn't until I startedsharing those experiences with
people that they then started tobuy into my vision.
They were like oh, this is whyshe does the things that she
does and the way that she doesthem not just what she does, but
(12:26):
the way that I go about thework.
And it was telling thosestories about my childhood and
how I came into education andwhy I advocate for certain
things that I advocate for.
But I couldn't do that becauseI didn't feel comfortable with
myself.
I tried to shield people fromseeing those things, because I
(12:48):
thought they were a weakness.
I thought people were gonnalook at me and say that I'm not
good enough, that I'm not, Idon't belong here, when I
realized that those were thethings that actually would be
the point of connection for mewith people and people with me.
Bianca Barquin (13:04):
So it directly connects with one of the
questions I was gonna ask you,but you've already answered it
for us.
So would you agree with whatBrené Brown says?
She says when we have thecourage to walk into our story
and own it, we get to write ourown ending.
Do you believe that's true?
Dr. Lorraine Perez (13:24):
I do.
I do.
I had to step into the spaceand acknowledge my experiences,
my family's experiences, becausewe're not just shaped by the
things that happen to us alone,but what happens to our families
.
And some people know this.
But my siblings didn't have theexperience that I had in the
educational setting and they haddifferent paths in their life,
(13:48):
and it really wasn't until Icould openly embrace their
experiences and their storiesthat I was able to become the
leader for all students and forour most vulnerable students,
because many of those studentsare my siblings.
Our students that are involvedin gangs those students are my
(14:13):
siblings.
The teen parent, those studentsare my siblings.
And so, as I became kind of therepresentative for my family
and for my community in theeducational system was when I
was able to actually fully stepinto the role and the way that I
(14:37):
serve now.
Bianca Barquin (14:39):
Thank you.
Can you recount a specificinstance where your core values
were put to the test?
How did they guide yourdecision-making during that
challenging time?
Dr. Lorraine Perez (14:52):
So I think this happens often because we
live in such a dynamicenvironment.
You know, I can think of acouple of instances and many
times it comes back to, in thisrole, having folks making the
decisions and be part of thedecisions of who will the next
(15:14):
leaders be and how we set peopleup for success.
So many times we're grapplingwith folks who might not be
ready and how do we get themready?
And really doing that throughmy lens of my core value,
believing in future generationsand building systems that create
(15:38):
and allow that space for peopleto grow in our organization.
And I've been quite challengedby that, because at times we're
not in control of all things andso when is it appropriate to
speak up?
And how do you speak up to sayyou know what you believe and
what you see evidence of, andnot leave it there just to
(16:03):
always live in that state, butto put the ball in motion to
actually create conditions forbetter learning and better
growth opportunities for ourleaders, because we want
everybody to be successful andsometimes, sadly, folks are
(16:24):
successful in spite of us, notbecause of what we're doing, and
that that's hard.
Bianca Barquin (16:34):
So, in an educational setting, how do you
see the alignment ormisalignment of core values
affecting the dynamics betweeneducators, administrators,
students and parents?
Dr. Lorraine Perez (16:48):
So I'm actually going to draw on women
in leadership.
I won't stay there, but I'mgoing to draw on that for a
second because I think when weare inauthentic, it comes
through, and so the example thatI'm going to give is many times
(17:09):
, as women, we have seen leadersbefore us, likely male leaders
operate in a certain way thatworks for them.
And we, as women and I will say, speaking for myself, you see
that and you think the way thatI am successful is to emulate
(17:30):
that, when in actuality, that isour biggest detriment, because
each of us and women you know inparticular we bring certain
things to a role and we leaddifferently, and that's okay,
that's beautiful.
And it's when we don't payattention to our core values and
(17:57):
I'm going to use a term that wemight be familiar with from the
work with Arbinger it's when webetray ourselves that the
misalignment comes.
So when you ask the questionabout when there's misalignment
between you know administrators,teachers, students, all of you
(18:21):
know parents I think that comesat the point of self-betrayal.
We can come to common ground aslong as we don't betray
ourselves and start makingdecisions that we wouldn't
normally make and are driven bysome other outside pressure.
(18:45):
If we're true to ourselves andwe're authentic and we're honest
about that, I believe that wecan come to the table and solve
anything together.
Now there are going to be timeswhere people are drastically
misaligned and I'm going tospeak specifically to things
(19:07):
that you mentioned earlier withthe work that we're doing around
Ethnic Studies, around thesupport of our LGBTQ students
and families and staff.
There are times when peoplejust are misaligned.
They view things drasticallydifferent.
At that point, decisions forourselves we have to make them
(19:32):
to say this is not the place forme.
There is a place for you, butit might not be here and that's
okay, because, ultimately, ifyou are betraying yourself and
you're staying in a space whereyour core values aren't lining
up, you are going to bemiserable and that's the last
(19:53):
thing that we want for people.
Just as human beings, that'sthe last thing we want for
people, because you're not goingto be able to live and lead to
your potential.
Bianca Barquin (20:06):
Wow, that requires deep reflection, right,
and we have to look inward anddo a lot of self-work to really
understand and to truly beauthentic.
Tell me a little bit about thefuture work you see in SAUSD
around core values, which shouldlead to our vision and mission
(20:30):
statement, right?
So what will that look like forus?
Dr. Lorraine Perez (20:35):
So, I think I talked about the self-work
being most important in thisjourney, and so I would like for
us to invest that time andenergy for leaders and staff and
even, at some point, ourstudents, to have space to
explore and identify their corevalues.
(20:58):
Think about how powerful thatis for a student.
I did not know what my corevalues were and that's probably
what prompted me to flounder andbe all over the place as a
young person.
But if we're sending studentsout, kind of in the vein of the
graduate profile, into the world, knowing who they are and
(21:21):
accepting and identifying whatthey bring as assets, I think
that's beautiful.
So the future work in ourdistrict, I would like for that
to be felt really all throughthe system, the self-work and
really knowing who we are.
The better we know who we are,the better we can serve others
(21:41):
and know that kind of the deepwhy around why we serve and how
we serve.
But then ultimately, yes,looking at how we honor the
individuals in the organizationand use that as a launching pad
for identifying what we as adistrict hold dear in our core
(22:06):
values and how will that shapethe mission and the vision of
the district and really what'sto come.
Like I say this often, andpeople who are in space with me
will be very familiar with how Ithink and what I'm going to
share now around.
Everything we're doing in thisplan, in any planning, is not
(22:29):
for us.
It will be felt in three tofive years from now.
The things we experience nowtoday in our personal lives or
in our organization and ourprofessional lives, was planted
some time ago, and so it'sreally important that we take
the time and spend the energy toprepare for that future.
(22:52):
Three to five years from now,what do we want our organization
to look like?
If we want it to be morepersonal and authentic, then I
think this is the way that weneed to invest knowing each
other, having people knowthemselves, so that way, we know
how we all come together as anorganization and what we value
(23:15):
and how we serve.
Bianca Barquin (23:18):
It makes me think about whenever I work with
young people or teenagers andwe start talking about core
values and mission statements,really, and even vision
statements.
It's almost like asking thequestion hey, do you want to go
on a road trip with me?
And what's the first questionthat people will ask it's where
(23:40):
you are going.
If you've never identified yourcore values and you don't have
a mission statement or a visionstatement as a group or an
organization.
It's almost like going on aroad trip not having any idea of
what your destination is orwhat's important to you and what
are we going to see.
(24:01):
So thank you for that.
I'm actually really superexcited about the direction that
we're going in.
So our time has come to an end,but before we sign off, it's
time for our amplifieracknowledgement segment.
So, Lorraine, if you couldamplify the message or lesson of
one educator or leader who'smade a significant impact in
(24:24):
your journey, who would it beand what is that resonating
message?
I know that during our firstepisode, you mentioned how your
first grade teacher recognizingsomething special or potential
in you, how that's made aprofound impact on you to this
day.
Is there anybody else thatyou'd like to acknowledge?
Dr. Lorraine Perez (24:43):
Yeah, I've been a really blessed in my life
.
I have so many people that havereally had an impact on me.
I'm going to hold this spacefor my former assistant
superintendent, Arturo Ortega,who is now the superintendent in
(25:04):
Azusa Unified.
He created that space for me asa leader.
He created the conditions thatmade me love being a principal,
and it really was and is wherethe desire came for me to create
that space and those conditionsfor others.
He gave me the tools, providedthe resources and constantly
(25:31):
invested in me and said go andsupported the direction that we
went, and so he really has hadan impact and I know so much of
that was guided by his own corevalues.
He believed in us and all of usas principals, all of the group
(25:56):
that we were with at the time,and just created that space, and
so he is definitely the personthat I feel very blessed and
honored to have had in my pathand has had an impact and
continues to have an impact onmy leadership.
I don't know, almost 15 yearslater.
Bianca Barquin (26:17):
That's pretty powerful, and I actually see it
reflected in your leadership,because it's exactly what you do
with all of us.
You try to give us the space,you encourage us.
When we have crazy ideas,you're happy to go along with it
, as long as it's going to helpus get our messages across and
improve student outcomes, andyou truly are a supporter, and
(26:40):
we are grateful for that.
Remember leadership is not justabout guiding, but also
celebrating and acknowledgingthose who have paved the way.
To our listeners, may thesestories inspire you, challenge
you and remind you of your ownamplifiers.
So until our next deep dive,keep amplifying, keep leading
(27:00):
and keep making a differencewithin the walls of our schools
and in the hearts of ourstudents.
I'm Bianca Barquin, and thishas been SAUSD's Amplifying
Leadership.
Welcome back to SAUSD's Amplifying Leadership.
I'm your host, Bianca Barquin,the Assistant Superintendent of
Teaching and Learning at theSanta Ana Unified School
District.
Today we're diving into asubject that is fundamental, yet
often overlooked (00:21):
the crucial role of core values in
leadership.
Values aren't just words orideas we casually throw around.
They form the very bedrock ofour actions, our decisions and
how we interact with the world.
Brené Brown, a renowned scholarand thought leader, has
emphasized time and again thatembracing our core values is
(00:44):
synonymous with embracing ourauthentic selves.
To illuminate this compellingtopic, we are once again joined
by a dear friend and a beacon ofeducational leadership, Dr.
Lorraine Perez, our DeputySuperintendent of Educational
Services.
Dr.
Perez's insights andexperiences promise to shed
(01:04):
light on the intricate dancebetween values and leadership.
So, whether you're aneducational leader or an
educator, or simply someone keento dig deeper into the soul of
leadership, today's conversationpromises to be both insightful
and transformative.
Let's begin.
Lorraine, thank you for joiningus today.
(01:26):
To start off, could you sharewith our listeners your
perspective on what core valuesreally mean, especially in the
context of leadership?
Dr. Lorraine Perez (01:36):
Thank you for inviting me back, Bianca.
When I think about core valuesand I think about them a lot
this is something that really isthe compass for you as a person
and provides directionalitywhen you are thinking about your
role as a leader or even asyourself, as just a person
running around in life.
(01:57):
What guides you, what is thatcompass that's pointing you in
the direction that you're goingto go, and that's going to
actually provide thatdirectionality when you have
decisions to make or you have asituation before you and you're
not really sure how to proceed?
Our core values are the thingsthat we lean back on, and it is
(02:19):
our place of comfort when weactually know what they are.
Bianca Barquin (02:25):
So I know that we were going to engage in an
activity during our leadershipsymposium and it was going to be
around core values.
So what I'm hoping this segmentis for us, and really for our
principals, is kind of a previewof what it's going to be like
to engage in that activity.
So when I ask the questions Iwant you to keep that in mind.
(02:46):
Many of us might find itchallenging to pinpoint our core
values amidst the noise ofsocietal expectations.
How did you personally come toidentify and embrace your core
values?
Dr. Lorraine Perez (03:01):
So that's a great question and I think it is
a personal journey.
I know that as people, we tendto lean towards core values that
we think everybody wants tohear.
We're the leader, so peoplewant to hear us say that we
value certain kind of things, orwe want to be viewed as a good
person, and so we say that wevalue certain things like family
(03:24):
and faith, and those arebeautiful and they may be your
core values.
But when you really dig deepand think about yourself as a
person and yourself as a leader,what can you point to as
evidence in your life of yourcore values?
And I think it's not somethingthat you only espouse, but
(03:46):
something that other people,when they think of you, they
think, wow, this person reallyexemplifies these things.
So it's been a journey.
I know for myself, getting toknow myself better and being
honest with myself about what'simportant to me was crucial in
(04:06):
being able to identify my corevalues, accept them and really
lean into them.
Bianca Barquin (04:13):
Thank you for that, Lorraine.
I remember engaging in thisactivity with you and looking at
a sheet that had a list of corevalues on it and I know it's
similar to an exercise we willengage in with principals and I
actually identified with over 20of the core values on that list
(04:34):
and I remember you saying, okay, great B.
, that's wonderful, but can youfigure out how to collapse those
into headers that would reallydefine who you are?
And they can be collapsed and Irealized, oh my gosh, this
isn't as hard as I thought itwould be.
So you can pare it down to one,two or three that really truly
(04:58):
define you.
Can you tell me what your toptwo or three core values are?
Dr. Lorraine Perez (05:04):
Sure, definitely.
So this one sounds very clicheand it was why I didn't wanna
accept it as my core value.
I was like, no, that soundsreal silly.
But when I think about it and Ilook for evidence in my life,
future generations really is acore value of mine and some
(05:25):
people would say, well, ofcourse she's in education, she
cares about the future of theworld and I do, but deeply it's
about future generations.
Of anybody who has sat in anyseat that I've sat in, and I
mean like, in particular, theprincipal role.
It's why I made the crazy leapto say I think I want to do
(05:50):
district leadership, because Ihad such a great experience and
know what the role could be.
And I asked myself how did thatperson create the conditions
for me to fly and really thriveas a school site leader?
And I wanted to do that forothers because it was so
(06:10):
fulfilling and my role as aprincipal was the best role ever
and I want our principals tofeel that way and, yes, it's
tough, but I want them to beexcited about the impact that
they get to have.
And so for me, futuregenerations isn't just about the
students that we serve, it'sabout the leaders that we serve
(06:33):
as well, and knowing that whenwe're creating the space for the
leaders to really thrive andwork with their vision that our
teachers and our staff are gonnabe in a great place, that's how
we create culture on our campusand we know it's gonna impact
kids.
So for me, future generationsgoes really, really deep, and I
(06:56):
can relate that to my personallife as well and the decisions
that I make in my life that aregonna benefit my own family
members and the futuregenerations of my family.
So, through and through, I haveto really acknowledge that that
is a core value of mine, andnow I lean into it and really
(07:18):
just ask myself that questionpretty much on a daily basis am
I doing something that's goingto positively impact future
generations of principals, ofstudents, of deputy
superintendents?
So that is really alive with me.
(07:38):
And then you asked to identifyone or two, and so courage is
really a core value of mine andI will relate this to a couple
of things and draw back to theexample that you gave of having
this list and can you categorizethem.
So when we think about being arisk- taker, I think it takes
(07:59):
courage to take risks and to trynew things.
So I do see myself as a risk-taker and that can be a core
value in and of itself, but Ichoose to couch it under courage
, because in order to take thoserisks, I have to be courageous.
And also equity.
When we think about doing work,that is the equity work and
(08:21):
it's the very, very tough work,you have to be courageous.
And so I couch both of thosevalues under courage in my
leadership to speak up and tosupport folks who are also doing
those things.
And that's another thing, I doask myself, as I prepare for my
(08:42):
day, questions about what am Ireally doing today?
Am I adding value?
Am I living into my values?
Because it's really importantthat you do that.
That's how you feel fulfilled,that's how you make the
difference and really continueto love what you're doing.
Bianca Barquin (09:05):
It makes me think.
I mean, your answers are soprofound, but it really makes me
think of a lot of thecourageous work we're doing in
SAUSD right now.
Just thinking based on what yousaid, our Ethnic Studies work,
the stance we've taken in termsof not banning books, the stance
that we've taken in terms ofsupporting all students, LGBTQ+
(09:29):
that is courageous work, whichleads me to start thinking about
is it so what comes first, thechicken or the egg?
Do you identify your personalcore values and then you work
your way into the organization'score values?
Because I know we're gonnaengage in this work as an
organization as well.
(09:50):
What are your thoughts aroundthat?
Dr. Lorraine Perez (09:54):
So I think the self-work is critical.
We can't really go aboutidentifying the values of the
organization unless we know whatwe value, because collectively
we make up this district and sothe more that we understand
ourselves and what drives us,the better we can identify what
(10:18):
those core values are for thedistrict and really think about
alignment.
So there might be some thingsthat turn out to be outliers in
the core value realm, like if weput all of our leaders together
there might be things that aresitting on the periphery as core
values and maybe we bring themto life by actually couching
(10:41):
them under one of those largervalues that is getting a lot of
energy around it.
It's not that it doesn't matter, it's how do we look at this so
that each person can identifywhat they value and feel a part
of the organization, that theybelong, that what they have to
contribute is an asset.
(11:01):
So I think it starts with self.
Bianca Barquin (11:06):
Thank you.
Let me ask you another question.
Brené Brown emphasizes thecourage to be vulnerable in
leadership.
How do you feel our core valuesplay a role in embracing that
vulnerability?
Dr. Lorraine Perez (11:19):
So that's a really, really great question
and I think again I'm gonnarelate this back to myself I
could not really be vulnerableuntil I knew myself better.
There are a lot of things thatshape us, you know, and that's
for each and every one of us ourchildhood and experiences and I
(11:43):
used to lead in a way thatwasn't really authentic.
You know, I had some walls up,some, you know, things that I
put up to protect myself, that Ithought were protecting myself
so that I can do the work.
And once I learned about myselfmore and really dug deep around
(12:05):
my drivers and why I do a lotof the things that I do, it all
came back to my experiences.
And it wasn't until I startedsharing those experiences with
people that they then started tobuy into my vision.
They were like oh, this is whyshe does the things that she
does and the way that she doesthem not just what she does, but
(12:26):
the way that I go about thework.
And it was telling thosestories about my childhood and
how I came into education andwhy I advocate for certain
things that I advocate for.
But I couldn't do that becauseI didn't feel comfortable with
myself.
I tried to shield people fromseeing those things, because I
(12:48):
thought they were a weakness.
I thought people were gonnalook at me and say that I'm not
good enough, that I'm not, Idon't belong here, when I
realized that those were thethings that actually would be
the point of connection for mewith people and people with me.
Bianca Barquin (13:04):
So it directly connects with one of the
questions I was gonna ask you,but you've already answered it
for us.
So would you agree with whatBrené Brown says?
She says when we have thecourage to walk into our story
and own it, we get to write ourown ending.
Do you believe that's true?
Dr. Lorraine Perez (13:24):
I do.
I do.
I had to step into the spaceand acknowledge my experiences,
my family's experiences, becausewe're not just shaped by the
things that happen to us alone,but what happens to our families
.
And some people know this.
But my siblings didn't have theexperience that I had in the
educational setting and they haddifferent paths in their life,
(13:48):
and it really wasn't until Icould openly embrace their
experiences and their storiesthat I was able to become the
leader for all students and forour most vulnerable students,
because many of those studentsare my siblings.
Our students that are involvedin gangs those students are my
(14:13):
siblings.
The teen parent, those studentsare my siblings.
And so, as I became kind of therepresentative for my family
and for my community in theeducational system was when I
was able to actually fully stepinto the role and the way that I
(14:37):
serve now.
Bianca Barquin (14:39):
Thank you.
Can you recount a specificinstance where your core values
were put to the test?
How did they guide yourdecision-making during that
challenging time?
Dr. Lorraine Perez (14:52):
So I think this happens often because we
live in such a dynamicenvironment.
You know, I can think of acouple of instances and many
times it comes back to, in thisrole, having folks making the
decisions and be part of thedecisions of who will the next
(15:14):
leaders be and how we set peopleup for success.
So many times we're grapplingwith folks who might not be
ready and how do we get themready?
And really doing that throughmy lens of my core value,
believing in future generationsand building systems that create
(15:38):
and allow that space for peopleto grow in our organization.
And I've been quite challengedby that, because at times we're
not in control of all things andso when is it appropriate to
speak up?
And how do you speak up to sayyou know what you believe and
what you see evidence of, andnot leave it there just to
(16:03):
always live in that state, butto put the ball in motion to
actually create conditions forbetter learning and better
growth opportunities for ourleaders, because we want
everybody to be successful andsometimes, sadly, folks are
(16:24):
successful in spite of us, notbecause of what we're doing, and
that that's hard.
Bianca Barquin (16:34):
So, in an educational setting, how do you
see the alignment ormisalignment of core values
affecting the dynamics betweeneducators, administrators,
students and parents?
Dr. Lorraine Perez (16:48):
So I'm actually going to draw on women
in leadership.
I won't stay there, but I'mgoing to draw on that for a
second because I think when weare inauthentic, it comes
through, and so the example thatI'm going to give is many times
(17:09):
, as women, we have seen leadersbefore us, likely male leaders
operate in a certain way thatworks for them.
And we, as women and I will say, speaking for myself, you see
that and you think the way thatI am successful is to emulate
(17:30):
that, when in actuality, that isour biggest detriment, because
each of us and women you know inparticular we bring certain
things to a role and we leaddifferently, and that's okay,
that's beautiful.
And it's when we don't payattention to our core values and
(17:57):
I'm going to use a term that wemight be familiar with from the
work with Arbinger it's when webetray ourselves that the
misalignment comes.
So when you ask the questionabout when there's misalignment
between you know administrators,teachers, students, all of you
(18:21):
know parents I think that comesat the point of self-betrayal.
We can come to common ground aslong as we don't betray
ourselves and start makingdecisions that we wouldn't
normally make and are driven bysome other outside pressure.
(18:45):
If we're true to ourselves andwe're authentic and we're honest
about that, I believe that wecan come to the table and solve
anything together.
Now there are going to be timeswhere people are drastically
misaligned and I'm going tospeak specifically to things
(19:07):
that you mentioned earlier withthe work that we're doing around
Ethnic Studies, around thesupport of our LGBTQ students
and families and staff.
There are times when peoplejust are misaligned.
They view things drasticallydifferent.
At that point, decisions forourselves we have to make them
(19:32):
to say this is not the place forme.
There is a place for you, butit might not be here and that's
okay, because, ultimately, ifyou are betraying yourself and
you're staying in a space whereyour core values aren't lining
up, you are going to bemiserable and that's the last
(19:53):
thing that we want for people.
Just as human beings, that'sthe last thing we want for
people, because you're not goingto be able to live and lead to
your potential.
Bianca Barquin (20:06):
Wow, that requires deep reflection, right,
and we have to look inward anddo a lot of self-work to really
understand and to truly beauthentic.
Tell me a little bit about thefuture work you see in SAUSD
around core values, which shouldlead to our vision and mission
(20:30):
statement, right?
So what will that look like forus?
Dr. Lorraine Perez (20:35):
So, I think I talked about the self-work
being most important in thisjourney, and so I would like for
us to invest that time andenergy for leaders and staff and
even, at some point, ourstudents, to have space to
explore and identify their corevalues.
(20:58):
Think about how powerful thatis for a student.
I did not know what my corevalues were and that's probably
what prompted me to flounder andbe all over the place as a
young person.
But if we're sending studentsout, kind of in the vein of the
graduate profile, into the world, knowing who they are and
(21:21):
accepting and identifying whatthey bring as assets, I think
that's beautiful.
So the future work in ourdistrict, I would like for that
to be felt really all throughthe system, the self-work and
really knowing who we are.
The better we know who we are,the better we can serve others
(21:41):
and know that kind of the deepwhy around why we serve and how
we serve.
But then ultimately, yes,looking at how we honor the
individuals in the organizationand use that as a launching pad
for identifying what we as adistrict hold dear in our core
(22:06):
values and how will that shapethe mission and the vision of
the district and really what'sto come.
Like I say this often, andpeople who are in space with me
will be very familiar with how Ithink and what I'm going to
share now around.
Everything we're doing in thisplan, in any planning, is not
(22:29):
for us.
It will be felt in three tofive years from now.
The things we experience nowtoday in our personal lives or
in our organization and ourprofessional lives, was planted
some time ago, and so it'sreally important that we take
the time and spend the energy toprepare for that future.
(22:52):
Three to five years from now,what do we want our organization
to look like?
If we want it to be morepersonal and authentic, then I
think this is the way that weneed to invest knowing each
other, having people knowthemselves, so that way, we know
how we all come together as anorganization and what we value
(23:15):
and how we serve.
Bianca Barquin (23:18):
It makes me think about whenever I work with
young people or teenagers andwe start talking about core
values and mission statements,really, and even vision
statements.
It's almost like asking thequestion hey, do you want to go
on a road trip with me?
And what's the first questionthat people will ask it's where
(23:40):
you are going.
If you've never identified yourcore values and you don't have
a mission statement or a visionstatement as a group or an
organization.
It's almost like going on aroad trip not having any idea of
what your destination is orwhat's important to you and what
are we going to see.
(24:01):
So thank you for that.
I'm actually really superexcited about the direction that
we're going in.
So our time has come to an end,but before we sign off, it's
time for our amplifieracknowledgement segment.
So, Lorraine, if you couldamplify the message or lesson of
one educator or leader who'smade a significant impact in
(24:24):
your journey, who would it beand what is that resonating
message?
I know that during our firstepisode, you mentioned how your
first grade teacher recognizingsomething special or potential
in you, how that's made aprofound impact on you to this
day.
Is there anybody else thatyou'd like to acknowledge?
Dr. Lorraine Perez (24:43):
Yeah, I've been a really blessed in my life
.
I have so many people that havereally had an impact on me.
I'm going to hold this spacefor my former assistant
superintendent, Arturo Ortega,who is now the superintendent in
(25:04):
Azusa Unified.
He created that space for me asa leader.
He created the conditions thatmade me love being a principal,
and it really was and is wherethe desire came for me to create
that space and those conditionsfor others.
He gave me the tools, providedthe resources and constantly
(25:31):
invested in me and said go andsupported the direction that we
went, and so he really has hadan impact and I know so much of
that was guided by his own corevalues.
He believed in us and all of usas principals, all of the group
(25:56):
that we were with at the time,and just created that space, and
so he is definitely the personthat I feel very blessed and
honored to have had in my pathand has had an impact and
continues to have an impact onmy leadership.
I don't know, almost 15 yearslater.
Bianca Barquin (26:17):
That's pretty powerful, and I actually see it
reflected in your leadership,because it's exactly what you do
with all of us.
You try to give us the space,you encourage us.
When we have crazy ideas,you're happy to go along with it
, as long as it's going to helpus get our messages across and
improve student outcomes, andyou truly are a supporter, and
(26:40):
we are grateful for that.
Remember leadership is not justabout guiding, but also
celebrating and acknowledgingthose who have paved the way.
To our listeners, may thesestories inspire you, challenge
you and remind you of your ownamplifiers.
So until our next deep dive,keep amplifying, keep leading
(27:00):
and keep making a differencewithin the walls of our schools
and in the hearts of ourstudents.
I'm Bianca Barquin, and thishas been SAUSD's Amplifying
Leadership.
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