The Bright Morning Podcast with Elena Aguilar
It’s possible for every coaching conversation to build connection and spark change, and Elena Aguilar will show you how. Elena Aguilar is one of education’s leading voices on coaching. Educators around the globe use her research-based coaching method to transform their organizations. Her company, Bright Morning, brings the ideas in her best-selling books to life by providing world-class professional development to mission-driven leaders. In The Bright Morning Podcast, Elena teaches you how to make every conversation count by demonstrating Transformational Coaching conversations. Every episode tackles a pressing coaching challenge. Resistance. Racism. Burnout. Overwhelm. Struggling new teachers. You’ll find it all here. If you’re ready to thrive in your work, listen in. New episodes drop every Monday. To learn more about Elena, go deeper into every episode, find the resources and tools she mentions, or join one of her workshops, check out https://brightmorningteam.com.
Episodes
When our core needs go unmet, we suffer. When they’re met, we thrive.
In this episode, Elena shares a live coaching demonstration of how to help a client recognize and respond to unmet core human needs. Listen in to deepen your understanding and build your capacity to support true transformation.
Notable moments:
Keep learning:
- Subscribe: Core Human Needs Skill Session in the Coach Learning Library
- The First 10 Minutes
- Receive w...
Limiting beliefs can keep your clients stuck.
In this episode, Elena shares a live demonstration of how to coach someone using the Exploring Beliefs Framework. You’ll hear how to surface disempowering stories, activate new possibilities, and begin the process of transformation.
Notable moments:
Keep learning:
- Subscribe: Exploring Beliefs Skill Session in the Coach Learning Library
- The First 10 Minutes (free tool)
- Receive weekly wi...
When your client jumps to conclusions, the Ladder of Inference can help.
In this episode, Elena demonstrates how to use the Ladder to surface assumptions, expand thinking, and move toward more grounded decision-making.
Notable moments:
Keep learning:
- Subscribe: Ladder of Inference Skill Session in the Coach Learning Library
- The First 10 Minutes
- Receive weekly wisdom and tools from Elena delivered to your inbox
- Watch the Bright Mo...
Want to hear what it sounds like to coach with the Wheel of Privilege and Power?
In this episode, Elena shares a live coaching demo and unpacks how to facilitate identity-based exploration with skill and care. Learn how to introduce this transformative tool and support your clients in building the self-awareness they need to lead for equity.
Notable moments:
Keep learning:
- Subscribe: Wheel of Privilege and Power Skill Session in...
Tomorrow’s episode tackles a powerful topic: Using the Wheel of Privilege and Power in your coaching conversations—and today, Elena’s giving you a preview. Plus, for this week only, you can go beyond the podcast and into practice. Follow the link in the show notes for exclusive access to a guided skill session from our Learning Library. Elena will walk you through exactly how to build this skill, step by step—but only for a limited...
Tired of coaching clients stuck in blame, burnout, or helplessness?
In this episode, Elena shares a live demonstration of how to coach someone off the Drama Triangle—and into a place of empowerment. Learn how to identify the roles of victim, villain, and hero, and how to gently invite your clients into transformation.
Notable moments:
Keep learning:
- Subscribe: Getting Off the Drama Triangle Skill Session in the Coach Learning Li...
“This isn’t who I want to be.”
If you’ve ever said those words—or quietly thought them at the end of a long day—this episode is your invitation to reconnect with your purpose.
Elena shares how a clear personal vision can help you lead with integrity, coach with confidence, and stay rooted in your values—even in the midst of school chaos. If you’ve been drifting, it’s time to realign.
Keep learning:
- Join the Coach Learning Library...
If your calendar reflects everyone’s priorities except yours, this episode is for you.
Elena shares why so many coaches feel overworked and under-impactful—and how to reclaim your time through an intentional weekly schedule. You’ll hear a story of transformation, learn what to prioritize, and get practical tools to help you stop reacting and start coaching with clarity and purpose.
Notable moments:
Keep learning:
- Join the Coach ...
Your introduction as a coach sets the tone for every conversation that follows.
But what if you’re not sure what to say—or how to say it in a way that builds trust?
In this episode, Elena shares what most coaches get wrong when introducing themselves and how to craft an authentic, values-based message that lays the foundation for transformational relationships.
Whether you’re brand new or looking for a fresh start, this i...
What if your admin doesn’t understand what coaching is—or worse, expects you to “fix” teachers?
In this episode, Elena shares how to proactively build a strong partnership with your site leader, even when expectations are unclear or misaligned. You’ll learn how to shift from confusion to clarity, reclaim your role, and set the stage for a thriving coaching year.
If you're ready to stop tiptoeing around your admin and start lea...
Sometimes, the people we love the most get the version of us we like the least. That’s normal, and we can do better. Our summer break series will help make that a reality by showing you how to apply your coaching moves in your everyday life. Minimal investment, big payoff. That’s our kind of summer!
Keep learning:
- Get more of Elena telling you exactly how to make your conversations more impactful with our Coach Learning Library...
Sometimes, the people we love the most get the version of us we like the least. That’s normal, and we can do better. Our summer break series will help make that a reality by showing you how to apply your coaching moves in your everyday life. Minimal investment, big payoff. That’s our kind of summer!
Keep learning:
- Watch the Bright Morning Podcast on YouTube and subscribe to our channel
- Get more of Elena telling you exactly how t...
Sometimes, the people we love the most get the version of us we like the least. That’s normal, and we can do better. Our summer break series will help make that a reality by showing you how to apply your coaching moves in your everyday life. Minimal investment, big payoff. That’s our kind of summer!
Keep learning:
- Watch The Bright Morning Podcast on YouTube
- Get more of Elena telling you exactly how to transform your conversation...
Sometimes, the people we love the most get the version of us we like the least. That’s normal, and we can do better. Our summer break series will help make that a reality by showing you how to apply your coaching moves in your everyday life. Minimal investment, big payoff. That’s our kind of summer!
Keep learning:
- Watch the Bright Morning Podcast on YouTube and subscribe to our channel
- Get more of Elena telling you exactly how t...
Sometimes, the people we love the most get the version of us we like the least. That’s normal, and we can do better. Our summer break series will help make that a reality by showing you how to apply your coaching moves in your everyday life. Minimal investment, big payoff. That’s our kind of summer!
Keep learning:
- Get more micro-learning at your fingertips with our Coach Learning Library and PLC
- Receive weekly wisdom and tools f...
Sometimes, the people we love the most get the version of us we like the least. That’s normal, and we can do better. Our summer break series will help make that a reality by showing you how to apply your coaching moves in your everyday life. Minimal investment, big payoff. That’s our kind of summer!
Keep learning:
- Get more micro-learning at your fingertips with our Coach Learning Library and PLC
- Core Emotions (free tool)
- Receive ...
In this episode, Elena tackles a challenge you're likely facing right now: the frantic race to complete year-end responsibilities while a crucial growth opportunity passes you by. Through an authentic coaching conversation, she shows you how to create an intentional summer learning plan when you're the one who always develops others.
Notable moments:
01:19 Context for coaching conversation
03:59 Start of coaching conversat...
Elena reveals how those moments when you suddenly lose composure—whether from a colleague's comment or an unexpected email—aren't signs of weakness but powerful opportunities. Discover how understanding your emotional activation points can actually be the unexpected key to greater job satisfaction and professional effectiveness.
Notable moments:
- 00:31 Exploring Emotional Triggers at Work
- 01:32 Understanding and Recogniz...
Tired of end-of-year celebrations that only recognize a select few? In this episode, Elena reveals how inclusive celebrations that honor everyone's growth—not just achievement—can transform school culture and build resilience. Through practical examples and actionable advice, she shows how meaningful recognition fills resilience tanks and strengthens communities, especially after challenging years in education.
Notable moments:...
Want to improve your self-awareness, strengthen your relationships, and refine your ability to make choices that align with your values?
That’s what this episode will help you do. Elena shares five questions from her end-of-year reflection for coaches that will help you soak up all of the learning from this year and help you head into summer with clarity and self-appreciation.
Notable moments:
00:43 The Power of End-of-Year Reflec...
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