Leadership
As we embrace a new year and a new decade, I believe that courageous leadership is needed more than ever. In this blog I share my reflections on this topic in hopes of inspiring thoughts of what this might look like for you.
From A “Pandemic Fatigued” Leader
Last week our kids went back to school—remotely. And while I admit the relief I feel that we aren’t physically sending the kids off to school right now, that we aren’t opening our front door to greater exposure threats of COVID—19, I think we are all feeling a loss.
August 16, 2020
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From A “Feeling Bittersweet” Courageous Leader
This week I wrote my final “From Your Dean” email. I am leaving the role to support our college in navigating and influencing our post-COVID future—in ways that allow us to retain fidelity to our core mission, while reimagining the future of what we do and how we do it to best serve those who need us most. While I feel strongly that this is the work I am called upon to do now, I found myself grieving as I struggled to write my goodbye to those who have helped make me the leader I am today.
July 6, 2020
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Leadership
Dear White Colleagues and Friends: This is the Time to Be Courageous
I am no expert on racism. How can I be? As a White person, steeped in whiteness, immersed in systematic and institutionalized racism, and White supremacy culture, I don’t feel I will ever be an expert, even if I made it my life’s work.
June 11, 2020
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Leadership
This is Changing Our Lives
Last week my 12-year-old stepdaughter came to me for help in writing her final essay for English class. She was tasked with writing a personal narrative on: How is your life different because of COVID—19? As I put together some questions she could use to generate ideas for her essay, I wondered, “How was she processing these experiences?”
May 23, 2020
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Leadership
Leap, and Lead Leaping
Recently I had a colleague share with me, “If the organization wants to go this direction, someone needs to put actual vision and details to it.” My response: create the vision and details if you think this is an idea worth pursuing, and then lead it. Of course, I have a whole blog site called be courageous leadership, reflective of my tendency to leap before I look too long.
May 7, 2020
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Leadership
Leap Courageously
My mom likes to share the story of the first day I rode the bus in kindergarten and proceeded to tell the bus driver which steps he should take to make sure I got home from school on time. She laughs when she shares this memory as evidence that I have never shied away from using my voice to lead others where I think they should follow.
April 18, 2020
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Leadership
Be Courageous as a ‘Pioneer Provider’
I have a “nerd crush” on Marcus Buckingham. It all started when I heard him on a podcast talking about his co-authored book, Nine Lies About Work. After which, I listened to the book on audible, purchased a hard copy to re-read, started following him on LinkedIn and Instagram …
April 17, 2020
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Leadership
2020 Needs Courageous Leadership
Approaching a new year always prompts my reflection on the year past and what it is that I want to focus on in the coming year. Last December, I inked my New Year’s commitment to “be courageous” with my first tattoo; although to give myself credit I think I’ve lived much of my life with courage.
April 16, 2020
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About Erica Barreiro
In love with the equity mission of education, I started my career as a high school teacher working primarily with “at-risk” youth and later taught and created programs to prepare future teachers. I then served as the Dean for the School of Communication, Humanities & Social Sciences at a large urban community college for 7 years. As a student of curriculum and pedagogy, I am fascinated by how emerging research and trends in work and learning can be leverage to drive a redesign of academic learning. I am currently engaged at my community college in a one-year fellowship researching, ideating, and facilitating dialog to reimagine post-secondary education in ways that will provide individuals with more agency in shaping their future of work and life in the age of the 4th industrial revolution.