FocusED Show Notes with Guest Julia Bialeski

Julia shares that her book Leading with Grace was inspired by her personal and professional transitions within public education, reflecting on the impact of leadership roles on her growth and identity.​

She describes the “leadership lifespan” concept—emphasizing that leadership is temporary and every position involves unique phases and resets, regardless of prior experience.​

Julia talks about how pivotal and formative challenges, like becoming a principal just before the pandemic, reshape leadership perspectives, emphasizing the importance of calm, communication, and empathy during crisis.​

She acknowledges that meaningful reflection often happens after difficult moments, not during them, and encourages leaders to create mechanisms for regular reflection, such as notes apps, calendar logs, or journals.​

Julia highlights the value of having others help identify one’s strengths, and how post-crisis reflection can reveal qualities like strategic thinking and effective listening that may be overlooked in the busy moment.​

Julia stresses the power of consistency over intensity, encouraging leaders to track small daily wins and progress for long-term growth.​

She recommends creating a “time sanctuary” with protected personal routines, sharing how her morning routine keeps her energized and clear-headed for leadership decisions.​

Julia is a strong advocate for habit formation, minimizing decision fatigue through automation of daily routines, and finding what works individually for each person, citing books like Atomic Habits and The Miracle Morning.​

She discusses boundaries as essential for well-being, sharing recent reads and insights about setting personal limits and organizational support structures.​

Julia recommends integrating reading into daily routines to foster continuous professional growth, preferring physical books and sharing tips for making time for reading over distractions like TV or scrolling.​

She underscores the point that “leaders are readers,” encouraging ongoing curiosity and deep dives into “pockets of interest” for lasting impact.​

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