Relational Kaleidoscope

Episode 13: Dialogue for Democracy with Lois Vermillya & Steve Preskill

Lois Vermilya, Steve Preskill, and I have been lifetime thinking partners & relational friends. We have been learning with and from one another for 25 years now and our friendship has many deep levels. In this episode, we get to sit down to explore the levels of our longtime friendship, and my fellow co-authors and I discuss our latest edition of the book "Dialogue for Democracy".  Steve, Lois and I wrote the first edition of Dialogue for Democracy in the early 2000s and have recently had the opportunity to publish a new edition available for e-book purchase on our website relationalearning.com.

Episode 12: Our RelationaLeadership Institute with Anne Henderson

We're finally back with another installment of Relational Kaleidoscope! In this episode, a much appreciated work partner of mine Anne sits down with me to reflect and recap a RelationaLeadership Institute we just held here in Santa Fe. Anne Henderson works in Connecticut, where the 20 some participants of the institute also hailed. We spent so much time building a program these participants could appreciate and leave with a more relational perspective as a result.
 
In this episode you'll get to hear some of the Operating Principles of RelationaLeadership that Anne and I developed together and you will hear some takeaways from the institute. Not only that, but you will of course get to know my friend Anne Henderson, as she takes us on the journey of her work, and discusses how she found the Center and our materials essential to the work that she does for educators in the public school system.
 
Learn about RelationaLearning & RelationaLeadership: https://relationalearning.com/relationshipsfirst/
Learn even more about Anne: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anne-t-henderson-9695958/
Book an Institute with Dr.Otero for your team: https://relationalearning.com/contact/

Episode 11: The Big & Little Letters of Education through Relationships - With Bryan Garcia

Diving back into the kaleidoscope this episode with my colleague, Bryan Garcia. Bryan is the current Community Schools Development Specialist for our local school system. He and I have had the privilege of developing a working relationship discussing the importance of Relationships, especially when it comes to fostering the community surrounding a school. I am so glad he was able to join me for this 11th episode to discuss his own life's kaleidoscope and the important relationships all around him. Listen in if you are eager to hear more about Community Schools in New Mexico and the Center for RelationaLearning's important work to help skillfully place relationships first in every interaction.

Episode 10: The Relational Model to Find Joy - with Bob Sparks

For our tenth episode, we are delighted to have back the guest from Episode 1 Bob Sparks. Bob and I have worked together for years, and he is so helpful to me when it comes to my own relational journey. He is a relational guide for me, and so each time I have him on the episode I am sure the content will shine that much brighter. In this episode, we discuss in depth our relational model, and the impact that coaching to put the relationship first has had on peoples lives.
 
Take a look at our model on our website: https://relationalearning.com/relationaleadership/

Episode 9: Storytelling - A Natural Way of Learning - with Bob Kanegis & Liz Mangual

For this episode, I'm joined by Storytellers and Story Coaches Bob Kanegis and Liz Mangual. Storytelling is a huge avenue and strategy for connection, learning, and even healing. Bob & Liz have spend many years spreading the word about the power of story telling. Their experience, what they have shared with the community, and all the connections story has to relationships are shared in this latest installment of Relational Kaleidoscope. If you could have joined us in the room for this recording, perhaps you would have been able to feel the excitement in our voices as we learned about one another's resonant work for the first time. Listen to this episode and you'll discover a *magical* way to make people feel seen, heard and valued. Also check out the link to Bob & Liz's website to learn more about what they do:
https://www.storyconnection.com

Episode 8 - Study Tour Reflections

After a September full of Study Tour experiences, I have sat down with our latest group of visitors from Australia to discuss their takeaways from the experience. During a Study Tour with the Center for RelationaLearning, I take visiting educators to the schools, museums, cultural and natural wonders of New Mexico. We discover what might be the same between our approaches to education as well as what may be different. This group of study tour visitors approached the entirety of their visit with open hearts and open minds. I think that in listening to our discussion here, you're getting a wonderful first hand look at what can be taken away from a Study Tour through the Center. I hope you enjoy the episode, and as always feel free to reach out to the Center if you have any interest in visiting New Mexico yourself!

Episode 7: Optimistic Evolution - with Jan Clifford

Jan Clifford is a life long friend of my wife Susan and for that reason, I have had the honor of becoming her friend over the years as well. If you listen to this episode I think you will find, as I have, that Jan speaks with a sense of deep respect, and also wonder for life's sometimes messy journey. Not only does she accept its flaws, but she embraces them and says thank you. Jan, Susan and I get to some of the nitty gritty in this episode, and our dear friend articulates perfectly what a relationship is, it's everything, the heart and soul of life comes from the relationships we have with the ones we hold dear. Listen in, and don't be afraid to call or email me to discuss what you thought of this most recent installment of Relational Kaleidoscope.

Episode 6: The Opportunity Generation with Sofia Martinez

Episode 6 is incredibly special, as the guest is my very own Granddaughter Sofia Martinez. Sofia is the producer of this podcast, a program development assistant for the Center for RelationaLearning, and our head Marketing and Communications team member. Sofia has done so much since joining the Center, and working with her adds a new layer to our relationship as well. Hear more about it in this episode, and also hear about how Sofia, a member of Gen Z feels about the world and her generations place within it.

Episode 5 : What Leads Us with Suzanne Cridge

Suzanne Cridge's experience and time with relational content is expansive and it is easy to tell when you sit down and chat with her. Sue has lived both in New Mexico, and also in Australia. Having experience in both spaces gives her some interesting perspectives that I think every listener will find thought provoking and also hopeful. So sit down with us! Let's get to know our cousins from down under, learn more about Sue, and keep making this Kaleidoscope more dynamic and beautiful with each added perspective.

Episode 4: Creating Change Together with Miguel Angel Acosta

In Episode four I get to sit down with none other than the wonderful Miguel Angel Acosta Munoz. Miguel was born and raised in Chicago. He moved to New Mexico in 1991. He has 30 years experience advocating for educational and social justice in poor, working-class and Chicano/Latino communities. Miguel Angel received his BA from the University of Illinois, being the first in his family to attend college. Miguel Angel’s work includes teaching in alternative high schools, developing and directing youth leadership programs, developing, teaching in and coordinating adult basic education programs, coordinating community health initiatives and recruitment and retention work in higher education. On top of all this, Miguel also happens to be an associate with us at the Center for RelationaLearning and Leadership. I met Miguel many years ago, when a mutual friend of ours noticed just how much we needed to get together for a meeting of the minds. Our ideas, passion and work have always inspired one-another, and for this reason I'm sure hearing his messages in this episode will inspire some of you. Miguel is running for City Council here in Santa Fe very soon, and I sure am glad to know that men like him still strive to make a difference. Give this one a listen if you'd like to learn why a Relational mindset is the key to creating very real change. Even politics can become collaborative again if we all take a beat and think with a relational intention.