Episode 183: Empowering Leaders Through Story, Positivity, and Purpose with Barbara Gruener

Dr. Darrin Peppard

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Dr. Darrin Peppard

All right, my friends, welcome into episode 183 of the Leaning Into Leadership podcast. On this episode, man, I am joined by the incredible Barbara Gruner. Barbara is a 40-year veteran educator, author, and SEL coach. Barbara shares her journey from growing up in Wisconsin on a dairy farm to becoming a passionate educator focused on social-emotional learning and character development.

Now Barbara and I dive into her inspiring encore career, her latest book, Birdie and Mips, and the lessons that she has learned about building connections, serving with kindness, and leading with intention. Barbara's infectious energy and stories will leave you uplifted and have you ready to lean into leadership with purpose. And I will tell you, just as one added little bonus, Barbara actually got me a little choked up.

in this episode, maybe a first here on the Leaning Into Leadership podcast. Folks, it's a fantastic episode. I know you're absolutely going to love this one. So sit back and enjoy my conversation with Barbara Gruner.

Dr. Darrin Peppard (: 00:01

So one of the interesting decisions that I'll use the word decision that my wife and I made when we decided to go into this entrepreneurial space was not only the leadership coaching, the leadership speaking and being an author, but was to launch our own publishing company. And certainly we had a number of fun conversations about that.

and that's probably for another episode. But one of the coolest pieces about doing that work is some of the really cool people that I get to meet and to be connected with and to just honestly be blessed to be part of their circles. And my guest on today's show, Barbara Gruner, is absolutely one of those people, one of those people that, and I haven't yet been in the same room yet with Barbara, other than a Zoom room.

But certainly when Barbara's in the room, there's a level of energy that isn't there when Barbara's not in the room. So I'm super excited to hit the record button and just have a conversation with Barbara. We've been talking for, I don't know, a good 15 or 20 minutes already without hitting the record button. So Barbara, I'm so excited to have you here on the Leaning Into Leadership podcast. Welcome in, my friend.

Barbara Gruener (: 01:26

Thank you so much, Darren. It has been so fun to partner with you and watch what you're doing with leadership and pair it with the experiences that I'm having down here in Texas. And I just love a Midwestern friend. know, I grew up in Wisconsin and somebody that's just close to my roots always brings home a little bit closer to Texas.

Dr. Darrin Peppard (: 01:49

There you go, I love that, I love that. So let's do this just really quick for my listeners who aren't familiar with you. Give them as much or as little as you would like to of the Barbara Gruner story so they're a little bit more oriented with who you are before we dive into our conversation.

Barbara Gruener (: 02:09

Okay, thank you. Yeah, so I grew up on a dairy farm in Wisconsin. It's been in our family about 162 years. It's still there today. So I milked 250 cows before and after school. It was a lot of time to write stories, stories in my head, a lot of times about how to escape the farm. Well, as soon as I got out of college, I decided, you know, Texas is pretty far from Wisconsin. Maybe they can't make me milk these cows anymore. So I got a degree in Spanish and I took off for Texas. I was a Spaniard.

teacher for 10 years. During that time I actually got two master's degrees, one in just education, educational leadership, the second in school counseling. So I left the high school and went elementary with my school counseling degree after being a high school counselor for five more years. And so I was in the elementary school for a glorious 17 years, which really puts me in every grade, a pre-K,

full time for a little bit in: 2018

w I had left the classroom in: 1994

the school but I was wanting to stay one more year connected just because I was local and I wanted to the 40-year mark. So I ended my last year doing triage really wherever the district needed me. I was with a little kindergartner who only spoke Spanish and wasn't eloper. I was with a woman who had cancer and I could be her long-term sub. I got third grade. got like high school. It was so much fun the last year because it just was

Barbara Gruener (: 04:35

all of the grades, whoever called basically like being a guest teacher but going a little deeper because the people who needed some someone with skills more than just your average

you know, guest teacher. So that's my journey this year. I've been promoted to grandma. It's probably the best gig around. Our little Leah Odette was born in February. So I'm just hanging out writing. I was at the school today doing some volunteer work. I volunteer with the MAD organization and with the Pet Rescue with the Cat condo. So I'm just all over the place. I have a lot of energy to burn as you already know. Thank you for that. And but I

to bring it in a positive way. Like I always want it to be intentional or meaningful and not just here I am an ADHD you know bundle of energy but to use it to positively connect and engage.

Dr. Darrin Peppard (: 05:36

There's there's so much in there that that I would love to unpack and a couple of things that that I'd like us to go a little bit deeper on but but but I have to go with this first. You and I were talking before we hit record about about writing and you know I'm in the final stages of finishing up this book that I'm writing with Katie Kinder and in the chapter that I'm actually writing right now I'm doing a chapter on

Barbara Gruener (: 05:38

you

Barbara Gruener (: 05:59

you

Dr. Darrin Peppard (: 06:05

engagement versus disengagement in the classroom. And I opened the chapter with a story from when I was a student or not a student teacher, but when I was a substitute teacher and how I remember walking into the classroom and, so often I was greeted with, you know, here's a lesson plan or maybe a little short letter or occasionally just these

beautifully outlined, you know, and here's everything you need to know about all my kids and, and literally everything in between. And when you talk about essentially wrapping up, you know, and then coming full circle back to being a substitute, took, it took me right back to that and made me wonder when you go back to the beginning and there at the end and you even said it, you know, they needed somebody with some skills. What was it like?

going in and substituting after all of those years, doing all the different things you did, because again, I remember, you know, very beginning as a substitute, you just are like, I just hope that it doesn't go off the rails, right? What was it like being a substitute with, just with the experience that you have?

Barbara Gruener (: 07:25

Okay, first of all, when I was able to do secondary, think about it, Darren, where are those kids now? So in 2018, I left them as third, fourth, and fifth graders. Where are they now? Friendswood High School.

And so to be able to walk into this building and see these children who were 10 at the time, eight, nine and 10, and now they're 16, 17, 18 and 19 or close to, yeah. And I would hear, Garuda, you know, because they knew me as their school counselor for six years. And now those kids are seniors. That booster shot of B12.

Like there is nothing like it. That joyful gasp that says, is that really you? And then to think, gosh, did I even ever have to help that kid? But I had one senior say, Mrs. Grunert, mom wanted to know if I would ever go back to school, to elementary. And all I told her is only if I could sit with you on your carpet and watch a puppet show again.

This is a senior in high school. And so I'm like, you never know what they're going to remember. But if you made them feel good, feel comfortable, feel safe, if that was indelible on their hearts.

Dr. Darrin Peppard (: 08:40

Wow.

Barbara Gruener (: 08:55

They remember that and when you show up as a sub, I mean, I would get like, what are you doing here? And I'm like, I'm the guest teacher. That was so fun. In the smaller grades, it was crazy to step in as a third grade teacher full time because I've never been elementary. I was secondary.

Dr. Darrin Peppard (: 09:02

I bet,

Barbara Gruener (: 09:16

But this woman had cancer and she called me up and I said, I just don't know. I'm not a third grade teacher. She goes, the way you helped my children when I was a mom over there, I don't even care what skills you have. I know what skills you bring. so she didn't even really care. I mean, she cared, of course, but it was going to be right before Christmas, right after Christmas. So the timing.

was going to be decent. But then it turned out she was allergic to the chemo. So I ended up going every Friday so she could go for her infusion. So like these kids are my kids. And I was suddenly a third grade teacher. It was so cool.

Dr. Darrin Peppard (: 09:41

Yeah.

Barbara Gruener (: 09:57

Yeah, and then everything in between pre-k, my gosh, PPCD, like these littles who just like love so unconditionally but are so out of bonds. Every day was a new adventure and when I was too tired I said no. So like you pick your schedule, that's glorious. Like it really... Yes!

Dr. Darrin Peppard (: 09:58

Yeah.

Dr. Darrin Peppard (: 10:13

That's what prepared you for grandma duty right there, was you're like, okay, yeah, this is where I know I can draw the line and say, no, I'm not gonna be there today. That's awesome. that's outstanding. I just love that so much. Yeah, that's so interesting to hear. And you know what, I mean, I'll say this, shout out and kudos to every third grade teacher on the planet.

Barbara Gruener (: 10:24

I don't need the money that badly.

Barbara Gruener (: 10:42

absolutely.

Dr. Darrin Peppard (: 10:43

They are just, I mean, all teachers are just amazing, and I didn't teach third grade, but I will tell you, when I was a superintendent, I had a rockstar third grade team, and it wasn't just that they were amazing teachers and amazing human beings, but what they did in the classroom and what's expected at the third grade. In almost every state in the country, that's where state testing starts to come in, so the pressure starts to come on.

Barbara Gruener (: 11:09

Yeah, here in Texas too.

Dr. Darrin Peppard (: 11:12

you're transitioning from learning to read to reading to learn. You know, there's just so much going on. Third graders now want to be the bigger kids. I mean, there's just so much in third grade. So I can imagine, I mean, when I would go spend time in my third grade rooms, how exhausted I would be after like 15 minutes. So I can imagine that that had to be like, you know, wow, this is not high school Spanish anymore, right?

Barbara Gruener (: 11:40

No, it's not school counseling and we run 90 to nothing. It's something like you have this schedule in there with you all day long until you can't wait for that little, you know, 45 minute, which it's not a break really, but prep period. But I will tell you, I knew, I knew at Thanksgiving why I had to go there. We got a little girl from Nebraska and they put her in my room handpicked because her mom had died in child's birth.

Dr. Darrin Peppard (: 11:51

Yeah.

Barbara Gruener (: 12:08

having her little sister and now she was moving in with an aunt and an uncle who was also expecting a baby. And that's why they needed a school counselor in that classroom for that child. So I don't mean it to be like I've got all these skills nobody else has, but

Dr. Darrin Peppard (: 12:09

wow.

Dr. Darrin Peppard (: 12:23

Yeah.

Barbara Gruener (: 12:30

specific and they didn't know that girl was coming. So that's when you know serendipity or whatever you want to call it takes over and says you are needed for a purpose. This is why you're not in the classroom. Go be a third grade teacher.

Dr. Darrin Peppard (: 12:37

Yeah.

Dr. Darrin Peppard (: 12:47

But you know what, what you're talking about there though is so super powerful. And I think it underlines what being an educator is truly all about. It's the power of relationships. It's getting to that core, getting on the level with your kids and just building those relationships. I mean, you mentioned kids who, yeah, I could go back to elementary school, but only if I can get on the carpet with...

with Mrs. Gruner, or seeing kids later on who had had you as a counselor, or even in this particular kid's case, hey, you're the person that is going to help build that relationship with that particular student. Talk a little bit about that. mean, again, you've got a tremendous amount of experience, but also just so widely diverse your experience is.

speak a little bit to the importance of relationships and maybe some things, know, I mean, as this podcast is being recorded, we're in December. I honestly don't remember if this is gonna release in December or January, but either way, I mean, we're still kind of in that time of year where teachers are in the grind, administrators are in the grind, and sometimes we lose sight of what matters. So just kind of run with that.

Barbara Gruener (: 14:13

Yeah, I love that. When I went back to teach Spanish, of course I offered my speaking skills and so the principal actually took me up on it. And when we came back in January, he let me have 45 minutes with the staff. And that's a little daunting because like, you know, you're the new kid even though you've, I mean, I had a mentor. Like I was a 30 year, what a 38 year veteran and they gave me a mentor. But I mean, I love that.

Dr. Darrin Peppard (: 14:32

Ha

Barbara Gruener (: 14:36

Her little girl who had been one of my students said, Mom, are you sure you're qualified to be Mrs. Krooner's mentor? And I listen, I had a lot of technology to learn that year, but he let me have 45 minutes with the staff coming back from Christmas for.

self-care beyond the bubble bath. You know, you can't just be like, Calgon, take me away and the bubble bath is going to solve everything. You have to dig in proactively. But nobody, if nobody acknowledges that you're human too, including yourself, because we run around like super humans, right? Doing super human things. If we don't carve out me time for ourselves, no one's going to do it for us.

because you have that rule of 90-10, right? You're doing 90 % of the stuff, 90 % of the time, and then there's this small population filling in the gap in your life, in your family, in your community. And so that time was so valuable, and I was able to take a paper plate.

give them all a circle, paper plate, and we just looked at the six sides of a human. What feeds your emotional side? What feeds your social side? What feeds your professional, your personal, your spiritual? And we looked emotional, we looked at all of it. And so I would give examples and they'd be filling it out. And at the end, now you have a visual. Where do I have holes in my plate? Like what nourishes my soul so that I can actually have something valuable

to give and my principal nailed it he stood up and he showed his plate and he said I got nothing in the emotional quadrant you have so given me something to think about right now and I thought okay first of all the vulnerability for that man who's 70 and been doing this forever

Barbara Gruener (: 16:31

to stand up and show that empty pie piece. Later on, a guy said, my spiritual was empty, but I already knew that. But I'm like, okay, even if you already knew it, you have a spiritual side. How are you feeding it? Because we are called upon day in and day out to feed the souls of others, to hold their hearts, not only our kids, but our families, our communities, our own colleagues.

And so what are we doing to refuel that reserve? And so we talked about laughing and we talked about mindfulness and we talked, you know, I showed a little clip. We just tried to do all the things in that 45 minutes just to plant the seeds like.

I don't want self care to be one of those trigger words, right? I don't want it to put like pricklies on people, but it cannot be overstated that you can't overflow where there is no flow. And so I think, you know, leading people has to do with...

How do you tend to your own needs so you can show up authentically and wholeheartedly to care for theirs?

Dr. Darrin Peppard (: 17:58

And it's just so powerful. And I'm sitting here kind of thinking through what would my pie plate look like, especially thinking about my last few years as an educator.

You know, as I know you're aware and I think my listeners are too, my last several years in public education, I was a superintendent during the COVID era. And yeah, I would assure you that there were some areas that were lacking and that I probably wasn't doing yet.

Barbara Gruener (: 18:31

some holes. Yeah. And not by any fault. It's not to blame anybody. It's not to like, I really didn't anticipate that anybody would share, but I told them they could. said, you know what? Post this, post this somewhere prominent, share it with your teammates. Maybe they'll see a hole that they can help fill. you know, we just.

We can't be single points of failure, right? We have to be in this together. And so, you you can go to a seminar and then get the paper and then tuck it in, tuck it into your filing cabinet. But if it's posted, you know, like the guy who's searching for some spiritual stuff, gosh, if it's aware every day, cause it's posted, then maybe you're on the lookout more intentionally or actively.

Dr. Darrin Peppard (: 19:21

Yeah, absolutely. Well, you know, and that's something I talk about that all the time with school leaders, not from that particular perspective, but from the, you know, keeping that compelling vision of your school posted where you can see it. Because if you see it, it stays fresh in your mind and it will, it will be something that you can continue to go back to and continue to say, Hey, wait a minute. That's what's driving me. So if, yeah, if I have that visual of, Hey, you know what, this is, this is the, the,

the pieces as my dashboard of, of, you know, who I am as a whole human. And that's the, that's the one gauge that's flashing at me saying, who, Hey, check engine here. that's probably going to help me, you know, stay a little bit more on point. I really appreciate that. That's a great visual too. I really love that.

Barbara Gruener (: 20:02

Yes.

Barbara Gruener (: 20:09

That's a really good visual. then when you use a paper plate, they're just something about tangibly looking at it. Paper plates are a little hard to write on, but it's worth it because you can see what nourishes your soul. What practices do you have in place? And it doesn't even have to be doing something. It might just be being like hanging out, watching the birds in the backyard. I don't really consider that doing. I'm just sitting there.

But nature's coming to me and I'm feeding the side that says, I need that calm or I need that mindfulness or I need that living in the moment and not running from pillar to post.

So looking for those strategies, we call them therapeutic resources, right? In our practice, looking for that. So when you are in crisis, there's the blade. You know what you can go to because you already have those. There it is. What will you choose today?

Dr. Darrin Peppard (: 21:05

Yeah.

Dr. Darrin Peppard (: 21:10

Yeah.

love that. And I think it's so important for us to have those things that we can lean into that are therapeutic for ourselves. And I'll say that as a lead into where I want to go next, which I think for you, writing is something that is very therapeutic. And certainly, I definitely want to talk about Bertie and MIPS. Obviously, I know the story behind it, certainly published by us here at

awesome but there's just there's some something really really special about about this book but writing this this was not your first book I don't think this could be your last book and I'm just curious you know maybe maybe talk a little bit about that that passion for writing and and then eventually we're gonna we're gonna get in and talking a little bit more about the story behind Birdie and Mims.

Barbara Gruener (: 21:50

No? No?

Barbara Gruener (: 22:04

Awesome. Thank you. love it when I get to talk to kids about writing because I tell them listen I learned this from my first and second grade teacher who also happened to be my great aunt Norma

I was one of those energetic kids and I was pretty much a know-it-all. So my hand was always up. I have something to add or you know, I would even try to catch them in a mistake. It's one of those kids that you really love but don't like all the time. And so she would say, Barbie, we can't have you interrupting. And she got me this little notebook. It was just one of those little spirals on the top. I want you to start writing everything down. If you have a question or a thought, I just want you to write it down.

Dr. Darrin Peppard (: 22:27

Ha ha ha!

Yeah.

Barbara Gruener (: 22:45

I can tell that you like to talk. Well, talking is just like writing, only it's paper. So writing is talking on paper. And I'm like, you mean I have my own little book and I have my own little book and I have my own little spiral. I would instead of like every time I was going to raise my hand, I would open up the book and write it down.

So I use my little ukulele and I'm singing a song and I'm like, she told me to write it down, you know? And so like I have this whole, and the kids are just giggling because they, they know who they are and it's not our fault, but it's our responsibility to help contain that. Right? And so I have been a writer since I was six and seven. For me in the parlor, in the milking parlor, I didn't have my notebook, but I would be writing these stories in my head. I would be processing.

my feelings. I would get out, you know, into the house and start writing it down. I took it with me in my backpack, everything, write it down. If I didn't have a notebook and I could get a napkin, I would write it on a napkin. So sometimes I pull a napkin out of my back pocket and I show the kids. I had two titles, Birdie and Mips or Mips and Birdie. I can't decide, help me out. So I had the napkin and I was flipping it and they voted. So I had market research for two years prior to finding you that Birdie and Mips was catchier.

to a lot of children than Mips and Birdie. And so I really found out through the years that it was so cathartic for me to take whether it was those feelings or those stories or whatever and process it out. And I was in therapy a lot because as a counselor they want you to go through therapy.

Plus my parents divorced when I was just starting college. So I did a lot of journaling. Journaling turned into blogging. I've been blogging for almost 13 years now. It's just so, again, cathartic, therapeutic, whatever word. It's so satisfying to take words and form them into something that can make someone else feel with me.

Barbara Gruener (: 24:56

To me. To writers.

Dr. Darrin Peppard (: 25:00

I think that's spectacular. I really do. I love to write as well. It's not quite the...

the therapeutic piece for me. But it definitely has become for me, not only a great way of communication, for me about really organizing my thoughts. I am as far from a type A as a person can be. And so to actually get stuff out of my head and into the computer or on my remarkable or I used to be a notebook guy. Honestly, I had probably 25 notebooks going at the same time that I could never keep track.

of what was where and then I know I wrote this down somewhere and so this remarkable has been a has been a total game changer because at least it's all right here it might be in different folders but at least it's all right there. just I think that that many educators you know find that that like hey I I need to write this down or if it helps me to to blog or to journal or whatever the case may be just to be able to get it out.

But you've taken it to a different level and not just because you've blogged for well over a decade or all the other pieces you talked about there, but you're a multiple time published author, award winning author. So let's talk a little bit about Bertie and Mims. I remember when, I believe it was Ray Hewitt, in fact I know it was Ray Hewitt that connected the two of us. God love Ray Hewitt.

Barbara Gruener (: 26:37

Right? Mm-hmm. Yeah.

so grateful to her.

Dr. Darrin Peppard (: 26:41

When we first sat down and you started sharing this idea, like, wow, this is a really, really cool idea. And then you gave me even more of the story behind it. without giving the whole book away, tell our listeners a little bit about Birdie and Mips, kind of where it came from and what you were hoping to accomplish with this book.

Barbara Gruener (: 27:02

Well, in 2021, shortly after, just as we were coming out of the pandemic, my little brother Mark, who was just the epitome of health and wellness, he grilled his vegetables. He was like right across Wisconsin, 182 miles on his bike. He was incredible. I mean, we thought he was so healthy.

I was teaching eighth grade Spanish when I got the text from my other brother to call me as soon as possible. And that's the brother that doesn't communicate. So I really thought our mom had passed away because she was in a facility with dementia. And he said, Mark was unresponsive this morning. And I'm like, he's probably on a trip. What are you calling me for? And he goes, no, you don't understand.

Did you not hear me? said, Mark was unresponsive this morning and this kid's 53. I'm like, okay, well, we'll figure out where he is. I go, wait, do you mean like the hospital? he's in the hospital. I'll try to get there this weekend. He said, no. I just was like, not ready for the next part. Cause I really thought my aging mom had passed and

I just was paralyzed. Like for a year, I just cried every day. I was so thankful. I would teach in the morning and then I would come home and just sit by my pool and then just cry. He was my person, right? He was my best friend. He was my little brother. I got him when I was seven, so I helped raise him, all the things. And he couldn't be gone. He couldn't be gone. We talk every day. He can't be gone. And...

So I went home and at the funeral, everybody wondered how he got the nickname MIPS. And then people who know I'm a writer would say, well, you got to write about MIPS. I'm like, what are you going to write? He was my best friend and then he died. Like, what are you going to write? Well, then I thought, you know, at the funeral, I must have told that story 500 times. Darren, we stood in line for five hours. This was during the pandemic.

Barbara Gruener (: 29:10

on Labor Day that weekend, we stood in line for five hours. Everyone told me he was their best friend. I'm like, yeah, get in line because no, he wasn't. But he was just that kind of gregarious, outgoing kid, right? And so I thought, you know, nicknames, that would be...

Dr. Darrin Peppard (: 29:18

Hahaha

Barbara Gruener (: 29:28

That would be really interesting. So I looked around and there just weren't a lot of nickname books. So I thought as a counselor, how could I make it like therapeutic? So the kids on his bike, his sister finds him. no, did you fall off your bike? And so that relates to Mark. And then they just have a walk and talk. And he's called his friend, Patty, a nickname he doesn't have permission to use. And we just have a walk and talk with all of the questions a little brother would ask his sister.

and all of the kind of reflective things she would share back with him, sometimes advice, sometimes questions. And they just walk through the corn fields of Wisconsin, right where we grow up with the horses and the cows and the sheep. my gosh, it's just so beautifully illustrated. And it just takes me and Mips on a walk and talk as he tries to figure out.

When can we appropriately use nicknames, but still respectfully use real names? And so we just have a conversation about names.

Dr. Darrin Peppard (: 30:38

It is an absolutely fantastic book. It's beautifully written. You are right. It is beautifully illustrated. We were just so thrilled to have an opportunity to be a part of this project. So let's do this. We're getting to that point where I'm going to ask you the last question that I ask everybody. But before I do, I want to ask you one more question about the book. Share with our listeners just maybe one or two.

Barbara Gruener (: 31:00

Bye.

Dr. Darrin Peppard (: 31:07

pieces of feedback, whether it's from kids, adults that you have heard since the book has come out about Birdie and Mims.

Barbara Gruener (: 31:16

my gosh, the feedback has been fabulous and I think you'll link my author page and so people can read. But the fact that they send me letters with cardinals and one of them said, I'm so sorry your brother died. I don't know what I would do if my brother died. Like they get that empathy piece and they love that there's a cardinal on every page. And one little girl said, yeah, I get what you mean by nicknames. I'm really George Ann, but I go by Georgie. But when I'm in a mood,

My mom calls me George and you know, Caitlin or whatever like stretches like all the stories that you just know, you know, like like because they have to do with names, you know, what kid hasn't been in trouble when their parent calls them by their first middle and perhaps even last name to get in there. So just the connections that they're making every kid wants to talk about a nickname, which is so beautiful and fun.

Dr. Darrin Peppard (: 31:52

You

Dr. Darrin Peppard (: 32:07

Yeah.

Barbara Gruener (: 32:16

And then we talk about, who calls you that? Can I call you Peanut? No, and like, okay, well, you know, one of them said his name was Bubba Stinker. And I'm like, my God, that's adorable, Bubba Stinker. Do you want your school friends to call you that? No, that's for mommy and daddy. So like this kid's four and we're having this discussion. So.

how educational for his future that he has a foundation upon which to build when deciding whether or not someone can call him Bubba Stinker.

Dr. Darrin Peppard (: 32:53

Yeah, it's just so awesome. I just love that one. That one's so, so funny. I want to say this now because I might forget and I don't want to forget. Folks, Barbara is absolutely available and more than happy to do some author read-alongs in your classroom.

Barbara Gruener (: 32:53

That's what we wanted to do.

Dr. Darrin Peppard (: 33:15

jump on zoom, all of that kind of stuff. Make sure that you connect with Barbara, have her connect with your kids in your district because well, as you have figured out from this episode, she's going to bring the energy and she is certainly going to make the connections that really truly matter. So let's do this, Barbara. We're at that point. I'm going to ask you the same question I ask everybody else here on the show. It's the Leaning Into Leadership podcast. So tell me, Barbara, how are you leaning into leadership right now?

Barbara Gruener (: 33:17

Mm-hmm.

Barbara Gruener (: 33:44

So I think for me, because I have a lot of time at home, but like today I was up at the school, tomorrow I'm back at the school, it's modeling. I do have a lot of me time right now. How am I using it? So I'm creating in the kitchen, I'm tutoring a boy who's never had cookies before because he's allergic to eggs. So I found a recipe, my pecan puffs do not have eggs. And so he came last night and I said, listen, if I make this recipe for you,

Can I bring you some?" And he said, I've never had a cookie before. He was so excited. And so I think, you know what? If you can inspire and if you can be kind and if you can find creative ways to serve, recently, and my sister says this is a little creepy, but I disagree. I was watching the murder of Rakin Riley on YouTube and I saw this darling little teacher.

and she had been her roommate. And I was just called to send her a note. I don't know why, she's in Georgia, but she's a first year teacher teaching ninth grade special ed.

And she's been through this trauma with her roommate right before she graduated being murdered and this very public trial. And so I just crafted, I had to find her school. I researched her, found her school, sent her an email and just said, listen, I'm praying for you and I would love as you make your way into secondary education and special ed, you have a heart for our most

I don't know, challenging is not the word, but for our students that need you the most, right? If I can ever help you, support you, do anything for you, please reach out because that's what I love to do. My leadership right now is all about mentoring and modeling and trying to inspire life or love in others.

Dr. Darrin Peppard (: 35:51

That's so fantastic. You know, I opened with how wonderful it is that through the work we do here at Road to Austin that we get connected with incredible people like you and man that just, whew, that one like hits my heart. I love it. I really do. Whew, wow. Man, I don't know where that came from. Wow. Okay, so mark it down. This is the first time I've gotten choked up on my own show. Wow.

Barbara Gruener (: 36:10

Thank you. Thank you.

Well, people are all fighting battles and so...

Dr. Darrin Peppard (: 36:21

Fantastic stuff. So Barbara, people are going to want to connect with you. How do they get in touch with you?

Barbara Gruener (: 36:27

Thank you. I have two blogs, corneroncharacter.com. have email buttons in two different places there. That's where I've been blogging for 13 years. And then, and it's a lot of times activities and stories and resources. So visit me over there or barbaragrunnerauthor.com, which is all about my three mom's choice gold books. All three of them got that awards. I'm very, very proud of that because I want it to be kid friendly.

Dr. Darrin Peppard (: 36:56

Yeah, absolutely. Fantastic stuff. We will link all of that stuff down in the show notes so you can get in touch with Barbara. Go grab all the books and get Barbara connected with your school. You need somebody like Barbara connected with your school. Thank you so much, my friend, for joining me here on the show.

Barbara Gruener (: 37:13

Thank you, Darren. It was absolutely my delight and pleasure.

Dr. Darrin Peppard

Man, what an incredible conversation with Barbara. It's amazing, her dedication to really building positive culture.

to nourishing those really important relationships. It just reminds us why leadership that is grounded in kindness and service matters so much. Make sure you check out her blogs and her books, obviously, including the heartwarming Birdie and MIPS. Barbra's energy and insights will inspire you to bring your whole self to your leadership journey. You can find all of the links to the resources

that Barbara has down there in the show notes, so make sure you check those things out. And now, it's time for a pep talk.

So this pep talk is just going to be real short and sweet. We are at the holiday season. This is the last episode of the Leaning Into Leadership podcast before Christmas for those who celebrate Christmas. But certainly this holiday season and this particular episode, I want to really lean into the thought of kindness. know, Barbara shared a story right there at the end of the podcast about reaching out to some

someone

inly as we turn the page into: 2025

you do or that you do not know and just help make the world a little bit happier, a little bit better place. That's what I have for you my friends. Happy holidays from all of us here at Road to Awesome and the Leaning Into Leadership podcast. Get out there, have a Road to Awesome day.