We were lucky to catch up with Victor Gonzalez Galeano recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Victor, so excited to talk about all sorts of important topics with you today. The first one we want to jump into is about being the only one in the room – for some that’s being the only person of color or the only non-native English speaker or the only non-MBA, etc Can you talk to us about how you have managed to be successful even when you were the only one in the room that looked like you?
I have learned from studying psychology that our mind seeks to explain differences by putting them in categories, “categorical thinking is a phenomenon in social psychology in which you make broad generalizations to better understand the world. While this sort of cognition serves a purpose, it comes with negative side effects, too.” Taking this into consideration, when in a room where I am the only one that looks like me, I elevate my categorical thinking to all of us being humans with different skills, traits, and super-powers. I have also learned about The Judge as the universal Saboteur that afflicts everyone. “It is the one that beats you up repeatedly over mistakes or shortcomings, warns you obsessively about future risks, wakes you up in the middle of the night worrying, gets you fixated on what is wrong with others or your life, etc. Your Judge is your greatest internal enemy, activates your other top Saboteurs, causes you much of your stress and unhappiness, and reduces your effectiveness.” So, I have learned to minimize the emotions that empower the judge saboteur, maximizing the ones that empower me. I have learned to be effective and successful then by fully understanding my superpowers so I can maximize them every turn and how my saboteurs hijack the best of me so I can be proactive in lowering their effect on me.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
I am a dog lover, and someone hopelessly enamored of nature. I spend everyday quality time with my dog Plato as we walk in flatwoods nature park near our home. I am a member of the International Coaching Federation and Managing Partner and CEO of PwCC Personal Well-Being Coaching Center where I lead my team as the Chief Well-Being Officer and Executive Coach helping our clients remain focused on Holistic Well-Being. I received my bachelor’s in business administration and management from the University of Central Florida, my master’s in human resources management from Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida, and attended a Certification of Professional Coaching program at the University of Miami. My professional interests are in cognitive psychology, developmental psychology, multicultural psychology, and community psychology, which are guided by my life experiences of growing up in Colombia. I strive to bring my life experience into the classroom and as I give back to the community.
My research interests include development of personal well-being preventative programs that focus on resiliency processes and behavioral actions that will allow individuals a laser focus on a holistic approach to personal well-being. My research centers on multicultural practice to investigate adaptive responses to trauma, including cultural and intergenerational trauma. My vision is to create a Personal Well-Being Center that will allow individuals and communities to grow in their well-being, creating economic development.
Previously, my research involved collaborations and community partnerships on a participatory research project, in which I tested a holistic approach to personal well-being program that redefines personal well-being, identifies ways to do a bias and a fact-based self-assessment, promotes disciplined actions to enhance one’s living and gives reasons for finding one’s best version while motivating individuals to embrace purposeful actions.
Currently, I am investigating and documenting the developmental pathways to a Holistic Approach to Personal Well-Being through partnerships created with non-for-profit organizations in communities in South Florida. I hope to use this knowledge to collaborate with communities to design a Road Map that will allow individuals, families, and communities to achieve living a meaningful and authentic life.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
When I look back the three qualities, skills, and areas of knowledge that come to mind are: 1- Find someone to hear your voice and listen attentively: Get out of your own mind by learning about how others see the world that you see.
2- The only way to learn what you don’t know is teaching it to someone else: get good about what your challenges might be and find a way to teach others along the way.
3- Learning does not stop at your PhD or even beyond that: whether you are getting someone else’s perspective, or self-learning about a challenge that you might have – the common denominator on your success is how much you know and to understand that the more you know, the more you must learn.
Remain in continuous learning mode and regardless of the subject matter, always have people of trust that can create a safe learning environment filled with transparency, trust, and touch. T3
Awesome, really appreciate you opening up with us today and before we close maybe you can share a book recommendation with us. Has there been a book that’s been impactful in your growth and development?
Unquestionably in my mind the Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Steven Covey played an incredible role in my development and those that I got to teach it. There are many impactful nuggets that I can share with you – and I sincerely encourage you to read it – but the one I often refer to when those heated moments in life come to flourish is: “seek first to understand before you are understood.” One of the 7 habits that has taught me to see the world from a totally different view.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://wellbeingcoachingcenter.org/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/victorgonzalezgaleano/
