Anything you do without enthusiasm makes you less of who you were meant to be. “Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.” Ralph Waldo Emerson Once enthusiasm is lost, it’s like starting a fire with wet wood. Enthusiasm is: Strength. Joy. Grit. Sweet. Enthusiasm is the difference between putting in your time and meaningful effort. […]…
Recently I was in Houston, at a new conference, and once again I had a packed out room with enthusiastic participants. I may be the only trainer around who specializes in helping directors with the business end of their work. We did Time Management and they agreed they wanted me back for my training on…
Since the 70s, morals to a story have been specifically not permitted in most paid writing. Why not? Since we now know that academic success is predicted foremost by character training, we need to reverse this. On second thought, all stories have moral points. So what we need to do is to articulate, specifically, the…
We do basic management consulting for small businesses, churches, and schools. Our greatest expertise is understanding the social dynamics of the workgroup. The second is sympathetic coaching of the frontline manager. Original assessment research and follow-up required. Topics for training include: 1) how to hire, manage, and fire for the new manager, 2) time management…
Many of my clients are directors of preschools. They will immediately see the usefulness of this anti-Bullying campaign. Other managers or trainers might find the music of Peter Yarrow (of Peter, Paul and Mayr) pleasant enough to add to their programs, too. Here is a report on Yarrow’s anti-bullying campaign (and curriculum) http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-1052335 Here are…
Treat people like tools – they act like zombies. Machines get things done, but people have heart. What are you really doing? Tee-ball: The tee-ball coach is teaching Freddie to hit the ball off a tee. The task is learning to hit. A skillful coach knows there’s more. “Freddie, why are you learning to hit […]…
I could use some help. I’m trying – without success – to create an acronym that captures the essence of mentoring. How would you use MENTOR or MENTORING as an acronym? What I have so far needs some work. M. Mission – what are we working to accomplish. Mentoring has focused outcomes. Mentors and proteges […]…
Stress increases when leaders can’t bring kind and tough together. Kind without tough makes you a pushover. Tough without kind makes you a jerk. Accountability is candy to some leaders. It’s easy for them to say, “No.” They have no problem holding people’s feet to the fire. But you aren’t one of them. Extremes: Some […]…
Most of my clients are managers of preschools. Most such have little business and managerial background, so to fill that need, and the usual interest of most managers, I have been posting current management topics. However, most preschool educators care most about education and young children. So today, with all due respect to the typical…
#1. Forgetting who serves who. Leaders serve others so others can serve others. It’s easy to begin thinking the people around you are there to serve you. Repeat to yourself, “I’m here to bring out the best in others.” #2. Blaming rather than taking ownership. The first question real leaders ask when someone under-performs is, […]…