Category Archives: Integrity

(#257) Sunsets and Sunrises


“You are where I was. And I am where you will be.” This week represents a major life demarcation for me.  After 33 years of classroom teaching, I will be retiring from my college. I am not retiring, however, from my … Continue reading

Posted in Appreciation, assumptions, awareness, Balance, Being REMARKABLE, change, collegiality, effective teaching, Goals, Gratitude, happiness, Integrity, Life's purpose, Mindfulness, Reflection, resilience, retrospective, Success, Teaching | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

(#253) Bridging the Gap: The Stories We Tell Ourselves and the Stories We Live


Stories we tell ourselves vs. stories we actually live. What stories are you telling yourself? For years I’ve been using a professional and personal growth exercises with my students and audiences. Start with one piece of paper and a pen … Continue reading

Posted in assumptions, awareness, Balance, boundaries and limits, core values, creating your future, Integrity, Life's purpose, Mindfulness, self-efficacy, Words and Action | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

(#245) Courage


What we do in these situations defines our characters and our destiny. Courage.  How do you define it? How do you exhibit it in your daily life? Probably the best way I ever heard it defined did not see it … Continue reading

Posted in Appropriate Behavior, awareness, creating your future, Friendship, generativity, Integrity, life success, Living a remarkable life, Purpose, self-efficacy | Tagged , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

(#222) Thirty-Three Years of Dreams


I never lose sight of the fact that I have an obligation to each and every person in the seats in that room. This coming Monday, I will have the opportunity to begin my 33rd year in the classroom.  I … Continue reading

Posted in Appreciation, Dreams, effective teaching, Goals, Impact, Integrity, Passion, Purpose | Tagged , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

(#219) The First Day of Class: People Before Paper!


Student success will be enhanced when we establish an environment of personal validation and respect. [NOTE to reader: This week’s post comes from my forthcoming book (work-in-progress) on mentoring faculty.  In the weeks ahead look for posts on this blog that … Continue reading

Posted in effective teaching, faculty development, Integrity, Making a Difference, Passion | Tagged , , , , , | 10 Comments

(#218) Stop Saying “I Understand!”


Don’t guarantee what you cannot deliver. By now you probably heard the customer service call from hell that a Comcast customer recently endured. While Comcast apologized, I think most of us can sympathize, empathize and/or identify with the situation. At … Continue reading

Posted in Integrity, quality, service | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

(#199) Retirement? Let’s Rename It


Whenever “retirement” comes for me, I know it will not be a work stoppage or a forgetting of the past but rather a grand anticipation and embrace of what the future holds. At the beginning of this calendar year, I … Continue reading

Posted in change, Choice, growth, happiness, Integrity, legacy, Making a Difference, resilience | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments

(#194) Honor the Past. Celebrate the Present. Embrace the Future.


“Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards.” (Soren Kierkegaard) In 2009 I was at Lynn University to facilitate a series of presentations for faculty and students. During one segment of a studio interview I reflected … Continue reading

Posted in Appreciation, creating your future, Dreams, Excuses, Gratitude, Integrity, Mindfulness, Personal growth, resilience | Tagged , , , , | 18 Comments

(#187) Teacher Evaluation: I’m Not A Plumber for a Good Reason (Part 2)


I am not defending poor teaching. Far from it. I don’t want the lazy or incompetent or worse in my calling. But do evaluations need to be geared to the lowest common denominator? Last week I wrote about poorly-conceived and … Continue reading

Posted in collaboration, common sense, effective teaching, Integrity, leadership, Student success | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

(#174) We Are All Related


Mitakuye Oyasin -Lakota- It sounds so simple. It rings so true. And, it makes sense. Mitakuye Oyasin. Years ago I read words attributed to Chief Seattle that stated we are the web of life; whatever we do to the web … Continue reading

Posted in collaboration, Community, Impact, influence, Integrity, Life lessons, lifelong learning, Mindfulness | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments