(#251) Transformational Leadership

Posted on March 15, 2015 by Steve Piscitelli

These leaders literally transform our workplaces
and our lives into empowerment zones. How many have you had?

Think of the supervisors you have had over the course of your working life.  Take a moment and write the names of four or five of your most remarkable (in a good way) bosses.  Next to each name, write why they stand out for you.  What did they do that separated them from the others?

When I look at my list, each leader exhibited similar traits.  As cliché as it might sound, each one knew how to empower me. They did not micro-manage my every move.  Trust existed. They had passion and purpose for our mission. Mostly, each one of these people knew how to focus on the needs of their followers.  And we gladly followed. Together, we made a difference.

Video recommendation for the week:

Transformational leadership. The name says it all. These leaders literally transform our workplaces and our lives into empowerment zones. They respect and nurture us.  Harvard professor Linda Hill shares that transformational leaders know how to “set the stage”—and then let their followers become the performers.  They recognize that the workplace is not about the leader but rather the “collective genius [coming] from the diverse slices of genius contributed by all the individuals involved.”

The antithesis of the transformational leader is the transactional leader. This person narrowly focuses on tasks—the “what” and the “how;” and he must maintain control of most aspects of the day-to-day operations.  Tony Schwartz (The Way We Are Working Isn’t Working) warns that “if your manager knows what you’re doing all the time, you’re not doing your job and neither is he.” (p. 296)

Author and marketing guru Seth Godin encourages us to envision a two lines, one horizontal and one vertical (each a continuum).  On the left end of the horizontal line write the word “timid” (shy; reticent; fearful); and on the far right you jot the word “reckless” (careless; lack of caution; foolhardy).   Label the upper end of the vertical axis “tight” (prepared) and the bottom end, “loose” (ill-prepared; wing it).

The transformational leader helps move her/his followers into the upper right quadrant: prepared to take risks.  Take action. Failure is an option. And it is more than meaningless words.  Growth does not come to the timid-let’s-fly-under-the-radar worker (the type of environment created by transactional leaders). The transformational leader helps the followers grow. He/she is secure in his/her skin and wants nothing more than personal growth and resilience for his colleagues. This leader encourages his people to develop their own unique voices and stories.

Which leader would your rather work for? Which leaders have you worked for?  Which leader do you want to be remembered as?

Make it a great week. And H.T.R.B. as needed.

Thank you for taking the time to read my blog post. Please share it (and any of the archived posts on this site) with friends and colleagues. You also can follow me on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook. If you get a chance, visit my Facebook page and join in–or start–a conversation (www.facebook.com/stevepiscitelli).  If you have suggestions for future posts, leave a comment.

Check out my website (http://www.stevepiscitelli.com/programs.html) for programming information as well as details about upcoming webinars  (http://www.stevepiscitelli.com/webinars).

Information on my book, Choices for College Success (3rd ed.), can be found at Pearson Education.

(c) 2015. Steve Piscitelli. All rights reserved.

 

Posted in leadership | Tagged , , | 7 Comments

(#250) Motivating the Motivators

Posted on March 8, 2015 by Steve Piscitelli

Beyond the paycheck and benefits, what is being done
to motivate those who are charged with motivating our students?

Last week, I had the following question posed to me: How can we motivate more faculty to take control of their professional development? 

Intriguing.

In higher education we devote a lot of resources (time, money, facilities, and people) to the topic of student motivation.  But what do we do (institutionally, administratively and collegially) to motivate faculty?  Beyond the paycheck and benefits and the one-and-done workshops, what actions motivate those who are charged with motivating our students?

Image: Markuso/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Image: Markuso/
FreeDigitalPhotos.net

True, for many of us, our students remain our motivation. But beyond the students what motivates us to seek out new strategies and topics? What motivates us to stay fresh? Are we in a survival mode or renewal mode?

In the last few months I have heard colleagues (nationwide) speak of burnout. Some are long-in-the-tooth veterans and some are relatively new to our calling.  One new faculty member said she wanted to take steps early in her career to address burnout before it tripped her up.

Perhaps you have heard of compassion fatigue.  There are physical, emotional, spiritual, and professional steps we all can take to practice self-care.

What do faculty (and their leaders) do to foster/fuel their physical, mental, emotional and spiritual energy needs? Tony Schwartz of The Energy Project states, “Any organization that fails to build a robust learning program for its employees–not just to increase their skills but also to develop them as human beings–ought to expect that its people won’t get better at their jobs over time and may well get worse.”

Video recommendation for the week:

How do you renew yourself for sustainable performance?

For this week’s blog let’s briefly examine professional development from a different perspective—how to motivate faculty to take control of their development.  In fact, I would argue we ditch the term “professional development” and replace it with “professional growth and resilience.” The first is very “other-directed” (an “expert” tells you what you need); the second can be more “you-directed.”

My initial brainstorming has led me to the following (somewhat random list) on the topic. Actually, at this point, I am asking more questions than I am answering.

Image: dan/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Image: dan/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Will the following help motivate faculty to seek/follow/continue with professional development? In short, how can we:

  • As much as possible, let faculty have control/choice over their faculty development and let them identify their needs and passions and then move from there?
  • Connect PD/FD activities with individual career/personal trajectories? Not everyone in higher education is interested climbing the rungs of administrative promotions/advancement. How can we help faculty explore the various spokes of professional growth? (Consider service, authorship, speaking, training, mentoring, design and development to name a few of the diverse areas that support growth and resilience.)
  • Connect institutionally-driven professional development days to what faculty find of professional interest?
  • Enable leadership to create a culture of active communication (listening; give-in-take)?
  • Infuse reflective practice so that faculty can see connections between professional growth and personal resilience? (We can talk a lot about balance and well-being, but what does the campus culture actually do to promote and support true opportunities for on-going renewal and recovery?)
  • Allow/promote faculty to share their personal passions with their colleagues? (Maybe with a 20 x 20 PechaKucha format; maybe a teacher’s showcase; and/or another format.)
  • Encourage stretching and opportunities for failure and learning (ala FailCon)?
  • Find ways to incorporate laughter?
  • Facilitate and support conference and/or professional meeting attendance?
  • Find meaningful incentives (beyond intrinsic) to encourage faculty?

Growth and resilience require that we have awareness about what we are doing, why we are doing it, and how we can make movement to improvement.

I would love to hear your thoughts and experiences.

Make it a great week. And H.T.R.B. as needed.

Thank you for taking the time to read my blog post. Please share it (and any of the archived posts on this site) with friends and colleagues. You also can follow me on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook. If you get a chance, visit my Facebook page and join in–or start–a conversation (www.facebook.com/stevepiscitelli).  If you have suggestions for future posts, leave a comment.

Check out my website (http://www.stevepiscitelli.com/programs.html) for programming information as well as details about upcoming webinars  (http://www.stevepiscitelli.com/webinars).

Information on my book, Choices for College Success (3rd ed.), can be found at Pearson Education.

(c) 2015. Steve Piscitelli. All rights reserved.

Posted in Balance, Failure, growth, health, leadership, Personal growth, Personal Wellbeing, resilience, risk-taking | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

(#249) A Life Well-Lived

Posted on March 1, 2015 by Steve Piscitelli

Yesterday, our Buddy arrived at the end of his nearly 15-year journey
and crossed over the rainbow bridge. To say there is a hole in our hearts at the moment is a gross understatement. But,  we have to remember that Buddy touched us as he did so many others he met on his journey.  He leaves lessons and a life well-lived.

Years ago I read Tuesdays with Morrie the story of a dying professor and one of his past students.  The reader is taken on the emotional journey of Morrie’s slow demise. There were moments of humor, tears, and life lessons. The author, Mitch Albom, weaves a tapestry of life with meaning.

In one scene, Albom asked Morrie how he envisioned his final day of life here on earth.  While I don’t recall the exact details, I remember that it was simple.  A walk in the park, time with friends, hugs with family.  And then it would be time.  A life well-lived.

Yesterday, our Buddy arrived at the end of his nearly 15-year journey and crossed the rainbow bridge. As often happens with “old age,” Buddy had physically and cognitively slowed down considerably. He could no longer enjoy (or make) his way to the beach. In the last two months it was becoming increasingly evident that he was not going to recover from his many maladies.  But his spirit kept him (and us) going.

Buddy

(Buddy in his younger days.)

Heck, on this past Christmas Day he showed his good nature and neighborliness by dressing up as Santa’s “Rein-dog” to help deliver holiday cheer to our neighbors.

Buddy 001

A few years ago on this blog I wrote about lessons that Buddy taught us. The short list:

  1. Treat each experience as the first.
  2. Explore often.
  3. Be curious.
  4. Smile, greet, repeat.
  5. Don’t miss a meal—or a snack.
  6. Bark as needed.
Image: kangshutters @ FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Image: kangshutters @ FreeDigitalPhotos.net

  1. Pull at the leash.
  2. Nap as needed.
  3. Enjoy a massage.
  4. Unconditionally love.
  5. Hold no grudges.
  6. Licks of love.

In his last couple of days, Buddy got to meet and greet his four-legged friends at his favorite renewal hangout (Pooches Playhouse) and spend peaceful time with his family. And we were able to recount and be thankful for the life lessons he taught us. To say there is a hole in our hearts at the moment is a gross understatement. But,  we have to remember that Buddy touched us as he did so many others he met on his journey.

Indeed, many lessons taught and a life well-lived.

Make it a great week. And H.T.R.B. as needed.

Thank you for taking the time to read my blog post. Please share it (and any of the archived posts on this site) with friends and colleagues. You also can follow me on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook. If you get a chance, visit my Facebook page and join in–or start–a conversation (www.facebook.com/stevepiscitelli).  If you have suggestions for future posts, leave a comment.

Check out my website (http://www.stevepiscitelli.com/programs.html) for programming information as well as details about upcoming webinars  (http://www.stevepiscitelli.com/webinars).

Information on my book, Choices for College Success (3rd ed.), can be found at Pearson Education.

(c) 2015. Steve Piscitelli. All rights reserved.

 

Posted in awareness, Balance, Being REMARKABLE, Civility, collegiality, Friendship, generativity, Gratitude, Life lessons, Life's purpose, Purpose, Reflection, wisdom | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

(#248) Loopers Add Texture To Life

Posted on February 22, 2015 by Steve Piscitelli

We all add layers and texture to life.

Ever hear of a “looper”? I didn’t until an NPR piece aired one morning this past week.  These are the folks who “create human ambiance” after a movie is shot.  That’s right. They’re the background noise that provides “texture” for a scene.  Who would have known?

These unseen and mostly unknown (at least to the audience) actors go about their work literally behind the scenes.  Not the super stars.  Not the household names.  But so very vital to the overall project.

Image: FrameAngel/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Image: FrameAngel/
FreeDigitalPhotos.net

As I listened on my way to campus I thought about all of us who are “loopers” in our own way each day.  The RNs working the night shift; custodians taking care of the facility; teachers helping to shape and nurture students; the sales rep tirelessly connecting her client with the best product; the person reaching out to a friend in the dark hours of despair. And the list goes on and on.

[Click (http://www.npr.org/v2/?i=385237280&m=387420750&t=audio) to hear the NPR piece.]

Who are the loopers in your life? Do you ever stop to understand what they add to your life—and those around you? Do they go unnoticed even though they do provide a vital “service” to you?  Quiet as they may be, their collaborative contributions help add texture and meaning to your life.

Video recommendation of the week:

This clip emphasizes the power of collaboration–one on one as well as many on many.

We all add layers to life. Some of us are out front and get the recognition. And many of us are behind the scenes working collaboratively to enhance our world.

What do you do in your role as a “looper”?  How do you help to create texture and fullness to someone’s life experiences?

Make it a great week. And H.T.R.B. as needed.

Thank you for taking the time to read my blog post. Please share it (and any of the archived posts on this site) with friends and colleagues. You also can follow me on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook. If you get a chance, visit my Facebook page and join in–or start–a conversation (www.facebook.com/stevepiscitelli).  If you have suggestions for future posts, leave a comment.

Check out my website (http://www.stevepiscitelli.com/programs.html) for programming information as well as details about upcoming webinars  (http://www.stevepiscitelli.com/webinars).

Information on my book, Choices for College Success (3rd ed.), can be found at Pearson Education.

(c) 2015. Steve Piscitelli. All rights reserved.

Posted in collaboration, collegiality, Communication, Life lessons, teamwork | Tagged , | Leave a comment

(#247) Applications and Reflections

Posted on February 15, 2015 by Steve Piscitelli

Just consider the hourly wage
of each person tied up in a workshop.  Is the R.O.I. worth the lost wages and service?

I have written elsewhere on this blog about the benefits of meaningful professional growth opportunities and collegiality.  Today, let’s explore a quick feedback exercise for an enhanced R.O.I. for your professional development resources.

Too often what passes as professional development is little more than quick hits, one-and-done meetings.  The participants might feel “juiced” during the session but little happens afterwards.  Without an opportunity for meaningful share time, follow-up and application sustainable change is unlikely. Participants need a call-to-action to maintain the momentum.

Image: kromkrathog @ FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Image: kromkrathog @ FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Here is a quick exercise to move your (and your team’s) call-to-action along: Write a brief (can be as short as a page or two) paper that gives you a chance to examine professional applications and personal reflections based on the training experience.

Professional Applications:  As soon as possible after the event, but no later than 24 hours after the conclusion, each participant should write about three specific actions they will take as a result of the development program.  Key words here: specific and actions. Stay away from platitudes and fluff.  How will you specifically apply the material you engaged during the event?  Until you do something, have you really changed or enhanced anything?  For example, you could commit to

  • review a specific process
  • use new technology
  • develop a new collaborative strategy
  • change office layout and flow
  • evaluate your meeting structure
  • examine customer service, and/or
  • model health and well-being for your colleagues.

Personal Reflections:  Beyond the practical professional implications, how did the training touch you as an individual? So as a result of the event, maybe you could

  • consider setting aside specific personal reflective time
  • change your exercise routine
  • improve your nutritional habits
  • disconnect from technology and reconnect with the people in your life (if even on a small scale)
  • set aside time to repair a relationship
  • make time to build a new relationship, and/or
  • engage in community service.

Video recommendation for the week:

For the more visually and auditorily-inclined, here is a quick explanation from me to you.

You could add a lot more.  Whatever you do, take the event you already invested a portion of your life in and make it work for you. If you are a leader, this exercise makes practical sense.  Just consider, from the basest perspective, the hourly wage of each person tied up in a workshop.  Is the ROI worth the lost wages and brand service?  How about if you send people out of state to a conference, what bang for the buck do they bring back to the team?

And from a personal perspective: Since you will never get that time back, why not make it grow for you?

One last suggestion.  Share your written thoughts with a colleague. Have her share her ideas with you. You both can serve as accountability partners.

Make it a great week. And H.T.R.B. as needed.

Thank you for taking the time to read my blog post. Please share it (and any of the archived posts on this site) with friends and colleagues. You also can follow me on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook. If you get a chance, visit my Facebook page and join in–or start–a conversation (www.facebook.com/stevepiscitelli).  If you have suggestions for future posts, leave a comment.

Check out my website (http://www.stevepiscitelli.com/programs.html) for programming information as well as details about upcoming webinars  (http://www.stevepiscitelli.com/webinars).

Information on my book, Choices for College Success (3rd ed.), can be found at Pearson Education.

(c) 2015. Steve Piscitelli. All rights reserved.

 

Posted in faculty development, life success, Making a Difference, Mindfulness, Personal growth, Personal Wellbeing, professional development, Reflective practice, resilience, self-efficacy | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

(#246) Are You Bitching or Are You Pitching?

Posted on February 8, 2015 by Steve Piscitelli

Do you work (or live) with someone who endlessly pontificates,
grouses, grumbles, moans and laments?

One of my mentors taught me a valuable lesson near the beginning of my teaching career.  Dr. Veronica Valentine had a simple “rule” if anyone came to her with a complaint.  She would listen to your gripe AND expect you to propose a solution. At least, she wanted you to start a conversation about the next step.  I knew that I could voice objections without repercussions.  And I knew the concomitant expectation: Propose a solution.

Sounds so simple doesn’t it.

Image: David Castillo Dominici @FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Image: David Castillo Dominici @FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Perhaps you work (or live) with someone who endlessly pontificates, grouses, grumbles, moans and laments. Or maybe one of your co-workers is always the “philosopher” on every subject that comes up.  (At times the philosopher is nothing more than a complainer.) Is there ever a reasoned solution attached to the criticisms?  If not, other than spewing toxins into the air, what community or team good comes from all of the rumbling?

Video recommendation for the week:

Consider this the next time you or someone on your team wants to bitch for the sake of bitching without anything meaningful coming from it.  Demand that the bitching be accompanied with a bit of pitching.

Image: Meawpong3405@ FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Image: Meawpong3405@
FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Instead of throwing out one bitch after another, here’s what could be pitched:

  • A proposed solution
  • A new perspective
  • A brainstorming session
  • A question-storming session
  • A questioning of assumptions
  • A search for more facts
  • An examination/self-introspection/reflection of the bitch itself (could be the person or the complaint).

Reasoned and well-thought out conflict can be healthy for a team. What starts as a complaint may lead to growth. If trust exists, the team can build on the problems.  A great leader knows how to foster this. Otherwise we have a bitch session.

So, for the coming week, if you find yourself (or co-workers) bitching make sure to encourage some well-meaning pitching.

Make it a great week. And H.T.R.B. as needed.

Thank you for taking the time to read my blog post. Please share it (and any of the archived posts on this site) with friends and colleagues. You also can follow me on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook. If you get a chance, visit my Facebook page and join in–or start–a conversation (www.facebook.com/stevepiscitelli).  If you have suggestions for future posts, leave a comment.

Check out my website (http://www.stevepiscitelli.com/programs.html) for programming information as well as details about upcoming webinars  (http://www.stevepiscitelli.com/webinars).

Information on my book, Choices for College Success (3rd ed.), can be found at Pearson Education.

(c) 2015. Steve Piscitelli. All rights reserved.

 

Posted in Appropriate Behavior, awareness, collaboration, collegiality, Connection-Disconnection, Creativity, Critical Thinking, Discipline, Energy Vampires, Haters, Personal Wellbeing, problem solving, Reflective practice, responsibility, teamwork | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

(#245) Courage

Posted on February 1, 2015 by Steve Piscitelli

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 as blind fearlessness but, rather, as movement toward a goal in spite of the fear.  Many times we see acts of courage on TV or written about in books.  Such situations, usually, show extraordinary moments in time in which someone acted in an extraordinary manner.

Courage. Most of us will never experience being on patrol in insurgent territory on foreign soil. Nor will we hold on to a dear friend as he dies in an Afghanistan firefight.  Lt. Colonel Michael Waltz did.  His story is told in Valor and his new book Warrior Diplomat. (Note: Lt. Colonel Waltz was a high school student of mine who has gone on to make a mark on our world as a Green Beret and advisor to the Vice President of the United States.  All net proceeds from his current book go to veterans’ charities.)

Steve with Lt. Col. Waltz

Steve with Lt. Col. Waltz

Courage. Can you imagine being 14 or 15 years of age and encountering a hostile mob just because you wanted an equal education?  The Little Rock Nine did.

Video recommendation for the week:

Courage. Samuel Adams, one of the fearless leaders for the American War for Independence said,

“If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, go home from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains set lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that ye were our countrymen.” 

And he went on to fight against immense odds for a cause he was willing to sacrifice his life for.

While most of will never be in situations like Waltz, the Little Rock Nine or Adams, we still have situations every day that allow us to step up and demonstrate courage. To ignore the fear and move forward.  Consider the following examples:

  • Stepping up for someone who is the victim of a bully (I recently heard a young girl singing a song about how she helped a school friend back down a bully).
  • Standing up to corporate bullies even when a job (your job) might be on the line.
  • Speaking up for a just cause when you are a lone voice in the wilderness.
  • Facing a debilitating illness.
  • Bouncing back from a setback—and continuing to move toward your goal.
  • Admitting that you made a mistake, accepting the consequences, and learning from your actions.
  • Asking for assistance—maybe even admitting failure. And again, learning, growing and moving forward.
  • Befriending the unpopular kid in class or co-worker in the office.
  • Pointing out that gossiping about someone who is not present is, in fact, cowardly. And you lead the way by walking away from the gossip.

We have so many opportunities each day.  We engage in little acts of courage that we may not even be aware of when we do them. What we do in these situations defines our characters and our destiny.

Make it a great week. And H.T.R.B. as needed.

Thank you for taking the time to read my blog post. Please share it (and any of the archived posts on this site) with friends and colleagues. You also can follow me on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook. If you get a chance, visit my Facebook page and join in–or start–a conversation (www.facebook.com/stevepiscitelli).  If you have suggestions for future posts, leave a comment.

Check out my website (http://www.stevepiscitelli.com/programs.html) for programming information as well as details about upcoming webinars  (http://www.stevepiscitelli.com/webinars).

Information on my book, Choices for College Success (3rd ed.), can be found at Pearson Education.

(c) 2015. Steve Piscitelli. All rights reserved.

 

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

(#244) Do You Have Your Own Board of Directors?

Posted on January 25, 2015 by Steve Piscitelli

I remain focused on surrounding myself with knowledgeable
and skillful people who will have my back—and
kick me in the butt when needed. Who do you have on your Board?

Corporations have Boards of Directors.  Institutions of higher learning have Boards of Trustees. Non-profits have boards to advise them. These boards can provide oversight and guidance.  They may be made up of passionate people who are deeply committed to the mission of the operation they advise.  Some may be very active; and others mere window dressing acting as rubber stamps for the organization’s leaders.

Perhaps you already have a mentor or a coach. Do you have your own Board of Directors (B.O.D.)?  A group of people who can advise you on various aspects of your career—and your life?

Image: David Castillo Dominici @ FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Image: David Castillo Dominici @ FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Over the last few months I have been taking this notion of a B.O.D. seriously.  As I move into a new phase of my life and career, I am recruiting those who can offer guidance, direction, and pointed questions.  Below you will find a few of the “slots” I am filling.  As you can see, I’m having some fun with this—but remain focused on surrounding myself with knowledgeable and skillful people who will have my back—and kick me in the butt when needed.

Video recommendation for the week:

I’ve listed ten (10) Board members you might want to consider for your own B.O.D.

    1. CHAIR. This person is the choreographer of the Board. You need someone with vision and a depth of experience.
    2. COO: Chief Outside Officer. It is easy to become myopic if we only look at our industry/business/calling from within those boundaries. Get someone with a fresh pair of eyes who may not know much about what you do but who will be able to see opportunities or shortcomings you have long since overlooked.
    3. CQO: Chief Questioning Officer. Get someone who knows how to—and is not afraid to—ask the tough questions. Instead of brainstorming, this person will lead you in “question storming” on a regular basis. This person could double as your Chief Creative Thinker (CCT).
    4. CMO: Chief Marketing/Messaging Officer. How will you market your service, product, or cause? Find someone who has such experience. You need someone to help you get your message before the right people.
    5. CCO: Chief Content Officer. Marketing (see above) won’t help you if your product or service is crap.  Find someone who can help you with depth, research, and credibility.
  1. CEO: Chief Entertainment Officer. Who will help you keep things light?  Humor lightens the day…and keeps us from taking ourselves too seriously. Who will mix things up for you and your “people”? Don’t forget to have a little music in your day as well.
  2. CLO: Chief Logistics Officer. This person can help with daily tasks and travel arrangements. If you are immersed in the tiny details of day-to-day operations you may not have the time to work on what your true talent is. You may never be able to grow your talent into a true strength if you remain neck-deep in minutiae.
  3. CWO: Chief Wellness Officer. Maintain your balance and well-being. If you don’t already have an exercise and diet plan, this person can help jumpstart that part of your life. If you have one, your CWO will keep you on task.
  4. CFO: Chief Financial Officer. Like it or not, we all need a bean counter or two in our lives.  Not only for the day-to-day operations but for our long-term wealth building.
  5. CO-NOBS: Chief Officer of No B.S. Please do not surround yourself with YES people. You need folks who will constantly hold you accountable—and call B.S. when needed.

What other slots would you create for your B.O.D.?

Whomever you choose, make your board functional. It should move you forward in the service of your calling. It should help you develop your talent and skills.  It should help you keep your passion stoked!

Consider: And why stop with your business or professional side?  Consider a family B.O.D. as well.  You might not be the chair–but there are plenty of other positions for which you  have a talent.  Call an organizational meeting tonight!

Make it a great week. And H.T.R.B. as needed.

Thank you for taking the time to read my blog post. Please share it (and any of the archived posts on this site) with friends and colleagues. You also can follow me on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook. If you get a chance, visit my Facebook page and join in–or start–a conversation (www.facebook.com/stevepiscitelli).  If you have suggestions for future posts, leave a comment.

Check out my website (http://www.stevepiscitelli.com/programs.html) for programming information as well as details about upcoming webinars  (http://www.stevepiscitelli.com/webinars).

Information on my book, Choices for College Success (3rd ed.), can be found at Pearson Education.

(c) 2015. Steve Piscitelli. All rights reserved.

 

Posted in Balance, branding, collaboration, Dreams, Excellence, focus, generativity, growth, Life lessons, life success, Personal growth, Personal Wellbeing, resilience, self-efficacy, teamwork | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

(#243) Failure Is An Option

Posted on January 18, 2015 by Steve Piscitelli

How will I stretch myself in the coming week? Even if I might fail,
what will I do to continue my learning and growth?

WHAT IF?  Consider the power and challenge of that question.  Make it personal and it becomes more powerful and more challenging: “WHAT IF I …..?

Great things can happen when we take risks.  The same-ol’-same-ol’ happens when we play it safe. And we can argue that “playing it safe” is anything but. In a fast-paced and ever-changing world, if we play it safe, we might as well pull into the rest area and watch the others speed by on their journeys. We can be content in our safe place out of the potential pitfalls of the road.

Is that what you want?

Image: Stuart Miles @ www.FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Image: Stuart Miles @ http://www.FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Last week I helped facilitate a night of professional development for FSCJ’s adjunct faculty. Called the Edison Effect, the evening focused on the power of stretching our limits even when failure is a real possibility.  We had lively conversation as well as time set aside for reflection.  The bottom line:  We encouraged those in attendance to step outside their comfort zones and commit to do one thing new/different/risky this term.

Rather than risk-aversion we encouraged risk-taking.  Not foolish risks; nor risks that would hurt another being. Risks that would move them to challenge old assumptions and redundant actions.

Of course, this not only takes chutzpa on the part of the risk-taker it also requires a leadership team that encourages such action.

The center piece at each table represented products that evolved out of  what initially were considered failures—or at the very least, unexpectedly came out of a process aimed at developing another product. An accident that led to a greater success than imagined.  Post-it notes, chocolate chip cookies, the slinky, and potato chips were some of the items.

A recent Google search found the following:

  • “Failure is not an option”—422 million hits
  • “Risks bring success”—182 million hits
  • “Failure is an option but fear is not”—4.5 million hits

Lots of talk. What are we doing about it?

Video recommendation for the week:

Let’s hear from a big loser!

FailCon, an inspiration for me, simply states that it “is a conference for start-up founders to study their own and others’ failures and prepare for success.”  Failure leads to success.

In A More Beautiful Question the author posits that those who always have the answers—the so-called “experts”—are merely people who have stopped learning.  Perhaps for these “experts” failure is no longer an option.

What if we keep learning? By stumbling along as we find our way.  Not playing it safe because we might skin a knee.

Samuel Beckett wrote “Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.”

Why not fail fast and fail forward. Again and again.

Your homework: Take a five-minute reflective break and write your response to the following:

How will I stretch myself in the coming week? Even if I might fail, what will I do to continue my learning and growth (professionally and/or personally)?

Indeed, WHAT IF I…?

Thank you for taking the time to read my blog post. Please share it (and any of the archived posts on this site) with friends and colleagues. You also can follow me on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook. If you get a chance, visit my Facebook page and join in–or start–a conversation (www.facebook.com/stevepiscitelli).  If you have suggestions for future posts, leave a comment.

Check out my website (http://www.stevepiscitelli.com/programs.html) for programming information as well as details about upcoming webinars  (http://www.stevepiscitelli.com/webinars).

Information on my book, Choices for College Success (3rd ed.), can be found at Pearson Education.

(c) 2015. Steve Piscitelli. All rights reserved.

 

Posted in Choice, creating your future, Failure, Goals, Mindfulness, Motivation, Passion, Personal growth, resilience | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

(242) Reflecting on a Significant Event

Posted on January 11, 2015 by Steve Piscitelli

The power of this reflective practice exercise lies in its ability
to help us discover not only what we do but why we do it.

Regardless of our calling, we can all point to those critical (or significant) events that have had an impact on us and those around us.  Scholar, researcher, and author Stephen Brookfield defines a critical incident as a “vividly remembered event which is unplanned and unanticipated.”

A critical incident can reflect a particularly positive or pleasant experience—or it can reveal a challenging situation, person, or issue.

Whether you are a classroom teacher or the CEO of a large corporation set aside some time today (or in the very near future) to complete the following exercise.  It can help you examine and gain clarity about what you are doing in any given space—and why.

Image by: Steve Piscitelli

Image by: Steve Piscitelli

For the example below, I am referencing a campus-based situation.  For the corporate world, substitute “office” or “Boardroom” or “staff meeting” or “client’s office” to make the exercise meaningful.

Video recommendation for the week:

Reflecting on a Critical Incident

  • For this reflection, consider a recent situation in your classroom, on the campus-at-large, or somewhere else. Write your thoughts to the following prompts. Don’t edit yourself. Write what comes to your mind.
  • What method(s) of game film did you use to gather your recollections?
    • That is, how did you gather your information about the incident?
  • What took place?
    • As completely as you can remember, write about the incident. What actually happened?
  • From your point of view, was this a positive or challenging experience?
    • Does your game film support this assessment?
  • What factors contributed to the success or challenge of this critical incident? Explain as best helps you to understand fully what happened.
    • You?
    • The students?
    • A colleague?
    • Campus resources?
    • Community resources?
    • A colleague coach/friend/mentor?

Once you have a clear understanding of the “what” of your critical incident, do the following.

  • How do you know your above account is accurate?
    • What methods did you use to gather your information about what happened?
  • What worked really well—and/or not so well in the above described situation?
    • How do you know your assessment is accurate?
  • What assumptions were you carrying with you (then and now) about the situation?
    • That is, why did you react or respond like you did to the situation?
  • How can this situation/issue be improved?
    • How can you build on this (even if the situation went well)?

The power of this reflective practice exercise lies in its ability to help us discover not only what we do but why we do it.  Done with frequency, this practice can help us identify patterns in our behavior and which of our “buttons” seem to be pushed in certain situations.

We may even discover “buttons” we never knew we had.

Thank you for taking the time to read my blog post. Please share it (and any of the archived posts on this site) with friends and colleagues. You also can follow me on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook. If you get a chance, visit my Facebook page and join in–or start–a conversation (www.facebook.com/stevepiscitelli).  If you have suggestions for future posts, leave a comment.

Check out my website (http://www.stevepiscitelli.com/programs.html) for programming information as well as details about upcoming webinars  (http://www.stevepiscitelli.com/webinars).

Information on my book, Choices for College Success (3rd ed.), can be found at Pearson Education.

(c) 2015. Steve Piscitelli. All rights reserved.

 

 

Posted in Critical Thinking, effective teaching, faculty development, growth, habits, Personal growth, professional development, Purpose, Reflective practice, resilience, Success | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment