LEADING THROUGH LISTENING

Not much new to report this week so we are going to keep it simple. Most people find the holidays as a time of year to enjoy with family and friends, and we often reflect on the past and attempt to predict the future. This time of year is also when most people are thinking positively about all aspects of their lives. Unfortunately, this is also a time when many struggle with remaining positive for a myriad of reasons. A family member, or friend, may be ill; there could be tension in one's life (work or home); or it could be a time of year when someone has experienced trauma, making it tough to manage. In my case, this is the time of year when ironically all 4 of my grandparents passed away. It's the time of year where my family wonders and worries a bit, as we enjoy each other's company to celebrate our year. We all have our ups and downs throughout the year, but what is most important is that we don't give up on each other. In today's world, it's very easy t...

As I attempt to watch the Bills game today with all their snow and have listened to the Christmas classic, 'Let It Snow' recently; I reflect on some professional development from the past two weeks that reminded us all to find ways to provide more fun in both our jobs and in life. I have not done research on this, nor have I gone looking for it; but I would venture a bet that anecdotally most children that are disengaged with school would tell you that it is because they are not having fun. Likewise, I would imagine that most people that are not happy with their place of employment would say it's because their job is not fun. If you know me at all, you know that my next question is \, "Why?" Why can't we have more fun in school? Why can't we make our jobs more fun? Is there a rule against having fun? Perhaps the problem is who defines what fun is? In schools, it's most often defined by the adults, but students are our clients/consumers (to take ling...