Accepting Change?

11/13/17 

I struggle with change. As a natural revolutionary, I am prone equally to seeking change, to resisting the authority that wants to make a change, to desiring to set up an alternate structure, and in reflexively wanting to fight to protect the change I had fought for originally- even if it that fix has run its course. So, yeah, cognitive dissonance is a regular bedfellow of mine. Thankfully, though, my professional maturation has led me to temper most of my revolutionary tendencies- leaving me more processing capacity to roll with changes and problem-solve real-time.

Many of us will complain/vent about a new change- even while another part of our brain is working to accept it and move on. All of those responses can be positive… as long as we do accept the change and respond appropriately. Having a person to vent to is really important, as is having that same, trusted person respond with, “So, what are you going to do about it?”

Often, such a question causes us to change gears mentally. We are thrust into a solution-oriented mode. With that mode comes the necessity to balance many considerations like our values, strategies, political and resources costs, relationship impacts, etc. The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. gave us some insight by suggesting that “We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.” Our hope is realized in our positive response to change. 

… In Doing Good

10/16/17 … In Doing Good

It’s easy to grow tired as we struggle to carry around all of our various life-burdens: psychological, physical and physiological. It’s easy to work primarily for the weekends when we experience ongoing difficulty in our work. Those difficulties can come with the stuff of life outside work, tough customers, leadership decisions that bother you, instability within your company, and much more. Tiredness can lead to weariness- especially if we lose sight of goal.

Shakespeare’s Hamlet struggled with some of these things. May be you can identify with his perspective during his “To be or not to be” soliloquy regarding the situations that make a “weary life.” Probably, we all are affected by the “whips and scorns of time,… the law’s delay and the insolence of office,” and we might feel like it’s just not worth it to keep putting up with all of it. But, we are “doing good.” That is- the work we do every day makes a difference and helps people- it is good that we are doing for our customers- for the world- the universe.

The Apostle Paul, in one of his letters to his supporters in a (messed up) church in Galatia, suggested that his people “not grow weary in doing good for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” This is our challenge: Despite any pressures, we must keep a focus on the fact that what we are doing is to the GOOD. Get some rest to take care of your tiredness, but do not grow weary. Please do not give up.   

Celebrating Your Labor

9/1/17 Celebrating Your Labor

Toil. The Grind. Making a living. Working like a dog. We have so many idioms surrounding work because it’s a huge part of our lives. You come to work every day and spend 8 to 10 hours doing what you do in your chosen profession. Maybe that profession is your “calling,” and maybe it’s just how you pay the bills every month. Either way, I know you put your best into it. You try to be creative in solving problems and use integrity in your decisions. You labor.

You are a laborer. Whether you work with your hands or sit at a desk, you are producing and processing and helping all that goes into making our economy work and making our nation better. When you give it your all, you are making a difference. Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. once wrote that, “All labor that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance and should be undertaken with painstaking excellence.” We certainly uplift in our work. We strive for those who need our support to get to a different plane. Education is the single greatest factor in upward social mobility. We labor for good. 

Cultivating Success

7/13/15 Cultivating Success

As I drive my hands into the sun-warmed garden soil to till or sow and squish my bare toes into the cooling leaf mulch while pruning, fertilizing and watering lush plants that will yield fruits to nourish my family, I can’t help but have my soul filled, my spirit energized and my body satisfied. I know that I am making the world a better place by adding beauty and nutrients to our lives. Throughout my labor, I keep drawing analogies between the process of sowing and growing things with the work of an educator. As Liberty Hyde Bailey writes, “A garden requires patient labor and attention. Plants do not grow merely to satisfy ambitions or to fulfill good intentions. They thrive because someone expended effort on them.” 

Can we avoid comparing gardening with our work as educators? Replace the word garden with “student success” and plants with “students.” Even as we think about the “difficult” students we deal with, consider Emerson’s thoughts on that, “What is a weed? A plant whose virtues have never been discovered.”  Thus: What is an unsuccessful student? A student whose virtues have never been discovered. 

We are cultivating our students’ ambitions, critical thinking, and- really- their future. We are improving our cultural landscape by providing the necessary fertile soil of creativity and ingenuity. We are making the present and future better by growing healthier and more conscientious citizens. Grow a student today. When he blossoms, you will know you have done something amazing for the world.

A Total Eclipse of Our Attention?

8/21/17 Eclipsed?

Has the Solar Eclipse eclipsed our attention to anything else? It seems to be all we want to talk about. Will this ever end? Short answer? Yes.

Often, we will say that one person or situation eclipsed another; meaning the new person or situation overtook the other. In my head, though, as I compare this phrase to the actual eclipse we will experience, I am reminded that the moon only eclipses the sun for a very short time. So, as whatever current concern “eclipse” all other issues in our work, we need to remember that these other needs will reemerge as the currently exigent situation passes. Because… it WILL pass- just as the moon passes the sun.

Also, there is danger in the eclipse in that it cannot take all of our focus. We can’t stare at it. Likewise, there is danger in allowing ALL of our focus to fall on whatever our current emergency is. Why? Because there will ALWAYS be a current emergency eclipsing other plans. If we only ever jump from one emergent need to the next emergent need, cosmic or otherwise, we will fail to be prepared. We will only ever be reacting. We must be much more strategic. We must not allow the current situation the Universe dropped on our laps to eclipse our long term strategy. Why? Because the universe is still in constant motion. And, because the world still turns. And, especially because the sun will come out tomorrow… uh… and today… again. 

A Key Aspect of a Great Team

7/10/17 A Key Aspect of a Great Team

Among so many, I’d like to highlight one key aspect of this team that make this such a great place to work. I’ve observed that we are best when we start with the assumption that each of our actions and utterings come from a place of helping and student/customer focus… that is- positivity. 

We are an inherently positive group who seeks the best for our customers and colleagues. We seem to live the following quote and to reap the reward of which Indra Nooyi, the CEO of PepsiCo writes. She says, “Whatever anybody says or does, assume positive intent. You will be amazed at how your whole approach to a person or problem becomes very different.” Many have commented on how affirming, forward thinking, action oriented, and helpful this office is. 

I credit this natural ethos of assuming positive intent.

Putting on Our Best Selves

5/24/17 Putting on Our Best Selves

Every day, we don a set of clothes of our choosing. People close to us notice. Are our clothes nice? Are they well put together? Do they match the season, and are they appropriate for the social context?  Our outward appearance is a form of our non-verbal communication. What are we projecting- communicating- with our outfit? What do our clothes say about us? 

But... Is our attitude a part of that outfit? Do we “put-on” a certain emotional outlook in the same way we put on clothes? Are we that intentional about our attitude? Should we be more so?

Certainly, there are times when an uncontrolled reaction to a significant event are equally warranted and appropriate (fire, attack, injustice). Most times, though, the world turns more smoothly when we control our reactions and maintain a positive attitude. Because, who benefits when we have a dramatic or unprofessional reaction to an event- especially in the workplace? 

This has been one of my professional growth challenges- to remain professional even if a situation is bad- maybe especially when it is so. Sometimes our coworkers and students find themselves out of control emotionally. Our controlled and solution-oriented response that starts with listening to and assessing a situation may be the first step in reducing the impact of an exigent circumstance. Even if we are feeling out of control, practicing “fake it ‘til you make it” may be the most prudent response.

This is me putting the clothes, face and attitude of my best self. 

Control

5/15/17 Control

You’ll often hear me say, “…Because… there is no one else in the Universe we can control but ourselves.” The main reason I say this so often is because I regularly need to remind myself of this fact- that I must respond to difficult situations with emotions in check.  I need to tell myself to take a deep breath and say the right thing and be the right person. As a professional- colleague and customer service provider- my imperative is to avoid getting drawn in to someone else’s emotional drama. I must remember to “take the high road” when being attacked because the greater good, along with the institution’s and my own reputation are at stake. Having a person to occasionally share venting sessions with is a very helpful way to release some of the emotional pressure that can build up. 

But, ultimately, isn't it up to each of us in each situation to control the only person in the world we can? All the fingers point to… Me. 

We’ve got a Mission and Value for That

5/20/13 We’ve got a Mission and Value for That

Like every other company, we have an app for our organization. Our customers can log-in quickly from a smart phone or tablet to access our app. Got a problem? Yeah, we’ve got an app for that. But what about when the problem is ethical or outside the normal scope of our everyday considerations? We may not have an app for that, but we do have an institutional mission, values, guiding principles, code of professional ethics, laws and regulations, etc. Our organization has decided corporately to adopt a core focus and the philosophy under which literally all of our activities should fall. When any one member of the community strays from the company mission or values, the whole organization could suffer greatly. Jim Collins in Good to Great talked about having the “right people on the bus.” 

To extend the analogy further, I would also make the case that everyone in the organization should know where the bus is going, their role on the bus and what the edges of the road look like that it is supposed to be driving on. So, if the bus begins to veer off the road or turn off on the wrong road, any number of people in the organization can raise an alarm and hold others accountable before the bus goes careening over a cliff. 

Our mission, values and guiding principles delineate the parameters for solving problems, innovating and planning for the future. Got a problem? Yeah, we’ve got a mission and value for that.

Here is the page for the Delta College Mission, Values, Guiding Principles and Vision. http://www.delta.edu/aboutdelta/missionvalues.aspx

Do you know what your company's mission, vision and values are? If you are applying for a job, do you know what that company cares about? If not, make sure you do. 

The Real You

The Real You

I was struck this weekend while hanging out with several dozen high school choir students that the youth of America have really, fully embraced the idea of owning and just being who they are. I observed that they seem to have a sense of self that I would have given anything for in high school. Much of the stereotypical “teen angst” that older generations have always assumed seems to have transitioned into a license for each person to genuinely seek out who they are in the world and various social orders and to just go with it. At forty years old, I’m still not sure if I know who I am in the world. I know that I am still developing and growing. I am moving toward what I feel is my purpose, but also continually seeking to learn more about that purpose.

As I am working to help people in my job, I have to speak with authority that attaining formal education is valuable and a key part of enhanced self-discovery.  I believe this, but I also think it is only a part of the process. I would suggest that a key part of knowing more about oneself lies in embracing the beauty and import of where you are at this very moment. It’s quite a paradox to always be looking for your role in the next thing while simultaneously being present where you are right now. But, both are vital for success. Consider this quote by Seth Goldman, a commencement speaker for the American University in 2010, "If you believe in what you're saying, if you believe in what you're doing, you'll be more effective, more passionate and more authentic in everything you do."

In many ways, doing this job, we’ve got it easy because we do believe what we are saying and doing. We know who we are and why we are here at this moment. And, we continue to move toward finding and accepting who we are going to be and what our purpose will be in the next moment and beyond.  So, our message will be readily accepted because it’s real.

Administrative Office Professionals Day- Have I Told You Lately?

Have I Told You Lately?

(To the tune of Rod Stewart’s version)

Have I told you lately that I appreciate you?
Have I told you there's no one else above you?
You fill my office with brilliance; make a difference for all our students.
Ease student troubles, that's what you do

For our morning coffee in all its glory,
you greet me each day with smiles and support too.
You help to end the blandness; add color to our drabness.
Counteract A/P weakness- that’s what you do.

There's a thanks that is mine.
You lend your ear when I whine
and need some fun.
And at the end of the day
when you’re staying late I’ll say
you’re the one, worth a million.

Have I told you lately that I admire you?
Have I told you we can’t do this without you?
You staff our counters with aptness; help customers to find happiness.
Make a difference, that's what you do.

There's no staff more refined,
And I value your mind
Like… a ton.
And at the end of the day,
I always give thanks and pray
To the One for your passion.

Have I told you lately that we need you?
Have I told you I don’t know how we’d replace you?
You fill my day with laughter, somehow you make workbetter
Ease my troubles, that's what you do

Songwriters: Van Morrison with Dan

Still Optimistic

4/17/17 Still Optimistic

In a world where negativity and apathy abound, it would be very easy to fall into pessimism. But, we mustn’t! Our chosen call is to be a sunbeam of positivity and optimism cutting through today’s fog of uncertainty to a future that is infinitely brighter. The work we do makes a difference for every single person around our constituents. When we help one person to discover, dive into and achieve their dreams, we have thrown a pebble of hope and success into a pond whose ripples will lap at the feet of an entire community standing tenuously on the shore worried about taking the plunge. 

Anne Frank wrote in her diary while hiding from agents of certain death, “How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.” We start, restart and continue today- right now. Thank you for joining with me on this journey to improve the world.