Changes With Every Generation
I am sure you’ve noticed something as I have. Every generation of adults look behind them (at the kids), and are sure they are the “worst” bunch of rebels our world has ever seen. Socrates, thousands of years ago wrote of the misguided youth in Greece and was sure they were “good for nothing.” But I have noticed something else, as
David Liauw’s Story
Incase this is your first time reading my blog, I have asked people to send us, Growing Leaders, stories of iY students who have made a difference in their world. I have received several stories via email, Facebook message, etc. Below is David Liauw’s story. Thanks for sharing with me, Ron. David Liauw is presently a 17-year-old freshman at UNC Chapel
Training Kids in Public (Part II)
This is part two of a blog series for parents on training kids in public. (For part I, click here.) I was asked a handful of questions by a fellow blogger, and thought I’d share my thoughts here on the importance of assuming the role of a mentor and trainer for your children in public. Some parents may just chalk bad
Training Kids in Public (Part I)
I was asked by a fellow blogger to respond to some questions about how parents must learn to train and teach their kids in public. In other words, some of the best learning happens “on the job,” not in a quiet classroom. Here are my responses to specific questions on this subject. How can parents teach their children manners in public
Five Decisions to Help Generation iY Find Their Future
One of the best ways adults can help guide iY youth into their future is to help them think through five critical decisions. Everyone ends up making these decisions, by default or design. But if they’re made on purpose -- and in the right order -- they can become a kind of compass to help them steer a course in
We Need a Compass, Not a Map
Whenever I have to travel to a new city, I want to have a map or better yet, a Global Positioning System in my car. These tools can keep me from getting lost and get me to my destination. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been in a new territory and that GPS saved me. There was a
Some Kids Just Can’t Wait
I blog each week about a student from Generation iY who isn’t waiting until they reach “adulthood” to transform the world. It’s why we do what we do at Growing Leaders. Zach Hunter is a vivid example of what we’re trying to build. I’ve known Zach for four years now. He’s a relatively quiet, unassuming teenager, but what’s happened with his
Our Schools Are Waiting For Superman
Howard Schultz, the founder and CEO of Starbucks, has a rule for all his potential employees. He will not hire anyone who doesn’t like coffee. It makes sense. Why would you want a team member selling something they don’t’ even buy themselves. To do a good job, you probably need to like the product. I have an idea. Why don’t we
Why Did You Take That Job?
I spent this past weekend with the staff, faculty and students at Stephen F. Austin State University in Texas. I was a bit tired going into my speaking events there as it came at the end of a very busy week. Immediately, I was refreshed. Let me tell you what impressed me most. Michael, the Director of Student Development told me
Does Television Cultivate Bullies?
I know this may sound ridiculous to some of you. As I flipped through channels the other night on TV, I saw one reality television program after another. Networks are full of them these days -- and in every case, the show culminated in a panel of judges making harsh remarks to those performing. We’ve all seen these shows spring up over
Suzy Miesse’s Story
Remember listening to my “I Have an iY Challenge for You” blog post? If you missed it, please click here. I’m collecting stories of students who are serving and positively influencing their community and/or campus. I’m planning on posting these stories on a weekly basis to inspire the rest of us and of course, their generation. Here’s the story of
Give More. Get More.
Today, I have asked Andy Lorenzen, Director of Talent at Chick-fil-A, to write a guest blog post. Recently, I had the opportunity to speak at some events for their restaurant Operators across the country. What an amazing group of men and women. I hope you enjoy Andy’s words below. At Growing Leaders
Why Bullying is Hot Again and What You Can Do
I have worked with students for thirty years. I distinctly remember when bullying became a topic of discussion across the American education landscape. It was around 1995, the same time social scientists began to measure bullying on the school campus. The issue of “no bullies” became vogue for a while. Then, for years, it seems like we didn’t hear about
Waiting For Superman
Another critical movie was released over the weekend. It’s a movie I recommend everyone see -- especially if you care about kids and the future of American education. It’s called: “Waiting For Superman.” It's the documentary everyone's talking about. It tells a gripping story about the state of public school systems in America, told through the eyes of five hopeful students.
Lessons From “The Social Network”
I just went to see the movie, “The Social Network” for the second time. This time, I saw it with two Generation iY students I love -- my son Jonathan and his friend, Sally Callahan. They made some interesting observations I want to share with you here. I have no doubt, Hollywood dramatized the story. It is inspired by the
Meeting Heroes at the Catalyst Conference
Yesterday, I got to spend personal time interacting with two of my favorite authors. They have been heroes on my leadership journey. Seth Godin is the author of Purple Cow, Linchpin, Tribes, and other great books. I got to have lunch with him, and while I ate a healthy helping of lasagna, my mind was fed even better than my
Catalyst 2010
I’m excited to be a part of the Catalyst Conference again this year. I was fortunate to be on John Maxwell’s team when the conference was first started years ago, and it’s amazing to see how it has grown and expanded its influence around our nation and the world. Yesterday, I got to talk to a room jam-packed with adults who
I Have an iY Challenge For You
If you have 90 seconds, check out the video above. In it, I offer a challenge to you to find a story or two from a great student you know. We know there are millions of students who are serving, and positively influencing their communities and campuses. We want to round up some of those stories, and post them to
What Topics are Hot for You?
This year, I launched “Leadership2Go.” It’s an online leadership learning community for leaders everywhere who want to lead the next generation well. As I lay plans for 2011, I want to improve the experience. We’ll have even better video segments, teaching notes, book assignments, assessments, and a community to converse with along the way. I’d like you to participate in helping me
Oprah Winfrey, Mark Zuckerberg and Failing Schools
Recently, Oprah Winfrey hosted a special show, where she invited three guests to talk about the failing school system in our country. It was sparked by the movie that came out this past weekend (October 1st), “Waiting for Superman.” (More on that in another post.) The three guests were unlikely partners: 1. Chris Christie -- Republican Governor of New Jersey 2. Cory Booker
Guest blog post by Growing Leaders Intern, Tess Harper
For the past few months, I have had the wonderful opportunity to serve as an intern at a non-profit organization called Growing Leaders. Created in 2003 by Dr. Tim Elmore, the mission of the company is to reach out to students by providing them with resources on how to be successful leaders. The most captivating part is that their definition