The One Thing I Do at the End of Each Year
For twenty-eight years now, I have performed a ritual at the end of December. It’s the way I wrap up each year and gain some perspective on my life. I blogged about this last December and got such good response, I thought it may be helpful again. I take a half a day and get completely alone. Usually, I get away
Why Generosity Sets Leaders Apart
For centuries, this holiday season—may I use the word Christmas—has been about generous giving. It is during this season we hear stories that warm our hearts. They restore our faith in people. I live in the greater Atlanta area. There has been a phenomenon taking place in the metro area that has grown into a full-fledged news story on the radio.
The Homelanders: What to Expect in the Newest Generation
Historian Neil Howe tagged the youngest generation of kids “The Homelanders.” They were born about the same time the Dept. of Homeland Security was birthed. They’ve grown up after the turn of the century and follow Generation Y. They are toddlers, elementary school children and young middle schoolers. While the majority of our work at Growing Leaders is with universities,
Merry Christmas!
This week, I plan to do what I hope you do as well—Unplug and enjoy the holiday season. A few family members will be flying in from San Diego (including my dad) and we plan to rest, laugh and celebrate. Enjoy the week and let’s re-connect next week, as I plan to blog again on ending a year well, and beginning
How Fear Governs Our Work with Students and What to Do
If you ask the average parent or teacher these days about school safety, they’d reply how fearful they are. Each year, more school policies are put in place to ensure that kids remain safe, and campuses are free from lawsuits. Consider some of the new rules schools have erected in the last year: Coghlan Elementary School no longer allows hands-on play
The Dropout with a Doctorate
This blog is a friendly reminder that some students are just…well, different. They’ll need to be motivated in a different way than most, and may just bloom a bit later. A class clown who devoted more time to sports than studies, Bill Cosby flunked the 10th grade and dropped out of high school to join the Navy. While rehabbing injured Korean
Podcast: An Introduction to Growing Leaders
Each week we meet new partners who believe in the same mission we have at Growing Leaders. Richard Rierson from the Dose of Leadership was one of the latest of those. He recently interviewed me to see why Growing Leaders exists and how we are helping prepare tomorrow's leaders today. Feel free to share with others who you think have the same passion and
Should Kids Be Ready for Adulthood at 18…or Not?
I’d like to start a conversation with you on a topic that is being debated all over the world, particularly in industrialized nations. It revolves around the question: “Should kids be ready for adulthood by the age of 18…or not?” People are leaning in both directions, with good arguments. Because I train students to be leaders, we believe this is a critical
The Balance Between Empowerment and Performance
I've developed another theory based on research I’ve done on student athletes and their corresponding adult coaches and parents. After interpreting the results of a coaches’ poll recently, it is clear that resilience among kids today is diminishing. In fact, while young people have many advantages kids did not enjoy fifty years ago, they are showing a decline in personal
Five Ways Generation iY Will Impact the Workplace
Yesterday, I began a two-part series on how teens and twenty-somethings from Generation iY will influence the workplace in the coming years. Actually, they are already doing so. I shared three realities every leader needs to know about how they view work and careers. Today, I’d like to list five ways Generation iY will begin to transform their jobs and
Three Realities to Know About Generation iY in the Workplace
I just spoke to an executive who hires lots of twenty-somethings in his office. He mentioned a decision he made that might make sense to managers and HR directors. He said, "I no longer hire young people if they've never worked a job before. If this is their first job, I move on to the next candidate." His remark meant two
Four Truths About Spirituality and Faith on Campus
This fall, a study was released informing us of how U.S. college students view faith, religion, morality, and spirituality. Trinity College, in Hartford, CT, best known for their “American Religious Identification Survey,” partnered with the secular non-profit Center for Inquiry and asked students about their spiritual, moral, and political views. To bottom line the results, they found: About a third are
Real Leaders Teach Rather Than Tell
Last month I had a very revealing experience between Los Angeles and Dallas. It reminded me of an important leadership truth I must keep in mind as I lead young team members or students. As I approached the security line at LAX, an American Airline employee saw my carry-on bag and told me I’d have to go check with her manager
Five Leadership Paradoxes From Nelson Mandela
Last Thursday, our world lost one of its most influential leaders. Nelson Mandela, one of the heroic figures of the 20th century, whose battle against apartheid led to his imprisonment for 27 years, passed away peacefully in his home at 95 years old. He led his nation to freedom after his release from prison in 1990 and won a Nobel
6 Steps Great Coaches Take to Help Athletes Reach Potential
This story will do your heart good. Cristian Mojica is a high school student at Boston Latin Academy. He's also a football player and swimmer who is far more serious about sports than his academic development. That is, until this year. What did it take? Sitting on the side of the pool with a stopwatch timing other swimmers. His coach, along with his dad, decided
The Secret to Cultivating a Young Entrepreneur
Jack Andraka is a typical high school student in many ways. He enjoys mountain biking and white water rafting; he likes watching "Family Guy" and "The Simpsons" on TV. He also, however, likes science. And it's a good thing. At 15 years old, Jack created a new diagnostic test for pancreatic cancer that is 28 times faster, 26,000 times less expensive and over
Accepting the Reality of Life After College
The following is a guest blog, from Joe Ninowski, a current intern at Growing Leaders. Joe shares about his transition from backpack to briefcase. (He has been so teachable and productive—we offered him a full-time position in January). Enjoy. The last thing I expected to do after graduating college was accept an internship. Having spent the past four years balancing classes and
Crazy School Rules (Part Two)
I receive notes and emails from both educators and parents, informing me of the changes going on in their part of the country. Sometimes, they make me smile. At times, they make me cringe. Once in a while, they make me cry. Yesterday and today, I am blogging about two fundamental changes I’m hearing about in schools and what they mean
Crazy School Rules (Part One)
I receive notes and emails from both educators and parents, informing me of the changes going on in their part of the country. Sometimes, they make me smile. At times, they make me cringe. Once in a while, they make my cry. Today and tomorrow, I plan to blog about two fundamental changes I’m hearing about and what they mean to