The One Thing I Do at the End of Each Year
For thirty 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 from
6 Questions We Must Answer in 2017
In 2017, many of our challenges will be obvious. Problems like hunger, poverty, slavery and war will require our best effort and our brightest students. The problem for those of us who lead the next generation, however, is that there are other, less obvious, problems too. As this year comes to a close, I think a lot about what the next
5 Insights on Generation Z, Garnered this Year
Today, we hear from Andrew McPeak. Andrew is a writer, curriculum designer, and speaker who has served with a number of non-profit organizations (and has spoken to thousands of Millennials) over the last 5 years. He now serves on our team at Growing Leaders. This has been a year of change for our county and our world. In the midst of this
A Very Merry Christmas…to You
Today—I share a simple wish with you. I hope you’ve experienced a fruitful year and are now able to experience a restful holiday season. I have loved posting blogs for you in 2016 and receiving your comments along the way. So many of you who read them share my heart to equip students for life and leadership. You care about them. You
Two Ideas that Turn Entitlement into Generosity
Yesterday, I blogged about the “Encore Problem” some parents create at holiday time. We want to blow our kids away with a bigger or better gift than last year (which is only natural), but in the process, we can create an expectation for an “encore.” Soon, kids start assuming—even expecting—something superior with each installment. This year will be better than
Why Kids May Want More This Christmas
I could use your help. Would you take a few seconds and vote on which book cover you like for our new book, Marching Off the Map? Vote here Oh boy. I just read a Wall Street Journal article that gave me pause. Can you guess what the Journal is predicting for popular toy sales this holiday season? They believe kids are going
Six Ways to Battle the Growing World of “Fake”
You may remember hearing about the terrifying hoax that occurred on the eve of Halloween in 1938. A radio broadcast of Orson Wells, War of the Worlds, purported that Martians had invaded earth. The program created a nationwide panic. It seemed so real; Americans believed it. Well—it’s happening again today. We live in a growing world of “fake.” In the words of
Four Ways to Build Students Who Are Both Smart and Wise
This fall, I met with a university student over coffee. He has served for two years on his school’s student government association, while maintaining a 3.8 GPA. He’s one smart cookie. The reason we met, however, was that he’s in trouble. He made a very impulsive, emotionally-charged decision that now has him on probation. While I remain empathetic toward this
Smarter or Dumber: How We Evaluate Our Intelligence
Have you ever wondered—are people getting smarter or dumber over time? Are we really evolving into more intelligent human beings, or not? And if we are, how do you explain the poor behavior many intelligent people might exhibit from time to time? I actually think it’s a good question. The fact is, IQ scores are on a dramatic rise over the centuries.
How Change Happens Quickly
Have you stopped to think how quickly life changes in our day? A decade ago, people didn’t have social media at their fingertips to connect with information and news each day. Now, many of us can’t imagine life without it. Back then, none of us read a book electronically. Now, about half of all readers do. The Google world is
The GROW Model: A Simple Plan for Personal Growth
My friend, Kyle Stark, recently sent this article to me and I felt it was worth repeating. It’s a simple plan for personal growth, on the job, with your family, or even with your students. It’s called the “GROW” model, and it comes from James Manktelow and Amy Carlson. I hope you find it as helpful as I did. “A good
Are Kids Progressing or Regressing?
Today, I marvel at the changes I’ve seen over my career. Every decade introduced changes in the way we approached and perceived students. The self-esteem movement played a huge role in changing the way we interacted with children and students—quite frankly bringing both positive and negative results. Every change was well-intentioned, but many of them brought along some unintended consequences. Today,
Sportsmanship and the Male Ego
For years now, ESPN and other television networks have commented on whether football players, like Cam Newton or Victor Cruz, should be celebrating the way they do when they make it into the end zone. Now Cam Newton has complained about being hit as a quarterback behind the line of scrimmage—more than other quarterbacks (like Robert Griffin III or Russell Wilson).