A New App Poses a Big Question
Follow @TimElmore OK. I have a topic I’d like you to weigh in on, as a reader and a leader. It’s a conversation we need to have among teachers, coaches, and parents about the kind of skill sets we need to cultivate in our students that will enable them to be ready for life and leadership. A New App That Solves Math
Three Leadership Lessons From Charleston, South Carolina
Last week, America mourned yet another senseless tragedy—the hateful shooting and killing of nine individuals by a 21-year-old gunman at the Emmanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina. Six women and three men died; four of them were pastors. I have to admit, I was shocked, then I grieved, and then I became angry… much like millions of other Americans were
A Graduation With Over 90 Valedictorians
Follow @TimElmore We’ve all seen it: Little League baseball players show up for their final game, and everyone gets a trophy. Students compete in an art show, and everyone gets a ribbon. It’s become commonplace. We are all winners. In fact, we’re all awesome. The question on the minds of students is simple. In this kind of a world, what does an
Three Balancing Acts to Perform with Today’s Young Students
Follow @TimElmore You’ve probably noticed the new breed of students today, who bring with them new and different issues we leaders must face. Research is beginning to show that today’s teens look at money, social media, gender issues, family and careers differently than twenty-somethings do. They’re much more “out of the box” than older Millennials, and not afraid to acknowledge their
How Can We Prepare for the Next One Hundred Years?
Follow @TimElmore Recently, I was invited to speak to an audience of business executives on the subject of the next one hundred years. Specifically, what will the next two generations of kids look like as adults, and how will they navigate their society’s needs and challenges? I’d like to share with you a summary of the ideas I shared that day. I
Evaluating Your Leadership: From Progress to Progressive
Follow @TimElmore OK. Here’s a walk down memory lane. Do you remember when MySpace was the leading edge of social networking? How about when Walkmans were the leading edge of portable music? Do you remember the Palm Pilot or Blackberry? How about Prodigy or CompuServe or AOL? Each of these products or services was on the cutting edge at one time. There is
Earning the Right to be Heard By Students
Follow @TimElmore Last year, the results of a Harris Poll were released on the subject of respect. In this first-of-its-kind survey, a Harris Poll asked 2,250 adults to compare their memories of "school dynamics" when they were students with today’s school dynamics. The percentage of respondents who agreed with the statement "students respect teachers" dropped from 79% to 31%. (Interestingly, the
A New Approach to Leadership: Podcast #28
Follow @TimElmore Today I'm excited to share with you a conversation I recently had with my good friend Zach Thomas. He is an accomplished leader who studied at West Point, served as a Ranger instructor, started his own business, and now leads young people at a Chick-fil-A. We discussed a new approach to leadership called freedom leading and I wanted to share his insights
The Art of Learning Through Correlation
Follow @TimElmore Over the last few years, I’ve heard both parents and teachers complain about kids needing to be “spoon fed” the answers. Students often whine when we can’t get them a specific example of how a good paper or report should look, or the effort a science project should require, or even how a clean bedroom should appear. But the
Are You a Coach or a Teacher?
Follow @TimElmore Years ago, legendary basketball coach John Wooden told people that he didn’t see himself as a coach as much as a teacher. He referred to himself as an educator, and the game of basketball was merely a platform to instruct his athletes about winning in life. He succeeded profoundly. Reflect for a minute on your answer to this question: Are
Mixing a Job into Your Student’s Summer
Follow @TimElmore Today’s students are as busy as ever. Some would argue they’re more busy than ever. The numbers tell us, however, that students are busy with activities (such as clubs, practices, recitals, etc) more than with working at a job. Even the percentages of young adults ages 18-34 who are employed have dropped over the last three decades: 1980 – 69% 1990
The Finnish Secret to Successful Students
Follow @TimElmore Yesterday, I posed a question on whether a loaded childhood—chalk full of activities, high stress, and low margins—actually delays healthy adulthood. In other words, if a kid never gets to be a kid when they’re young, they’ll want to be one in their twenties or thirties. I’ve seen it far too many times. Today, I want to share some research
Does a Loaded Childhood Delay Healthy Adulthood?
Follow @TimElmore You probably remember the story of pop star Michael Jackson, beloved by millions of fans (including me). For all of the talent he possessed and success he achieved, his story is somewhat tragic. From a young age, Michael and his brothers were full-time employees for the Jackson Five, being employed by their father to practice and perform at a
Drinking From a Fire Hydrant
Follow @TimElmore Last Friday, we took our Growing Leaders team to Leadercast, a simulcast event broadcast live to over 100,000 leaders worldwide. The lineup was spectacular — each speaker focused on one element of bravery and its role in effective leadership. From Seth Godin to Peyton Manning to Rudy Giuliani, the day was filled with powerful yet personal ideas on courageous
Two Temptations Leaders Face in Turbulent Times
Follow @TimElmore Uncertainty. No one likes it… but every one of us faces it at one point or another. I believe it’s in times of uncertainty and trouble that leaders earn their keep. The two largest temptations leaders face in times of turbulence and uncertainty surround two paramount elements team members need from them: Their Communication Their Consistency. When situations are uncertain, our human tendency
A Workforce On-Demand
Follow @TimElmore Taylor just blurted it out: “I don’t want to work full-time for anybody!” “What? Seriously?” I asked. “Yeah,” he said with deep resolve in his voice. “I don’t see myself doing what my dad did for decades. Work in one place, grinding out the work, full-time with no sense of having a life.” He paused and looked at me, saying, “And
How to Help Students Internally Regulate Their Learning: Podcast #27
Follow @TimElmore I’m excited to share with you a recent conversation I had with Dr. Amber Strain, the Senior Director of Cognitive Science at Decooda. Amber is an accomplished research scientist who has expertise in cognitive and experimental psychology. She received a Masters Degree in Experimental Psychology from the University of Memphis, and a Ph.D. from the same university with a
Six Benefits of Margins in a Student’s Life
Follow @TimElmore Yesterday, I attempted to build a case for margins in our lives — both for us leaders and for our students. We need margins in order to become fully alive and to become the best versions of ourselves. I am not the first to say it, but it’s true: we live in a crowded world today that offers precious
The Case for Margins in a Student’s Life
Follow @TimElmore I’ve noticed a subtle pattern in college and high school students. I wonder if you’ve seen it too. Over the past year, I’ve marveled at what kids find humorous. At times, I’m startled at the misfortunes — even “fails” — that kids watch on YouTube and find funny. Recently, I formed an informal focus group of twenty-year olds and
One Word that Builds Persistence in Struggling Students
Follow @TimElmore Today, I have a special treat for you. For several years, I've had the privilege of getting to know Dr. Carol Dweck and her groundbreaking work describing the "growth mindset." I believe her message is one every student needs. In light of having her as a speaker at our National Leadership Forum this June, I wanted to share her TED Talk with you. It's called "The
Building Your Personal Brand
Follow @TimElmore I find myself talking to high school and college students about personal branding all the time. Brands and labels are so much a part of our culture today. In fact, many companies actually hire Brand Managers, whose job is to insure that they company’s brand is solidly embedded into the psyche of the American consumer for their industry. Have you
Chris Borland: A Case Study in Long-Term Thinking
Follow @TimElmore Today—I’d like to start a conversation. It’s about long-term thinking, and it’s inspired by a move that NFL player Chris Borland recently made. There is a deeper principle behind the move… and it has two sides to it. I want to know your thoughts. Perhaps you heard the news: San Francisco 49ers linebacker Chris Borland recently retired from football… at 24 years
The Best Two Questions to Ask as We Develop Students
Follow @TimElmore In February, I led a workshop at the National “First Year Experience” conference in Dallas. Several university staff spoke to me afterward about how difficult student development has become with college freshmen. One advisor said she was viewed as a “mean and nasty” person because she suggested first-year students needed to improve their people skills or study skills. According to
The Rise of Visual Intelligence
Developmental psychologists have reminded us for years that people learn in different ways. Students, for instance, may be auditory learners, visual learners or kinesthetic learners—but all have to sit in the same classroom with a teacher who cannot possibly invest the time to specialize in each learning style. In fact, most educators lean toward utilizing the pedagogy they prefer themselves. When
Why Technology is Not the Enemy… As Long as We Redeem It.
Follow @TimElmore I am asked a form of this question multiple times a week: “What do I do with students’ addiction to technology?” Faculty, coaches, parents, youth workers and employers are often miffed at kids who sit with their heads down, gazing at the screen of a smart phone. Preoccupation with a phone has been proven to be an addiction, a coping mechanism
10 Steps to Cultivate Courage in Students
I am moved, just as you likely are, when I hear a story of a kid who somehow found it within herself to do something very brave. Last year, we all heard of Malala Yousafzai, the 17-year old girl who was shot three times by the Taliban in Pakistan for her work to insure girls get an education. After surviving
How to Define Courage for Students
This week, I’m blogging about the virtue of courage (specifically, how we build courage in students today). Courage has always been challenging to cultivate. We humans tend to shrink from doing what is difficult, unpopular or may garner enemies. However, it’s my belief that our society today makes displaying courage especially hard. (I listed five reasons why our world discourages
Why Courage Is Difficult to Develop in Students
I recently asked a group of outstanding student leaders (all seniors in high school) a simple question. They were all smart — the majority of them carry a 4.0 GPA — and many plan to attend Ivy League schools. If any teen should be confident about their future, it should be them. So I asked: “Are you afraid of the future?” Every
The Case for Well Rounded Kids
Follow @TimElmore We live in a day when adults are pushing kids to discover their strengths and focus their lives. Thanks to the Gallup organization and author Marcus Buckingham, we have learned to concentrate on building strengths and to only play in that space. Not surprisingly, this has caused parents to hone our styles and launch our kids into football, ballet,
Helping Students Navigate Relationships
Recently, I had two conversations with university students—one with a male and the other with a female. As we talked, both became a case study in the conflicts I see so often among students today. Rachel had all but given up on males. She had dated several and now no longer believed there were any “good guys” left to be found.
Why Leaders Learn to Eat the Fish and Spit Out the Bones
Part of becoming educated is to learn from people, books, podcasts and other sources you don’t completely agree with—while being able to “eat the fish and spit out the bones.” You know what I mean, don’t you? For me, it means reading after authors who have expertise and perspective on issues that lie far outside my strengths or opinions. It means
Two Paths to Preparing for a Career
All of our lives, we’ve heard stories of people who are “outliers.” Men and women who dropped out of college (or never attended in the first place) and made their mark on the world anyway—people like Bill Gates, Oprah Winfrey, Steve Jobs, Mark Zuckerberg, Ted Turner, Walt Disney, Wolfgang Puck… and the list goes on and on. The fact is, less
Ready or Not—Here Comes My Career!
I just finished a broadcast for Georgia Public Radio, where I conversed with Bobbie Battista about orienting Millennials into the workforce. It was lively because we had two Millennials with us in the studio—Tina and Adrian. (They are both members of Generation iY, the younger half of the millennial population). While the four of us possessed different perspectives on these new
Leadership Lessons from the “Coaching Legend” of Softball: Podcast #26
Recently I had the privilege to discuss leadership lessons with Sue Enquist, who holds more National Championships (11) than anyone in the history of softball. She is UCLA Softball’s first athletic scholarship, All-American, National Champion, and Hall of Famer. Off the softball field, Sue is a dynamic communicator and has gained the reputation as a highly sought after international speaker.
Three Realities that Foster Risky Behavior (Part 2)
By now, you’ve likely seen the viral video, released by a student at Oklahoma University. It was awful. Two members at Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity were dismissed and sent home. That video, filled with racist remarks, was a wake-up call for these young men. Today, the fraternity on that campus has been shut down, the staff was fired and members
Enabling Students to Navigate Risks (Part 1)
I recently heard three news stories, each a narrative about students “acting out” both on and off the campus. What do these stories have in common? A skateboarder was hit and killed by a train at a railroad crossing when he tried to beat the train while riding across the tracks. Parents of a 19-year old student negotiated with a local community
Two Essential Ingredients to Form a Young Leader
Follow @TimElmore Check out our new FREE video series, The Missing Piece to Career Readiness, where we discuss why students aren't graduating career ready and how adults can help them prepare before leaving school. Get Free Access Here In 2011, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates gave his final speech at West Point. It was a strong and clear farewell, but one that posed the question: How will
What Educators Can Learn From Major Brands
For years, I have advocated something taught by futurist Dr. Leonard Sweet. In his book, The Gospel According to Starbucks, he suggests that youth today make up an EPIC Generation: they are Experiential, Participatory, Image-rich and Connected. I regularly ask faculty members this question: How EPIC is your classroom? I believe the more EPIC we are, the better chances we’ll have
One Way To Motivate Students to Go to Class
Follow @TimElmore OK—this topic is worth discussion and debate. After reading an article about a new app for parents, teachers, and college students, I felt mixed emotions. Do you remember your college days? How many classes did you skip? If you’re like most university students, it’s more than you can remember. When I think on my years in college, I recall attending
One Big Surprise I Got in My Internship
(The following article is from Tina Mata, who serves as an intern with us at Growing Leaders. She came as a college graduate, serving the months before her graduate work begins. Thanks, Tina, for the candid insights on your internship!) It wasn’t until I joined the Growing Leaders team as in Intern in August of 2014 that I was able to
The Single Biggest Mistake Employers Make in Hiring Millennials
I just hung up the phone with a business executive who’s a dear friend of mine. He was angry about a recent hire he’d made — not so much with the young professional he hired, but with himself. In his determination to find a recent graduate with some hard skills (technical competencies), he overlooked a major soft skill that was
My Sweet Time in Hershey, Pennsylvania
Follow @TimElmore Recently, I had the privilege of visiting the Milton Hershey School in Hershey, PA. It had been years since I’d been to that city, and frankly, I didn’t know if it had any value to add except great chocolate bars. Boy, was I wrong. Way back in 1909, Milton Hershey and his wife decided that since they couldn’t have children
How to Find, Keep and Grow the Best Young Team Members at Work
Click Here to Listen Recently I had the great privilege to talk with Andy Lorenzen, Senior Director, Organizational Effectiveness and Development for Chick-fil-A, and discuss the importance of leading the next generation and creating a culture they will respond to in the workplace. Here are a few notes from our discussion. I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did. Your
Six Steps to Help Students Practice Better Emotional Hygiene
Follow @TimElmore After listening to Michael elaborate on his painful year in 2014—which included spending time in rehab for alcohol, losing a job, fighting with three girlfriends, and incurring deeper debt for college—he looked at me and mused, “Life is hard.” He’s right, you know, and for tens of millions of young adults from Generation iY (those born since 1990), they’re struggling
Students Who Are Jerks: Another Elephant in the Room
Follow @TimElmore Over the years, I’ve written about some “elephants in the room.” You know what I mean by this—topics that everyone is aware of but don’t want to bring up because they just aren’t politically correct. From damaging parenting styles, to poor teaching habits, to kids with low EQ… they’re all out there. And today, I have another one. Journalists Danielle Teller
Mastering the Art of Tough Love
Follow @TimElmore Yesterday, I blogged about how parenting has become a “religion” in America, where children have become the absolute centerpiece of the home and nothing negative can be said about them. Yep. Some time between our childhood and the moment we had children of our own, parenthood became a religion. As with many religions, complete, unthinking devotion is required from
The Pitfalls of ‘Rent-a-Careers’ for Young People
Do you remember Sean Aiken? I wrote about him in my book Generation iY. He graduated from college and became a picture of this emerging generation’s longing for work they’re passionate about, and impatience for work they’re not sure about. He literally took a different job every week for an entire year. Yep, he did. In fact, he set up
Enabling Students to Find Their Place – Part One
Follow @TimElmore Craig graduated from high school as the valedictorian. He had earned a 4.0 grade point average, but why shouldn’t he? His dad was a doctor, and his mom was an accountant. He came from great stock, and everyone assumed he’d go on to earn multiple post-secondary degrees. In fact, most assumed he’d become a doctor like his father. So
Why Students Choose Toxic Relationships
Follow @TimElmore Do any of these scenarios sound familiar? A high school female continues to date abusive males. A college male hangs around friends who get him into trouble. Smart adolescents keep returning to the same old social groups that are going nowhere, that don’t push them to grow or mature. I think every teacher, coach, youth worker or parent has mourned a young person
Preparing a Young Professional for Work
Another batch of college graduates just finished their degrees this past December—and are now in a job hunt. Sadly, many have lost hope of actually launching a career right away. Millions of them are loaded with potential—but no one has equipped them to close the gap between potential and performance. So what can you do about that? Before I answer that