Six Habits of Lasting Leaders
Follow @TimElmore I had an 18-year old student tell me last month that he had benefited greatly from our Habitudes® books and videos. But after discussing the original four book series, he had a question, “What are the attitudes and habits of leaders who last for the long haul? What do leaders do that enables them to finish well?” I felt our next 30 minute
Rebelling Against Low Expectations
Follow @TimElmore Five years ago, I read a book by two teenagers named Alex and Brett Harris. Maybe you read it too—it was called Do Hard Things. It challenged their peers to not settle into the lifestyle of a typical high school or college student, getting lost in selfies, video games, Facebook updates and narcissism. They gave credence to the idea
Three Truths About Life as a Sport
Follow @TimElmore Every one of us has heard stories of someone who overcame the odds and reached a goal they should not have been able to accomplish. They inspire us. Not long ago, I shared the platform with Erik Weihenmayer, one of the rare people who reached the summit of Mount Everest. His story is extra sweet because he did so completely
The One Thing I Do at the Beginning of Each Year
Follow @TimElmore Yesterday, I blogged about a ritual I perform at the end of every year, for the last twenty-nine years. Today, I will share with you a second ritual I do, as a follow up. It enables me to enter a new year “on purpose.” After I invest a morning reviewing the previous year, I spend the second half of
The One Thing I Do at the End of Each Year
Follow @TimElmore For twenty-nine 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
Trends in How Today’s Students Handle Relationships
Follow @TimElmore With the emergence of technology on portable devices and social media, there is a new kind of relationship pattern emerging with students today. “Generation iY” (which makes up the second half of Gen. Y) faces a new dilemma. You might call it the “artificial relationship.” Finding out that someone doesn’t love you anymore is hard—not hearing anything at all is
The Birth and Death of Entitlement in Students
Follow @TimElmore It’s not a new topic. Almost everyone I speak to agrees that American students in today’s middle class are just a tad bit spoiled. They act “entitled,” say school principals, faculty, deans and athletic coaches. In fact, the term “entitled” is the number one word employers use to describe recent graduates on the job. Step back and reflect for a
One Way Students Overcome the Fear of Rejection
Rejection Therapy Do you see what I’m seeing among college students today? As I labor to develop young leaders, I’m finding that an increasing number of them shrink from stepping into leadership positions because they’re afraid of the rejection they could face as a result. For instance, many claim they don’t want to serve as a Resident Advisor in a dorm
The Secret That Increases Effort 40%
Follow @TimElmore Several years ago, I met with a university student, pondering how to provide some difficult feedback on a project he’d just finished. We’ll call him Zach. Zach was a smart young man, but, like so many from Generation iY (the youngest Millennials), he was fragile when it came to taking constructive criticism. Zach is among the millions of kids
Five Words Every Child Needs to Hear
Follow @TimElmore I spoke to a Division 1, NCAA football player who dropped off the radar screen his senior year. All four years, he’d been a great student (3.8 GPA) and a well-respected starting player for his school. But after December (translate that — when his final season ended) he was missing in action. He didn’t show up to class, his
Providing Direction to Young Men: Five Steps To Take
Follow @TimElmore This week, I’ve written about young males and the fact that they are falling behind in society by almost every measure—education, work, mental health, and a life without addictive behaviors. Certainly not every young man is in this situation, but too many are disengaging and failing to keep up with females. As a result, they’re not growing up to
One Antidote to Male Disillusionment
Yesterday, I blogged about LeBron James, who, at 30 years old, provides a vivid case study of a male moving through four stages of manhood in a healthy way. Today, I feel the need to furnish a challenge to those of you who work with young males, whether it’s on a school campus, on a team, or as an employer
Leading Students From Difficult Homes
I asked Josh Isenhardt, one of our Growing Leaders speakers, to blog on what it means to influence students who may come from difficult homes. Josh has worked with students for over a decade and has some simple but profound insight on the issue. Below are his wise and helpful words on this topic. I hope you enjoy them: As someone
From GPS Learners to Compass-Guided Leaders
Dr. Kerry Priest is a faculty member at Kansas State University. She’s also one of our speakers at Growing Leaders. She teaches in the school of leadership studies. I asked her to blog about what she and her department are doing in Manhattan. Enjoy… Recently I asked a small group of first-year college students in my introductory leadership class, "What did
The Inverse Relationship Between Gratitude and Entitlement
Research done with people both young and old reveals very interesting conclusions on the role of gratitude. Author and researcher, Dr. Robert Emmons, from the University of California Davis, believes he knows what gives life meaning: pure and simple gratitude. Emmons’ team found that people who view life as a gift and consciously acquire an “attitude of gratitude” experience multiple advantages.
5 Reasons Why a Post-College Internship Isn’t the End of the World
I asked Ashley, one of our spring interns, to do a blog post on her internship. She sent me these words below. I smiled as I read them. Hope you enjoy them as well. In January, I had graduated from college with honors, was blessed with a spiffy car as a graduation gift, had a roof over my head with my
The Inverse Relationship Between Sheltering and Ambition
A recent argument has emerged again on university campuses revolving around “trigger warnings.” Some schools have been accused by parents that they don’t provide warnings about disturbing content or sensitive material in courses. The debate is another illustration of how much adults are finding it difficult to navigate their children’s maturation process. How much is too much exposure? How early
Seven Ideas to Build Perseverance in Students (Part One)
Recently, I was privileged to speak to the faculty and administration at Darlington School, an incredible private school in north Georgia full of caring educators. One hot button issue that day concerned perseverance in students. Kevin Ivester, a math teacher at Darlington, blogged about the need for tenacity and good attitudes, based on discoveries made in Singapore students. I wanted to share
Would an Athlete Prefer a Silver or a Bronze Medal?
Did you happen to notice the faces of the medal winners after several competitions in this year’s Olympic games? For instance, the faces of our women’s hockey team, or the face of South Korea’s Yuna Kim? They had just won the silver medal, which meant they scored the second highest in the world in their event. But the tears on their
Questions Students Ask at Each Stage of Their Journey
It’s been interesting to watch Megan grow up, from an elementary school student all the way to today, as a college student. I’ve watched her mature through the typical stages a kid goes through—where she seemed to almost change personalities and move between extraversion and introversion—through her teen years. Megan actually inspired the thought I’m sharing in today’s blog. Since 1979,
The Inverse Relationship Between Empathy and Narcissism
Do you remember the character in Greek mythology named Narcissus? He was the handsome man who, because of his indifference and disdain toward others, was punished by the gods to fall in love with his own reflection when he looked into the water. In fact, he so enraptured by his beauty that he was unable to pull himself away from
An Update on Generation iY: The Trust Factor
For four years now, I’ve written on the second half of Generation Y (aka “Millennials”), the young adults who are just now entering adulthood. Sociologists have attempted to help the rest of us understand this new breed of digital natives who are the first generation to grow up online and not have to adapt to technology. I’ve mentioned a variety
One Secret for Moving Students From Childhood to Adulthood
The news these days is filled with stories of students who get stuck in childhood, even though they’re old enough to be responsible for their behavior. More and more university students are saying to their teachers, “I pay your salary, so you should give me what I want.” Think this is strange? Thirty percent of college students polled feel that they
Where is Charlie Ward Now?
Just over twenty years ago, Charlie Ward was celebrated around this country. He was the star quarterback for Florida State University and had just won the Heisman Trophy for his performance on the field. What’s more, Charlie not only won the Heisman that year, but he led the Seminoles to their very first national championship, defeating Nebraska 18-16 in the 1993
Three Lessons From a Woman in a Search Party…Looking for Herself
You may find this story hard to believe. I just read a report this month that a missing woman on vacation in Iceland managed to unwittingly join a search party looking for herself. You do realize…truth is stranger than fiction. The Toronto Sun reported that a tourist group traveling by bus made a pit stop in route to the volcanic Eldgja
4 Ideas to Help Students Navigate Their Anxiety
One of my greatest concerns is the poor mental health our teens and young adults experience today. Teenagers in the U.S. endure higher levels of stress than many adults, according to a report by the American Psychological Association. And college students are definitely more "stressed" than students in past generations. While levels of "extreme stress" among teens vary during the year, 34 percent
What Stands in the Way of Female Leaders? (Part One)
I have a dear friend who’s facing issues that began when she was a young teen. Haley (not her real name) is a beautiful, funny, smart woman who’s now overcoming feeling “fake” most of her life. It all began when she and some friends decided to tell each other what was wrong with each of them at a teen sleepover.
At the Corner of Big Dreams and Harsh Realities
As a senior in high school, Ray quit school to join the army. He fought in two tours of Afghanistan before being injured and returning home to civilian life. He saw a counselor and inquired about what he needed to do to go on a speaking tour and talk about life on the battlefield. He’d heard of other ex-soldiers who
From Entitled to Empowered: Eight Steps to Combat Entitlement in the Classroom
In part one of this series, I provided evidence for an increased sense of entitlement in students today - from K-12 education to college. Students have received praise just for making their bed and awards for just being on the soccer team. In the classroom, students feel they deserve a good grade for simply attending class and doing the readings. They feel
From Entitled to Empowered: Building Four Virtues in Students to Combat Entitlement in the Classroom
Professors from universities across the U.S. have all told me the same story. Their students are increasingly portraying feelings of entitlement toward good grades, adjusted deadlines, class perks and special treatment. One professor said a student told him, "I pay your salary, so you have to do what I want." In the response section to a 2012 Chronicle of Higher Education article, educators
The Fine Line Between Commitment & Obsession
Let’s start a conversation about one of the most controversial issues today—at least for coaches, teachers and parents of young performers. First, let me introduce you to Megan. Megan is a gymnast. Or, should I say, was a gymnast. She’s been into gymnastics since she was four years old. Like many who are gifted in the sport, it became her obsession.
Podcast #19: 5 Strategies to Help Students Become Mentally Tough
Recently I had a great conversation with Justin Su'a, Head of Mental Conditioning at IMG Academy. We discussed the current state of student-athletes and ways we can help them (as well as any student) become mentally tough. Through many conversations with athletic personnel like Justin, I am seeing the same trends over and over concerning student-athletes. I hope you enjoy
A Profound Reminder From Miley Cyrus
You probably heard about entertainer Miley Cyrus’ latest escapade in Las Vegas. Just prior to the holidays, she got up on stage with Brittney Spears’ dancers and began passionately kissing one of them, then grinding against another. The act had network news commentators asking what would drive her to do this, noting what a change it was from the Miley Cyrus we
My Favorite Books of 2013
Each year, I post a list of the best books I read the past year. Here’s my list from 2013: Focus, Daniel Goleman The author who put “emotional intelligence” on the map for every one of us has written a book on the profound impact focus has on a leader’s success. The ability to focus one’s attention for extended periods of time
Podcast #18: An Interview with John Maxwell
John Maxwell is a writer of over seventy leadership books (several of which were New York Times best sellers), the founder of four different leadership companies, a friend of Growing Leaders, and a personal mentor to me. Click Here to Listen Why did you choose to focus on leader development? I’ve often said that if you want to add, develop yourself; if you
Six Skills Students Should Master Before Graduation (Part Two)
Yesterday, I began a two-part blog series in which I unpacked the six skills I believe students must master before they finish school. The first three are: Know Yourself. Develop Your Gift. Find Your Passion. Today, allow me to start a conversation on three others: 4. Value People Along the way, you must discover that people aren’t a means to an end—they are the end. Adding
Six Skills Students Should Master Before Graduation (Part 1)
I spoke to a faculty member recently about last year’s graduating class. We focused on two students in particular because they represented such a contrast. While both graduated with honors, only one was ready for the career that awaited her. The other…not so much. Although he carried a 3.7 GPA, he was ill-prepared for life after school. In fact, he
When Preventing Hinders Preparing
Have you evaluated your parenting skills lately? I believe our report card has changed during our lifetime. While we pride ourselves in giving our children more advantages than ever before, the numbers tells us it may not be helping. What’s happened to us? Let’s take a walk down memory lane. A century ago, parenting looked different. On average, families were much larger,
Pace Yourself, Pace Your Kids
Some journalists are using a term when speaking about parents and the problems they have raising their kids today. It’s called “affluenza.” At the court hearing for a tragic auto accident in Texas, where teenager Eric Couch hit and killed four people with his truck, the defense attorneys cited “affluenza” (when one is raised with wealth and never given limits)
“In Other Words”
Over the next five days, I plan to blog about the research and history behind the idea of teaching with pictures. It’s actually quite fascinating, and sets up our release of three Habitudes® resources this month. Hope you enjoy! We live in a culture rich with images. Kids grow up with photographs, TV, movies, video, VH1, DVDs, Facebook and Instagram. We can’t
The One Thing I Do at the Beginning of Each Year
Tuesday, I blogged about a ritual I perform at the end of every year, for the last twenty-eight years. Today, I will share with you a second ritual I do, as a follow up. It enables me to enter a new year “on purpose.” After I invest a morning reviewing the previous year, I spend the second half of the
Pushing the Pause Button
I’m sure you’ve read it before. The month we call January was derived from the Greek god, Janus. If you saw a statue of Janus, you’d noticed he had two heads: one that could look behind him, and one that looked ahead. Bingo. This is what I believe January was meant to be. A time to look. I believe each of us
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.
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
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
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