Content Warning: To skip the mention of suicide, jump to 5:36. As teachers, parents, coaches, and youth workers watch young people (Gen Z and Gen Alpha) grow up, they’re seeing a distance in how they view life. Their perspective has evolved beyond where Gen X and Gen Y stood decades ago. These worldviews can be put into three categories: Pre-Modern Thought,

Jon Acuff is the New York Times bestselling author of nine books, including “Soundtracks,” “Your New Playlist,” and the Wall Street Journal #1 bestseller “Finish: Give Yourself the Gift of Done.” When he’s not writing or recording his popular podcast, “All It Takes Is a Goal,” Acuff can be found on a stage as one of INC’s Top 100 Leadership

When we bake a chocolate cake, we know there are essential ingredients that make the recipe work. For that matter, baking or cooking anything tasty is not random. There are fundamental ingredients that must be added to reach a flavorful outcome. Similarly, when leaders cultivate healthy, young leaders out of students, there are four ingredients that always go into the

Daniel H. Pink is the author of five New York Times bestsellers, including his latest, The Power of Regret: How Looking Backward Moves Us Forward. With Pink’s signature blend of big ideas and practical takeaways, captivating stories and crisp humor, The Power of Regret offers an urgent and indispensable guide for a life well lived. His other books include the

The negative effects of smartphones and social media are being recognized by today’s teens and many of them are not waiting for young adulthood to begin questioning the validity of their digital lifestyles. In this episode, Tim and Andrew talk about the many ways teens are starting to view their phones and how parents and educators can help to help

We all know that today’s young people are distrusting institutions and leaders in greater numbers today than ever before. Often our individual preferences take precedence over the needs and preferences of those around us. Because of these realities, it can be difficult to know how to have conversations with them about the importance of the social world around them. In

Dr. Gary Davison is a successful high school administrator and K-12 teacher. In his 33 years of service to students, he has developed dozens of young leaders into executive-level positions within the field of education. His proteges are leading schools and school systems all over the country. In this episode, Tim and Gary discuss the lessons he’s learned and some

When a person (who may or may not be in a leadership position) possesses capabilities, qualities, or skills that others don’t have, they accumulate social capital. They earn influence. Their growing authority often has nothing to do with a badge or title. In this episode, Tim and Andrew discuss the rules for building social capital and how we help younger

You’ve probably heard of ChatGPT. It’s been all the rage the first few months of 2023. It is an artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot developed by Open AI that initially launched in November 2022, but had its stable launch on March 14, 2023. By January 2023, ChatGPT reached over 100 million users, making it the fastest-growing consumer application to date. In this episode, Tim and

In this episode, our very special guest Randy Hain is here to discuss his brand-new book, Upon Reflection: Helpful Insights and Timeless Lessons for Busy Professionals. In this interview, Randy offers timeless lessons and practical ideas on a myriad of topics drawn from his thirty-plus years of senior leadership, executive coaching, and consulting experience to help fuel the career success

While personal growth is important, the goal of social and emotional growth is greater than the benefits it gives young people in job qualification, behavioral improvements, or even academic performance. Soft skills are the beginning of the leadership journey for many young people. In this episode, Tim and Andrew discuss how social and emotional skills are not only for ourselves

You may be facing a combination of factors right now that have come together to create your very own version of whiteout conditions. Whiteout conditions are situations where a storm gets so bad that you can’t see even a few feet in front of you. These conditions are most frustrating for leaders who have been previously successful in their roles

An identity crisis is defined as a period of uncertainty or confusion in a person’s life and can occur when a person’s sense of identity comes into question. These crises can happen in both the young and the old and the symptoms can include questioning your character, anxiety, unrest, altering your values and inclinations, and difficulty answering questions about yourself.

As leaders, we must demonstrate our compassion by walking alongside the young adults in our lives as they face consequences that may come from their actions, showing them our care and belief along the way. In this episode, Tim and Andrew review the case of Zion Brown and how the actions of the adults in his life demonstrate what it

Over the past few years, our department managers have hired people who are young, and we learned some valuable lessons along the way. Some of them were wrong hires. They weren’t bad people, just not a fit for our organization. Others were a good fit, but leaders had to learn how to effectively communicate with them. Conversely, I often hear

Our 21st-century civilization conditions us to “hack” our way through life; to get behind the system and find shortcuts to make it work for us, faster and easier. In one sense, it feels like we’re beating the system, a system that always seems against us. Looking for shortcuts is a natural and positive behavior for educated people—except for one thing.

A teen is programmed to break away from their parents. This is natural and healthy, but that doesn’t make it any easier for a parent or teacher. We want to rescue. We are nurturers. We want them to be comfortable, safe, and happy. In this episode, Tim and Andrew give advice on how to stay involved in students’ lives not

Children need chores to aid in their maturation process. For years, researchers have proven that when a kid connects the dots that each person in a family plays a responsible role in ensuring the group succeeds, it has several benefits. In this episode, Tim and Andrew discuss the benefits that having tasks and chores can have in a classroom at

Our shifting society has sparked tension between generations at work. Our problem is we’ve failed to recognize the value each generation brings to the team. We assumed that if one generation possesses valued expertise, the other cannot. The fact is each generation brings strengths to a team and they’re different than the others. Our job is to capitalize on each

Our brains develop a little like wet cement. Our neural pathways are very pliable in our first twenty years and begin to solidify afterward. It isn’t that people can’t change as adults, it’s just that change is more difficult as we age. Our world needs innovation, and at my age, most of that will come from the emerging generation, not

Everyone has witnessed the culture wars. People in our society seem polarized over values and social issues. While I believe those battles are real, there’s a deeper issue at play that we have ignored. You might call it, “generational wars.” It’s happening every day in our workplaces. Good news: We now have an event that covers this topic for school campuses,

As “Help Wanted” signs on the windows of many establishments today have become more prevalent, it is important to consider the qualities young job seekers should learn when entering the job market. Too often, young adults don’t take entry-level positions because they feel those jobs are beneath them. In this episode, Tim and Andrew reflect on the early experiences that

Carey Nieuwhof is a bestselling leadership author, speaker, podcaster, and former attorney. He hosts one of today’s most influential leadership podcasts. His podcast, blog, and online content is accessed by leaders over 1.5 million times each month. He speaks around the world about leadership, personal growth, and change. Check out more about Carey Nieuwhof here. Pick up a copy of Carey’s latest

When kids are younger, parents often play the role of supervisor. They are right there on top of the issues. And they should be—young children need the support of their parents. As they age, parents must move to the role of consultants. Parents should still be involved and still be supportive but must allow kids to grow up and self-regulate.

The generational diversity we feel in our lives is not going away anytime soon. Because people are living and working longer, we will experience multiple generations on teams we may be a part of. To wish for a homogenous group of people to work with is wishing for a past that is long gone. In this episode, Tim and Andrew

It is difficult to live a meaningful life without clear goals. Goals give us purpose. They give us energy. They give us motivation. In this episode, Tim and Andrew highlight one of our habitudes called “The Foggy Day Effect” and give real-world action steps on how we can set and stick to the goals we want to achieve in life. Access

On Tuesday, May 31st at 12 noon ET, we will be hosting a webinar to launch our new eBook, “An Early Introduction to Generation Alpha.” In this webinar, you will hear from Dr. Elmore about the first research we’ve gathered on Generation Alpha -- the students born since 2016. After attending this webinar, you will receive a free copy of

The American population seems polarized into at least two major camps, and several sub-camps regarding politics, vaccinations, masks, and other issues. The pandemic has stolen nearly a million lives in the United States. The economy has felt like a yo-yo, spiking and then plummeting. When Generation Z observes how out-of-control everything feels, you can’t blame them for feeling melancholy. In

When adolescents have nothing meaningful to do, they’ll create their own meaning. This can be good news or bad news, depending on what they come up with. For too long, parents, teachers, and coaches have only offered facsimiles of real-world experiences to teens. We’ve been afraid our kids will get hurt, be unsafe, be unready, and fail; and consequently, sheltered

When someone establishes their boundaries, it is a trump card. What can anyone say to a person who declares they need to guard their time and mental health? Today, we all believe in boundaries. When we don’t establish boundaries, we often sacrifice something that boundaries often protect. Both sacrifice and boundaries are essential but too much sacrifice often leads to

One of the saddest realities that surfaced from the COVID-19 pandemic was the loss of hope on the part of students. During this time of uncertainty, students are finding unhealthy and dangerous ways to cope. In this episode, Tim and Andrew explore the distinct relationship between resourcefulness and resiliency and present four messages students need to hear from their teachers

This past year, the theme of leadership was subtle but definitely present in many of the movies released in theaters and on streaming services. In this episode, Tim and Andrew offer you a list of the top leadership movies of 2021 and how we can all learn from them. Some are dramas, some are comedies, some are thrillers, and some

We live in a culture with so many options, so much going on every moment of the day, that we get distracted. Our smartphones cause FOMO (the fear of missing out). Social media causes FOMU (the fear of messing up). We endure self-imposed pressures to get so much done each day that we feel compelled to multitask. Technology has made

Despite the turmoil, disruption, volatility, and uncertainty, why do we see young adults becoming more, not less, audacious? In a time when we’d assume they might cower in fear of the unknown, they are speaking up, quitting jobs, and bucking well-known traditions. In this episode, Tim and Andrew explore why younger people are choosing control over caution in the new

Millions of teens and young adults in Generation Z have been given the expectation that life should be pleasant, rewarding, and even fun each day. And when it is not, someone should swoop in and make it better. In this episode, Tim and Andrew discuss ways that we can help children combat Cinderella Syndrome and prepare for the real world

What if instead of barring our students from engaging in social platforms, we were instead building in them the skills they need to make those decisions themselves? In the case of both competencies, the answer begins with a conversation. In this episode, Tim and Andrew explore what it looks like to build skills that will help students make better decisions

Anxiety has been normalized thanks to social media and the pandemic. Both children and adults can let stress get them down. But there is a difference between stress and pressure. In this episode, Tim and Andrew explore these differences and offer insight into why pressure can help others perform at their best.

Our character is simply made up of the habits and attitudes we possess daily. Especially in the aftermath of a pandemic, where a new normal has been established, its wise to lay tracks that enable us to stay on course in our lives. In this episode, Tim and Andrew discuss the measures they take to prepare for the upcoming year

Millions of teenagers, mostly girls, have spiraled into symptoms of depression and despair after spending time on social media platforms, such as Instagram. The data seems to indicate the connection between depression and Instagram is not just a coincidence. In this episode, Tim and Andrew explore the affects of social media on teens and give advice on how teachers can

Consider this reality. What the computer was for the Millennial Generation, social media is for Generation Z. We all recognize that social media isn’t going away. Most of us don’t want it to. Over nine in ten adults surveyed acknowledge they are on it themselves. What we may not recognize, however, are the moral implications it has on our young.

Students’ vocabulary has decreased from the 1950s to today. In over 40 years of the survey, a pattern emerged: Correct scores rose from the generations born around 1900 to the generations born around 1950 and then dropped afterward. So, although we are more educated than ever, our use of language may be smaller. In this episode we discuss how to