Thoughts on people, teams, organizations, communities, effectiveness and success
“Adventure is worthwhile in itself.” – Amelia Earhart
Time to go.
We’ve all hit that point where we’re faced with the thought of whether to stay or leave a job.
Like that smart ad by job posting site Indeed called “The Box” (“He knew this day would come.”) – my turn weighing pros and cons came last summer.… Read the rest
Know the scene?
Students at Hogwarts categorized and selected into the proper best fit house; Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw or Slytherin.
Each sort carries a certain set of assumed characteristics and attributes. Each placements mark a lifetime of assumptions about character and future.
If humans weren’t malleable it might be a good practice. It’s just not the case.
While some aspects of temperament endure – e.g.… Read the rest
Leaders come and go, some without notice, and some that leave a void like that special friend who has moved away.
Leslie Roffman will retire next June from The Little School at the end of the 2016 school year.
I will miss her. So will a community of thousands of parents and kids.
In 50 years as a faculty and staff member, a student and a parent, the number of administrators I’ve known that are both really liked AND respected I can count on three fingers.… Read the rest
The difference?
The difference was between an OK bonus that the senior manager would receive and the really nice bonus they wouldn’t receive was one word: responsibility.
The recipient, my client explained, shirked from responsibility.
When something went wrong, it was usually someone else’s fault.
When it came time to put a stake in the ground, they were often last to do so.… Read the rest
It’s easy to do in our digital world; send the email or text, respond via text or email back and forth and before you know it the thread has 7 or 8 back and forths.
Do something different; pick up the phone and call.
Or do what I do – send a note to ask when the person’s available to take a call and call them then.… Read the rest
November was a blur but I came away with one distilled thought: It never hurts to give thanks for thanks.
The good deeds – mitzvahs if you speak Yiddish – directed my way were small to large but net-net, they were all very kind and very terrific.
The unfortunate expectation that some people have is that if you do good for someone else there is a chit, a payback note, that suggests the next favor is due you.… Read the rest