Considering Kindness: An Elegant Approach

Oxford Dictionaries defines elegance as "the quality of being graceful and stylish in appearance or manner."  In Ian Glynn's book, Elegance in Science: The Beauty of Simplicity, Glynn asserts that in addition to simplicity, elegance involves ingeniousness, conciseness and persuasiveness.  

Today a simple thought ... consider kindness.  Regardless of our choice of definitions, kindness is elegant.

Suggested Reading to support the case for Kindness as Elegance

• Baker, W.F., & O'Malley, M. (2008). Leading with kindness: How good people consistently get superior results. New York: Amacom.

The Kauffman Foundation and A Look at Today's Entrepreneurs ...

After serving in the Navy during World War II, Ewing Marion Kauffman started his career as a pharmaceutical salesperson before founding his own pharmaceutical company in his basement.  His company, Marion Laboratories, grew to become a global healthcare company until he sold it to Merrell Dow in 1989.  In addition to founding and growing a pharmaceutical company, Kauffman bought the Royals and moved them to his hometown of Kansas City.  

Through Kauffman's generosity and commitment to education & entrepreneurship, the Kauffman Foundation began its work.  The vision of the foundation is: a society of economically independent individuals who are engaged citizens contributing to the improvement of their communities.  

The Kauffman Foundation website offers a variety of information about entrepreneurship - I thought I would offer it as a resource and direct you to a couple of related links.  The first link below will take you to the Kauffman Foundation website and a quick & entertaining look at a description of today's entrepreneurs from Amy Wilkinson, author of The Creator's Code. The second link will take you to Amy's Youtube video that shares some entrepreneurial wisdom from the interviews she conducted that led to her book:  

Link 1
http://www.kauffman.org/multimedia/sketchbook/kauffman-sketchbook-cracking-the-code


Link 2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6R3kNn461Xs

This information is hot off the press ... see Kauffman's "Newsroom" from this week! As you visit the Kauffman website and watch Amy's videos, are you imagining yourself as an entrenpreneur?   

Blooming in Higher Education

It has been quite some time since I have written anything on my blog.  Because I am returning from a long absence, I will share something I have been playing with for quite some time that helps describe where my current passion is with regard to college students ... Bloom's Taxonomy.  If any of my current students are reading this, they may be sighing, "oh no, not Bloom's Taxonomy again!"

But, it takes many impressions to close a sale and we understand concepts intellectually before we can apply them to our daily lives, so I'm still promoting Bloom:

The theory was born of educational psychology in the 1940s and 1950s, but we are still trying to effectively live the wisdom of Bloom's Taxonomy in higher education today.  Since the theory's pivotal assertion in 1956, it has gone through modifications and, as with virtually all theories, there are ongoing critiques of its validity.  I have included a picture of the modification I discuss most often with my students where create inhabits the top spot.  A key element of my passion is to assist students with their own experiences of creating.

This topic relates to a key concern I have within higher education today.  I believe that many academics were indoctrinated into a system of remembering which is causing a cultural block to offering students transformational educational experiences.  If we ask students to conform to a daily droning of lectures and algorithmic assignments where they sit well controlled, waiting to be spoon fed and hand held toward enlightenment, it should not surprise us that employers today are finding recent college graduates passive and under-prepared. How can we expect to send creators and innovators into the workforce if we just ask students to conform and remember their way through college?  And, if we are not facilitating the development of intrapreneurs, how can we even have a chance at protecting or expanding a culture of American entrepreneurship?

I am confident that students are getting plenty of information to remember as they complete coursework at American community colleges and universities.  I also know that students on every college campus are directly, and indirectly, offered opportunities to build skills and create yet many students are participating in college just hoping to check the required boxes and get their diploma without putting much thought into how that diploma will help them achieve their life aspirations.  

Two hopes for "blooming" with creativity in Higher Education:  

1)  We, who are employed in higher education, will keep challenging traditional paradigms so that we can innovate and continue to improve the value of higher education for students who are trusting us to prepare them for post-graduation life in a dynamic world that continues to unfold.

2)  Students will not accept the status quo and will actively seek value - becoming aware of what they want and need ... even creating their own transformational college experiences when we fall short as well intentioned individuals and members of well established cultures/systems.

Remember, Understand, Apply, Analyze, Evaluate and ... CREATE !  

Are you buying Bloom yet?

Customer Service: No Problem or My Pleasure?

Years ago when my former college roommate and lifelong friend, Valerie, worked for the Ritz Carlton she taught me about their customer service response of "my pleasure."  While responding to a thank you with "no problem" is socially acceptable in casual conversation, would you rather have someone say its not a problem to help you or that it is a pleasure to help you?

Chick-Filet has adopted the "my pleasure" response in their customer service training and I've had the pleasure of visiting the 83rd Avenue and Bell Road location in Peoria, Arizona several times within the last month.  It seems that my daughter is craving their chicken nuggets drenched in Chick-Filet sauce.

In the spirit of "catching someone doing something right", on our most recent visit I sat at our table and watched the front counter for several minutes.  While it was just another night at Chick-Filet, their customer service was so outstanding they could have made a customer service training video with the interactions taking place.  It wasn't just one person serving customers at the counter who demonstrated excellence, it was all three. This is the type of scene that makes me want to meet the leaders of the organization and talk with employees about their experience of working within this environment.  How would they describe the secrets to their success?

If we all took care of each other and showed our family members, constituents and customers it is "our pleasure" to serve them, how might it help our families, communities and businesses thrive?






  

Thank you, Zig Zigler

Although Mr. Zigler passed away today at the age of 86, I will continue to appreciate how he encouraged each of us and elevated public conversation with positivity, humor and hope.  In honor of him, here are my Top 10 Zig Zigler quotes:

1) You can have everything in life you want, if you will just help other people get what they want.

2) If you go out looking for a friend, you're going to find they're very scarce.  If you go out to be a friend, you'll find them everywhere.

3) A  lot of people quit looking for work as soon as they get a job.

4) Every choice you make has an end result.

5) Many marriages would be better if the husband and the wife clearly understood that they are on the same team.

6) If you treat your wife like a thoroughbred, you'll never end up with a nag.

7) When you are tough on yourself, life is going to be infinitely easier on you.

8) Success is the maximum utilization of the ability that you have.

9) Every obnoxious act is a cry for help.

10) Building a better you is the first step to building a better America. 


With gratitude, thank you Zig Zigler ~

Do you love Ted yet?

If you are in the mood to learn from some of the world's most influential thought leaders, then you might fall in love with Ted, as I did.  When I teach college courses, some students resist peer reviewed journal articles as soon as I say "APA citation."  However, when I show a Ted video as an infrequent break from traditional academic sources, students seem to pay attention with enthusiasm.  

Ted is the name of the nonprofit organization dedicated to "ideas worth spreading."  Ted began in 1984 as a conference that brought together amazing people from the three sectors:  Technology, Entertainment, and Design.  The topics and activities of Ted have expanded since its beginnings and a wonderful opportunity exists for all of us ... free access to Ted videos through the organization's website.

Take a look at the Ted website to find what interests you most.  To get you started, here are a few of my favorite Ted classics:


Martin Seligman, State of Psychology (Positive Psychology) 23 min 42 sec

http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/en/martin_seligman_on_the_state_of_psychology.html

Temple Grandin, The World Needs All Kinds of Minds (Autism) 19 min 43 sec

http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/en/temple_grandin_the_world_needs_all_kinds_of_minds.html

Jill Bolte Taylor, A Stroke of Insight (Brain Function/Stroke) 18 min 42 sec

http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/en/jill_bolte_taylor_s_powerful_stroke_of_insight.html

Celebrating Flag Day

... a good day to fly your flag! 

Today is the 235th birthday of the American Flag.  In 1777 John Adams presented the first version of our shared symbol to the Continental Congress and the first Flag Act passed.  

The flag now consists of thirteen stripes (7 red, 6 white) representing the original 13 colonies and 50 stars for each state of the Union.  The colors of our flag also hold meaning:

1)  Red = hardiness and valor
2)  White = purity and innocence
3)  Blue = vigilance, perseverance, and justice

Happy Flag Day USA ~