If you've been reading my blog you've heard me talk about my career change from ad sales to teaching. Ever been in a crossroads in your life? When you are halted by fear of the unknown or scared of making that change? The event in my life that finally tipped the scale to make a career change was attending a Tony Robbins' seminar over six years ago. The weekend was such an amazing opportunity to reflect within myself on my life, what was really important to me and what I wanted to do with it.
THE BIG TAKE AWAY: Tony Robbins talks about momentum - that thing that gives you energy to push forward. I often crave momentum, especially when life gets you so run down. The beautiful thing about December, more than all the gifts and holiday cheer, is how the holidays leads right into the new year. It's a perfect time to reflect. (and that's a big part of what this blog is all about - because without reflection how do we grow, motivate and inspire to do better and be better.)
Check out this video from Tony Robbins. To give you the gift of momentum, I challenge you to join me on Friday. Put yourself in a coffee shop, carve out an hour...half hour or even fifteen minutes. Take a laptop, ipad, pad of paper or a good old fashion journal. Wear your headphones and just sit and write.
Don't think - just write. Here's three questions Tony suggests you ask yourself:
1) WHAT WERE YOUR MAGIC MOMENTS FROM THIS YEAR?
Write down all the big moments but the little moments too. Make it happen by looking back in your calender to see what you did, take a look at pictures or talk with your partner to brainstorm. Don't have time to sit at a coffee shop, sit down with your kids and brainstorm together - make a family art project out of it - frame it.
2) WHAT DIDN'T WORK THIS YEAR?
Make sure to answer question #1 first. Build yourself up with the positive. Don't beat yourself up but really reflect. This didn't work...but I learned XYZ from this. Tony says, "Get the lesson." (Love this - from a teacher what a perfect way to say learn from life.)
3) WHAT ARE YOU COMMITTED TO FOR 2011?
Tony says to take out your tools in your toolbox and make it happen! Make a decision and make a change. This is my favorite part - you get so built up and the energy is flowing from questions #1 & #2 - so go ahead - set some goals!
TAKE ACTION: Make a ritual.
Tony says rituals make it real. Get in a routine. When you get so determined to set a goal, think about how you can get there. Get into a great practice (I love the word practice because it reminds me of people that establish a practice in things like yoga or meditation - what great examples of a ritual that helps you reflect and grow as a person.) Tony gives a suggestion for connecting during the morning in what he calls the "hour of power." You can get a free download of it on his website. Personally, I'm really going to try and put aside 20 minutes for myself everyday to reflect and to create my life. What rituals are you going to do to make your life happen?
So join me on Friday or any other day from now until New Years and ask yourself three simple questions. Let's reflect - grow - motivate - and inspire! Comment on my blog and let me know how it goes.
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Friday, December 17, 2010
Hallelujah
Our Choir Director at school passed along this very cool Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wp_RHnQ-jgU. This is the recent "Random Act of Culture" where members of the Philadelphia Opera Company sang the "Hallelujah Chorus" in a Macy's department store. Check out the expression on people's faces when they see this surprising and beautiful moment. It's inspirational and heart warming - perfect for this holiday season. Enjoy.
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Recognition - it works!
I've always been motivated to work hard simply for someone to tell me I'm doing a good job. It probably started when I was young, being the youngest of three girls. I worked hard and did "good" to get positive responses from my parents all the in the quest for fighting for attention in a house of three kids. I wanted them to be proud. So something as simple as getting my report card posted on the refrigerator was very motivating for me. Recognition.
It's funny how I forgot this simple secret to motivation - Recognition. I actually was telling my students when I worked for the Daily Herald as an advertising sales executive. I was motivated each month to reach my sales goal not just because I wanted to make money but especially because I wanted to get my name on a certificate which would be posted on the bulletin board in the office of all reps that reach their sales goal for that month - Recognition! I even told my students how I even want recognition from my husband. When I clean the house all I want is for my husband to come home, see it, appreciate it and say "wow, the house looks great." - Recognition.
So after last weeks blog post about how I was struggling with motivating a group of students, I thought more about it and discussed with with my Market Day rep. We launched Market Day this year as a student-run business, which is a monthly grocery purchase program. The Market Day district manager proposed a sales incentive to my high school students - increase sales and win a food party for our class. Where the kids motivated? NO. I was disappointed. They said they already work during class time and they don't think it would make them go "above and beyond." I even asked - does it hurt to take the challenge? Would you rather have a pizza party or no pizza party at all? Its a no-lose situation. One student even called it a "bribe." And of coarse I explained, especially from doing sales for eight years prior to teaching - its not a bribe. It's called "incentives." So anyway - food was not all that motivating to high school students. The district manager pitched another idea to them - hit your sales goal (increase from 34 customers to 54 customers which is only 2 more customers per student in my class) and the district manager would place an ad in the student newspaper congratulating the class (and listing their names). The light switched on! The students loved it. They wanted the recognition. So I pitched another idea to them - I'd get them company t-shirts that said on the front Management Class / Market Day and on the back FUTURE BUSINESS LEADERS. Again - they liked it - recognition.
So how have you been recognized that lead to motivation? Or how were you motivated to get recognized? Share your experiences with us.
REFLECTION - People are motivated by recognition. Here's some ideas to recognize people:
It's funny how I forgot this simple secret to motivation - Recognition. I actually was telling my students when I worked for the Daily Herald as an advertising sales executive. I was motivated each month to reach my sales goal not just because I wanted to make money but especially because I wanted to get my name on a certificate which would be posted on the bulletin board in the office of all reps that reach their sales goal for that month - Recognition! I even told my students how I even want recognition from my husband. When I clean the house all I want is for my husband to come home, see it, appreciate it and say "wow, the house looks great." - Recognition.
So after last weeks blog post about how I was struggling with motivating a group of students, I thought more about it and discussed with with my Market Day rep. We launched Market Day this year as a student-run business, which is a monthly grocery purchase program. The Market Day district manager proposed a sales incentive to my high school students - increase sales and win a food party for our class. Where the kids motivated? NO. I was disappointed. They said they already work during class time and they don't think it would make them go "above and beyond." I even asked - does it hurt to take the challenge? Would you rather have a pizza party or no pizza party at all? Its a no-lose situation. One student even called it a "bribe." And of coarse I explained, especially from doing sales for eight years prior to teaching - its not a bribe. It's called "incentives." So anyway - food was not all that motivating to high school students. The district manager pitched another idea to them - hit your sales goal (increase from 34 customers to 54 customers which is only 2 more customers per student in my class) and the district manager would place an ad in the student newspaper congratulating the class (and listing their names). The light switched on! The students loved it. They wanted the recognition. So I pitched another idea to them - I'd get them company t-shirts that said on the front Management Class / Market Day and on the back FUTURE BUSINESS LEADERS. Again - they liked it - recognition.
So how have you been recognized that lead to motivation? Or how were you motivated to get recognized? Share your experiences with us.
REFLECTION - People are motivated by recognition. Here's some ideas to recognize people:
- I always try to thank people for their hard work - a little thank you goes along way. So send a quick email or make a phone call - it works.
- Awards, honors, announcements - try bulletin boards, announcing at the end of class who did the best project, awards ceremonies, announce at the holiday party all the employees that got promoted over the year
- Let workers leave work an hour early for their hard work
- Create a "Fun Friday" at work or in the classroom.
- Tell your spouse/partner what you love about them
RECOGNIZE WHAT YOU THINK IS GREAT and SHOW PEOPLE YOU APPRECIATE THEM
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
What's in it for me? Personal interest = more motivation
What's in it for me? What do I get if I do this? Why work hard? Why should I care?
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| Photo by Jorbasa, from Flickr Creative Commons |
Oh, I have heard things like this all the time or at least I've felt it from people. I'm finding if people have a personal interest (positive reason) or something at stake (negative reason) motivation increases. Take bees for example! They work so hard to just to get nectur from a flower and store it in their "honeystomachs." They have to visit anywhere from 100 to 1500 flowers to fill their tummys only to then have the worker bees get involved to turn it into honey. Thats a lot of work! But they have a goal, a personal interest and guess what - it produces results!
So let's take a look at a few more examples of positive and negative things that drive motivation:
- Money- commission for sales goals, allowances for children
- Grades- the harder you work, the better your grade
- Charity - a personal cause that has affected you or your family member
- Non-tenured teachers- fight for keep enrollment numbers so they don't loose their jobs
- Loss of privilege- Bad report from school leads to parents taking away rewards
- Rewards - you behave, you get XYZ (My nephews got to sleep at Papa's house)
REFLECTION
- If you have a personal interest or something at stake - it motivates!
- Then - How do you motivate a group of people with different motivators?
Monday, November 15, 2010
A motivational visit from an Alumni
For every day that is challenging as a teacher, the day I get a visit or email from an Alumin makes it all worth it. To know that I made some impact in a students life that they want to keep in touch means that I did my job. I try to stress to my students that I truely care, understand and respect them. I'm not sure if that's what brought Michael Isreal back to GBN today but he wanted to share his story with me. He wanted to share how he's changed - and he's changed for the better. Here's my recap of his story:
HIGH SCHOOL:
Grew up in an affluent area. His high school experience consisted of social life #1 and school acadamics coming in dead last of his priorities. I remember Michael as being all about the girls and not so much about the school work. He shared with me how he would hide his report card and lie about his grades to his parents.
COLLEGE:
The lights went on!!! He joined a fraternity and got his first leadership role which showed him that he had some natural talent. Then he had an upper classman mentor him - showed him how to study, learn and be committed. This mentor showed him that you get respect from doing well versus when your bad. Michael worked hard to get accepted into a Big 10 University after a year at community college. In talking to Michael I could tell that the phone call he made to his dad to tell him that he got in to IU was one of his best monents in life. He now spends hours each day studying not just for college but to fullfill his life long dream.
THE FUTURE:
Michael wants to be an entreprenuer...or should I say he already is one. He's already created a start-up online business and sold it. He's onto his next few ventures already. Michael's ultimate goal is to be a CEO of his own company that has a positive impact on our country. He's currently out there networking with top executives to learn from the best of the best. SMART.
MY COMMENTS
Often I see the potential in my students. Michael was one of them...and he heard it all the time from people - "you aren't working up to your potential". It wasn't until he had his "moment" that the light switch turned on. And I'm so glad it did. I shared with Michael that many parents don't get the joy to have the story turn out positive for their kids - they must be so proud. And so am I. Michael - this is only the beginning. And I truely mean that because I see qualities in you (drive, passion, determination, and committment) that many famous and successful people have. Thank you for sharing your story.
REFLECTION:
HIGH SCHOOL:
Grew up in an affluent area. His high school experience consisted of social life #1 and school acadamics coming in dead last of his priorities. I remember Michael as being all about the girls and not so much about the school work. He shared with me how he would hide his report card and lie about his grades to his parents.
COLLEGE:
The lights went on!!! He joined a fraternity and got his first leadership role which showed him that he had some natural talent. Then he had an upper classman mentor him - showed him how to study, learn and be committed. This mentor showed him that you get respect from doing well versus when your bad. Michael worked hard to get accepted into a Big 10 University after a year at community college. In talking to Michael I could tell that the phone call he made to his dad to tell him that he got in to IU was one of his best monents in life. He now spends hours each day studying not just for college but to fullfill his life long dream.
THE FUTURE:
Michael wants to be an entreprenuer...or should I say he already is one. He's already created a start-up online business and sold it. He's onto his next few ventures already. Michael's ultimate goal is to be a CEO of his own company that has a positive impact on our country. He's currently out there networking with top executives to learn from the best of the best. SMART.
MY COMMENTS
Often I see the potential in my students. Michael was one of them...and he heard it all the time from people - "you aren't working up to your potential". It wasn't until he had his "moment" that the light switch turned on. And I'm so glad it did. I shared with Michael that many parents don't get the joy to have the story turn out positive for their kids - they must be so proud. And so am I. Michael - this is only the beginning. And I truely mean that because I see qualities in you (drive, passion, determination, and committment) that many famous and successful people have. Thank you for sharing your story.
REFLECTION:
- Change can be good. Moving to a new environment can create new opportunities to grow.
- Mentors - learn from people that know
- Recognition - makes it all worth
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
A step forward
When I think there's a step forward there might be a step back in the process. Really if you think about it, all the steps backward in life really helps us learn how to move forward for success.
My management class launched a student-run business this semester. And since this is my first semester teaching the class I'm kindda learning as I go and trying to make improvements along the way. It's a really small class of only 10 students and when I told them of the class business they were very skeptical. In fact, I had two students drop the class. But 10 stuck with me - thank goodness. I've given a lot of opportunities in class discussions for the students to give input to what would motivate them. Unfortunately, we never got anywhere - I got the typical responses - no tests, no final exam, we want to earn money - we don't want to do anything or should I say - "we want to do as little as possible for the biggest rewards." So I could go on in more detail but the first month was a struggle getting the students motivated. We had a sales goal - they reached and they were proud of themselves - and I think they saw results! They felt success! AND THEN WE TOOK A STEP FORWARD.
So here we are at almost the end of month two and I met with my class today and for the first time saw great energy in the room - motivation! This month we set up a to-do list on a google doc. Its really helped to make the students accountable and make them see how everyone plays a part in accomplishing a goal.
Ok - so what's the step back you ask? Feedback is sometimes discouraging except feedback is so important to improve your practice - so I continue to do it. My management students just finished reading Sean Covey's Habits of Highly Effective Teens. On their test I asked for their thoughts on the book and the way in which it was taught. Many students liked it a lot and plan to incorporate things they learned into their lives - WIN! Two students felt that the book didn't teach them anything they didn't already know - and they are not fans of self-help books. And I think a little part of me was disappointed in this. Sure, the concepts in the book isn't rocket science or it isn't a new discovery of an invention but you know - its about improving ourselves, seeing our strengths and weaknesses and growing. To turn this into another WIN I plan on telling reflecting with them - while they don't think they learned anything new - it gave them time to think about themselves and sometimes we don't do that enough. I think that is a WIN for sure.
REFLECTION
My management class launched a student-run business this semester. And since this is my first semester teaching the class I'm kindda learning as I go and trying to make improvements along the way. It's a really small class of only 10 students and when I told them of the class business they were very skeptical. In fact, I had two students drop the class. But 10 stuck with me - thank goodness. I've given a lot of opportunities in class discussions for the students to give input to what would motivate them. Unfortunately, we never got anywhere - I got the typical responses - no tests, no final exam, we want to earn money - we don't want to do anything or should I say - "we want to do as little as possible for the biggest rewards." So I could go on in more detail but the first month was a struggle getting the students motivated. We had a sales goal - they reached and they were proud of themselves - and I think they saw results! They felt success! AND THEN WE TOOK A STEP FORWARD.
So here we are at almost the end of month two and I met with my class today and for the first time saw great energy in the room - motivation! This month we set up a to-do list on a google doc. Its really helped to make the students accountable and make them see how everyone plays a part in accomplishing a goal.
Ok - so what's the step back you ask? Feedback is sometimes discouraging except feedback is so important to improve your practice - so I continue to do it. My management students just finished reading Sean Covey's Habits of Highly Effective Teens. On their test I asked for their thoughts on the book and the way in which it was taught. Many students liked it a lot and plan to incorporate things they learned into their lives - WIN! Two students felt that the book didn't teach them anything they didn't already know - and they are not fans of self-help books. And I think a little part of me was disappointed in this. Sure, the concepts in the book isn't rocket science or it isn't a new discovery of an invention but you know - its about improving ourselves, seeing our strengths and weaknesses and growing. To turn this into another WIN I plan on telling reflecting with them - while they don't think they learned anything new - it gave them time to think about themselves and sometimes we don't do that enough. I think that is a WIN for sure.
REFLECTION
- Seeing success once helps you reach for it again.
- Taking a step back only helps us move forward
- Instead of thinking of the ones you can't reach, think of the ones you did.
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
The Start of Motivation to Inspire
At a recent staff meeting all the teachers where asked, "What's your passion?" I couldn't write anything down. What's wrong with me - come on! I have passion! Or do I? I felt like what ever I wrote down would define who I was. I kept thinking - "I used to love working out", "I used to love cooking" but now I never find the time to do the things I love and help me define who I am. I find myself consumed with being a mom and wife. And then I started beating myself up...like most of us do sometimes. I kept thinking how I start something, get into it for awhile and then stop doing it. When I was in high school (many, many, many years ago), I remember my parents reminding me of this - I tried band, cross country, tennis, track, dance and I even tried out for basketball but didn't make the team. Now 20 years later, I still run a little and dance with my 16 month old in the house but that's about it. And heck, look at this blog, I haven't written in a very long time.
But the blessing in my wandering and worrying mind is coming back to write this blog. It's been sometime since I've written but I am feeling more inspired to write than ever before. Am I inspired lately? To be honest, not a all. It's a recession and I'm seeing a lot of family and friends go through hard times while business and government budgets are being cut left and right. And then there is my job - I teach business education in a suburban high school to mostly Juniors and Seniors. This is my second career (former life I was an Ad Sales Exec.). And its been a very long time since I felt so stressed out from a job. I'm teaching five totally different classes this semester plus being an advisor to a club and starting a student-run business. Oh, did I mention that I took on a tech mentor job as well at school. Any teachers out there know, this is a lot of work to take on. (IF YOU ARE THINKING - HOW IS THIS INSPIRATIONAL...HANG TIGHT, I'LL MAKE MY POINT IN A SECOND.) Sorry I'm venting my stress here but the final thing that is adding to my droopy mood (is that even a word?) is lack of motivation in my students - ITS DRAINING. And to be really honest, its scary. I am scared for their generation because in four more years they will be applying for jobs and in five more years their managers are going to be disappointed with their performance. But as a teacher, my job is not to give up on my students.
Motivation and Inspiration.
How do I motivate people?
Because if we could find the answers to these questions, WOW, we would have a key to unlock the potential in everyone. If I could discover how to motivate and inspire - I can help people find their passion. I started telling you in this post about my lack of passion - if I can find the keys to motivation and inspiration - passion will come.
But the blessing in my wandering and worrying mind is coming back to write this blog. It's been sometime since I've written but I am feeling more inspired to write than ever before. Am I inspired lately? To be honest, not a all. It's a recession and I'm seeing a lot of family and friends go through hard times while business and government budgets are being cut left and right. And then there is my job - I teach business education in a suburban high school to mostly Juniors and Seniors. This is my second career (former life I was an Ad Sales Exec.). And its been a very long time since I felt so stressed out from a job. I'm teaching five totally different classes this semester plus being an advisor to a club and starting a student-run business. Oh, did I mention that I took on a tech mentor job as well at school. Any teachers out there know, this is a lot of work to take on. (IF YOU ARE THINKING - HOW IS THIS INSPIRATIONAL...HANG TIGHT, I'LL MAKE MY POINT IN A SECOND.) Sorry I'm venting my stress here but the final thing that is adding to my droopy mood (is that even a word?) is lack of motivation in my students - ITS DRAINING. And to be really honest, its scary. I am scared for their generation because in four more years they will be applying for jobs and in five more years their managers are going to be disappointed with their performance. But as a teacher, my job is not to give up on my students.
So despite my exhaustion, these reoccurring messages and thoughts keeps popping into my head:
Motivation and Inspiration.
How do I motivate people?
What motivates people?
Why do some people overcome challenges while others let it defeat them?
Because if we could find the answers to these questions, WOW, we would have a key to unlock the potential in everyone. If I could discover how to motivate and inspire - I can help people find their passion. I started telling you in this post about my lack of passion - if I can find the keys to motivation and inspiration - passion will come.
Stay tuned for stories as I document my research in motivation and inspiration. I'll look at what works, what doesn't work and I bet I'll learn something along the way and so will you.
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