We don’t often hear about the drawbacks of perfectionism. Instead, we celebrate obsession embodied by elite performers. That can be misleading. Stories of the obsessive work ethic shared by world class achievers like Kobe Bryant and Steve Jobs are everywhere; there are far more stories of people in pursuit of elite achievement who strain to prove their personal value through high accomplishment. Those stories end poorly. Far more often than not, perfectionism leads to decreased productivity, strained relationships, heavy anxiety, and an overall lower quality of lifer
“The Best Way to Spot an Idiot”
For all JB Pritzker has done during his time as Illinois' Governor, his most viral and memetically impactful moment might be his recent commencement speech at Northwestern University. Smart and funny, with references to the sitcom The Office, Pritzger relayed a powerful message: "The best way to spot an idiot, look for the person who … Continue reading “The Best Way to Spot an Idiot”
Narratives of Hope in Your SEL Toolbox
We all know the language of teachers possesses the power to inspire or injure, to heal or humiliate. Language sets the academic and emotional climate of the room. The greater awareness of the relationship between language of the teacher and positive learning outcomes, the greater chance we have of getting the climate just right. So, we have to ask ourselves: “Does my language optimize learning, achievement, relationships and emotional intelligence?”
Engagement Across Difference
"Remember that with diversity comes difference. Students at Northwestern, frankly, students everywhere across the United States, increasingly lack the ability to talk across difference. In that way- they're much like our country, but as I've said before, this ability to engage across difference is core to a university's mission. "One cannot have true and authentic engagement by either the faculty or students without a commitment to free speech and to academic freedom."
Hidden Impact: The Importance of Diversity in the Workplace
Katherine Johnson saving the day highlights the impact of recruiting diverse perspectives. Companies in the “top quartile for ethnic and racial diversity in management were 35% more likely to have financial returns above their industry mean”.
4 Keys for the ADHD Leader
Visionary leaders have a few things in common. They see fast and far, they are creative and ambitious, they approach problems from angles that their peers might fail to see. These buoyant, entrepreneurial spirits have another thing in common: a lot of them have ADHD (often undiagnosed).
Aligning Personal and Objective Truths
Personal truths (the truth of one’s experience) can be distinct from an objective truth (which is quantifiable and observable). Managing the gap between these truths is an important skill for any leader – of a business, a team, or a household.
Deconstructing Cultures of Constant Availability
Technology has enabled us to work remotely and remain connected 24/7. That doesn’t mean we should. In cultures of constant availability, an employee’s alert system is always ‘on’. Pings and chimes and little red bubbles in the corner of an app were created to snag one’s attention... in the modern workplace, this exploitation is nearly constant.
Understanding Anger: ‘Parts Work’ in Executive Coaching
As Dr. Schwartz puts it, “there are no bad parts, only burdened ones frozen in the past that need to be unburdened rather than punished,” (Schwartz, 64). Often, punishing the parts of you who are responsible for less-than-ideal behaviors will burden them further – a degrading cycle that an alarming amount of people find themselves caught in. Instead, heal them, change them, let them evolve.
Are You a Credible Messenger?: 4 Keys to Successful Professional Development
Professional Development is essential. But it's not all created equal... Check out 4 keys to effective professional development from 3 members of the SEL Summer Institute.