Group Dynamic

In a sense, self-centered behavior is normal.

If people tend to act in self-interest, how do WE deal with that, and get THEM to think beyond themselves? Take a couple minutes to hear Matt and Alan address this.

Previous posts on this topic:

Four levels of maturity

Four-way stops

Dealing with your own tendencies

A couple weeks ago, I shared the Quantum Apology Formula.

Two days ago, someone asked “Yeah, but what if Read the rest of this entry »

Dear friend, fellow educator, and previous guess blogger Matt Pries likes to share the following model, with is derived from the Quantum Learning school of thought: Read the rest of this entry »

Everyone works through grief and the aftermath of trauma in their own way.  Some of us have had success navigating stages of grief, and others have dealt with tragedy in their own, unclassifiable way.

It feels safe to say that everyone is Read the rest of this entry »

This is a “rerun” from last year; some events of the last month have convinced me to share it anew:

We’re just a couple weeks from the Winter Solstice, the shortest darkest day of the year. A contrast to the holiday season, it can exacerbate hidden internal sadness in those around us.

I love Christmas music.  But not all of it at the same level of love.  I prefer minor keys, obscure pieces, and bleak moods that reflect peace and/or sadness.  ”God Rest Ye Merry” is a good one, as is “‘Twas in the Moon of Wintertime.”  There’s a lot of good stuff in the French, Celtic, and British choir traditions traditions that are haunting.

Two favorite Christmas music albums are “A Charlie Brown Christmas” and “If on a Winter’s Night…”  The latter comes from Sting, who hits on a major theme of this time of year in the liner notes:

…I have an ambivalent attitude towards the celebration of Christmas.  For many, it is a period of intense loneliness and alienation… Winter is a time of darkness and introspection… [and] the gravitational pull of home that Christmas exerts on the traveller.

Walking amid the snows of Winter, or sitting entranced in a darkened room gazing at the firelight, usually evokes in me a mood of reflection, a mood that can be at times philosophical, at other wildly irrational; I find myself haunted by memories.

This can be a joyful and jolly time of year; so many lights and happy music and gatherings. But many folks are like Sting; haunted by memories of sadness exacerbated by the short dark days and the contrast with the flaunting of joy.

Enjoy the season – the lights, music, gatherings, festivities – but please stay sensitive. And allow yourself to feel the melancholy, too.  That can add to the beauty.

Happy New Year.

I ate in a London pub with a group once, and the server made a mistake when calculating the bill.  Unfortunately, he didn’t believe us, and our argument kept escalating.  I got a little, um, Read the rest of this entry »

Four-way stops are easy, right?  Stop, then take your turn after everyone else has gone. Is it a tie? Person on the right goes first. Easy. No problem.

Does everyone totally adhere to The Rules of the Four Way Stop? I bet they think they do. But you’ve seen these… Read the rest of this entry »

In an earlier post, I wrote of the value of picking up the phone to ask for help, information, or other assistance from fellow professionals.

What do you do when you get that call?

Share.  Abundantly.

In my former Read the rest of this entry »

A few weeks ago, I shared an unusual incident involving an appliance installer, and the Facebook discussion after I shared it online.

After the post, there was a bit more discussion, and I also finally offered my thoughts on the issue.  This week, I’ll Read the rest of this entry »

We’re just a few days past the Winter Solstice, the shortest darkest day of the year. A contrast to the holiday season, it can exacerbate hidden internal sadness in those around us.

I love Christmas music.  But not all of it at the same level of love.  I prefer minor keys, obscure pieces, and bleak moods that reflect peace and/or sadness.  ”God Rest Ye Merry” is a good one, as is “‘Twas in the Moon of Wintertime.”  Lots of good stuff in the French tradition.

My two favorite Christmas music albums are “A Charlie Brown Christmas” and “If on a Winter’s Night…”  The latter comes from Sting, who hits on a major theme of this time of year in the liner notes:

…I have an ambivalent attitude towards the celebration of Christmas.  For many, it is a period of intense loneliness and alienation… Winter is a time of darkness and introspection… [and] the gravitational pull of home that Christmas exerts on the traveller.

Walking amid the snows of Winter, or sitting entranced in a darkened room gazing at the firelight, usually evokes in me a mood of reflection, a mood that can be at times philosophical, at other wildly irrational; I find myself haunted by memories.

This can be a joyful and jolly time of year; so many lights and happy music and gatherings. But many folks are like Sting; haunted by memories of sadness exacerbated by the short dark days and the contrast with the flaunting of joy.

Enjoy the season – the lights, music, gatherings, festivities – but please stay sensitive. And allow yourself to feel the melancholy, too.  That can add to the beauty.

Happy New Year.

Yesterday, while working in my home office, workers from a local store came to install a new appliance.  I overheard a shocking conversation that struck me as inappropriate.  I selected a typical excerpt, and posted it on my personal Facebook page to see what conversation would ensue.  I was not disappointed. This was an interesting exchange that touched on Read the rest of this entry »

Hannah was a young person volunteering at a community dinner.  She sure seemed like she didn’t want to be there.  She was listening to her iPod and had earbuds in both ears as she served peas to the public.  She was surrounded by about twenty adult volunteers.

At one point, Harold, one of the adult volunteers, finally said something.  He scowled, and Read the rest of this entry »