How to Treat Each Other

“Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father.  Treat younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity.” I Timothy 5:1-2

I read this the other day in my devotions and it struck me how much this resonates with Adult Degree Completion and working with staff, students, and faculty.  This resonates with the ramifications of being created in the image of God and of understanding that everything can be reduced to relationships.  Our interactions with our all our constituencies, when we follow this guide, reflects our love for God and appreciation for his grace and mercy toward us. 

But I also know from personal experience and failure, that it isn’t always easy to do this.  When I’m are tired, or feeling unappreciated, or dealing with a myriad of heavy issues I sometimes forget to think about the person I’m talking to in favor of the task; to be oblivious to feelings in favor of MY agenda.

Probably no one is perfect in this regard, but I believe God is honored when we make the effort to follow Paul’s admonition to Timothy.  Hopefully we’ll all have this cross our minds throughout this season.

Collaboration is NOT Busywork

I know there are some who are reading this whose opinion of collaborative exercises is low, that is assuming they read this at all!  I have to confess that I have seen some collaborative exercises/assignments that really were nothing more than busywork, or worse.  It is a fact that any collaborative exercise or assignment that doesn’t have clear learning outcomes probably fits that description.

However, I’m glad to say, that is not the norm.  When well designed and thought through, collaborative exercises/assignments are powerful tools to achieve student learning, particularly with adults.  There are quite a few posts in this category already here on the faculty blog (simply click on the Collaborative Teaching Ideas link under Categories to the right) and many more examples of excellent activities can be found by searching the web.

But I want to reinforce the importance of having clear learning outcomes before adding these activities.  I’ve said this before and I truly believe it, collaborative teaching can feel like controlled chaos, and sometimes only marginally controlled!  Without the boundaries of clear learning outcomes, the can quickly activities deteriorate into a waste of classroom time.

It takes some time to effective plan and implement these activities – which is one of the reasons I think many Instructors eschew them entirely or find them ineffective when they do try them.  Planning the outcomes, and then designing the activity so that it achieves the outcomes, including the debriefing which is a big part of the learning, can make connections for adult learners that just don’t happen through lecture.

So here is the process I use:

1. What is the subject or topic that I want to reinforce/teach?
2. What do I want the student to walk away knowing? This is the learning outcome and I put this down in a clearly written sentence.
3. Think about what learning activity can I use which will get the students to engage the topic or subject.  Sometimes it is a hands on experience, other times it requires movement, other times it can be problem based or through role playing or debates.  There really are so many options that it is hard to list them all.  I have included a longer list under Faculty Resources/White Papers titled Collaborative Teaching Options.
4. Work out the plan for implementing the exercise in class including resources you need to bring with you and how much time it will take.  It usually takes a few times to get the time figured out correctly.
5. Conduct the exercise, being cognizant that things can drift out of control and you need to stay engaged and provide direction.  It is not “Practice that makes Perfect,” but “Guided practice that makes perfect.”
6. Debrief the exercise and hone in on the learning outcome by asking questions that direct the students to think about the exercise in relationship to what you wanted them to come away with.  You may want to plan your debrief questions ahead of time.
7. Refine the exercise for the next time you use it.

I hope you’ll give it a try.  It can be amazingly rewarding to see the light come on in a student’s eyes as they engage in the debrief and make a crucial connection to their life.

Mel Brooks, Ben Stein, Andragogy, and Principles of Facilitative Teaching

Connecting Followership and Transformational Leadership

Creating Engagement - Lessons from The Trust Edge, by David Horsager

I recently started The Trust Edge, by David Horsager and have found the book to be a good read with a lot of useful information.

Here are four things I’ve learned/been reminded of in the first third of this book along with an application for the classroom – either the physical classroom or online:

1. “You are trusted to the degree that people believe in your ability, your consistency, your integrity, and your commitment to deliver.” (p.9)  As you read through this list it is obvious that these things don’t happen immediately.  They are developed over time and in relationship.  Teaching application: Your relationship with your students and their perception of “your ability, your consistency, your integrity, and your commitment to deliver” will build trust or erode it.  Building trust will result in greater student engagement as they discover you are worth trusting.
2. “People do small, even menial tasks differently when they catch a great vision.  If you are a leader in your organization, share your vision consistently.  If you are not sharing your vision at least every thirty days, your team doesn’t know it. A clear vision inspires, unifies and gives powerful focus.” (p. 50)  While this is written toward an organization I can see clear application for the adult classroom.  Teaching application: A major point of adult learning theory has to do with sharing the relevancy of the subject with the students; not just why it is important, but what the cost could be in NOT knowing the information.  So, for the classroom, sharing vision should equate to making sure there is a clear connection of relevancy every week.  When you do this engagement increases.
3. “Expect and even appreciate conflict.  The old notion rings true: if we are all exactly the same, we are not all needed. Conflict can be a source of growth, creativity, and, in the end, greater unity.” (p.64)  I know many Instructors will go to almost any lengths to avoid even the hint of conflict in the classroom.  This might seem desirable, and certainly is easier, but avoiding conflict doesn’t foster learning and engagement at the higher levels.  Teaching application: Engaged adult learners will challenge the Instructor from time to time.  This is because what you are teaching seems to run crosswise to their experience.  If you squash this freedom to raise these challenges, you will effectively reduce or eliminate engagement.  If, on the other hand, you encourage students to respond, use the challenges to gather information, attempt to understand where the challenge is coming from, and respond with empathy, engagement will blossom.
4. “No matter what your profession is, challenge yourself to start thinking like the customer, patient, client, congregation member, or student.  Think of these people’s needs and challenges.  Care aboutthem. Give them a great experience.  Make them feel valued.” (p.74) Teaching application:  Adults respond better and are more engaged when they feel respected and valued.  The role of the Instructor in creating this kind of environment cannot be overstated.  In fact, the best Instructors will go beyond this to taking personal responsibility for doing everything they can to “give them a great experience.”

I’m definitely enjoying the book and will share some more thoughts as I get deeper into it.  May God richly bless and guide your day!

The Creator

A recent scholarly article included that word, "Creator."  You would have thought the world was coming to the end in academic circles by the outcry.  The article was immediately retracted and excuses were offered up inferring poor translation and an imperfect review process.  The whole story was carried in the Chronicle of Higher Education with many weighing in on the inappropriate use of any term which would suggest the existence of a creator, intelligent design, or heaven forbid, God.

Such is the state of affairs in America.

But, that is all the reason for each one to intentionally stand up to be counted; to be light in the darkness.  The naysayers ( in popular parlance "haters") may bash a belief in God and ridicule those who hold such faith.  However, those who live by that very faith know a different truth.  Not only the reality of God, but the sacrifice of Jesus Christ who purchased our salvation and the daily presence of the Holy Spirit.  We can bring light to our circle of influence by simply showing love to those around us.  As in Elijah's day, there are far more people of faith in our world than we know or are being told.  Hold fast, hold up the Light, trust the Creator.

You Get to Choose.

I just read a great post about the way our brains are structured to lock in on the negative.   You can read the article: How to Remove Negativity From Your Life for Good.  

The information really struck home with me, particularly the TED talk video linked inside the article.  I can see how this has affected me and the conversations I've been a part of.  Typically I'm all about letting a person vent, thinking it is cathartic.   A lot of time I have joined in with my own negative comments.

 However, after reading the article and watching the video I think I need to become more focused on speaking forth a positive message and reminding people of the good that is already part of their lives. Not surprising, this is a biblical principle.  Paul reminds us in Philippians 4:8, "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things."

It is easy to slip into a gloom and doom mentality.  It is easy to see every small problem as a mountain of personal offence.  Blessed is the individual who will choose to see the good already present and be a light of hope for others.

What Kind of Leader Are You

What type of leader are you?  There is a general awareness of leadership styles, but much less awareness that there are types of leaders.  Although I sensed the difference it was not until I read Bob Whitesel's book on Preparing for Change Reaction, that what I had been sensing gelled into an awareness that has been tremendously helpful in evaluating my own strengths as a leader, as well as guiding my interactions with other leaders.  Here are the Leadership types as defined by Whitesel, with some modifications and comments from my own experience.

• Strategic Leaders are those who “see the big picture and envision outcomes. . . .  They intuitively know what the results should be, even though they are not experts in getting there. ” (Whitesel, p. 32)  I would call these visionaryleaders. These leaders are usually the first to know when change is needed.  Dr. John Conley, former President of Circleville Bible College and a mentor of mine and definitely a Strategic leader, repeatedly told me that leaders see steps 1 and 5 but usually don’t have the ability to see steps two three and four.  He was referring to this type of leader.  In other words, Strategic leaders know how to rally support and resources, how to cast the vision and steer the ship, but don’t really know how to set the sails or provision the ship.  The strategic leader knows that change is inevitable and seeks to guide the process in an optimum direction.  
•  Tactical Leaders are those who “can organize, plan, budget, recruit volunteers, and evaluate progress of change.” They can take the strategic vision and pull together the pieces to make it happen. (Whitesel, p. 20)  “Tactical leaders know how to bring the long term projects down into easy, doable steps." (Whitesel, p. 36).  They are not primarily those who do the task, focusing more on delegation, but they can do if necessary.  The tactical leader is the 2, 3 and 4 leader who, upon receipt of a vision, immediately begins thinking about how to make it happen; they can't help it, it is just they way their mind works.  This leader just needs the target and can figure out just what is needed to make it happen.  The tactical leader is comfortable with change and may even crave it.
•  Process Leaders are those who have the ability to refine the processes of an organization, making them more effective. Their gift is to see the connections between what needs to be done and how it can be done better.  “Better” is their mantra.  Process leaders are most often effective maintenance leaders.  They may understand the necessity of change but prefer small incremental changes if there has to be change at all.  Process leaders work easily within the boundaries of the status quo and can be resistant to a vision which requires significant change.  I've added this type to Whitesel's original list.  I discovered that this type of leader is fairly common in my experience of leading and working with leaders across 40 years.  While there are similarities to the Tactical leader, there is enough difference that I believe it warrants a separate listing.

Usually an organization will have either a Tactical leader or a Process leader but rarely do they have both.

•  Operational Leaders are highly relational. “They foster teamwork, interdependence, improvisation, creativity, and unity toward a goal.” (Whitesel, p. 38) They work best with the precise planning provided by the Tactical or Process leader.  “If the Operational Leader does not have the go-between of a tactical leader…the strategic leader’s vision may be too imprecise to motivate the operational leader.” (Whitesel, p. 39).  If an operational leader doesn’t have a plan pretty clearly laid out, they will either stumble forward with limited effectiveness or, more likely, come to a halt.  Without a tactical leader they can become frustrated with the strategic leader and vis-a-versa.   This is an important point and many times the source of organizational failure: When the Strategic leader attempts to function as the Tactical/Process leader there is a breakdown in communication which creates confusion and ineffective implementation.

 It is important to keep in mind that while it is possible to change your leadership style, most people are unable to modify their leadership type for an extended length of time. 

The key point here is to be aware of who you are and to draw around you the other leadership types so that you can accomplish your goals.  Each type of leader must show up for the best result.  Each type of leader needs the others to be complete.

I'd really appreciate your comments about your perceptions of this delineation and whether or not you find it helpful or accurate.

I Was Too Busy to Get it Done.

If have missed a deadline or failed to meet expectations using the phrase "I was too busy to get it done," then you AREN'T leadership material.  Here's some reasons why:

1.  If you are too busy, whose fault is it?  That's right it is YOURS.  You can choose to say no and you can choose to set your priorities.  If you have too much on your plate, then make some hard choices and scrape some things off.  One thing for sure, leaders do what they say they will do . . . and if you aren't doing that then guess what?  You aren't leading.

2.  You are a selfish, narcissistic, egotist whose only thoughts are for themselves.  Hopefully you are redeemable and can come back from the edge.  Leaders who use this excuse seem to believe that their life and their agenda is far more important than everyone else.  They don't respect others and demonstrate that by their failure to take the feelings and goals of others into consideration.  This is not leading, it might be what a dictator does,

3.  You are simply too disorganized to meet your responsibilities.  Leaders who haven't grasped the basics of self-organization need to go back to basic training.  This is a leadership 101 topic which should have been mastered early on.  If you have gotten into leadership and you can't organize yourself to get your responsibilities accomplished then you might be a living example of the Peter Principle.  Click the link to learn more.

4.  You are basically lazy and simply don't care.  God help you . . . and those you lead, not to mention your organization, which is headed for disaster.

Everyone has the same number of hours in their day.  Everyone has pressures on their life, be they personal, social, or professional.  Sometimes those pressures can be intense, throwing life out of balance.
The problem isn't being BUSY - everybody is BUSY.  The problem isn't even being TOO BUSY, which happens more often than we like.  The problem comes when your being BUSY becomes and excuse for not accomplishing what you have promised.

When you say your are just too busy, you are elevating yourself and discounting everyone else.  This is not the behavior of a Christian nor a leader.

Leaders who are able to get results have learned to manage their lives and their time effectively.  One of the best tools for this, especially for new leaders can be found in Stephen Covey's book The Seven Habits of Highly Successful People.  This is a must read for that chapter alone, not to mention the value of the other six habits.  Add that to your reading list for 2016, you won't regret it.