Do NOT Teach a Starving Man to Fish

Bruce Kasanoff

www.linkedin.com/in/kasanof

Influence

Ghostwriter

You've heard this old saying before: give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime. You may even be nodding your head in agreement right now. Sorry— this saying is all wrong.

When a person is starving, that's not the time to fill their head with knowledge. The right thing to do is to first give the person a fish - banishing their hunger - and only then teach them to fish.

Far too often, people ignore this common sense first step. They see someone who is struggling, and they rush to offer wisdom. "Let me tell you what I'd do in your position," a well-meaning individual might offer.

But few of us understand the anxiety, confusion, and uncertainty that comes with overwhelming need. People in the midst of personal disasters are reeling. They can't think straight. Their nerves may be shot. Their confidence may be non-existent.

We all know affluent, outwardly successful professionals who lack confidence and - at least temporarily - the ability to think straight. Can you imagine how people must feel in the midst of outright failure?

Rushing to offer a struggling person long-term advice is a waste of time.

Instead, it makes far more sense to help them regain their equilibrium. Once this happens... once their ears, heart and mind open, then you have an opportunity to teach a new skill.

What does it take to decide whether a person needs a fish before a fishing lesson? Two things:

1.) The ability to pay attention: Is the other person open and receptive, or looking at the world through narrowed eyes that tip off just how terrified they feel inside? You can't just take their words at face value, because claiming to be alright is a basic survival skill. You have to look at how the person acts and what they don't say.

2.) Empathy: The more successful you are, the harder it is to imagine what it must be like to be the opposite.

By the way, don't trust everything you read on the Internet, where the "give a man a fish" saying is attributed to everyone except my Uncle Nathan.

Bruce Kasanoff is a ghostwriter for entrepreneurs. Learn more at Kasanoff.com. He is the author of How to Self-Promote without Being a Jerk.

http://www.slideshare.net/NowPosible/how-to-see-the-light-in-others

Managing Email Effectively

Strategies for Taming Your Inbox

Manage email effectively and be more productive.

© iStockphoto/rubenhi

It's Monday morning.

As Linda sits down at her desk she experiences that familiar sinking sensation in her stomach...

She's not dreading the day head of her – she's dreading her email inbox!

Linda's in charge of a large team, and she receives at least 50 emails every day. Reading and responding to all of this mail takes a long time, and most of her work takes back seat to this daily chore. As a result, she's notoriously behind on projects, and she's started staying late, just to catch up.

When we use it appropriately, email is an incredibly useful communication tool. But, like Linda, many of us feel overwhelmed by the amount of mail that we receive and need to respond to.

However, there are ways to manage your email so that you're more productive. In this article, we'll explore strategies for doing this, so that you can get on with the real work at hand.

Note:

Keep in mind that these strategies may not work for everyone. So use your own best judgment when you think about how to manage your email.

Checking Email

Checking your email regularly during the day can be an effective way to keep your inbox at manageable levels.

However, the constant interruption and distraction   that comes from multitasking   in this way can dramatically lower your productivity, and disrupt your ability to enter a state of flow   when working on high value projects.

One strategy you can use is to check email only at set points during the day. For instance, you may decide that you'll only check your email first thing in the morning, before lunch, and at the end of the day.

Here, it helps to set your email software to "receive" messages only at certain times, so that you're not distracted   by incoming messages. If you can't do this, at least make sure that you turn off audible and visual alerts.

You can also reserve time to read and respond to email after a long period of focused work, or at the time of day when your energy and creativity are at their lowest (this means that you can do higher value work at other times). Our article, Is This a Morning Task?   will help you identify when you're feeling least energetic, so that you can schedule time appropriately.

If you're concerned that your colleagues, boss, or clients will be annoyed or confused that you're not responding to their email quickly, explain that you only check email at certain times, and that they can call you or use instant messaging   if the matter is really urgent.

Note:

Clearly, in some roles, you will have to check email on a regular basis, especially if your business uses email as its main communication tool. As with all of these strategies, use your judgment, based on your circumstances.

Reading Email

When you read email, you can waste hours if you don't use this time intelligently.

First, try using the "Two-Minute Rule" (a concept from David Allen, the author ofGetting Things Done) when you read your mail – if the email will take less than two minutes to read and reply to, then take care of it right now, even if it's not a high priority. The idea behind this is that if it takes less than two minutes to action, it takes longer to read and then store the task away "to do later" than it would to just take care of the task now.

For emails that will take longer than two minutes to read or respond to, schedule time on your calendar, or add this as an action on your To-Do List  , to do later. Most email programs allow you to highlight, flag, or star messages that need a response, so utilize this handy feature whenever you can.

Tip:

Many of us also get lots of internal notifications. These are those "FYI" emails from the corporate office or from team members who want to keep us "in the loop." If you see your name in the "cc" field instead of the "To" field, chances are it's an FYI email. Consider filing it in a "To Read" folder, and tackle it when you have time.

Organizing Email

Can you imagine having an inbox with nothing in it? It almost sounds too good to be true!

Although a completely empty inbox (also called "inbox zero") might be unrealistic for many of us, keeping our main inbox cleared can make us more organized, and help eliminate stress.

First, set up a simple filing system to help manage your mail.

You could use broad categories titled "Action Items," "Waiting," "Reference," and "Archives." If you're able to stay on top of your folders – particularly "Action" and "Waiting" folders – you could use them as an informal To-Do List for the day.

If four categories sounds too simplistic for your needs, you can set up a more detailed system. For instance, you could create a folder for every project that you're working on, or have a set folder for each of your clients or sales reps.

The advantage when you create specific folders for processing email is that it makes it easier to search for past mail: instead of scouring your entire email system, you can simply search in that particular folder.

Using Rules

Most email programs, such as Outlook and Gmail, allow you to establish "Rules" that sort email into a particular folder as soon as it comes in.

For instance, you might get several emails per day that notify you of sales that your company has made. You want to receive these, because you want to see what's happening, but you don't want them to clutter your inbox.

This is where you could set up a rule in your email program that moves emails with, say, "Sale Notification:" in the subject line straight to the "Sales Made" folder as soon as they come in. This means that you don't need to manually file these emails, and allows you to keep all of the sales emails in one folder.

Non-Essential Email

If you regularly receive email such as newsletters, blogs and article feeds, you could re-route these to another email address, or use rules, so that they're instantly delivered to a particular folder.

This will help keep your primary inbox clear, and they'll be in one place, ready to read at a convenient time.

Tip:

You can make a world of difference for your colleagues, boss, and clients when you write effective emails  . This will not only save them stress and frustration, but succinct, relevant emails can also save an enormous amount of time – yours and theirs.

Good Team Habits

One of the best things that you can do, to limit the amount of email you need to process, is encourage people to send you less.

For instance, if certain team members regularly send you long, drawn-out emails, let them know. Tell them gently but firmly that because of the demand on your time, you'd appreciate emails no longer than a paragraph or two. Anything longer than that should warrant a phone call. Alternatively, they could drop by your office for a discussion.

Also, promote good email and communication strategies in your organization – encourage people to use the strategies highlighted in this article and in our Writing Effective Email   and Using Instant Messaging   articles.

Key Points

Most of us feel overwhelmed by email. Although it's a great communication tool, people often overuse it. When you manage it effectively, you can significantly boost your productivity.

To gain control of your inbox, start by checking and processing email only at certain times during the day. If you're concerned about the delayed response, let people know that you don't check your email constantly.

Also, try to keep your inbox as clear as possible. Organize mail using folders like "Action," "Waiting," and "Archives," And when you do check mail, use the two minute rule – immediately handle any email that you can read and responded to in two minutes or less.

You can also reduce your incoming mail by asking people to send you less, and by advocating effective email and communication strategies in your organization.

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7 Habits of Highly Successful Entrepreneurs

Success is not an overnight phenomenon. It requires a unique set of skills built over time. While there is no manual outlining what makes someone successful, the most successful entrepreneurs in the world seem to share these 7 habits.

1. They set goals and outline specifically how to reach them.

Ben Franklin was known for his brilliant inventions and maybe even more so for embodying the modern American entrepreneur. His ability to do so was not a fluke; he planned it.

Research has shown that when an individual sets measurable goals for themselves, they are more like to achieve them. Set specific daily, weekly, monthly, and even yearly goals for yourself and your business. Not only should you write down what your goals are but also determine the optimal path to get you there. In doing this you are able to visualize the path you must take to get there. Consistently review your goals and plans to achieve them on a regular basis.

2. They reflect on their day.

As one of the most powerful women in the world, Oprah Winfrey has shown us that it is possible to do it all. She has conquered television, movies, magazines, and more. What does she credit to her success? The ability to reflect on her day through meditation.

All too often entrepreneurs rush through their day as if it were a sprint, trying to cross off everything on their "to do" list as fast as possible. This can easily lead to a common business-killing phenomenon - burn out. Learn to take time out of your day to reflect. Meditation can come in many forms, all of which are cathartic activities that help you stay grounded and prevent burning yourself out. For some this can be as simple as taking a twenty-minute walk. For others, try writing in a journal.

3. They form mutually beneficial work and personal relationships.

One of the most important things I've learned being an entrepreneur is the ability to culminate relationships with others in your industry that benefit you on both a personal and business level. Ferriss provides us the perfect example of this lesson with how he marketed his book and became friends with others in his industry. When writing his best-seller, "The 4-Hour Work Week", he created chapters he knew certain bloggers would find interesting. This led to an abundance of organic blog mentions, fueling the success of his book and, in the process, helping him create meaningful relationships.

Try to associate yourself with other successful entrepreneurs as much as possible. Doing so will help you learn from them, make you a more capable entrepreneur and possibly lead to more business opportunities.

4. They know how to promote themselves.

Derek Halpern, of the popular psychology/marketing blog SocialTriggers.com, reveals one of the key obstacles holding back most entrepreneurs - they don't know how to promote themselves. There is a fine line between arrogant bragging and (what I like to call) humbly promoting yourself. In order to show people your success without coming off as a pompous jerk, you must master the art of self-promoting.

"Context is everything," says Halpern. Rather than bringing up your accomplishments first, wait for the perfect opportunity, when someone else raises the topic first or provoke them to do so. This makes boasting of your success seem more organic and natural to the conversation you are having.

5. They work for more than money.

Steve Jobs, who has become a legend among entrepreneurs, attributes his success not to chasing money but to the desire to change the world for the better. In doing, so he created some of the world's most brilliant products.

Entrepreneurs that allow their focus to be 100% on financial gain neglect long-term well-being which leads many business owners to feel unfulfilled and depressed. Just as you should have a diversified portfolio of assets, you should diversify your well-being (i.e. spiritual, mental, emotional) in regards to your business.

6. They start before they feel ready.

What holds back many people from even starting their own business is the preconceived notion that they need more experience. The truth in that matter is that there is no "right" time to venture into the world of entrepreneurship. In fact, many (if not all) new entrepreneurs have no idea what they are doing - even the world's most successful such as Richard Branson. Starting a business is like reading a Choose Your Own Adventure book. There are various different ways to reach the end...just be willing to finish the book.

7. They learn from their failures.

Resilience and being able to reflect on your failures is what separates good entrepreneurs from the great ones. The ability to get knocked down over and over while maintaining focus on your end-goal requires tremendous mental fortitude. We often see the most successful business owners invite failure into their lives. A common mantra in the tech world is, "fail fast, fail often". In doing so you spend less time actually failing and more time learning about what got you there so you don't repeat your mistakes.

Daniel Scalco 

CEO, Digitalux

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Listen Up Leaders! You Need These 3 Voices in Your Life...

Stephen R. Covey warned that the higher up you get in an organization, the harder it is to get authentic feedback. My experience suggests that this is a very true statement and that the problem isn’t isolated to senior executives. In fact, it appears when you take your very first leadership role.

To mitigate this challenge, I suggest that you seek out, listen to, and learn from 3 key voices. Truly listening to these voices requires a strong dose of humility, maturity, and openness; however, allowing them to exist creates both short and long-term benefits.

No matter where you are in your career, the sooner you find these voices, the better! The voices may come from one person, who is a trusted and capable advisor, or from multiple sources. Either way - find, listen, and learn:

1. Voice of Truth

Let’s get real. Everyone messes up; everyone makes at least an occasional poor decision; and everyone could benefit from a Voice of Truth. Unfortunately, these voices are rare. Although some voices might seem to be speaking the truth, many are simply acting the part or working from their own agendas. They don’t have your best interest at heart. You need someone who cares enough about you to speak the truth and is mature enough to do it.

• Who speaks truth to you?
• How do you react when truth is spoken? Do you get defense? Are you open to this voice?
• Do you create an environment where people feel comfortable to be the Voice of Truth in your life?

2. Voice of Encouragement

When bad times come – and they will come - or when things seem to be spiraling out of control, leaders need a voice of encouragement. This voice doesn’t ignore the gravity of the situation, nor does the voice sugarcoat things. The voice simply helps to put things into perspective and encourages you to get up, brush yourself off, and move forward.

• Who encourages you?
• Is the encouragement authentic and grounded in reality or is it false and unrealistic?
• Do you create an environment where people feel comfortable to be a Voice of Encouragement in your life?

3. Voice of Challenge

Many organizations are full of ‘yes’ men and women. No matter what the leader says, the people around the table nod their heads in agreement. They then walk out of the room and share with each other why something won’t work or why the bosses’ decision was a bad one. These ‘meetings after the meeting’ are extremely damaging and all too common. If a challenge exists, and they often do, you need to create an environment where you hear it. This doesn’t mean opening yourself up to abuse from an overbearing cynic – do that too much and you will suffer the consequences. It does mean recognizing that everyone always agrees, then you have the wrong people in the room.

• Who challenges you?
• Is there a mature voice in your life that provides constructive feedback for the sole purpose of making you and the organization better?
• How do you create an environment that allows the Voice of Challenge in your life?

by Patrick Leddin

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What is TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP?

What do you think is important as a transformational leader?

What does leadership look like in early childhood settings?

The requirement for leadership in early childhood education and care (ECEC) settings has and always will be a priority because of the link between high-calibre leadership and better outcomes for young children.

Source www.acornsdaynurserysale.co.uk

… the context of early childhood is continually changing and becoming increasingly complex. Roles are changing and expanding. Old solutions to issues and problems do not always work. These ‘change challenges’ suggest a real imperative for the field to develop new and robust frameworks for leadership that can support people in facing, grappling with, initiating and facilitating change rather than simply reacting (Fasoli, Scrivens & Woodrow, 2007, pp. 232—233).

It is recognised that effective leadership is vital to the success of education and care settings. Without skilled and committed leaders to help shape teaching and learning, the opportunity to create and sustain high-quality learning environments is minimal. Research also shows that leadership is second only to teaching as an influence on learning, and that the quality and practice of leadership is linked in a consistent and demonstrable way to improved student outcomes and educational equity (Leithwood et al., 2006, p. 4; Mitgang, 2012, p. 3).

ECA has recognised this research, and that the sector requires all who work within it to build on their professional knowledge base and engage in ongoing learning and development. Thus, over the past two years, ECA has researched what leadership looks like in early childhood settings and developed a set of capabilities on which early childhood and school care leaders can frame their professional leadership plans. These capabilities encourage a leader to reflect personally and with others how they:

• make children’s learning, development and wellbeing the core focus
• address children’s rights and honour diversity of all kinds in positive, constructive and courageous ways
• build respectful, trusting, nurturing and equitable relationships
• build respectful and genuine connections with families and communities
• collaboratively develop a culture of ethical inquiry
• collaboratively create a community of learners.

The leadership capabilities have been developed as part of ECA’s desire to articulate for itself, and the profession, a view of leadership that aligns with the quest for children’s care and education and a sector characterised among other things by:

… the physical intensity of working with young children; the necessity to develop relationships that are emotionally and cognitively intimate; the need for early childhood professionals to regard themselves as learners … ; adaptability across a wide range of developmental levels and institutional settings; the need to take very seriously the family and sociocultural context; the ability to read the child, using highly developed skills of observation and interpretation; the significance of the community context in all aspects of work; and the development of a knowledge base that is grounded in child development (Fasoli, Scrivens & Woodrow, 2007, p. 215).

These capabilities have been packaged as The Leadership Capability Framework for Early Childhood Education and Care and School Age Care. They are built upon a set of values, attributes, skills, knowledge and dispositions, and practices that support effective leadership in early childhood education and care.

These practices include: identifying and articulating a vision; ensuring shared understandings, meanings and goals; effective communication; encouraging reflection; monitoring and assessing practice; commitment to ongoing professional development; distributive leadership; building a learning community and team culture; encouraging and facilitating genuine family and community partnerships; and striking the balance between leading and managing (adapted from Siraj-Blatchford & Manni, 2007).

The completion of extensive research and national consultations has led to a number of understandings about leadership in ECEC settings that include:

• Leadership is about identity—it starts from within.
• Leadership is about influence (both directly and indirectly) and responsibility, and is therefore potentially open to everyone.
• Leadership demonstrates respect as an enactment of ethical commitments.
• Leadership is about qualities and values rather than position.
• There is not just one way to enact leadership—it is complex, dynamic and varies from situation to situation and from culture to culture.
• Leadership is about purpose.
• Leadership capabilities can be professionally developed.

Leadership in ECEC settings requires deep human qualities that include but go beyond conventional notions of authority.
The traditional concept of a leader as being an individual at the top of a hierarchy is an incomplete appreciation of what true leadership must be. Leadership is an influence process enacted by individuals and teams as one connects with one another, to make the changes that reflect shared vision and purpose. Leadership is both an individual and collective ethical responsibility.

Source:  umraosanstha.org

Leadership is about purpose, and for ECEC settings that purpose is embodied in pedagogical leadership. While strong pedagogical leadership underpins the way a setting operates, it is also acknowledged that effective leaders do many other things, such as organising and managing resources and time, hiring and managing staff, and making genuine connections with children and staff, families, communities and other organisations.

In the end, leadership within the ECEC setting ‘ … is a journey of joint inquiry, exploration and reflection that can involve everyone who believes in making a difference for children’ (Waniganayake & Semann, 2011, p. 24), and we at ECA look forward to being partners in this journey.

Jenny Lewis
CEO, Commonwealth Council for Educational Administration and Management

Jenny Hill
Leadership and Early Childhood Consultant

References
Fasoli, L., Scrivens, C., & Woodrow, C. (2007). Challenges for leadership in Aotearoa/New Zealand and Australian early childhood contexts. In L. Keesing-Styles & H. Hedges (Eds), Theorising early childhood practice: Emerging dialogues. Sydney, NSW: Pademelon Press.
Leithwood, K., Day, C., Sammons, P., Harris, A., & Hopkins, D. (2006). Seven strong claims about successful school leadership. England: National College for School Leadership.
Mitgang, L. (2012). The making of the principal: Five lessons in leadership training. Perspective: The Wallace Foundation, June.
Siraj-Blatchford, I., & Manni, L. (2007). Effective leadership in the early years sector: The ELEYS study. London: Institute of Education, University of London.
Waniganayake, M., & Semann, A. (2011). Being and becoming leaders. Rattler, 100, Summer, 24.

Every Child magazine – vol. 18 no. 4, 2012.

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