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Back to School There's nothing quite as evocative of childhood memories as that universal rite of
September, the first day of school. New Year's Day comes in the dead of winter, following closely the shortest day of the year and giving us hope that the sun will return. Spring is celebrated as the start of the cycle of birth and rebirth in nature. But for a celebration of new beginnings, it's hard to beat the clean slate that always greeted us when we went back to school each fall.
Even if, like me, you no longer have direct ties to your neighborhood schools, it's hard to ignore the rituals going on all around you, and the strong sense that this time of year is about new beginnings for us all. There's something hopeful about the annual rite of putting shoulder to wheel with renewed dedication, of pledging to reach some desired new level of competence. Even the gym was full once again this past week!
And, the first day of school is a reminder to all of us, both as leaders of our own lives and leaders of others, that learning is a lifelong pursuit; you're never too old to go "back to school" and if you're smart you never really leave it. I was thrilled recently to hear one of my executive coaching clients say she is trying to decide what kind of learning experience she should plan for the coming year. She considers her own personal
learning plan to be an integral part of her organizational plan, and she holds herself accountable to fulfill on the plan. Being intentional about your own learning is a key mark of a good leader, as is periodic reflection on what you are learning and how you learn. With that in mind, let's look at some of the things that every returning schoolchild knows, and see what we can learn from them: - Make sure you have new notebooks, pencils, and markers. If you're not
prepared for learning on Day One of the new term, you might never catch up with the rest of the class.
- Get there a little early so you're sure to find your new classroom. If you don't know where you're going, it's easy to get lost.
- Never wear shoes that are too tight. If you're thinking about how uncomfortable you are, you probably won't be thinking about what the teacher is saying.
- Don't be too quick to raise your hand with the answer. It's a good idea to stay
open to the possibility that you don't already know everything.
- The answer isn't always in the book. Sometimes learning isn't only about knowing the facts.
- Neatness counts. It's not just what you say, it's how you say it that makes people pay attention to you.
- If you do your homework, everything will go a lot smoother. What you learn
when you're away from school (or work) is often far more valuable than the classroom (or on-the-job) learning itself.
- Grades aren't everything. Sure, they make you feel good, but can you even remember your second grade report card now?
Coaching is a proven way of keeping your own learning going. If you're ready to go back to school this fall, let's talk about how coaching can work for you. Call (410)626-6008, or email info@bloomfieldassociates.com. 
If keeping a journal of your thoughts, observations, and experiences feels hard to you, try maintaining a Learning Log: - Using a new, clean notebook, divide each page into three sections: What is the most interesting or important thing I learned today? How did I learn it? Who or what else can support me in my continuing learning in this domain?
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Try to write something every day, or at least three times a week, using one page for each day you write. At the end of a month, look back over the entries in your Learning Log. What patterns or trends do you notice?
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A recent Monster.com survey that revealed that 44% of businesspeople really, really
dislike the phrase "think outside the box." The average worker admits to wasting more than 2 hours a day, according to survey results recently issued by America Online and Salary.com. More than 44% of the poll participants said their No. 1 method for wasting time at work is engaging in personal Internet use, like reading e-mail, sending instant messages, playing interactive games - and responding to online polls.
60% of senior executives and managers say questionable accounting practices are either very or somewhat common while only 8% say they are very rare, based on a recent national survey. 
The Contribution Economy Thanks to the widespread use of the internet, people all over the world can now easily
contribute ideas, knowledge, and energy to collaborative work projects, and they often do so for free, even when the project is a commercial one. Examples of this trend include blogs, open-source software, and podcasts. Al Gore's new cable channel programming will be made up almost entirely of videos produced and sent in by viewers. In this "contribution economy," value is constantly created without any money ever changing hands. 
 Language and the Pursuit of Happiness
, by Chalmers Brothers. What I like about it: With a foreword by Julio Olalla of the Newfield Network, this book is a clear and very readable distillation of the foundational teachings of Flores, Olalla, and others pivotal in the development of the contemporary profession of coaching. We have recently added this book to our required readings for the Georgetown University Leadership Coaching Certificate Program.
Beth Bloomfield
Executive Coach, Strategy Consultant
Principal, Bloomfield Associates   Maverick and The Seven Day Weekend by Ricardo Semler. What I
like about it: Talk about instituting change from the bottom up -- he's the master! He completely turned around his company Semco, from near bankruptcy to an international leader, and he did it in some very unusual ways. I highly recommend both books to anyone who is working with management and business practices.
Joan Schramm
Executive, Career, Personal Caoch
Momentum Coaching Share what you're into - books, articles, movies, music, websites - with others on the list! Send us the title and author or other pertinent information, along with a sentence or two on what you like about it, and if we use it
in A Different Optic we'll not only quote you, we'll provide a link to you or your website. |
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"Everything that has a beginning has an ending. Make your peace with that and all will be well."
- The Buddha | |
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Beth Bloomfield was recently quoted in the Washington Post Business section (July 14, 2005) in a piece about executives having longer-than-average commutes. Yes, Beth is offering another running of her popular teleclinic "Build Your Executive Coaching Practice," beginning in October - a bit later than
previously planned. If you're on this newsletter subscriber list, you'll be getting an announcement soon with specific details and a link to online registration. If you want to know more now, please contact Beth at (410) 626-6008. | | |
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