A personal motto

I will be starting 2016 with a high performing team workshop. Right now I have all participants completing a personal introduction sheet which includes letting everyone know their personal motto.

Why personal motto? I have found in my coaching business that I come across a number of people that just need a bit of help to shape their thinking. They feel overwhelmed by the demands of modern life and with limited time and energy they so often feel, after periods of working long hours, very little personal satisfaction. As their coach I will help them to clarify their reason for being. In the words of Mark Twain 'there are two important days in our lives, the day we are born and the day we understand why'.

Without this real sense of purpose we can so easily drift and sleepwalk into middle age. Often the early part of our careers is taken care of by others, we work hard, we get recognised and new jobs and promotions just come our way. At this point we haven't thought too deeply about what we want in life, but nice to know others seem to have ideas for us. Then around about our early 40s the promotions run out and at this point you might be excused feeling powerless to shape the next stage of your life. 

If you can come up with a simple motto that encapsulates what you are about, then you are well on the way to making sense of your life.

eHow sums it up as....

A motto is a word or words that sum up your beliefs or outlook on life. When you choose personal motto, you are actually delving into your own mind to find what makes you tick or what drives you to make the choices you make. Look into yourself, and figure out your theme and you can find a personal motto.

Examples:-

• Live every day to the fullest, because it may be your last
• Don't live your life full of revenge, if you do that makes you no better than the one you are getting revenge on
• Treat others as you would treat yourself
• Every day is a new day , act as if its a second chance
• Life is to short to fix all the errors, if you have true friends and family you shouldn't need, to they should understand 
• Don't hide behind the shadows of others come out and forge your own destiny
• Respect, in order to get it you have to give it
• Live well, laugh often, love much. 
• True contentment is not in having everything, but in being satisfied with everything you have.
• Never let defeat rob you of success. 
• The best things in life aren't things.
• Treasure your relationships, not your possessions.
• Forgiving someone is a sign of strength.
• Begin your day with friendliness and only friends you will find. 
• Wear out, don't rust out. 
• Have character - don't be one. 
• Be a change you wish to see in the world. 
• The greatest blessing comes to the one who freely gives and expects nothing in return. 
• The harder you work at what you should be, the less you will try to hide what you are. 
• If you don't feel like being pleasant, courteous and kind, act that way and the feelings will come.

Flip the classroom

I have an interesting challenge going into next year. One client, a school, has flagged that they will not be able to release their teachers for training during the day. Instead we will have to make do with a series of 2.5 hour twilight sessions, from 4:00 pm to 6:30 pm. We are teaching teachers how to coach, so we have decided to flip the classroom. Participants will learn the theory prior to attending a twilight session so that we can devote these sessions to practicing coaching.

For me who doesn't have a great deal of faith in the ability of participants to do the prework prior to a workshop this is a huge act of faith! So my starting point is to understand what is meant by flipping a classroom.

Definition of a flipped classroom:

The flipped classroom is a pedagogical model in which the typical lecture and homework elements of a course are reversed. Short video lectures are viewed by students at home before the class session, while in-class time is devoted to exercises, projects, or discussions.

This video provided me with a very good understanding of what to do.

So I am now working on an 18 week programme that will use Moodle to deliver online videos and other material plus provide participants with the resource to update their learning blogs.

Happy Days!!!