Monthly Archives: February 2017

5 Secrets of Powerful Teachers and Why They are Critical to Our Society

Posted on by
1

We live in a society that often “villianizes” teachers and fails to recognize the powerful role they play in the upbringing of our nation’s children. While I’m not saying the profession is perfect what I am saying is that this imperfection places them at par with the rest of us.  However, par is not really the goal we as one of the greatest societies in the history of the world should set for the status of the greatest catalyst for our society’s future.  So, bottom line is teachers should be positioned on par with surgeons, attorneys, professors, and corporate leaders.  Yes that’s right, on par! Here are five reasons why:

  1. It is often a teacher that is cited as a life changing mentor who many attribute to their individual success. There is likely no other profession that is cited as often as teachers are as critical to the success of so many.
  2. Teachers can and often do prepare young people for success by cultivating those “intangible” yet so valuable skill sets that are the markers of leadership and emotional intelligence.  No other adult enjoys the kind of access a teacher has to our children as he or she prepares our kids to become responsible and capable adults.
  3. Teachers are often the only force fighting on behalf of our children when political fears and/or “educational movements of the moment” put our kids at risk. There is no other adult like teachers willing to fight as hard as we are for our children
  4. Let’s face it, teachers keep our kids from going “rogue” or from going all “Lord of the Flies” on us. While it’s not always a parent’s favorite thing to hear, teachers know how to put our children in place when they break the rules.  Teachers may even be our greatest ally in our pursuit to raise children who are respectful, caring, and good to one another.
  5. Finally, its extremely hard to find a teacher who doesn’t care deeply about our children.  The teaching profession is one of the most educated professions in our society and many can find other jobs that are more lucrative and certainly less challenging.  Yet they persist.  I don’t know one employer who wouldn’t want an employee who persists through the kinds of challenges teachers face on a daily basis.

Ultimately, teachers deserve a status at par with those who we place at the top tier of our society. After all, aren’t our kids and future worth it?

Steven J. Harvey, Ph.D. 
CEO & Founder, My College Max, Web Site: www.mycollegemax.com
Executive Director, The WNY Consortium of Higher Education, Web Site: www.wnycollegeconnection.com

13 Essential Leadership Skills

Posted on by
Reply

 

Guest Blogger: Kayla LaForest

A recently published article by Forbes reveals that new leadership skills are required as different generations move in and out of the workplace. Leaders need to be constantly updating and improving their skills if they want to be successful in the modern work environment.

The 13 must-have leadership skills of today are:

  1. Executive Presence: Leaders must embody composure, charisma, confidence, and credibility. However, more than just those traits, Executive Presence shows up in the way leaders are trusted and how they communicate, develop strategy, and carry themselves under pressure.
  2. Resiliency: Great leaders can bounce back from defeat and manage personal and business anxiety effectively and calmly.
  3. Culture Management: Leaders need to be able to create a culture in their office that makes people excited to walk through the door. Employees want to feel as if they are a part of something bigger than themselves.
  4. Navigation of Ambiguity: Fast paced and ever-changing work environments have made it essential for leaders to remain relaxed and inspire their teams in uncertain times.
  5. Hybrid of Skills: Gone are the days of developing a singular expertise. Today’s leaders must have adaptability across different areas of business in order to continue climbing the ladder.
  6. Multigenerational Management: Since the current workplace ranges from Millennials to Baby Boomers, leaders must be able to manage the strengths and weaknesses of different generations.
  7. Collaboration: Leaders must use their skills, including clear communication, when working with others who may have different agendas.
  8. Emotional Intelligence: Emotionally Intelligent leaders are in tune with their own emotions as well as the emotions of others.
  9. Social Media Presence: Leaders should develop an online presence to connect with others (i.e. LinkedIn) and be able to demonstrate professionalism on social media platforms.
  10. Authenticity: It is now essential for leaders to be present and connect with all levels of their team, both personally and professionally.
  11. Mastery of Crucial Conversations: Leaders need to be able to engage in critical conversations, including emotionally charged ones.
  12. Leadership of Virtual Teams and Independent Contractors: Today’s leaders need to have the ability to lead team members who are both present and not present (i.e. remote employees).
  13. Co-Creative Leadership: In order to get engaged teams and better results, leaders need to be able to co-create with their employees and produce change with them.

Start honing your leadership qualities in college so you can take your skills to the workplace. Visit MyCollegeMax to help create an individualized path for career success!

Steven J. Harvey, Ph.D. 
CEO & Founder, My College Max, Web Site: www.mycollegemax.com
Executive Director, The WNY Consortium of Higher Education, Web Site: www.wnycollegeconnection.com