I love this! Definitely worth a read.
http://sinekpartners.typepad.com/refocus/2011/08/the-advantage-in-disadvantage.html
Friday, September 30, 2011
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
The Mark Uniquely Yours
"Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have a potential to turn a life around. It's overwhelming to consider the continuous opportunities there are to make our love felt." -Leo Buscaglia
After graduating from college, I spent nearly four years living and working with at-risk teenage girls in a residential program. When I first was offered the job, I was convinced that they would look at me as someone to whom they couldn't relate. I found, however, that it had little to do with what my life looked like in comparison to theirs; the only thing that really mattered was how much I cared about them. I had very high standards, in fact, I was known as the tough one in the house, but the girls knew that I had such high expectations because I believed they could achieve whatever they put their minds to. I truly believed they could do things that they had never considered possible, and I would do whatever I could to try to help them achieve their dreams, providing they were doing all they could to try to reach them as well. So often all they wanted/needed was someone to believe in them, and slowly but surely, they would start to believe in themselves.
In Nurturing Future Generations Rosemary Thompson describes "sigfluence" or "a positive, significant, long-term interpersonal influence over others" (p. 423). She then writes,
"It requires an average of 2 years for youth to appreciate and understand the extent of a positive influence over their lives. The optimal influence occurs between 14 to 19 years of age. Adults with sigfluence can affect a young person's academic, social, and emotional achievement, influencing career choice and generating positive changes in self-image. Adults can nurture a positive self-concept by making all youth feel safe, accepted, wanted, appreciated, and successful. Achievement must be planned, structured, designed, implemented, and reinforced" (p. 423).
You have the opportunity to impact a life... or twenty; you could be the difference maker.
Source: Thompson, R. (2006) Nurturing future generations: Promoting resilience in children and adolescents through social, emotional and cognitive skills. New York, NY: Routledge.
After graduating from college, I spent nearly four years living and working with at-risk teenage girls in a residential program. When I first was offered the job, I was convinced that they would look at me as someone to whom they couldn't relate. I found, however, that it had little to do with what my life looked like in comparison to theirs; the only thing that really mattered was how much I cared about them. I had very high standards, in fact, I was known as the tough one in the house, but the girls knew that I had such high expectations because I believed they could achieve whatever they put their minds to. I truly believed they could do things that they had never considered possible, and I would do whatever I could to try to help them achieve their dreams, providing they were doing all they could to try to reach them as well. So often all they wanted/needed was someone to believe in them, and slowly but surely, they would start to believe in themselves.
In Nurturing Future Generations Rosemary Thompson describes "sigfluence" or "a positive, significant, long-term interpersonal influence over others" (p. 423). She then writes,
"It requires an average of 2 years for youth to appreciate and understand the extent of a positive influence over their lives. The optimal influence occurs between 14 to 19 years of age. Adults with sigfluence can affect a young person's academic, social, and emotional achievement, influencing career choice and generating positive changes in self-image. Adults can nurture a positive self-concept by making all youth feel safe, accepted, wanted, appreciated, and successful. Achievement must be planned, structured, designed, implemented, and reinforced" (p. 423).
You have the opportunity to impact a life... or twenty; you could be the difference maker.
Source: Thompson, R. (2006) Nurturing future generations: Promoting resilience in children and adolescents through social, emotional and cognitive skills. New York, NY: Routledge.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)