Effectiveness

A Moment of Truth is any interaction in which the client or customer comes into contact with our services and forms an impression of our school. The concept originated in Scandinavian Airlines by President and CEO Jan Carlson. In the case of Scandinavian Airlines, Moments of Truth for passengers are the times when they come into contact with the staff of the airline. This used to commence with the reservation stage (often this is now completed on the internet), followed by the check-in counter, the boarding call, entering the aircraft, the safety briefing and serving the meal. Each of these are Moments of Truth, times when passengers come into direct contact with the airline and form an opinion of the…

My greatest learning experiences have always come when I have been challenged and taken out of my comfort zone:- learning to ride a bike, abseiling out of a tree and my frustrating efforts learning Cantonese are prime examples. For true learning to occur we have to be at least slightly uncomfortable. We need to have some level of disorder and discomfort. Things comes together as we learn and resolve the situation. You can’t make an omelette without breaking some eggs! Learning comes when we move from a state of confusion to resolution. I like the analogy of being on the ‘edge’ when rock climbing. If we just stay on the flat we are never going to climb. As learners we…

The final term of the school year is a crazy, busy time in schools. End of year events, final assessments, reporting and planning for next year, swamp us at a time when we are nearing exhaustion. Many of us are running low on reserves at the end of the year. Events that wouldn’t normally irritate us can become blown out of proportion. It is inevitable that the photocopier will jam when we are rushing to make copies, that difficult parent will arrive when we are feeling frazzled and the boss will want ‘just a minute’ when we are running late. The following five strategies can help at this difficult time of year:- Focus on One Task at a Time Whilst…

At times our own behaviours do not contribute to a positive school culture and working environment. Replacing behaviours that are adding to the problem with behaviours that are more conducive to a productive atmosphere is a powerful way that we can make a difference in our school. Here are some examples. Less Whinging….More Problem Solving Whinging and complaining can become a habit in schools. Some people are quick to see (and more than happy to highlight) the things that are problematic in the school environment. Whether that is unacceptable student behaviour, a perceived lack of resources, an unreliable wifi network, poor internal communication or lackluster leadership, they are keen and eager to provide commentary to anyone who will listen. However,…

Last week, in Part 1 we looked at the factors contributing to sleeplessness. You don’t need to have young children or a sleep disorder to have a restless night’s sleep. Most people have difficulty sleeping, particularly when stress is involved. According to the Sleep Health Foundation, one in three people have mild insomnia. If you’re lying awake at 3 am wondering how on earth you’ll get back to sleep, here are some tips for you. Practical solutions to break the sleepless cycle In pre-industrial times, people would go to sleep and wake with the sun. Today, we can spend half the moonlit hours awake, enjoying some downtime in front of TV, on computers or other devices. LCDs are like artificial sunlight that confuse…

Does this sound familiar? Worries and negative thoughts enter your head at night and become magnified. You check the time. 2.59am. You tell yourself ‘Go back to sleep’. Your neck, back and shoulders ache and you can’t get comfortable. The stress builds! Pretty soon the mind starts racing and worries from your day merge with anxiety about not being able to sleep. ‘How will I cope tomorrow if I can’t sleep?’  You check the time again. 3.33am! The cycle continues. A lack of sleep can alter your mood, motivation, alertness and ability to make decisions, which often leads to more stress and anxiety, then more broken sleep – and so on, in a seemingly endless cycle. The reason stress keeps…

It seems wherever I go, I find people who are, what I call, ‘crazy-busy’ at work: Teachers and other staff who are on the go from the moment they arrive at school, who often miss out on meal and toilet breaks, and who work late, preparing for the next day. If you can relate to this, you will know how physically and emotionally draining, very high workloads can be. Many of us scrape through to our holidays, where we fall into a heap, before recovering for the next round. Apart from the costs to our health, well-being and team relationships, there is also the cost to our loved ones, who deal with us when we are tired, grumpy, and impatient.…

Don’t damage the boat- No boat owner would knowingly damage their boat, so it follows that no human would knowingly damage their brain. Apart from accidental injuries and illegal drugs, things which can harm the brain range from smoking, stress and sleep deprivation to poor dietary habits and a negative mindset. Goal number one is to avoid these damaging entities. Dock the boat in stimulating surroundings- Our brain function improves in every measurable way when we find ourselves in environments that are mentally, physically and socially stimulating. Adventure prevents dementia! Fuel it the finest- Our dietary choices affect the health of our brains. Our brains consume 1/5 of all the nutrients and kilojoules we ingest. What we eat has a…