High Expectations = Success
This article from the Boston Sunday Globe (9/4/05) (free registration required) makes some very good points about dealing with teenagers. I would suggest that these same points can be applied to others with equal validity.
In an interview with Globe correspondent Luis Andres Henao, Susan Rodgerson spoke about her work to empower youths through jobs and art education and was quoted as saying:
If you avoid the little voices of the gremlins that can distract, decieve, distort, etc... You will succeed.
Now, the major caveat here is that the expectations must be somewhat realistic. Yes, in my 51 year old body, I am not going to set a world record in the 400M run. In my prime, it was not possible. I just did not have those genes. But within that harsh reality, there is still a world of progress. There are still personal records to work towards.
The sports/athletic analogy is an easy one to grasp. It is more difficult to talk about work situations in the same way. Gee will this spreadsheet analysis convince them that this deal is the best ever? But the concept is the same.
What expectations do you have of yourself?
What expectations do you have of others?
If they are not high (but within the bounds of reality) expectations, I suggest you go back and think about readjusting them.
BTW - Congratulations to Susan and the others who are assisting in making her program a success. We need more of this.
In an interview with Globe correspondent Luis Andres Henao, Susan Rodgerson spoke about her work to empower youths through jobs and art education and was quoted as saying:
Expectations are so crucial to determining success. What do you expect? What you expect you'll think about. Your thoughts will help determine your actions. Your actions will determine the outcome."... I believe that we have to have the highest expectations for young people. We have to believe that young people can give you 100 percent..."
If you avoid the little voices of the gremlins that can distract, decieve, distort, etc... You will succeed.
Now, the major caveat here is that the expectations must be somewhat realistic. Yes, in my 51 year old body, I am not going to set a world record in the 400M run. In my prime, it was not possible. I just did not have those genes. But within that harsh reality, there is still a world of progress. There are still personal records to work towards.
The sports/athletic analogy is an easy one to grasp. It is more difficult to talk about work situations in the same way. Gee will this spreadsheet analysis convince them that this deal is the best ever? But the concept is the same.
What expectations do you have of yourself?
What expectations do you have of others?
If they are not high (but within the bounds of reality) expectations, I suggest you go back and think about readjusting them.
BTW - Congratulations to Susan and the others who are assisting in making her program a success. We need more of this.
posted by Steve Sherlock @ 6:24 AM
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