Lessons from the Ice

Ice Climbing. Think about it for just a moment . . . . . 

I would guess that most of you could quite easily use the activity of ice climbing to share lessons about leadership, supervision, working with students, and so on. You might talk about "overcoming obstacles," "going for the top," "pushing yourself," "getting support from others, and all that jazz that would come from the use of the metaphor 'climbing a mountain' to explain the concept of leadership.

Here is what I would share as Lessons from the Ice.

Contemplate

Contemplate

Contemplate on what you about to do - and what you have done. This is my favorite picture from my ice climbing trip this winter. I'm not even sure who took it - a student who was also on the trip most likely. I certainly look the part of an 'ice climber' - but here is where I paused. I took a moment, a brief moment, to think fully and deeply about what I was about to do. This was certainly not the first 'adventurous' thing I had done - but the moment and the activity deserved pause...

When is the last time you paused to consider the impact of your work and what you have learned along the way?

Companions

Companions
Companions make the journey. I was lucky enough to go ice climbing with a dear friend, Amy Howard. She is my friend, my sounding board, my confidant, my devils advocate, my champion, my kick in the pants. As a professional in higher education I have the great privilege of working some truly amazing people - students, student staff, professionals, and faculty alike. I know that how I do my work can make their jobs easier - and they deserve that from me - along with my thanks.

Who are your companions and how do you thank them for joining you on this journey?

Care

Care
Care for yourself and others. When ice climbing crampons are a piece of necessary equipment. For work and life, self-care is necessary equipment. If you love your work as I love mine, it would be fairly easy to work long days and offer to help with every possible idea and project - - - and then you would fail. 

How do you build balance into your life and into the lives of your colleagues?

Cherish 
Cherish what you have been given - the gifts and challenges alike. 
Look at the picture below...  What an amazing gift to be at that place on that day. Were there and are there challenges? Of course - every day - but along with the gifts, challenges inform and define who you are as a professional and as a person. 

What have you learned from the challenges and gifts - and how do you cherish and use the lessons of both?

Cherish

This thing with spring

First of the Autumn Blaze Maple 

There is, as you might imagine, this thing with spring. After a long winter everyone is anxiously searching for signs that spring is actually a thing. 

Spring is also a time when many are sharing what have become the traditional notions spring. We hear talk of 'rebirth,' 'a fresh start,' 'a new beginning,' and so on. 

For those who work in Higher Education, or Education at any level for that matter, spring is most certainly welcome - but welcomed as a sign of the end. 

Semesters and quarters are drawing to a close, summer plans are being made, and soon our students will be ours no more.

With the end in sight, how about a different beginning?

Crabapple Tree Blossoms

Take time to look back- We learn by doing and I'm certain that you have done a lot this year. What have you learned? Where did you succeed - and why? How did you crash and burn - but what can you pick out of the ashes? Take the time now to look back, reflect on your year, and learn.

Be proactive and do it now- Did you just finish professional staff hiring? Evaluate, redesign, and rewrite now. Did you review your RA selection question right after you finished? Have you looked over your lesson plans lately? What about your professional or student staff training. You should have applied your lessons learning eight months ago. If you wait until you need it again, you have wasted a year.

Be thankful- Like every year, I'm guessing that you have had great days - and those days that were much less than grand. Be thankful. We have seen many of our students grow - and some fail. Be thankful. We have worked with some incredible colleagues - and maybe a few who have growing to do. Be thankful.

We all have things to learn. Take time to reflect, put what you have learned into practice now, and be thankful. Happy Spring.

The Gift of Mattering

Spring has arrived and in the past few months I have received a number of incredible gifts. To be honest, it is a little difficult to share how these gifts have made me feel. My first thought was something like "I can't believe it..." This was quickly followed by feelings of warmth, love, gratitude, and most importantly, humility. "I did that?"

Those who know me understand I'm a bit of a sentimental. I pin my work - my calling - and the experiences of others on my heart. I'm not ashamed to admit that while writing this, more than a tear or two has been shed - it just means so much.

Before I share my gifts with you, there are three points I need to make. When you see the gifts I received you will understand...

Care more than others think is wise. This notion is part of a larger quote that has guided my work for a number of years. Don't be limited by what others may think - the investment of your heart is worth it. Yes, you will be disappointed and at times hurt - but care more than others think is wise.

We must be relational in all that we do. Our RA staff, our student desk staff, our Administrative Assistants and Custodians, our trade-craft crew, our supervisees - and yes even our every day student - these are our colleagues. Yes, there are most certainly times when you must be direct - times when "no" is the best answer - when people may push every one of your buttons. Remember that every single person matters - and they need to know they matter. How you do your work will help them be better professionals, colleagues, people. These people matter.

Teams are not built through the indomitable will of the person in the room with the biggest title. They are built through trust, normalization of conflict, commitment to each other and the intended outcomes, mutual accountability, and a commitment to results. And it takes work and care-

For you who are reading this - you matter. I sincerely hope you have heard/felt it. Where ever and who ever you are - please know that you do matter. And to those who have given the gifts I have received - thank you - I cannot say how much these notes have meant to me. You have helped me remember that I too matter~ 

And the gifts I have received:

From Alison: Troy - Personally, I know that my college experience was deeply enriched by that couch. I wouldn't be the person I am right now without that couch. But really, we all know "couch" is really just code for "amazing mentor sitting across from you while you sat on the couch and talked/laughed/vented/sobbed".  Miss you so much, Troy.

From Laura: Troy -From a perpetual couch-sitter...someone who didn't think she could ever make it...  Someone who got flowers on her graduation day from someone stationed across the world. Someone whose life was changed by you. 

From Emily: Troy - You gave me this perfect little tidbit [quote from Citizenship in a Republic speech] just as I was starting my last semester of college. I have never forgotten it and still it pushes me to try, to fail, and to dare. For this and a million other things, thanks. 

From Gretchen: Troy! Hello! I'm in a communication course and this week where we're dealing with the people who are important to us that we care about- and you are on my list. I want to connect with you and share about what's happening in life! What's a number I can call to reach you? Love, Gretchen

From Andy: Also wanted to thank you more in general terms for your commitment to mentoring and helping people grow in ways that they might not even know that they needed to. If that makes sense? I feel that our conversations helped me put form and structure to what we did.