Teaching is a struggle. Teachers would be paid like rock stars if I were our country's benevolent dictator. (Full disclosure: my mother, sisters, and much of my family are all teachers. Further full disclosure: I'd love to be the country's Benevolent Dictator.)
Consider this situation: I was helping a young man with a speech the other day as he is in the finals for the "Outstanding Young Man" in the state of Wisconsin. And indeed he is an outstanding young man and very smart, as you would expect.
He used the word "ump" in his story and I suggested he use the more formal umpire as some of the judges may not be as familiar with the word ump. I also thought using the formal word might make him sound more eloquent. Probably not my best contribution ever, but the speech was so good I couldn't think of anything to add and I'm supposed to be Mr. Big Shot Keynote Speaker Guy. In subsequent rehearsals he struggled to make the relatively simple transition to the word umpire.
It is a testament to the challenge of teaching and getting people to embrace change (and why minor suggestions are often best left unsaid).
Continue reading "Guest Blogger Ralph Heath: Teaching and Developing Leaders via Storytelling" »
