A text message I’ve received many times in the past few weeks from my daughter – a millennial whose employer (along with her husband’s) has decided to wait until 2021 before they allow employees back into the workplace. I am a primary caregiver for two octogenarians (one of whom recently suffered a stroke). I am a mother, a sister, an aunt, a daughter, a consultant, and a professor.
I have been “asked” to teach an upcoming course on Persuasion and Influence in a face-to-face classroom on July 6, 2020. During this time of uncertainty, we’re encountering situations we couldn’t have imagined even a few months ago. Situations challenge our beliefs, persistence, and the world we knew before the pandemic.
I’ve been a teacher for most of my life, and for the past 20+ years I’ve been paid for it.
Feelings of Going Into The Classroom
Although my university is adopting the necessary precautions and following state guidelines, the uncontrollable reopening aspects are difficult to anticipate. Our student population is skewed toward global learners, many of whom opt to attend university in the U.S. to experience the social aspects of living abroad.
While we may be able to enforce social distancing, personal hygiene practices, and mask-wearing on campus, we can’t ensure these practices outside of campus.
Many articles characterize the risk of returning to the classroom:
“But as much as I love brick-and-mortar teaching, I shudder at the prospect of teaching in a room filled with asymptomatic superspreaders,” wrote Paul M. Kellermann, Teaching Professor of English at Penn State University.
At the same time, researchers and government entities lay out the fact that reopening our schools is inevitable.
Student PTSD
Safety considerations aside (but of paramount importance), there is also the student experience. When COVID-19 started its rampage worldwide, I taught in a “physical presence” classroom of 75 students. The direct impact on my students tracked the sickness as it spread from Asia to Europe.
Each day, new reports of sick or dying friends and family members flowed into class discussions. Students lived through the trauma of the onset of city, state, and country shutdowns; many of them hastily returned to the safety of their families in their home countries.
Within days, the university programs shifted to online instruction before the end of the term, so students quickly experienced a change in lifestyle and education. During next week’s in-person class, I’ve allotted time in my lesson plan to discuss students’ experiences and re-entry to encourage a psychologically safe classroom that supports a physically safe one.
Preparation
Preparing to teach a course during a pandemic has a subtle yet important impact on pedagogy and learning objectives. My teaching style is driven by movement and use of space in the classroom – all of which must be rethought and rearranged.
Instead of moving among teams of students in the classroom, each interaction comes with a thoughtful 6-feet of distance.
Instead of ideating around a piece of paper taped to a wall, students will take turns adding their thoughts to a page (using their own assigned markers, of course).
A safe classroom requires down-to-the-minute planning to anticipate social distancing and safety measures and extra time needed to do so.
Canary In The Classroom
What can we learn from the experience of cautiously reopening our classrooms? How will this change the way that we teach or the learning experience of our students? There is certainly more to come as we explore this new way of learning.
Pamela Campagna MBA, CMC is the President of BLUE SAGE Consulting, Inc. a certified women-owned consulting firm. Pamela is a board member and chair of the Marketing and Membership Committee of CMC-Global Institute, a virtual global community for professional management consultants.
She is also a Professor of Practice at Hult International Business School, where she has taught leadership, strategy, and management courses since 2014.
Perhaps, like many people around the world, you made New Year Resolutions as last year rolled into this one. Items such as eating healthier, getting organized and losing weight typically top the list of resolutions people commit to in the waning hours of New Year’s Eve. Many business leaders take advantage of the fresh start of a new year as well, vowing that this will be the year they conquer social media, expand their marketing efforts, improve their leadership skills or finally add some expertise to their bench.
January 1st dawns bright with promise and bursting with potential. The unfortunate reality, however, is that January 31st often shows no sign of the changes avowed just a few weeks earlier. A stunning 92% of people who make resolutions abandon them completely, afraid/unwilling/unsure of how to make the changes necessary to be successful.
How can you reach your goal?
Want to ensure that you’re in the 8% of people who make (and keep) their resolutions? A careful look at the habits of people who keep their resolutions provides insight into how to make sure you’re one of the few who maintain their resolve through the year.
Statistically, simply by making a resolution, you’re more likely to be successful at attaining success than those who don’t bother to make any commitment to change. (Seems rather obvious, doesn’t it?) It’s an important distinction, though. To be successful at improving or progressing, you must first determine where to make a change, and what the change needs to be. Put your resolution in writing as both a reminder and a commitment to yourself.
Another important component in reaching any goal is seeking professional help. In addition to acting as an accountability partner, a professional adviser can provide you with expertise and insight that can help you to determine what changes can and should be made to propel you to success. In your personal life, it could mean hiring a personal trainer, signing up for a class or learning a new language from a native speaker. For the business professional, partnering with a consultant may be exactly what you and your company need to reach new levels of success this year. A skilled expert can move you in the right direction.
What kind of consultant should you hire?
Do a quick internet search for ‘business consultants’ and you’ll get thousands of results. How do you know what type of consultant you need and which one would be the best to help you accomplish your goals? Finding the right consultant is imperative for your success. Look for a consultant who can offer assistance in multiple areas of business management, with proven success and verifiable client testimonials. Consultants with strong accreditations and experience in the business world will be able to readily identify areas that need improvement and offer you both support and advice.
What sets BLUE SAGE Consulting apart?
BLUE SAGE has been in the consulting field for decades, with accreditations and accolades and experience from some of the biggest names in the business world. (Find out more about us here.)
Prior to joining BLUE SAGE, our team of experts worked in a variety of fields, handling real-world business challenges and opportunities faced by market-leading public and private enterprises. From assessment, strategizing and execution, BLUE SAGE Consulting stays with our clients every step of the way. Regardless of the size of the organization, BLUE SAGE offers hands-on, focused attention to help our clients figure out exactly what they need to succeed. Most important, we not only get our clients to that point, but we also roll up our sleeves to work alongside our clients to make it happen.
Over the next few weeks, we’ll be taking a look at some of the issues that you may be facing in your organization this year and exploring how BLUE SAGE Consulting can help your business thrive in the coming months.
Don’t let your resolutions fall by the wayside. Let BLUE SAGE Consulting help you develop a strategy for success and move from “I should…” to “I did.”
Contact us today to find out how we can make this year the one when you get things done.
Every April, my hometown of Hopkinton, MA – the start of the Boston Marathon – turns into an athlete’s village when tens of thousands of runners and spectators descend on our streets to make their way along the 26.2 mile course into Boston.
In years past, we would make it a point to be out of town during “the race”, including in 2007. That was the year when Mike Olivieri (now Executive VP at American Business Journals) made an appeal to guests at a Boston Business Journal-sponsored breakfast, asking if any Hopkintonians in the audience would be willing to give shelter to a marathon team the morning of the race. A Nor’easter storm was threatening to hit that morning, and Mike and his team from AccesSportAmerica were hoping to stay dry up until the start of the race. Mike and his team camped out at our “safe house”, which was close to the starting line, and a tradition was born that continues today.
Over the years, our family has hosted runners from around the world during the morning of the Boston Marathon: first time runners, elite runners (who knew?) and family from the Chicago Running Club. This year was especially memorable as the first race following the Boston Marathon bombings. Runners from Ireland, the UK and five different states arrived hours before the race, conducting their personal rituals, sharing strategies for completing the race and getting ready for personal triumph.
This year’s Marathon has ended, and the last athletes have crossed the finish line, which makes me think about some lessons behind our town’s slogan – “It All Starts Here” – and how they might apply to the business world, including:
Preparation is key, and repetition leads to improvement. The town of Hopkinton has hosted this event for the past 90 years, and each year it seems to go off without a hitch. With heightened security this year, the preparation was a bit different. Nonetheless, the town returned to a sense of normalcy within hours after the last runner left the gate. My guess is that 90 years of “getting ready” for this race were critical in anticipating and preparing for the unexpected.
Common interests can be infectious. In her post “The Only Day People Know My Hometown”, Hopkintonian Shannon Motyka gives her perspective of how the Marathon has been a part of her life. Whether or not you’re a runner, it’s impossible to not get caught up in the spirit of the race and the sense of community that comes from a shared experience. Are there ways that you can encourage your customers and prospects to share common interests or discuss business topics? Are there common topics and specific business issues that you’re seeing in the market?
Never say never.This year, many who had hung up their running shoes came back to Hopkinton for the 118th running. Some runners began training last April following the bombings; others were determined to finish what they had started last year. A common theme that I heard is how different this year is from years past. Remembering that things change – whether it’s business conditions, personal training goals or a company’s overall success – can help keep an open mind.
It’s never too late to be what you might become. This year, we met Katherine Beiers – an 81-year-old runner from Santa Cruz who is #1 in her age group. Katherine began running at the age of 49, on her lunch hour. She explained to me that she doesn’t really like running, but she does looks forward to the rewards of a good run – being outside, increased energy and invigorated spirit. What an inspiration! Katherine’s approach is to look at the rewards of running – the outcome, and not the struggle of each mile. Whether you’re building an inbound business, launching a product or improving your company’s revenue model, think about the rewards, and remember that it’s never too late to try new things.
Have you learned any lessons from this year’s Boston Marathon? Are there other observations that might apply to the business world?
I recently hiked two 4,000-foot peaks in the White Mountains. This may not seem like a big deal to many – unless you’re afraid of heights like I am.
Regardless, I decided to join in on a trip to the White Mountains, thinking, “How difficult could this be”? I learned there’s a big difference between walking or running seven miles and hiking seven miles!
Call it blind faith or dumb luck, but we made it there and back – and learned a few things along the way.
Lesson 5: Celebrate Your Wins
When we reached the top of the first peak, a fellow hiker opened his backpack and cracked open a bottle of Moet champagne. Although he had been through these mountains many times before, he realized that for many of us, this was our first time. We raised a glass and celebrated our first victory as we moved cautiously downhill to the second peak.
Lesson 6: If you’re Not Prepared, Improvise
Ignorance is bliss, and traveling with experienced hikers is the way to go. In retrospect, I probably could have been more prepared for the “simple seven-mile hike in the White Mountains”, but we improvised along the way. My fleece jacket became a towel after a while (we were thoroughly drenched from start to finish). I borrowed two walking sticks from another hiker (he had brought an extra pair). The phrase “tree hugger” took on a new meaning as I grabbed every branch in sight and slid down a 45-foot incline.
Lesson 7: When in Doubt, Keep Going
Throughout the day, turning back never occurred to me; in retrospect, we only stopped twice. Some of my fellow hikers sometimes questioned daylight availability and argued about which paths to take. I was a bit nervous when the compasses came out, but we appeared to stay on course. There was a critical point where we might have retreated and called it a day – the point of no return, but we didn’t.
Lesson 8: Never Underestimate How Long Things Take
The guidebooks estimated that our trip should be completed (under normal conditions) in six hours, and it took us nine hours. When we started, we didn’t understand all the variables that would affect our progress: fog, rain, slippery terrain, eroded trails, and slower hikers. When we returned, our friends were about to contact the state police to report us missing. Would we do it again? Sure. And this time, we’re so much wiser!
Which of these lessons sound familiar to you? We’d like to hear what you think!
I recently hiked two 4,000-foot peaks in the White Mountains. This may not seem like a big deal to many – unless you’re afraid of heights like I am. Regardless, I decided to join in on a trip to the White Mountains, thinking, “How difficult could this be”?
I learned there’s a big difference between walking or running seven miles and hiking seven miles!
Call it blind faith or dumb luck, but we made it there and back – and learned a few things along the way.
Lesson 1: Start with a Committed (and Experienced) Team
I knew that I would be with hikers who were more experienced than I was – one of our companions was looking to complete his list of “4,000’ Peaks Climbed”. In fact, the reason that I had signed up for this hike was to join a friend of mine – a nice way to spend a Saturday, right? When we arrived at the trailhead, it was cold, damp, foggy and rainy. Two of our members (including my friend) opted to stay back and enjoy a warm fire and lunch and drinks at a nearby restaurant. I decided to continue on and do the hike with 6 other strangers. After all, it was only seven miles, the rain had stopped and I figured we’d be home before dinner.
Lesson 2: Be Ready for the Pitfalls
Each hiker shared thoughts about the upcoming adventure as we prepared for our journey. The experienced hikers talked about routes, rain, wind, and fog. The novices (like me) talked about bathroom facilities, warm clothes, and lunch. We were all anxious to get started. Little did we know what was ahead of us. John Assaraf of “The Secret” fame describes the road to achievement and self-development much like driving a car in the dark: you may not be able to see what lies beyond the range of your headlights, but as you come closer, you can see more clearly. We were ready.
Lesson 3: Take Things as They Come
We planned to cover two 4,000 foot peaks in the White Mountains: Mt. Osceola and its counterpart, East Osceola. We scaled the first peak and forged ahead. Stepping over rocks and trying to stay on eroded paths, we encountered unpredictable trail conditions. At each turn and elevation, the terrain presented a new challenge (especially for the novices in the group, like me), and we plodded along, chattering the entire way. I noticed that when the chatter stopped, the terrain became more treacherous – a sign that we needed to pay more attention to what was ahead.
Lesson 4: Find Your Own Pace
The hiking group included novice and seasoned hikers alike. As time went on, the more seasoned hikers trudged ahead of the rest of the group, acting like scouts who returned to report what was ahead. It was not unusual for others in the group to drop back and wait for those of us who moved more slowly across the challenging terrain. We developed a kind of rhythm throughout the day, with smaller groups moving together, each at our own pace.
Have you conquered a challenge and applied it to business? What sort of business lessons have you learned?
