E.D.G.E. Challenge Course

"A person should set his goals as early as he can and devote all his energy and talent to getting there. With enough effort, he may achieve it. Or he may find something that is even more rewarding. But in the end, no matter what the outcome, he will know he has been alive." -Walt Disney

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." -Mark Twain

Just finished this book. It has some good evidence-based research in it...along with some inspiring quotes I'll be sharing.

If you have a few extra minutes, watch this entertaining and provocative TED.com video on the Marshmallow Challenge. It reinforces the importance of team process and facilitation. As Tom Wujec stated, "design is a contact sport.' Enjoy . LJ http://www.ted.com/talks/tom_wujec_build_a_tower.html

"A venturesome minority will always be eager to set off on their own, and no obstacles should be placed in their path; let them take risks, for Godsake, let them get lost, sunburnt, stranded, drowned, eaten by bears, buried alive under avalanches-that is the right and priviledge of any free American." -Edward Abbey, Desert Solitaire: A Season in the Wilderness

PROGRESS=MOTIVATION: Dan Pink, author on motivation, was asked how he keeps himself motivated. He has grappled with this question both professionally and in his personal life. He claims people are motivated when they experience progress. As such he asks a simple question to himself daily: Am I better today than I was yesterday? Guess I better go run after all, but that cinnamon roll would make me feel good

EMPATHY TRUMPS COMPETITION: Jeremy Rifkin’s new book: "The Empathic Civilization" provides an optimistic, or at very least, hopeful glimpse into our future as a species. It is particularly salient to those of us in leadership and team development as his argument proposes that "The Age of Reason is being eclipsed by the Age of Empathy." Effective collaborative leaders are empathic leaders and readily understand the importance of seeing experiences through another’s eyes. Not to be confused with sympathy, empathy allows for collaboration with the we’re all in this together mindset. A recent article in Newsweek further suggested that certain cultures may be better wired (neurologically speaking) to empathy and a sense of community. I don’t think they were New Yorkers.

NAME CALLING: Dale Carnegie’s famous quote that the "sweetest sound a person ever hears is the sound of their own name" has been reason enough to learn names. Now research suggests that learning and using names may provide a significant tool in team member commitment. The following HBR blog tells of a study showing that when a surgical team introduces themselves at the beginning of a procedure, compared to those who don’t, enjoy a marked decrease in surgical errors and com...plications. Moreover, using team member names increases buy-in and commitment to tasks. It should be noted that the reverse can also be true. Mispronouncing a name or calling someone the incorrect name will be demotivating and may contribute to someone checking out of the group. Sorry Janette I called you Janelle last week. http://blogs.hbr.org//02/introductions_are_much_more_th.ht See more

I’ve been reading Born to Run by Christopher McDougall (excellent book). In it he uses this Eric Hoffer quote which resonated with me, and should be a caveat for all of us in the experiential education field: "Every great cause begins as a movement, becomes a business, and eventually degenerates into a racket." Eric Hoffer The True Believer: Thoughts on the Nature of Mass Movements