Actively Learn Poetry

 Actively Learn Poetry Lessons (link)

NYT - 30 ways to teach poetry

 NYT 30 ways to teach poetry - link

NYT poetry challenge: small kindness

 NYT poetry challenge: small kindness link

Ocean Vuong on NPR

 I heard this on NPR this morning, and it's really great.  He has a new collection of poetry called Time is a Mother.  Really beautiful (and sad) perspective on time and why it's his "job" to be vulnerable as a poet.  He says his writing/poetry is "ultimately about discovery." Ocean Vuong on NPR

Stop Having Bad Meetings

From Harvard Business Review 

No one has time for a bad meeting. So be sure you’re not wasting people’s time, including your own, by making each meeting purposeful, inclusive (of the people who actually need to be there), and participatory. Start by inviting people to contribute to the agenda beforehand. This will increase everyone’s buy-in. Then, explain why the meeting matters before you dive into the agenda. For example, you might say, “I’d like this meeting to move us closer to a hiring decision,” or, “We have an important call to make related to next week’s product launch.” Next, divvy up roles. Whose responsibility is it to challenge ideas that are raised? Who’s the final decision-maker? Who’s the notetaker? Who’s the timekeeper? And, remember, as the leader, all eyes are on you. Set the right tone by verbally recognizing valuable ideas, keeping the scope of the meeting focused, and sustaining positivity in the face of conflicts or discussions on difficult topics. Your team will follow suit.

Why do your employees stay?

 from Harvard Business Review

If you’re serious about retaining the people on your team (as you should be), consider conducting “stay” interviews. These are discussions where you ask loyal employees key questions to understand how engaged they are. The information you gather can help you tackle common retention issues. Here are four questions to try:

• What’s your frame of mind today? No matter what the response is — positive or negative — don’t negate their experience or move too quickly to solving a problem. Just listen, thank them for being honest, and ask for more information before moving toward a solution.
• Who do you feel connected to at work? Based on their response, explore what you can do to help them deepen those connections. Perhaps people from different departments can work on a company-wide event, a cross-division initiative, or take part in virtual discussion groups.
• What do you want to learn that will excite you and help you grow? This question signals that you care about their development and want to help them achieve their aspirations.
• What barriers can I remove for you to help you do your job better? Then brainstorm with your colleague how you can be most helpful. Ensuring people can do their jobs well is just as important as praise and rewards.

Build a Habit of Self-Reflection

 from Harvard Business Review

Build a Habit of Self-Reflection

Reflection — looking back on your day (without bias or regret) to contemplate your behavior and its consequences — helps develop your emotional intelligence. If you want to build a regular habit of reflecting, keep a journal. Whenever you are surprised or frustrated, pause and note the feeling. Then, as soon as you are able — perhaps for fifteen minutes at the end of each workday — jot down what happened. Try to identify the “why” behind the emotion. What about the event triggered these feelings in you? Did things not go your way? Did you make a mistake? Next, set an hour aside each week to review your notes. Block out the time on your calendar and take an honest and rigorous look at where you’ve been mentally and emotionally. Finally, don’t just re-read your journal entry; add to it. In retrospect, are there things about the situation that you’re able to see differently? Press yourself. What went wrong? Were your initial observations correct or do they reveal something else that may have been going on, something you couldn’t see in the heat of the moment? Try to think of yourself as a neutral observer. And go easy on yourself. Reflection can be ego-bruising. Always remember that excellence is achieved by stumbling, standing up, dusting yourself off, then stumbling again. If you study those stumbles, you’re much less likely to stumble the same way again.

This tip is adapted from “Don’t Underestimate the Power of Self-Reflection,” by James R. Bailey and Scheherazade Rehman