Today I witnessed recognition at its finest.  Most times when “everyone gets a trophy” I am one of the first to roll my eyes.  This was different.  Why?  Because it was done uniquely for each person.  This was not a manager in a company, but a 1st grade teacher.  She had a certificate for each student.  No student got the same certificate.  She commented on each student and why she thought they were special and what they brought to the class.

This was my son’s class (I don’t typically hang out in 1st grade classrooms).   I was enamored with what I saw.   I could see each student filling with joy and excitement as their name was read and they got to go to the front of the class to get their certificate.  It was meaningful to each student because the teacher was recognizing them for their accomplishment.   It was meaningful because it was personalized.  It was meaningful because she cared.  It was meaningful because she showed them they matter.

This had a profound impact on me.  Some of my feeling is personal as it was for my son, but I will say it was more than that.  It got me thinking about how we recognize a job well done in the workplace.  It is a rare manager that takes the time to publicly recognize an employee for the great work they do.  Even more rare is a public recognition for a specific accomplishment.  Today was not about recognizing mountains, but recognizing the specialness of the individual.  I was humbled by the gesture.  Well done Ms Brooks, well done.

My hope is that I learn from this and my staff benefit from it:)

When you come to a fork in the road (and there is always a fork in the road), remember to seek wise council.  I have grown fond of that saying “none of us is as smart as all of us.”  Leveraging other’s thinking can only improve outcomes.

What I have learned about this over the years is that it is not just about seeking wise council.  It is seeking wise and trusted council.  When you reach forks in the road, whether personal or professional, you want to be able to talk with someone who has your best interest at heart.  Someone who will keep things confidential.  Someone who can offer good, solid advice.

The forks can sometimes be for small decisions.  Things like:  I am looking to contract out a service for X.  I have two companies that seem reputable.   If I go with company A, I get this.  If I go with company B, I get that.  You can obviously make the decision yourself, but having someone who is not in the thick of it may be able to offer a perspective you did not see.

So, long story short.  Forks are good.  Forks are opportunities. Wise council can help to ensure that you make the most of your opportunities

Does higher education need accreditation reform or an overhaul?  I have been thinking about this question a lot lately.  We seem to want to tweak the system in hopes that it will improve.  Is it getting better?  Ahh….No.  I think it’s time to actually fix it by starting anew.

I don’t understand the need for both regional and national accreditation.  It seems that we should have one.  Figure out what the standards should be and make all higher education institutions jump through those hoops.  I agree that there needs to be some set of standards, but two sets creates a class system.   Regional is considered better than national, but is it really?  Do we honestly believe that if colleges/universities are “for profit,” then they only care about money?  I have spent a huge chunk of my career working for nonprofit colleges and universities.  I can tell you first hand that they too focus on the all mighty dollar.  All businesses (for profit and non profit alike) need money to operate successfully.  More is always better.

Times have changed.  Needs have changed.  Options have increased.  Methods have increased.  Time to do this differently.