Good Morning!
The school year is picking up its pace and athletic and co-curricular activities are underway! It’s a great time to pause and reflect about how our tone of voice, posture, word choice, and other communication tools are impacting those we’re engaged with at the moment. Whether you’re an educator, coach, parent, or leader, this message is for relevant for you.
Our late co-founder, Paul Bernabei, shared a story with us years ago that fits well with today’s message:
At my 6th grade grandson’s baseball game, after two players from the opposing team committed errors in the first inning, their coach stormed out of the dugout and screamed, “Everyone get in here,” as he headed towards the pitching mound. “Wake up. The game has already started, and you guys are pathetic.” As the kids hung their heads, his diatribe continued for the next thirty seconds.
What is it that makes us think that humiliating kids
will help them perform at a higher level?
The boys played the rest of the game with a need to guard themselves. They appeared to be stiff and uncertain. Rather than playing, they seemed to be focusing on self-protection and a need to armor up.
In her book Dare to Lead, Brene’ Brown writes: “You can’t fully grow and contribute behind armor. It takes a massive amount of energy just to carry around—sometimes it takes all of our energy.”
It was sad to see 6th grade boys playing baseball being clad in armor.
After I shared the story about this 6th grade baseball coach at a social gathering the next night, a man responded, “That’s the way I treat my employees.” Unfortunately, his employees are probably covered in armor as well.
What is it that makes us think that humiliating adults
will help them perform at a higher level?
Today gives us all a chance to reflect and become more intentional about the impact our words and demeanor have on those around us.
Reflection:
1. What experiences have you had that have resulted in armoring yourself?
2. What have you said or done that has caused others to armor themselves?
3. Can you catch yourself before armoring and before you cause others to armor?
All the best to you and yours from our Top 20 team,…Tom, Willow, and Kevin
Kevin Brennan
Director, Top 20 Training
651-373-0297
kevin@top20training.com
