Split Personalities

I'm not on Twitter. Not yet, at least. But after an enlightening conversation with my wonderful editor, whom I respect so much, I'm tempted.

Honestly, I've been tempted for awhile, but have a difficult time figuring out how to marry my professional personalities. The whole social media thing makes me feel like a split personality.

My longtime "brand" relates to writing leadership material for kids and educators. I run a practical youth leadership website. I am in the editing phase of a new leadership book for elementary audiences. On the other hand, I'm working on two MG/YA fiction projects. I blog on topics related to both (although based on the time lapsed since my last post, writing consistently is obviously a challenge). And finally, I manage a household with three kids on the verge of three different stages of childhood.

Split personalities.

I use Facebook for personal connections. I'm on LinkedIn for professional connections. My dilemma with Twitter involves finding time to write posts that balance the personal with the professional. And I'm dogged by the nagging question - if I join, what will I write about and will anyone want to read what I write?

Admittedly, I lurk and unofficially follow a few people on Twitter - friends, other writers, agents, editors, Bubba Watson, David Feherty. As I read various posts, I ponder ways to write compelling 140 character posts on leadership topics, fiction writing, society, education, and my generally eclectic interests and opinionated views on life.

I admire people who are able to make their daily cup of coffee sound like a life-changing moment. I admire the Twitterers who can turn mundane observations into witty, somehow meaningful posts. I'm not sure I can do either.

Yet, I'm beginning to think Twitter may, in fact, be the outlet where I can effectively connect the dots between personal and professional, present and future.

And if I discover that it's not?

Worst case, I get to follow Bubba and Feherty through my Twitter feed, instead of having to type their names and "twitter" into Google every time I'm curious!

Leadership in Kid Lit - Lord of the Flies

One of my all time favorite books, and a "leadership in kid lit" book that all others should strive to become, Lord of the Flies has everything. Corruption, balance of power shifts, ethical dilemmas, charismatic leadership, complicated group dynamics, communication, social downfall, and good versus evil.

Nearly 60 years ago, William Golding wrote a YA classic, unaware that nearly every American teen has or will read. In the context of every stage of modern society, the leadership themes are timeless.

My eldest son read this book the summer between 4th and 5th grade. We had deep discussions about each of the characters and their role in the island society. He made connections between how Jack behaved as a leader, how Piggy was treated as an individual, and the social values other characters represented in 1954, when the book was first released, compared to human behavior in the 21st century.

If one10-year-old, reading the book because his mom insisted, makes these connections, the impact this novel has when an entire group of kids is invited to read it, discuss it, and apply it to behaviors they observe in their own circle of peers is magnified ten-fold.

Here are a few prompts to discuss Lord of the Flies in the context of leadership:

• With which character do you most relate? What is it about this character that draws you to him?
• Which character do you least relate to? What is it about this character that turns you off?
• What is it about this book that makes the plot still relevant almost sixty years later?
• Do you think everything that happens occurs only because the boys are alone on a deserted island? Or, do you think the same things could occur if the boys were expected to survive without adult supervision in a city or town?
• What if the characters were all adults instead of boys? Would the same social conflicts occur?
• What is it about group think that makes people do things or act in ways they otherwise wouldn't consider if acting alone?

A discussion outline for the movie released in 1990 is available on the Everyday Leadership Skills and Attitudes Inventory CD-Rom.

Resurrection

Over the past four years, this blog has taken on various forms. For the entire year of 2008, I wrote plenty of entries - it was an election year, a "perfect storm" for a writer and leadership expert. I briefly shifted gears, when I thought I'd use the blog to write about one of my projects that tackles the social politics of boys. What I discovered, though, was that I needed a lot of time to research and write for that project, so blogging about it too, was unrealistic.

During that same time period, I finished the newest book that will join the Building Everyday Leadership portfolio (one for elementary grades; Fall 2012), finishing a MG manuscript (multiple drafts), working with an organization on initial project ideas to design and write a K-6 financial literacy curriculum, and commencing another fiction project.

Plus, parenting three great kids: an almost-teenager who began the process of looking for a middle school; a third-grader who does professional commercials as a hobby (he's seriously entertaining); and a pre-schooler who thinks she just might be turning fourteen next year.

But now I'm ready to resurrect the blog for a different purpose.

During those same two years, I have gained clarity on what and how I want to write. The result is a genre change, moving away from writing solely for the educational market and into writing fiction for kids and teens. Simultaneously, all three of my kids are entering new phases of life, and beyond talking with my close friends and sweet husband, I like writing about these changes.

This blog, therefore, is the place where I'll write about these other worlds that occupy my life and are unrelated to my website, Youthleadership.com, where my brand - personally and professionally - is recognizable in the youth leadership world. On that website, I strive hard to support everyone in that field that's dedicated to preparing the next generation (i.e. every generation) of leaders. I travel to conduct trainings and present at conferences, I correspond with people around the world every day, and my leadership materials are used in multiple classrooms and programs.

And rightly so, my role in that field does not depend on sharing my personal thoughts and insights on anything but leadership.

Writing fiction, however, is different. People want to know me as an author and person, not just as an expert. Fellow writers enjoy reading about and connecting with one another as it relates to our craft. And I'm no different. When I have extra time, I read author and agent blogs, I explore methods for improving my fiction, and I read tons of books.

So, it being spring in Colorado, this seems like a fine time to start something new....Let's see where it goes.

Last Day

On the last day of school, my two boys stepped off the bus. Both looked a bit bedraggled and worse for the wear from a day when not much brain power was exerted. My older was crying. My younger looked happy, but exhausted.

Knowing how competitive my sons are, I assumed my older hurt himself during his class picnic/baseball game.

He shuffled along side me, wrapped his arms around my waist, and collapsed in a heap of tears.

"What's wrong," I whispered. "Did you get hurt in the game?"

"No, no, mom. I'm so sad because all of the sixth graders are leaving and I'm going to miss them so much."

Of course, I thought. That would have been my next question.

Boys

Brothers. Friends. Competitors. Enemies.

I got serious about the Boy Project following a number of intense conversations with parents and educators on the daily friendship dramas of boys. We agreed that boys (sometimes, our own boys) often behave in the same cliquish way as girls. These conversations would naturally shift to talking about the complex and sometimes very nasty, double-secret-probation way boys of all ages dealt with their friends.

Having worked with boys and girls for more than 20 years, it was easy to recognize boy/girl social similarities. Like girls, regardless of who boys are as individuals, each holds a distinct role and position among his circle of friends. Cliques have no gender bias.

Good boys. Naughty boys. Gang members. Teen dads. Athletes. Artists. Performers. Wallflowers. Leaders. Followers. Targets. Bullies. Jokers. Players.

I began talking in depth with boys and parents. I began defining and "ranking" these roles (the same way boys innately rank one another). Whenever I shared my interpretations with boys, they would nod and smile. And agree.

Being a 21st century boy is complicated. More complicated than many people acknowledge.

By listening to boys (and at times, girls who hang out with them) over the years, they've told me about the one thing more complicated than navigating the process of growing up.

It's understanding the unspoken rules and codes of their own social politics.

That's what this project is about.

Shameless Self-Promotion

It's been a LONG time since last posting. But, I'm going to get back on the blog bandwagon one of these days.

In the meantime, I've been busy writing and field-testing this:

http://www.freespirit.com/catalog/item_detail.cfm?ITEM_ID=738

My "free time" is spent revising a contemporary middle grade novel and raising three awesome kids.

At some point, a-blogging I'll return.

Boulder Blue Flu

Over the past two weeks, scores of Boulder Valley School District (BVSD) teachers have opted to skip school to protest "unfair" salary proposals for fiscal year 2009/2010.

Seriously.

In this economy, with education reform at the forefront of many minds and people losing jobs left and right, Boulder teachers believe now is the time to execute a sickout?

Seriously.

With two weeks left to the school year, seniors preparing for or taking AP exams and middle school students on the brink of committing to high school or choosing this summer to fall off the deep end, teachers think this is the time to make a statement.

Everyone deserves a fair income and as a former teacher, I think teachers generally earn a pretty fair income. There are plenty of opportunities to add to one's salary through teaching additional courses, taking on leadership positions, completing continuing education and earning "steps" based on education and experience. Sure, some teachers deal with trauma and difficult students or poor administrators or exceptional teaching environments. They likely deserve to get paid more (that is, if they're doing a meaningful job and not just punching the hour clock).

But overwhelmingly, teachers in the Boulder school district aren't dealing with the urban poor or high numbers of drop-outs and students at-risk for falling through the cracks. BVSD boasts some of the highest test scores in the state and some wealthy zip codes to boot. In fact, teachers are complaining that what amounts to about a 6% salary increase (some of which isn't permanent) isn't enough to cover the high cost of living in and around Boulder.

People choosing to live in that area know ahead of time that it's a bit more expensive than other areas of the metropolitan Front Range. Salaries are competitive for the Colorado region and that's something to factor in when choosing the quality of life that comes with the Boulder Valley.

No matter one's profession.

Students shouldn't have their graduation ceremonies marred by the bad behavior of teachers displeased with their union contracts. Students shouldn't be taught, in the last few days before glorious summer vacation, that double talk and temper tantrums are the way to get things done when things aren't going your way.

Does the union really think people believe they have nothing to do with suggesting the sickout, as they've insisted in the media?

Seriously.

If my kids were in BVSD, rather than sending them to school each day to listen to teachers insist they're doing this for the students, I'd allow them their own blue flu.

But my blue flu has no salary requirements. It starts with sunscreen and a bathing suit, and ends in the deep end of a cool, blue pool - the way kids and teachers should really be spending the days between Memorial Day and Labor Day.

Especially when one has a job to come back to, even if the salary is a little less than desired.