Reflections from 2021-2022 – HOPE Paves the Path to Success

As we enter the month of June we also enter the end of another school year — a year that for me was a bit of a paradox. I am feeling both exhausted but also inspired by where we’ve come and where we are heading.

As I thought about what I should include in my year-end post, I wanted to focus on big things — those things that made a positive difference.

By focusing on the events that show a way forward, we see the HOPE that is needed to climb the mountains in front of us. And we climbed quite a few mountains this past year. We should be proud of the extraordinary work that has happened and also excited about the opportunities that lie ahead.

I’m going to talk about a few of them. So, let’s get started …

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Ethical Leadership – A Personal Exploration

Ethics. Big topic.

Lots of professional courses, programs and degrees about it — and, there is always someone willing to engage in a conversation — especially in fields like bio-ethics or medical-ethics. One might think it shouldn’t be too difficult to describe an ethical leader:

  • Honest
  • High Integrity
  • Transparent … are three traits that come to mind

I think most of us actually aspire to these attributes for ourselves. And, when we are discussing leadership around us, we expect our leaders to have these same traits. But, is there something else — something more? When I see a truly great leader there is ‘something‘ that makes them stand out from the rest — that makes them special.

Maybe it’s their charismatic personality.

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I’m Positive About Being Positive

I think I’m a fairly positive person.

I tend to stay relatively calm even when the seas are choppy. I try to look for the learning in a situation rather than creating a complaint when things don’t go well. I look for reasons when I see someone’s behaviour that is rude or negative. I try not to jump to conclusions by assigning intent when I really don’t know.

Babies are Positive When it Fits – Adults can Make a Choice

But, by no means am I perfect. I’m quite imperfect actually.

I have my moments of frustration and if you hang out around me often enough you will see me get a tad ‘grumpy’ every now and then. I get like this when when I’m especially tired or overwhelmed — or when everything around me seems to be an overly dramatic soap-opera.

Being positive is often a choice. So, I work to choose positivity whenever I can. I think better. I respond better. I know I make better decisions.

But, can one’s positive mindset actually make a difference in other areas?

  • Physiologically?
  • Emotionally?

Research seems to think so. We’ve all heard of the placebo effect and how someone with a positive mindset about a drug or therapy can help overcome a physical ailment of some kind. And while it might seem obvious, I went looking for some evidence to see if there is any link between a positive attitude and a better educational experience.

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