A recent article in the Washington Post has provided an interesting perspective on 21st Century skills. For the last decade or more, the emphasis from government and education departments was on STEM subjects – Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. It is generally believed that these four core skills (along with the ability to code) are essential for future employment prospects. It appears that there is more to the story than just STEM. Perhaps counterintuitively, … [Read more...]
Getting Creative
This definition of how to learn jazz (from the imitable trumpet player Clark Terry) is often referenced as a way to develop creativity in music. The same process holds as true in business as it does in the arts. First, we copy others, then absorb and more deeply understand what we are actually doing. Finally, we are in a position to create something new from that prior model. I’ve been trying this approach with teaching my children the art of the ‘knock knock’ joke. … [Read more...]
What’s your superpower?
I recently attended a session with a leading recruiter who challenged the attendees to identify what their business/corporate superpower is. This is a rewording of the standard interview question of ‘what is your greatest strength?’ and usually provides the interview panel with a stock, well-rehearsed answer with some warm and fuzzy descriptors. I’m not at all opposed to being well prepared for an interview, but few of us can pull off scripted lines without sounding like we’re … [Read more...]
Leading communication
Do you know what is being discussed around the water cooler or coffee machine? Is it benign, like the football, or is insidious like office politics and gossip? Do you feel in touch with your team and what they’re actually talking about? And, are they all hearing the same message from you? Nature may abhor a vacuum, but gossip loves a vacuum. When people don’t have the necessary information to make sense of what’s happening around them, they will create their own meaning from what … [Read more...]
Bringing Coaching into the Applied Studio
I was delighted to be invited to present this topic at the 2018 Association for Popular Music Education conference in Nashville, USA. Abstract: The relationship between teacher and student can be one of the most profound and deep partnerships in one’s life. In these moments of discovery and opportunity, a skilled teacher can guide a student toward positive outcomes and steer them away from undesirable results. A similar model of one-on-one guidance has emerged in the discipline of executive … [Read more...]
Design Thinking and Curriculum
As teachers, we spend a lot of time trying to anticipate what our students need in their ‘toolbox’ once they have graduated, be it from primary school, secondary school or tertiary study. This makes entirely good sense. As discipline or subject matter experts, we are aware of the reality of the demands of the workforce and have a duty of care to equip our students appropriately. However, are we giving our students what they really want? Design thinking is a product methodology that … [Read more...]
