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Written by Lauren Smith
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Monday, 01 March 2010 |
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 Lives of Passion, School of Hope
• Ninety-six percent of Open School alumni report that they feel that relationships are very important to them and their lives as adults.
• In a 2004 poll, 25 percent of American adults reported that they have no one to confide in, up from 10% in 1985 (American Sociological Review).
• Fifty percent of the alumni said that having meaningful relationships was the most important thing in their lives.
The Open School inspired me to open up to other people in ways that I was always scared of and intimidated by before. The school emphasized building meaningful relationships as an important life skill.
–Jay, class of 1995
No Child Left Behind and its accompanying high-stakes testing pay no attention to building meaningful relationships in school settings. The socialization process is not on the test.
As school systems scramble to adapt to the strictures of federally and state-mandated student achievement tests, the real purpose of education becomes lost, subordinated to the One Big Test Score and academic achievement. Electives are cut. Physical education: out. Classes in the arts: not required. Social skills, so crucial for success and happiness in life, are ignored as extracurricular, another word for unimportant.
Kids get the message all too well. The pressure to achieve mounts like a frightening storm. Smart kids crack. Kids who don’t fit in simply give up. The Test takes over, and many young people are left out in the cold.
The pressure I feel to do well on the tests and get good grades is enormous. I think about it all the time. I have no life, and sometimes I feel completely alienated from what I am supposed to be learning. Meanwhile, the things that are really important to me, like my relationships with friends, family, and the world, seem to be considered totally unimportant.
–Debbie, a student in a conventional high school in Marin County, California
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Last Updated ( Monday, 01 March 2010 )
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Written by Our Reviewer, Stuart Nachbar
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Saturday, 17 January 2009 |
The Expert’s Edge by Ken Lizotte
 The Expert's Edge
In a sense, I believe that I proved him wrong, because a leader does not always need to be the person who runs the largest or the wealthiest organization. People also lead when they have a voice, and they can make that voice matter to their audience. I have never run a large company, but since I left that boss’ employ, I have done practically everything a “thoughtleader” has done in helping to turn a small business into an industry leader and now, as a writer. The responsibilities are not financial or managerial, but they are no less important.
The Expert’s Edge is a very reader-friendly book that can help anyone become a thoughtleader, the expert often quoted in the media, and earns significant business as a result of their communications skills. Lizotte cites many examples of thoughtleaders who will be quite familiar to readers; the most obvious being Donald Trump in the world of real estate and Suze Orman in personal finance. Lizotte implies that personalities such as these are not the only experts; they are the best at gathering fame.
The Expert’s Edge is written around Five Pillars of Thoughtleading, which are: Publish articles and books; speak regularly to groups and companies; inspire with fresh thinking; attract ongoing media attention, and leverage the Internet creatively. There are numerous tips that are easy to follow, as long as you are in the right work environment. While it is easy for entrepreneurs like The Donald to brand themselves—they do not answer to others for promotional purposes—executives at a lower level need to be more cautious about blowing their own horn.
The Expert’s Edge is an excellent book for people who call themselves experts. That does not mean that they need to become celebrities, but they need to be comfortable in their own skin if they expect to attract business. As I read this book, I could see that academics, creative artists and consultants who advise on complex business and technical problems could benefit from its’ advice. I could also see it being of significant benefit to non-profit executives who run cause-related organizations. People who are committed to causes need to be able to explain that commitment in speeches, and in writing. If they do not have an audience, they do not have a cause. Such professionals, and I have been one of them, go to conferences and see others gather attention for their presentation skills, even when they are not using video and PowerPoint. It is not that these speakers know more than the participants who pay their way to listen; they are asked to speak before large audiences because they communicate and relate to people well. And few things please a conference director more than a paid packed house.
If you’re in business and intent on building an audience to communicate your expertise or vision, but you don’t know where to start, buy this book. And visit the author’s Web site at http://www.theexpertsedge.com/index.html.
Contact Stuart Nachbar at http://www.EducatedQuest.com , a blog on education politics, policy and technology or read about his first book, The Sex Ed Chronicle, a novel on education and politics in 1980 New Jersey, at http://www.SexEdChronicles.com . |
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Last Updated ( Saturday, 31 January 2009 )
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Written by Our Reviewer
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Saturday, 26 April 2008 |
Review By Stuart Nachbar
There are many business and motivational books on leadership. They all give pretty much the same advice and rely on catch phrases (for instance: The One Minute Manager) or numbered attributes (for instance: The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People) to help the reader. What makes these books different is the writing; the authors are trying to reach different audiences.
 Stomp the Elephant
The first is the senior executive who is already the titular leader of an organization, through ownership or professional accomplishment. He sees opportunities or problems but does not have the time, or skill, to work down through several layers of management. But he might want to engage a consultant, or work with his most direct reports to manage change.
The second market is the first-time manager who has been given significant responsibilities and wants to develop his own leadership style. If he is a thoughtful manager, he wants his employees to respect him, but not necessarily fear or hate him.
The third market is the employee who needs to understand how corporate culture works and find the organization that is the best fit to his personal qualities. Each of us thrives in some workplaces and fails in others; a leadership book is, among other things, a useful guide to find the best fit. |
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Last Updated ( Saturday, 26 April 2008 )
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Written by Editor
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Monday, 14 April 2008 |
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Defining the True Conservative Reviewed By Stuart Nachbar
“Year after year freedom, diversity, and individual, local, and state responsibility have given way to regimentation, conformity, and subservience to central power.” This quote comes from which political party platform: A) The Republican Party in 1936 B) The Republican Party in 1948 C) The Democratic Party in 1960 D) The Republican Party in 1964 E) The Democratic Party in 1984  Defining the True Conservative
Edwards, a former eight-term Congressman from Oklahoma and a former founding trustee of the Heritage Foundation, among other accolades, is as strong an authority on conservatism as you will find. He chaired the House Republican Policy Committee at the beginning of the Reagan Administration, and no one will ever say that President Reagan was not a true conservative. |
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 16 April 2008 )
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Written by Lauren Smith
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Monday, 05 November 2007 |
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Lauren Smith: Joel, tell us about your book. Joel Blackwell: I used to be a newspaper editor at the Charlotte Observer and Miami Herald. I know that the coverage of politics is negative and inadequate. You don't see the stories about ordinary people making a difference or politicians with integrity trying to make things work (the vast majority). So I set out to correct people's impressions by interviewing volunteer advocates, politicians, their staff and lobbyists -- people actively making the system work. It is a reporter's approach. You can see some of the interviews in print and video on my web site.  Keep on Voting After the Election Joel Blackwell: No one took anyone's power away. People drop out through nonparticipation. All they do is whine. The people who feel they can't make a difference are usually people who haven't talked, written or phoned a politician. Ask all your friends if they have written or phoned a politician. Most have bought the media presentation that all is hopeless. Most people who get engaged and stay with it will tell you they have made a difference, that politicians want to hear from them, that politicians do respond and care. After all, they want to get elected or re-elected. Lauren Smith: What are some things people can do to exercise their political power? |
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Last Updated ( Monday, 05 November 2007 )
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