Supercommunicators

Supercommunicators caught my attention right from the beginning with author Charles Duhigg highlighting the importance and use of emotional intelligence throughout the book. As an example, he states "One of the reasons supercommunicators are so talented at picking up on how others feel is because they have a habit of noticing the energy in others' gestures, the volume of their voices, how fast they are speaking, their cadence and effect."

Here is more of getting to know Charles Duhigg and his good work via his TEDx Manchester video . . . 

Stop Asking for Feedback and Start Asking for Advice

Dan Pink's Pinkcasts are short and present powerful information. He is one of my favorite authors, advisors on leadership, and helper of  others. Take 54 seconds to watch this excellent Pinkcast on "advice v. feedback." 

Link to Dan Pink video

The Art of Asking

Such a beautiful TED Talk with 13M views AND a powerful message on "The Art of Asking." As a singer, Amanda Palmer has a simple but important message when interacting with people . . . 

"And the media asked,

Amanda, the music business is tanking and you encourage piracy. 

How did you make all these people pay for music? 

And the real answer is, I didn't make them. 

I asked them. 

And through the very act of asking people, 

I'd connected with them, 

and when you connect with them, people want to help you. 

It's kind of counterintuitive for a lot of artists. 

They don't want to ask for things. 

But it's not easy. 

It's not easy to ask. 

And a lot of artists have a problem with this. 

Asking makes you vulnerable." 

Watch her TED Talk to get the full, beautiful picture of asking.

Nexus - Stone Age to AI - A Lesson for all to Learn

Nexus is a special book for educators and parents and the children they serve. They will all get a clear, outstanding picture of the evolution of Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Yuval Noah Harari is one of my favorite authors. He is so thoughtful and brilliant in how he takes the reader from the beginning of humanity to AI, making sure he explains democracy, wars, evolution of communication via newspapers, radio, television, phones, computers, and the many aspects of algorithms. 

If you don't have the time to read the book, go to the BIG THINK website to listen to Harari's Nexus 75-minute interview; he is such a good speaker.

How to Stop Languishing and Start Finding Flow

My introduction to FLOW was when I read Finding Flow by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi and subsequently introduced him at a conference.

I love how Adam Grant begins his TED Talk on how to stop languishing and start finding flow . . . 

"I know you all have long to-do lists, 

but I hate wasting time so much that I have a to-don't list. 

Don't scroll on social media, 

don't check my phone in bed 

and don't turn on the TV 

unless I already know what I want to watch."

The Power of Words

The power of words can make a huge difference in our lives — especially when children are learning how to use words well. 

This video is amazing the way it helps one understand the power words have when used correctly . . . particularly when we are in the midst of elections.

Happiness v. Meaning in Your Life?

Emily Esfahani Smith's TED Talk "There's more to life than being happy" gives great insight on the differences in happiness in life and having meaning in life. 

Smith goes on to say "Our culture is obsessed with happiness, but I came to see that seeking meaning is the more fulfilling path. And the studies show that people who have meaning in life, they're more resilient, they do better in school and at work, and they even live longer."

She goes on to talk clearly about . . . 

. . . THE FOUR PILLARS OF MEANING

1) Belonging   2) Purpose   3) Transcendence   4) Storytelling

Here is here beautiful TED Talk that has over 13M views — 

Journey With a School Janitor

Fifty-five year old Richard Goodall has been serving as a janitor at a local school for 23 years. He loves to sing and make people happy. He had the opportunity to be on stage at America's Got Talent TV show on May 28. As of June 14, his YouTube performance below has over 13.4M views! His story, wrapped around a popular song, moves everyone when he sings. 

Who Moved My Cheese?

Written in 1998 by Spencer Johnson, M.D., this book is a fantastic read that you can read in an hour.  The quote on the cover says it all — "An A-Mazing Way to Deal with Change in Your Work and in Your Life." Also, "Cheese" is a metaphor for what you want to have in life—whether it is a good job, a loving relationship, money, a possession, health, or spiritual peace of mind."

If you don't have an hour to read the book or you want to share the story with a child, you can click over to this three minute YouTube graphic version.

What Adults Can Learn From Kids

Here is a very special TED Talk. See below for the 8-minute Talk by Adora Svitak — "What Adults Can Learn From Kids." As of this blog post it has 7M views. 

"How every child can thrive by five"

This 7 minute TED Talk by seven-year-old Molly Wright is fantastic! Here is the introduction to this 11M viewed Talk:

"What if I was to tell you that a game of peek-a-boo could change the world?" asks seven-year-old Molly Wright, one of the youngest-ever TED speakers. . . "

"How AI could save (not destroy) education"

Here is a 5-star TED Talk for educators from the popular Sal Khan. He has such a good message—on the positive side—for AI. 

If you have not met up with Sal Khan, click over to his Khan Academy. 

Laugh at Yourself

Some great advice from the weekly JAM (Just A Minute to read). If you have not done so already, go to the JAM website when you have a chance.

Here are two quotes from the January 26, 2024 JAM – "Laugh at Yourself":

"It is so important to not take yourself too seriously. Laughing at yourself shows humility and brings us closer together."

"When you can laugh at yourself it displays a softened ego. It shows that you do not think you are better than others. Learn to laugh at yourself."

How to Know a Person

Author and NYTimes columnist, David Brooks's, newest book is so helpful in understanding and building relations with others, especially for parents and teachers working with each other in support of child education and role modeling.

Here are a couple of quotes about how to know a person:

 

Chapter 11: The Art of Empathy 

"Empathy consists of at least three related skills. First there is the skill of mirroring." 

The second empathy skill is mentalizing.

The third empathy skill is caring. 

Chapter 17: What is Wisdom? 

"Wisdom is the ability to see deeply into who people are and how they should move in the complex situations of life."

These two chapters alone make this such an important book to read.

Here is a PBS seven-minute interview with David.

Click here for a wonderful hour-long video of David presenting the book at the Free Library of Philadelphia AUTHOR EVENTS; you will get an in-depth view that has been viewed by over 1M people.

Momentum – Dr. Maria Montessori Caring for Children

      Momentum Montessori, a Life in Motion, an historical novel by Elizabeth Slade, is not only captivating, it gives significant insights into Dr. Maria Montessori's life in motion. Included are insight and determination into becoming one of the first women doctors in Italy, her care for her son and mother, and her accomplishments caring for children throughout the world are beautifully told throughout the book. Dr. Montessori was a determined woman.

      Here is a quote from "Chapter 8 • 1906" (pg. 134) that captures her insights into caring for children: "It seemed what they [children] most desired was a prepared environment with real activities to occupy their hands. It seemed the most effective way was to offer them the instruction individually, with few words."

Helping Children - 7 Ways to Find More Meaning in Your Life

I discovered GoodRx from a friend and physician and how it supports ongoing health information.

"7 Ways to Find More Meaning in Your Life" is one of the great articles passed on to subscribers. These "7 Ways" certainly serve as role models for children. Here are the "7 Ways," and do click over to the article to get a nice fill-in for each way.

1.  Find your passion

2.  Embody your values

3.  Give back

4.  Reflect on your gifts

5.  Look for role models

6.  Practice gratitude

7.  Think about your legacy

Teaching Our Children Humanity

With all that is going in in our world today . . .

"We should teach humanity in school. Our children need to be taught how to be compassionate to themselves, to others and to our world. Education is universal. We are missing the greatest opportunity to teach our children what is most important: kindness, compassion, self-love, and equanimity. They were born with it but life has buried it."

From the September 8 Daily JAM

There's more to life than being happy

In Emily Esfahani Smith's TED Talk, she builds "there's more to life than being happy" with 4 pillars of a meaningful life: 

1)  Belonging

2)  Purpose

3)  Transcendence — stepping beyond yourself

4)  Storytelling

Learn more by watching her 12-minute TED Talk video.

Contact

Humankind A Hopeful History by Rutger Bregman is powerful and gives a comprehensive look at the history of humanity. It crosses paths with Yuval Noah Harari's book Sapiens.

There is one chapter — "The Best Remedy For Hate, Injustice and Prejudice" — that is excellent on presenting the best remedy for these humanity issues, and the remedy is "CONTACT." Here is an excerpt (page 358) from that chapter: 

"Contact engenders more trust, more solidarity and more mutual kindness. It helps you see the world through other people's eyes. Moreover, it changes you as a person, because individuals with a diverse group of friends are more tolerant towards strangers. And contact is contagious: when you see a neighbor getting along with others, it makes you rethink your own biases."

Teaching Children

 A beautiful JAM (Inspiration for all in Just A Minute) lesson for parents, teachers, and adults who care for children.