Posts Tagged decision making

Why Everyone Should Know the Levels of Development

On July 23, 2020 / Effectiveness, Responsibility

For years I’ve focused the teachings of my Levels of Development on students and schools. But in reality, the Levels of Development is a tool appropriate for every person of every age from every walk of life. In fact, when people become aware of the levels, they become conscious of their own behaviors, their decisions, and their relationships with others.

Here are the 4 main ways the Levels of Development helps all people.

1. Serves as a means of communication

The Levels of Development offers everyone—adults and youth—the same conceptual vocabulary. This helps bring clarity of understanding and assists communications between all people, whether it’s between a teacher and student, parent and child, or even two co-workers.

2. Empowers

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Information Overload and Stress Management

On January 31, 2017 / Blog, Stress Management

In today’s world of social media and 24/7 news, information overload is real and potentially doing more harm than good—causing many to make poor decisions and feel an overwhelming amount of stress.

How is this possible? Science tells us that with too much information (aka – information overload) people’s decisions make less and less sense and their stress level rises. This may seem counter-intuitive at first. After all, isn’t getting all the facts in the best interest of everyone? And if some information is good, then more information is even better, right? Wrong!

Here’s a fact to consider: Decisions requiring creativity benefit from letting the problem incubate below the level of awareness, something that becomes ever-more difficult when information never … >>>

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Reduce Stress Making Tough Decisions

On November 2, 2016 / Reduce Stress, Weekly Tips

The image displays a standard yellow sign reading "Tough Decisions Ahead" against a blue sky indicating that an effective approach for making tough decisions lies ahead.

Making tough decisions can be stressful. Let’s assume you are confronted with making hard decisions but have trouble making decisions. Yet, it is possible to reduce stress and anxiety when solving problems and decision-making by having a positive mindset.

Success in almost any undertaking requires that you engage in risk-taking and that with each risk comes the element of fear.

Reduce stress making tough decision by being bold.

If you cower before making a tough decision, you will have a negative disposition, which may limit you options. If you meet a decision boldly, letting it motivate you to action, your success in decision-making increases.

Think of the founding of the United States of America. The country was built on … >>>

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One Strategy to Reduce Perfectionism in Youth

On September 11, 2014 / Effectiveness, Parenting

Perfectionism plagues many students. While wanting to do a good job is indeed an important trait, sometimes it can go to the extreme. When this occurs, it takes students very long to complete their work. Neatness and precision are imperative to perfectionists. Whatever they are working on must look right—by their perception—before they can move on. This ultimately hinders their progress and results in frustration on the part of the youth and the teachers.

Here is an assignment to give students who suffer from perfectionism: Have the student explain the following aphorism, “You cannot be perfect and learn at the same time.”

A few examples may help. (1) Have him assume that he is playing the piano and makes a … >>>

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Choices Build Responsibility

On September 6, 2013 / Effectiveness, Responsibility

Offering choices raises responsibility because it is related to the issue of control. A person who makes choices gains control, and having control is a requirement for taking responsibility. Choice, control, and responsibility are inseparable:

Make a choice, and control is enhanced.

Fail to choose, and control is diminished.

Deny responsibility, and control is given up.

Choose responsibility, and control increases.

Here is an example shared with me by a friend who understood the basic need of all humans—of any age—to feel some sense of control over their lives.

My elderly mother was recovering from a very difficult surgery. Because of her weakened condition, she had lost her ability to walk and there was doubt about whether she would be

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Choices in Life

On October 17, 2012 / Learning, Responsibility

A significant difference between the optimist and the pessimist is related to the perception of choice. For example, a school math test is returned with a low score. One student concludes, “Well, I guess I’m not good in math,” while another student who receives the exact same score engages in different self-talk: “I guess I’ll have to study harder.”

The difference? The first youngster senses a lack of control—that nothing can be done. “I just have no gift for math,” goes the self-talk. The second youngster believes that something can be done. The first child’s pessimistic self-talk is of resignation—primarily based upon the wrong assumption of a lack of choice and, therefore, a lack of control. The second … >>>

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