Posts Tagged increasing effectiveness

Reducing Anonymity

Imagine you are driving on a highway on a Saturday morning. The road is like a ribbon of concrete ready for you to unfurl—not the usual heavy traffic where you can see only the vehicle in front of you.

Your eyes begin to meander. You appreciate the azure blue sky with an occasional cloud, the verdant landscaping along the road, and the beauty of the day.

You glance in the rear view mirror and realize that someone is tailgating you so closely that you can almost feel the driver’s breath on your back. You look at your speedometer; you are going faster than the speed limit allows.

You move over one lane to allow the car to pass. As the … >>>

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An Interview about Where We Are Going – Part II

This is the second part in a series of interviews about “Where We Are Going” with Michael F. Shaughnessy of Eastern New Mexico University.

QUESTION:
I have enjoyed your Oliver Wendell Holmes story about the issue as to where we are going. With all this emphasis on Annual Yearly Progress and the re-authorization of No Child Left Behind (NCLB) , where indeed are we heading? Can you tell us the story to set the context for this interview?

RESPONSE:

As the train conductor made his way down the aisle collecting tickets, the forgetful Oliver Wendell Holmes saw him coming. The Associate Justice reached into his pocket—first into one, then into another, then into a third pocket. When the conductor arrived … >>>

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Smile When You Speak

“You are never fully dressed without a smile,” sang Little Orphan Annie in the old Broadway musical. It turns out Annie may have been giving some shrewd advice.

Studies have repeatedly shown that people remember smiling faces better than neutral ones. Researchers at Duke University have found a physical explanation for the phenomenon.

Robert Cabeza and his colleagues “introduced” volunteers to a number of people by showing them a picture and telling them a name. Using Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), the investigators found that both learning and recalling the names associated with smiling faces preferentially activated the orbitofrontal cortex, a processing area of the brain.

Although the studies are preliminary, it makes evolutionary sense that a smile would engender positive … >>>

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The Influencers in Our Lives

Here is an interesting quiz:

1. Name the three wealthiest people in the world.
2. Name the last three heavy-weight world boxing champions.
3. Name three people who have won a Nobel prize.
4. Name the last three Academy Award motion picture winners for best actor (female and male).
5. Name three of the last decade’s baseball World Series winners.

How did you do?

The point is that none of us remembers the headliners of yesterday. Notice that these are not second-rate achievers. They’re the best in their fields. But the applause dies. Awards tarnish. Achievements are forgotten. Accolades and certificates are buried with their owners.

Here is another quiz. See how you do on this one.

1. Name three … >>>

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