Succinct and Diligent
Barry Lewis Green
Educator, Speaker, Coach, Writer, Creator ... advancing Character Leadership and Education ... to move forward together, stronger ... engaging change.
Recently I offered some thought on Absolutism and the Power of And. I humbly encourage the read and reflect. I do.
And, recently, I have been seeing commentary suggesting that "school" required us to write a "minimum of 5 pages" while the "real world" demands a sentence (in essence).
I have also seen the rounds of a thought about how one can be an "idiot" with a degree. While I refuse to label anyone an idiot, we all do idiotic things... and I suggest that one can be an "idiot" without a degree as well. That said, and with sincere Respect ... that above noted framing of argument has elements of idiocy; and it is grounded in that zero sum argument of either/or. I also humbly submit that Understanding requires both the diligent and the succinct... and that it is important to learn before we speak far more than we give credence. The world is filled with opinion and the knee jerk and the absolute ... and it does not serve us well.
That "5 Page Thing"
As an Educator, I often get students asking "How many pages should the paper be?" and I always answer to the effect that I cringe at arbitrary numbers of pages and simply want students to effectively support their point (and then I give them a healthy and wide range of pages that might be able to do that, for their comfort). That said, there is a time for the succinct and a time for the diligent. And they are both needed in advancing Excellence.
The Tree to Blossom
Succinct without diligent is mere "opinion" or "gut". Diligent without succinct never gets to the point. If succinct is the blossoms, diligent is the tree upon which they grow. Arguing that Diligence and Thoughtfulness and Discernment and Sagacity are unwarranted in this world... well look where that has gotten us.;. a world full of opinion and misinformation. Science is born of Diligence. Education too. But their results need get to points of action. Still, we need the tree for the blossom.
Quality Education
Diligence is in the market research. Succinct is in the market action. We need both. Training the brain to do it's due Diligence is part of what Quality Education and school is intended to do. It is the learning to learn... and that tree and blossom thing.
As Professor Rolf Hattenauer (who had such a major life changing impact on my life) once suggested to us, Education is a laboratory to learn how to learn, beyond the simple trial and error.
When I taught the Dale Carnegie Course for 14 years (1988-2001), I would suggest to people that you can take years to get better at communicating in public through trial and error (experience), or you can accelerate the learning process over (then) 12 weeks. That certainly was my observation and experience as well. By the way, I highly recommend that Course, though I no longer have any vested interest.
Critical Thinking
An approach to learning matters. Diligence matters. While the "number of pages" is dependent on the subject, the importance of Diligence in doing the work is not. The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr once essentially said that Education is about critical thinking, intelligence and Character. That in mind and heart, I suggest that I actually take neither "side" on this as we need both sides. We need the succinct and the diligent, and indeed the diligent can better lead us to an ever better succinct.
Thoughtful Zeal
As I do my work, the notion of thoughtful Zeal comes to mind and heart.
领英推荐
Thoughtful Zeal is about the diligent and the succinct, in effective partnership.
It is about doing the work to come to the best point.
It is about knowing how to string the bow, draw it back and release in order to deliver the arrow.
May we move away from these contentious statements of either/or... of experience versus Education. May we embrace the Power of AND. The versus is almost idiotic.
Peace, passion and prosperity...
I educate, entertain, speak, coach, mentor, facilitate, train, sing, dance, cartoon, write, blog, vlog, box and create to advance?Character?and?Purpose?and?Unity?at school, work, business and community.
CHECK OUT
On the other hand, I?am an Activant too; an?Educator?and?Entrepreneur?by experience, education and?Enthusiasm... with 40 years in leadership training and development, 27 years in business college education and 20 years certified and associated with?The Virtues Project. Additionally certified for 16 years in?Temperament?Assessment and with a longstanding body of work around Character Leadership, I help advance?conversation, consultation and capacity around?Character,?Purpose?and?Unity...?and?the?global goals. My work in business and education is to help those building a better world at school, work, business and community; locally and globally.?Humans together, strong.... that is?my?meaning... and?the space I can stay forever. To that?just cause, I commit.
.