Leading and Meaning

One of the most difficult things to do as a leader is to compell followers, especially those that view their occupations as a "job" instead of a "calling" or "profession," to see meaning in their work.  My initial reaction to these people is to "write them off" as unmotivated and/or negative.  However, I know as a leader, it is my job, many times, is to motivate, inspire, and compell others to find meaning.  According to Seligman, people find meaning and happiness at work when they are allowed to use their "'signature strengths' to achieve gratification" at work (as cited in Pink, 2006, p. 226).  Fullan (2008) echoed this sentiment in asserting one way leaders show their followers they love them is by putting their followers in positions in which they can succeed.  Therefore, before I "write off" those that don't seem to love their job and can't seem to find meaning in their job, I should probably ask myself if I am putting them in a position to succeed and allowing them to use their signature strengths to achieve gratification.

The Disciplined Mind

Gardner (2008) stresses the importance of the disciplined mind, and I believe that it is Gardner's focus on this mind that makes Five Minds for the Future a more well-rounded and applicable book than, perhaps, Pink's A Whole New Mind.  I feel that mastering, or at least having thorough knowledge of a discipline must come before and work as the foundation for synthesis, creativity, and the like.

In my opinion, it is more fun to teach students to be creative and to synthesize, and more of a grind to teach a discipline. However, it is important that I not neglect the disciplined mind, because students need a context in which to be creative. Without the context and without being grounded in a discipline, student run the risk of just being creative and having no place to apply their creativity.