Options

One of my youngest friends was just accepted to a pre-K at a wonderful private school that she could attend through 8th grade.  As is the case with many of my friends, this child's parents have deliberated since her birth about her educational options.  During the competitive acceptance process, this bright child was placed on a waiting list and her parents began exploring other options.  They weighed every factor and ultimately found a new home in a neighborhood with many young families and strong public schools.  Decision making becomes more difficult as the importance increases. They've had the chance to weigh all the variables and choose the option that works best for their family. 

There are many instances, such as this, where there is not one right answer.  Having multiple attractive options gives us more control.

Real People Create Our Opportunities

How many times have you left an event feeling energized and educated?  My guess and hope is many, many times.  And I sincerely hope that most of you who have attended Sterling Bank events have left with news you can use, contacts you will pursue, and a renewed emphasis on productive, self enlightened networking.  How often do you take time to acknowledge the real person who invited you or entertained you? 

When you get an event oriented invitation from Sterling Bank and many other companies, most often, a real person indicated that you might be interested in attending.  Yes, we all get automated invitations to do absolutely everything! But, we all need to acknowledge those who provide appropriate chances to meet, learn and grow.

 I will continue to invite those who might be interested to engage in discussions that I think are productive. And I hope others will continue to include me when they think I can add value or benefit.

Transformation

At an event this week, a friend introduced one of her colleagues as a terrific management coach who transformed her life.  I immediately wondered what advice he could have given to earn such a glowing recommendation.  Without the need to ask, they both readily volunteered that education was the key.  At first I was disappointed to learn that the answer was so obvious.  Then I realized that most great advice is simple and readily apparent to others.  What I initially failed to acknowledge were the detailed discussions they must have had that led to the conclusion that in order to advance her career she must complete her college degree.  And what a huge commitment that she had to accept to go back to college while juggling the demands of her career.

Though she was able to quickly relay her transformation story, incredible effort was required.  We sometimes miss the impact of the message until we understand the process required to achieve the result.  Education is a transformative process.