#AI #AIInSchool #students #teachers #writing #learning #education
How can you tell when students are using AI for legitimate purposes, or using it to cheat?
Teachers are grappling with this question, as Jocelyn Gecker discussed in her article for the Associated Press. It was published in the September 15, 2025, edition of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
She quotes high school and college educators, who say that assigning writing outside the classroom is like asking students to cheat.
“Anything you send home, you have to assume is being AI’d,” she quotes Casey Curry, who has taught English for 23 years and was a 2024 California Teacher of the Year.
His students, Gecker says, do most of their writing in class.
The reporter also points out that students are uncertain when AI usage is out of bounds. After all, students want to use all tools available to them, but not be accused of cheating.
Before AI, writing came easily to some students, but painfully difficult for others.
Also, there are students in many American schools for whom English is not a first language.
Gecker talks about one student who wrote his essay in his first language, and used a translation app to convert it to English. The app, she writes, improved some phrasing. Is that cheating?
Students have also used Grammarly, a popular AI writing assistance app, she writes.
Most good teachers want students to write what they know. Some are less concerned with creative phrasing and much more concerned with the knowledge the student imparts from his or her studies.
English and creative writing classes are different. They want to see the clever phrasing and catchy metaphors.
Most importantly, they want students’ work to be original.
Math teachers adapted to the use of calculators. Students are not learning cursive writing as much anymore because of the widespread use of electronic devices.
So, teachers must find ways to employ AI – students will use it whether or not it is forbidden – in ways that students can still impart what they have learned, but do it in a way that incorporates the modern world.
To those students for whom writing is difficult, AI could be a godsend. Making students struggle needlessly does not make for good teaching.
For those that can write easily, they will continue to write and perhaps use AI for research.
AI can be used for good, but it can also be used for sinister purposes.
It behooves teachers and students to find the good, and not the sinister. The sinister, eventually, will get caught, because there will be tools developed – or have already been developed – for teachers to discern real from fake.
The blessing here is that some teachers are requiring students to do their homework in school, and not at home. What student would not want less homework?
Peter
Category Archives: Uncategorized
WILL A COLLEGE DEGREE PAY OFF?
#colleges #universities #CollegeDegrees #jobs #JobPromotions #CollegeDebt
“I was a human resources professional for 20 years. But, I reached a ceiling.”
That quote, from a lady in a TV ad for the University of Maryland Global Campus, tells the story of how she has been able to pursue a good career until recently, when, apparently, she no longer qualified for advancement without a college degree.
So, the ad says, she went to UMGC to get her degree, and it is paying off.
When you couple that story with a column by George Will of the Washington Post talking about the declining value of college degrees, as well as other ads about paper ceilings, it paints an interesting picture of today’s world.
As Will points out, some jobs today that don’t appear to require a college degree suddenly require them.
Will’s column was also published Aug. 31, 2025, in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
In the past few decades, we were all told that a college degree was essential to getting a good job – or, at least, one that would be more likely to put you in an office than outside doing hard physical labor.
But, over time, college degrees have become unaffordable for many – so much so that many students had to incur debt that they may spend a lifetime trying to pay.
If you are fortunate to go to law or medical school, you are more likely to be able to pay off that debt in a relatively short time, presuming you are successful in either of those professions.
But, the job market for other degrees can be a bit unpredictable. If you need debt to finish college, you had better have reasonable assurance of a good income afterward to pay it off.
The need for people in the trades, like plumbers or electricians, is much more acute in many places.
Those jobs do not require a four-year degree, but they do require trade school, certifications, licenses etc., that are much less costly than college.
And, of course, those jobs require sometimes hard physical labor.
But, if you are good at your trade and you are reliable to your customers, you can make a better living than a lot of people with four-year degrees.
When college degrees were rare among young people, companies hired those with degrees, regardless of what the degree was in, then trained them for the job(s) they wanted them to do.
But, on-the-job training is harder – and more costly – for companies these days. They expect their workers to know what they are doing on Day 1.
The lady in the UMGC ad probably was very capable of doing the job she was striving for without a college degree. But not having a degree made it much easier for the hiring manager to reject her for that job.
Also, colleges pride themselves on their “elite” status in society and community. In today’s milieu, politicians want to cut out that elite status colleges have by threatening their government grants. That’s way too extreme a reaction.
It may be best to let colleges and universities conduct business as usual by giving them their research grants etc. They perform a great function in society by doing that work.
But, the average student is getting priced out of the college market. The colleges will have to do something to find the balance between teaching and research.
The average student may want to rethink his or her life options as he or she decides how to make a living, and what he or she has to do to get there.
Peter
“I was a human resources professional for 20 years. But, I reached a ceiling.”
That quote, from a lady in a TV ad for the University of Maryland Global Campus, tells the story of how she has been able to pursue a good career until recently, when, apparently, she no longer qualified for advancement without a college degree.
So, the ad says, she went to UMGC to get her degree, and it is paying off.
When you couple that story with a column by George Will of the Washington Post talking about the declining value of college degrees, as well as other ads about paper ceilings, it paints an interesting picture of today’s world.
As Will points out, some jobs today that don’t appear to require a college degree suddenly require them.
Will’s column was also published Aug. 31, 2025, in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
In the past few decades, we were all told that a college degree was essential to getting a good job – or, at least, one that would be more likely to put you in an office than outside doing hard physical labor.
But, over time, college degrees have become unaffordable for many – so much so that many students had to incur debt that they may spend a lifetime trying to pay.
If you are fortunate to go to law or medical school, you are more likely to be able to pay off that debt in a relatively short time, presuming you are successful in either of those professions.
But, the job market for other degrees can be a bit unpredictable. If you need debt to finish college, you had better have reasonable assurance of a good income afterward to pay it off.
The need for people in the trades, like plumbers or electricians, is much more acute in many places.
Those jobs do not require a four-year degree, but they do require trade school, certifications, licenses etc., that are much less costly than college.
And, of course, those jobs require sometimes hard physical labor.
But, if you are good at your trade and you are reliable to your customers, you can make a better living than a lot of people with four-year degrees.
When college degrees were rare among young people, companies hired those with degrees, regardless of what the degree was in, then trained them for the job(s) they wanted them to do.
But, on-the-job training is harder – and more costly – for companies these days. They expect their workers to know what they are doing on Day 1.
The lady in the UMGC ad probably was very capable of doing the job she was striving for without a college degree. But not having a degree made it much easier for the hiring manager to reject her for that job.
Also, colleges pride themselves on their “elite” status in society and community. In today’s milieu, politicians want to cut out that elite status colleges have by threatening their government grants. That’s way too extreme a reaction.
It may be best to let colleges and universities conduct business as usual by giving them their research grants etc. They perform a great function in society by doing that work.
But, the average student is getting priced out of the college market. The colleges will have to do something to find the balance between teaching and research.
The average student may want to rethink his or her life options as he or she decides how to make a living, and what he or she has to do to get there.
Peter
HOW DO YOU DEFINE SUCCESS? GEN Z MEN, WOMEN HAVE DIFFERENT VIEWS
#GenZ #HavingChildren #WhenToHaveChildren #ConcernAboutTheFuture #men #women
How do you define success?
If you are between 18 and 29 years old, depending on whether you are a man or a woman, you may view success differently, according to a recent NBC News poll, conducted with Survey Monkey.
Both men and women all ranked having a fulfilling job, having money to do the things they want to do and achieving financial independence highly, the poll says.
About 25 percent of those polled say they are worried about their future.
But a remarkable percentage of Gen Z men ranked having children as their top characteristic of success. Women ranked having children closer to the bottom of their priorities, the poll said.
Today’s politics is filled with notions of women concentrating more on motherhood than careers.
But, with this generation having a more difficult time than their parents did in making a life, the idea of having children may be a low priority for many women.
In decades past, it was easier for women to stay at home while men went to work. Today, with prices of necessities soaring, it’s almost impossible to live on one salary.
It’s no wonder this generation is feeling anxious about the future.
Politicians like to carve out dream scenarios. Often, they are just dreams untethered to reality.
Even with both men and women in the same household working, making ends meet – let alone saving for a house or retirement – is much more difficult.
They can only look at their parents and grandparents and wonder how they could build the equity they had built. Inheritance may be their only hope.
Not only is it financially difficult to have children, it’s can be financially difficult to get married. Some data indicates that many first-time home buyers are in their 40s, when it’s supposed to be the prime of your earning years.
Their parents and grandparents may have gotten married fairly young, bought a small house fairly early into their marriage and traded up to better housing over the years to accommodate their families.
Many of those parents or grandparents have adult children living with them, because, even with a job, they can’t live on their own, let alone start a family.
If young men see success in having children, how are they going to do that?
If such young men still live with mom and dad, they are already starting from behind.
With unaffordable rents, and salaries and job opportunities not commensurate with those rents, they can’t start building a life outside of mom and dad’s house.
Having children may be great, but one has to be able to afford them. Having children you can’t afford will only put those kids behind in many ways.
The same politicians encouraging young people to have children are the same ones who refuse to help provide for those children once they are born.
So, if you are young today, make the best choices you can. Don’t let anyone bully you into a life you can’t handle.
Remember: Step 1 is finding a reasonably good paying job. Step 2 is moving out of mom and dad’s house. Step 3 is finding a good, responsible life partner. Once you’ve done those things, you can think about when to have a family.
Peter
How do you define success?
If you are between 18 and 29 years old, depending on whether you are a man or a woman, you may view success differently, according to a recent NBC News poll, conducted with Survey Monkey.
Both men and women all ranked having a fulfilling job, having money to do the things they want to do and achieving financial independence highly, the poll says.
About 25 percent of those polled say they are worried about their future.
But a remarkable percentage of Gen Z men ranked having children as their top characteristic of success. Women ranked having children closer to the bottom of their priorities, the poll said.
Today’s politics is filled with notions of women concentrating more on motherhood than careers.
But, with this generation having a more difficult time than their parents did in making a life, the idea of having children may be a low priority for many women.
In decades past, it was easier for women to stay at home while men went to work. Today, with prices of necessities soaring, it’s almost impossible to live on one salary.
It’s no wonder this generation is feeling anxious about the future.
Politicians like to carve out dream scenarios. Often, they are just dreams untethered to reality.
Even with both men and women in the same household working, making ends meet – let alone saving for a house or retirement – is much more difficult.
They can only look at their parents and grandparents and wonder how they could build the equity they had built. Inheritance may be their only hope.
Not only is it financially difficult to have children, it’s can be financially difficult to get married. Some data indicates that many first-time home buyers are in their 40s, when it’s supposed to be the prime of your earning years.
Their parents and grandparents may have gotten married fairly young, bought a small house fairly early into their marriage and traded up to better housing over the years to accommodate their families.
Many of those parents or grandparents have adult children living with them, because, even with a job, they can’t live on their own, let alone start a family.
If young men see success in having children, how are they going to do that?
If such young men still live with mom and dad, they are already starting from behind.
With unaffordable rents, and salaries and job opportunities not commensurate with those rents, they can’t start building a life outside of mom and dad’s house.
Having children may be great, but one has to be able to afford them. Having children you can’t afford will only put those kids behind in many ways.
The same politicians encouraging young people to have children are the same ones who refuse to help provide for those children once they are born.
So, if you are young today, make the best choices you can. Don’t let anyone bully you into a life you can’t handle.
Remember: Step 1 is finding a reasonably good paying job. Step 2 is moving out of mom and dad’s house. Step 3 is finding a good, responsible life partner. Once you’ve done those things, you can think about when to have a family.
Peter
WORDS MATTER; IF YOU DON’T TALK AS MOST DO, YOU LOSE
#messaging #words #phrases #”Average”People #”Different”People “sensibilities
Words matter.
More importantly, phrasing matters.
In political parlance, it’s called messaging.
Bill Torpy, columnist for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, discussed this in his September 4, 2025, column.
He points out that some in the political arena are trying to talk to people using words and terms they believe express the right sensibilities for every group, but sound elitist to most people.
Think “politically correct,” “woke,” and “pregnant people.” The latter, Torpy points out, refers not to just women, but also to women trying to become men, but still can give birth.
These are terms that “average” people not only don’t use, but also don’t resonate with them.
An old adage goes: why use a 25-cent word when a 5-cent word says the same thing. But, in the case of these terms, they are not just 25-cent words. There are no 5-cent words to replace them, and they talk about concepts that are not part of “average” people’s lives.
When one uses them, particularly in a political setting in which messaging can be critical, “average” people completely do not get the message.
Those in certain groups, with whom “average” people do not necessarily associate, may appreciate the expressions of sensibility to their situations.
But, even the sincerest expression of sensibility does not necessarily win elections. Though “average” people may empathize with one’s sensibilities, they may not need or want to have them communicated. Those callous about one’s sensibilities may be more likely to say things that resonate better with “average” people.
A good rule of thumb is: even if you are totally empathic with the plight of people who are “different” from the “average,” use only language you would use at the dinner table.
“No Kings” has a ring to it. So does “Make America Great Again.” They are totally opposite viewpoints politically, but people understand what you are saying.
And, ANY message about giving certain “different” people an advantage in any selection or review process will completely turn off “average” people who want the same advantage.
Remember, in messaging, fairness is debatable. Right and wrong may have different definitions, depending on one’s perspective. The universe of understanding is a melting pot, whether we like it or not.
As a warning to those who run for office: don’t give people the impression that you will do one thing, then do the opposite if you win.
Be sincere. Mean what you say. But, it’s just as important to say it in terms that both “average” and “different” people understand.
Boutique terminology may seem fashionable, but those who mostly wear “working-man’s clothes” don’t care about fashion. In fact, they often resent it.
So, whether you run for office or not, speak simply, clearly and remember your typical dinner-table conversations. Failure to do so could have you eating your words.
Peter
Words matter.
More importantly, phrasing matters.
In political parlance, it’s called messaging.
Bill Torpy, columnist for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, discussed this in his September 4, 2025, column.
He points out that some in the political arena are trying to talk to people using words and terms they believe express the right sensibilities for every group, but sound elitist to most people.
Think “politically correct,” “woke,” and “pregnant people.” The latter, Torpy points out, refers not to just women, but also to women trying to become men, but still can give birth.
These are terms that “average” people not only don’t use, but also don’t resonate with them.
An old adage goes: why use a 25-cent word when a 5-cent word says the same thing. But, in the case of these terms, they are not just 25-cent words. There are no 5-cent words to replace them, and they talk about concepts that are not part of “average” people’s lives.
When one uses them, particularly in a political setting in which messaging can be critical, “average” people completely do not get the message.
Those in certain groups, with whom “average” people do not necessarily associate, may appreciate the expressions of sensibility to their situations.
But, even the sincerest expression of sensibility does not necessarily win elections. Though “average” people may empathize with one’s sensibilities, they may not need or want to have them communicated. Those callous about one’s sensibilities may be more likely to say things that resonate better with “average” people.
A good rule of thumb is: even if you are totally empathic with the plight of people who are “different” from the “average,” use only language you would use at the dinner table.
“No Kings” has a ring to it. So does “Make America Great Again.” They are totally opposite viewpoints politically, but people understand what you are saying.
And, ANY message about giving certain “different” people an advantage in any selection or review process will completely turn off “average” people who want the same advantage.
Remember, in messaging, fairness is debatable. Right and wrong may have different definitions, depending on one’s perspective. The universe of understanding is a melting pot, whether we like it or not.
As a warning to those who run for office: don’t give people the impression that you will do one thing, then do the opposite if you win.
Be sincere. Mean what you say. But, it’s just as important to say it in terms that both “average” and “different” people understand.
Boutique terminology may seem fashionable, but those who mostly wear “working-man’s clothes” don’t care about fashion. In fact, they often resent it.
So, whether you run for office or not, speak simply, clearly and remember your typical dinner-table conversations. Failure to do so could have you eating your words.
Peter
FALLING INTO PLACE; OR, JUST FALLING
#FallIntoPlace #fall #GetOrganized #garages #closets #clutter
“Some things fall into place. Other things just fall.”
That’s the message from a Safelite windshield repair TV ad. In the ad, a man tries to hang a bicycle from the ceiling of his garage – with the car in the garage.
Naturally, he fails, and the bike falls onto the car, cracking or breaking the windshield.
First, if you want to hang a bicycle from the garage ceiling, you don’t do it with the car IN the garage.
Second, if space is that tight, it might be less hazardous to hang the bike on the garage wall, rather than from the ceiling.
Third, how much work do you, or your kids, want to do to get access to the bike? Do you really want a 6-year-old climbing on a ladder to get his or her bike down, so he or she can ride it?
And, since the 6-year-old can’t drive, someone will have to move the car to give the child access to the bike.
The ad focuses on how easily windshields can be repaired or replaced If they crack or break.
But, it also has a message about how to, or how not to, solve space problems.
If space in your garage is tight, and you need to store both a bike and car in it, there are obviously ways to do it so both are accessible.
This also illustrates another issue: some people having so much stuff that they can’t fit both their car(s) and stuff in the garage.
Businesses have cropped up to help people organize closets, garages etc. Some people have so little imagination that they can’t figure out how to organize household space.
At the same time, home staging companies have cropped up because some people have difficulty imagining how an empty house would look with their furniture in it. So, the stager removes ALL personal items the seller has in the house and puts in some usually neutral furniture to help people decide whether a house will work for them.
The lessons from these examples might be: 1) If you have too much stuff for the space you occupy, get rid of some stuff. Figure out what you use or wear most. If you have duplicates of tools, clothes etc., get rid of the duplicate items. If there are things that just hang in your closet or garage that you can never see yourself using or wearing (again), get rid of those things.
The people that can help you organize things are usually masters of de-cluttering.
But, you shouldn’t need their services if you can weed through your stuff effectively.
Certainly, there are some things you may not use or wear often, but you need to keep them for the occasions that you need them.
Instead of paying someone to organize your stuff, have a yard or estate sale. There are those who specialize in running those sales who may be worth paying to get rid of your unneeded things.
Once you have your stuff under control, your life will get more in control.
That’s when things start falling into place, instead of just falling.
Peter
“Some things fall into place. Other things just fall.”
That’s the message from a Safelite windshield repair TV ad. In the ad, a man tries to hang a bicycle from the ceiling of his garage – with the car in the garage.
Naturally, he fails, and the bike falls onto the car, cracking or breaking the windshield.
First, if you want to hang a bicycle from the garage ceiling, you don’t do it with the car IN the garage.
Second, if space is that tight, it might be less hazardous to hang the bike on the garage wall, rather than from the ceiling.
Third, how much work do you, or your kids, want to do to get access to the bike? Do you really want a 6-year-old climbing on a ladder to get his or her bike down, so he or she can ride it?
And, since the 6-year-old can’t drive, someone will have to move the car to give the child access to the bike.
The ad focuses on how easily windshields can be repaired or replaced If they crack or break.
But, it also has a message about how to, or how not to, solve space problems.
If space in your garage is tight, and you need to store both a bike and car in it, there are obviously ways to do it so both are accessible.
This also illustrates another issue: some people having so much stuff that they can’t fit both their car(s) and stuff in the garage.
Businesses have cropped up to help people organize closets, garages etc. Some people have so little imagination that they can’t figure out how to organize household space.
At the same time, home staging companies have cropped up because some people have difficulty imagining how an empty house would look with their furniture in it. So, the stager removes ALL personal items the seller has in the house and puts in some usually neutral furniture to help people decide whether a house will work for them.
The lessons from these examples might be: 1) If you have too much stuff for the space you occupy, get rid of some stuff. Figure out what you use or wear most. If you have duplicates of tools, clothes etc., get rid of the duplicate items. If there are things that just hang in your closet or garage that you can never see yourself using or wearing (again), get rid of those things.
The people that can help you organize things are usually masters of de-cluttering.
But, you shouldn’t need their services if you can weed through your stuff effectively.
Certainly, there are some things you may not use or wear often, but you need to keep them for the occasions that you need them.
Instead of paying someone to organize your stuff, have a yard or estate sale. There are those who specialize in running those sales who may be worth paying to get rid of your unneeded things.
Once you have your stuff under control, your life will get more in control.
That’s when things start falling into place, instead of just falling.
Peter
WHO CAN REVIVE DYING TOWNS?
#DyingTowns #immigrants #RebuildingTowns #CommunityAcceptance #resilience
A town can die.
A factory, or other major employer, goes elsewhere, or out of business entirely.
Few jobs are left. People have to move to make a living.
Who, or what, can revive such towns?
One answer is immigrants.
Those who come from a certain country, or part of the world, could move to such towns and create their own communities. Often, when they do, the town begins a resurgence.
How? Many immigrants are entrepreneurs or have a mindset to create something that can turn into a business.
The immigrants then become the first customers of such businesses, followed by townspeople who happen to be left.
These businesses can grow into major employers. That might encourage more people – not just immigrants – to move there.
How can this work?
First, those townspeople who are left behind have to ACCEPT the new residents.
Once they accept them, they have to treat them well – i.e. give them reasonably priced housing to start.
It usually doesn’t matter to immigrants the condition of the initial housing, since it is probably better than the housing they left in their country of origin.
Because of their spirit and desire for work, they will fix up the housing over time.
That creates a housing cycle: one house is occupied, fixed up and sold to the next incoming buyer. The seller then moves into a bigger and better house etc.
As businesses start and succeed, many of the town’s neglected amenities, parks and downtown buildings get fixed up or rebuilt.
New schools, churches and other institutions of community are built, or rebuilt to suit the new residents. That may prompt old residents to do the same.
Over time, as these events take place, the community becomes a self-contained success.
As old residents accept new ones, the new residents have to accept that the climate in their new town may not be what they came from. But, because of the resilience of these new residents, they will adapt.
To those who believe that immigrants who come here are “the worst of the worst,” they can rebuild places in the U.S. that have succumbed to progress and new technology.
They are used to self-contained communities and, usually, are willing to work with townspeople to rebuild.
The townspeople, if they want their town to succeed again, have to work with the new residents, too.
Is your hometown dying, or, perhaps, already dead? Look for people who are coming here to find a better life. You’d be amazed at how they can rebuild your town over time.
Peter
A town can die.
A factory, or other major employer, goes elsewhere, or out of business entirely.
Few jobs are left. People have to move to make a living.
Who, or what, can revive such towns?
One answer is immigrants.
Those who come from a certain country, or part of the world, could move to such towns and create their own communities. Often, when they do, the town begins a resurgence.
How? Many immigrants are entrepreneurs or have a mindset to create something that can turn into a business.
The immigrants then become the first customers of such businesses, followed by townspeople who happen to be left.
These businesses can grow into major employers. That might encourage more people – not just immigrants – to move there.
How can this work?
First, those townspeople who are left behind have to ACCEPT the new residents.
Once they accept them, they have to treat them well – i.e. give them reasonably priced housing to start.
It usually doesn’t matter to immigrants the condition of the initial housing, since it is probably better than the housing they left in their country of origin.
Because of their spirit and desire for work, they will fix up the housing over time.
That creates a housing cycle: one house is occupied, fixed up and sold to the next incoming buyer. The seller then moves into a bigger and better house etc.
As businesses start and succeed, many of the town’s neglected amenities, parks and downtown buildings get fixed up or rebuilt.
New schools, churches and other institutions of community are built, or rebuilt to suit the new residents. That may prompt old residents to do the same.
Over time, as these events take place, the community becomes a self-contained success.
As old residents accept new ones, the new residents have to accept that the climate in their new town may not be what they came from. But, because of the resilience of these new residents, they will adapt.
To those who believe that immigrants who come here are “the worst of the worst,” they can rebuild places in the U.S. that have succumbed to progress and new technology.
They are used to self-contained communities and, usually, are willing to work with townspeople to rebuild.
The townspeople, if they want their town to succeed again, have to work with the new residents, too.
Is your hometown dying, or, perhaps, already dead? Look for people who are coming here to find a better life. You’d be amazed at how they can rebuild your town over time.
Peter
WHEN THINGS WORK, DO YOU NOTICE?
#notice #credit #blame #SmoothOperations #EfficientOperations
We expect things to work.
When they do, usually we don’t notice. We only notice when they DON’T work.
We discussed this previously concerning wifi service. We don’t care if it’s “booming,” as the Xfinity ad says. We just want it to work all the time. Far too often, it doesn’t. Then, we notice.
Government is like that, too. When government hums along, we don’t notice it. We don’t hear about it. Usually, that means it’s working.
When it doesn’t work, we notice and, usually, hear about it.
Here’s another way to apply this logic. When you dress properly for a job interview, usually the interviewer won’t notice. That means the applicant can get the interviewer to notice other things, like his or her personality, work ethic and qualifications.
But, if the applicant is not appropriately dressed, that’s all the interviewer will notice.
It’s been said that the goal of some jobs is to make oneself obsolete, so that the charges can function smoothly and well without the boss being present.
Unfortunately, some bosses, looking to advance their own careers, MUST be omnipresent, so that they can claim all the credit for jobs well done.
Companies, and politicians, thrive on notice. When things work, they want to shout it from the rooftops. They want to make sure, in the case of companies, that those not yet buying their product or service are told how well those products or services work.
Politicians want to get re-elected, so they want to broadcast how well things are going on their watch.
When things don’t go well, the politicians, in most cases, try to past blame to predecessors or opponents.
To paraphrase President Ronald Reagan, we could do more good things if we didn’t have to worry about who gets the credit. Would fewer bad things happen if we didn’t worry as much about who gets the blame?
We don’t have to force ourselves to think about things more because they are working.
In such cases, blissful contentment is a perfectly fine response.
But, when things go wrong, we may tend to harken back to when they were working. But, don’t spend much time on such nostalgia. Work to fix the problem so your blissful contentment can return.
Every employer should want their employees to operate smoothly and profitably whether they are present or not.
But, if there is any public credit to be bestowed, give most, if not all of it, to the employees. You can take your own credit in silence at home.
Aspire not only for a good, productive workplace, but one that operates so well your customers hardly notice, if at all.
Perhaps you can even strive for a workplace that works so well, your employees don’t notice.
Peter
We expect things to work.
When they do, usually we don’t notice. We only notice when they DON’T work.
We discussed this previously concerning wifi service. We don’t care if it’s “booming,” as the Xfinity ad says. We just want it to work all the time. Far too often, it doesn’t. Then, we notice.
Government is like that, too. When government hums along, we don’t notice it. We don’t hear about it. Usually, that means it’s working.
When it doesn’t work, we notice and, usually, hear about it.
Here’s another way to apply this logic. When you dress properly for a job interview, usually the interviewer won’t notice. That means the applicant can get the interviewer to notice other things, like his or her personality, work ethic and qualifications.
But, if the applicant is not appropriately dressed, that’s all the interviewer will notice.
It’s been said that the goal of some jobs is to make oneself obsolete, so that the charges can function smoothly and well without the boss being present.
Unfortunately, some bosses, looking to advance their own careers, MUST be omnipresent, so that they can claim all the credit for jobs well done.
Companies, and politicians, thrive on notice. When things work, they want to shout it from the rooftops. They want to make sure, in the case of companies, that those not yet buying their product or service are told how well those products or services work.
Politicians want to get re-elected, so they want to broadcast how well things are going on their watch.
When things don’t go well, the politicians, in most cases, try to past blame to predecessors or opponents.
To paraphrase President Ronald Reagan, we could do more good things if we didn’t have to worry about who gets the credit. Would fewer bad things happen if we didn’t worry as much about who gets the blame?
We don’t have to force ourselves to think about things more because they are working.
In such cases, blissful contentment is a perfectly fine response.
But, when things go wrong, we may tend to harken back to when they were working. But, don’t spend much time on such nostalgia. Work to fix the problem so your blissful contentment can return.
Every employer should want their employees to operate smoothly and profitably whether they are present or not.
But, if there is any public credit to be bestowed, give most, if not all of it, to the employees. You can take your own credit in silence at home.
Aspire not only for a good, productive workplace, but one that operates so well your customers hardly notice, if at all.
Perhaps you can even strive for a workplace that works so well, your employees don’t notice.
Peter
LEADERS ARE NOT BULLIES
#bullies #leaders #YoungMen #followers
We usually don’t teach boys or girls to be bullies.
Some of them turn out that way, but how they became such can be very complicated – or simple, depending on the person.
Bullies like to think they are strong. They like to pick on people they perceive as weaker than they.
Bullies are not usually as smart as the people they are bullying. Perhaps they are jealous of that.
Bullies think of themselves as leaders. But, they don’t realize that real leaders don’t bully others.
So, if we don’t teach kids to be bullies, how do they become bullies?
In some cases, there is deep-seeded psychological resentment of something or someone.
In other cases, they have been rejected by institutions or people that once meant a great deal to them.
Different folks become bullies to make them feel superior to others.
In today’s world, young men have felt rejected because they perceive they were discriminated against because they were men. Or, they have lost good jobs or opportunities and can find nothing to adequately replace what they have lost.
A bully may give these young men false promises of restoring what was good in their world.
A bully may lead these young men to think that under the right circumstances, they can take back what was rightfully theirs.
The big question becomes: what if the bully disappoints?
Will those who followed him (or her) fight back against the bully?
Will they keep the faith that the bully WILL keep his or her promises eventually?
Bullies only like to win, no matter what. Leaders like to achieve things to benefit others.
Leaders believe that the more they do for others, the more they will get back.
A bully will only use others to get what he or she wants.
It’s important, when looking for leadership, not to get co-opted by a bully.
It’s important to recognize the difference between a leader and a bully.
It’s most important to recognize the difference, lest you become the undesired alternative.
Once you learn the difference, it may be easier for you to fight back. Bullies hate people who will fight back.
Leaders admire those who fight for what they truly believe in, so they can help people get what they really want.
In short, recognize a bully, or a leader, when you encounter one. Learn to resist the former and emulate the latter.
Don’t confuse a bully perch with a bully pulpit.
Peter
.
We usually don’t teach boys or girls to be bullies.
Some of them turn out that way, but how they became such can be very complicated – or simple, depending on the person.
Bullies like to think they are strong. They like to pick on people they perceive as weaker than they.
Bullies are not usually as smart as the people they are bullying. Perhaps they are jealous of that.
Bullies think of themselves as leaders. But, they don’t realize that real leaders don’t bully others.
So, if we don’t teach kids to be bullies, how do they become bullies?
In some cases, there is deep-seeded psychological resentment of something or someone.
In other cases, they have been rejected by institutions or people that once meant a great deal to them.
Different folks become bullies to make them feel superior to others.
In today’s world, young men have felt rejected because they perceive they were discriminated against because they were men. Or, they have lost good jobs or opportunities and can find nothing to adequately replace what they have lost.
A bully may give these young men false promises of restoring what was good in their world.
A bully may lead these young men to think that under the right circumstances, they can take back what was rightfully theirs.
The big question becomes: what if the bully disappoints?
Will those who followed him (or her) fight back against the bully?
Will they keep the faith that the bully WILL keep his or her promises eventually?
Bullies only like to win, no matter what. Leaders like to achieve things to benefit others.
Leaders believe that the more they do for others, the more they will get back.
A bully will only use others to get what he or she wants.
It’s important, when looking for leadership, not to get co-opted by a bully.
It’s important to recognize the difference between a leader and a bully.
It’s most important to recognize the difference, lest you become the undesired alternative.
Once you learn the difference, it may be easier for you to fight back. Bullies hate people who will fight back.
Leaders admire those who fight for what they truly believe in, so they can help people get what they really want.
In short, recognize a bully, or a leader, when you encounter one. Learn to resist the former and emulate the latter.
Don’t confuse a bully perch with a bully pulpit.
Peter
.
BEING YOUNG IS NOT WHAT IT USED TO BE
#YoungMen #YoungPeople #women #minorities #AdaptingToChange #DifferencesInIncome
It’s tough to be young today.
It’s even tougher, it seems, to be a young man.
As a man, you were always taught to be a provider for your family. At the same time, there was a building movement to advance women and minorities in the work force.
Over time, young women became more educated than young men, in aggregate numbers.
As a young man with less education, your options became more limited. The strong-back, laborious jobs that once paid pretty well, were not paying well at all. On top of that, many of those jobs were being eliminated altogether because of technology.
Did it bother you, as a young man, that a woman that you might like to be with was better educated, and perhaps making more money than you? How can you “provide” for her?
Worse yet, would that well-educated woman you like even give you the time of day, because you are not as educated, and not making as much as she is?
First, the advancement of women and minorities in the work force has been a GOOD thing.
Before that, women, who were not necessarily guaranteed to find a “provider,” could not necessarily live on their own without help.
They were pigeon-holed into certain job categories with little opportunity for advancement. They were secretaries, teachers, nurses etc. Those are noble professions, to be sure, but moving up in those careers can be difficult.
If you were a woman who was able to find someone to provide for you, you may have gotten married and had children, which presented a whole new set of work-force challenges for you.
Now, the pendulum has swung a bit in the other direction, and young men, particularly those who did not go to college, are left with limited career options.
Even some with a good education may not be able to find a job that would make that education pay off. To complicate that, if you borrowed money to go to college, you may have debt that will keep you from advancing in life.
Moving back with mom and dad should only be a temporary solution. But, for more and more young men in particular, there is no other way to make it at the moment.
Apartments in New York City are going for $6,000 a month, yet are still being gobbled up. Young people have to find roommates to make it work, and, even then, they are still paying more than the 30 percent of their income that should go to housing.
Note here that certain places are more expensive to live in than others because they are more desirable. A young person on his or her own would rather be nearer a big city than a rural town, if only for the social life options.
Yes, it’s difficult to be young today, but resorting to vices – drugs, alcohol etc. – to ease your troubles is not the answer.
You may have to look harder for opportunities, but they are there. You may have to relocate to find them, but they are out there. So many employers are looking for good, hard workers. Many of them are willing to pay for the right people.
There are more opportunities to come as technology improves. (Warning: if you are in a job that will be eliminated by technology eventually, prepare for that now.)
You can’t stop the world from changing. You can’t go back to the way things were decades ago. You just have to find ways to adapt to the here and now. If you do, life, eventually, will treat you well.
Peter
It’s tough to be young today.
It’s even tougher, it seems, to be a young man.
As a man, you were always taught to be a provider for your family. At the same time, there was a building movement to advance women and minorities in the work force.
Over time, young women became more educated than young men, in aggregate numbers.
As a young man with less education, your options became more limited. The strong-back, laborious jobs that once paid pretty well, were not paying well at all. On top of that, many of those jobs were being eliminated altogether because of technology.
Did it bother you, as a young man, that a woman that you might like to be with was better educated, and perhaps making more money than you? How can you “provide” for her?
Worse yet, would that well-educated woman you like even give you the time of day, because you are not as educated, and not making as much as she is?
First, the advancement of women and minorities in the work force has been a GOOD thing.
Before that, women, who were not necessarily guaranteed to find a “provider,” could not necessarily live on their own without help.
They were pigeon-holed into certain job categories with little opportunity for advancement. They were secretaries, teachers, nurses etc. Those are noble professions, to be sure, but moving up in those careers can be difficult.
If you were a woman who was able to find someone to provide for you, you may have gotten married and had children, which presented a whole new set of work-force challenges for you.
Now, the pendulum has swung a bit in the other direction, and young men, particularly those who did not go to college, are left with limited career options.
Even some with a good education may not be able to find a job that would make that education pay off. To complicate that, if you borrowed money to go to college, you may have debt that will keep you from advancing in life.
Moving back with mom and dad should only be a temporary solution. But, for more and more young men in particular, there is no other way to make it at the moment.
Apartments in New York City are going for $6,000 a month, yet are still being gobbled up. Young people have to find roommates to make it work, and, even then, they are still paying more than the 30 percent of their income that should go to housing.
Note here that certain places are more expensive to live in than others because they are more desirable. A young person on his or her own would rather be nearer a big city than a rural town, if only for the social life options.
Yes, it’s difficult to be young today, but resorting to vices – drugs, alcohol etc. – to ease your troubles is not the answer.
You may have to look harder for opportunities, but they are there. You may have to relocate to find them, but they are out there. So many employers are looking for good, hard workers. Many of them are willing to pay for the right people.
There are more opportunities to come as technology improves. (Warning: if you are in a job that will be eliminated by technology eventually, prepare for that now.)
You can’t stop the world from changing. You can’t go back to the way things were decades ago. You just have to find ways to adapt to the here and now. If you do, life, eventually, will treat you well.
Peter
IF YOU RUN FOR PUBLIC OFFICE, WHOM DO YOU SERVE?
#officeholders #RunForOffice #RunForSomething #voters #ElectedOfficials
Many people run for public office because they want to serve the people who elect them.
They have many ideas how to improve their communities, cities, towns, states, school systems etc.
Sometimes, when they actually get into office, other influences come to the fore.
A leader who expects loyalty may emerge. As an officeholder, you may find that not working with this leader, and his or her priorities, can create a miserable life for you.
Secondly, you may not get all the funding, personnel and other assets you may need to fulfill your goals.
You have no control over how much you get, and how many people you can have.
You begin to feel that everything you want to do is in jeopardy, and your good ideas are nothing more than that – good ideas. You become discouraged.
But, you may also be motivated because a certain number of people voted for you, over others.
You can’t make excuses to them as to why you are not doing as you say.
You have to try to accomplish some of what you can, with what you are given.
You should report only to voters, not to anyone else.
If the leader asks you, or forces you, to do things your voters do not want, you should not fear him or her.
You should remember that if voters can see that you are working only for them, you should get re-elected if you choose to run again.
If the voters can’t see that you are working only for them, and the leader doesn’t like what you are doing, he or she may put up someone to run against you.
That’s when you have to realize that public office is a temporary job. You can keep it. Or, you can lose it through no fault of your own.
If you expect the job to be permanent, and leave only on your terms, you are in the wrong line of work.
You have to learn that losing an election is NOT the end of the world. Voters are fickle. The same voters who voted to elect you may decide not to vote at all. Or, they may be so influenced by the show your opponent puts on that they are persuaded to vote for that person.
As long as you believe you did everything you could, with what you had, for those who voted for you, you will sleep at night.
As a public official, you have to listen to your voters. Their opinions and stories should be instructions to you on actions you should take.
(Attention voters: Your public officials need to hear from you at all times.)
Public office is no walk in the park. It’s hard work. It requires integrity, honesty, humility and selflessness.
Those who serve in office without those attributes should not be there.
You have to listen to your voters, because you are working on THEIR behalf.
So, run for office if it suits you. Don’t run if it does not. If you serve your voters well, you are most likely to be rewarded.
Peter
Many people run for public office because they want to serve the people who elect them.
They have many ideas how to improve their communities, cities, towns, states, school systems etc.
Sometimes, when they actually get into office, other influences come to the fore.
A leader who expects loyalty may emerge. As an officeholder, you may find that not working with this leader, and his or her priorities, can create a miserable life for you.
Secondly, you may not get all the funding, personnel and other assets you may need to fulfill your goals.
You have no control over how much you get, and how many people you can have.
You begin to feel that everything you want to do is in jeopardy, and your good ideas are nothing more than that – good ideas. You become discouraged.
But, you may also be motivated because a certain number of people voted for you, over others.
You can’t make excuses to them as to why you are not doing as you say.
You have to try to accomplish some of what you can, with what you are given.
You should report only to voters, not to anyone else.
If the leader asks you, or forces you, to do things your voters do not want, you should not fear him or her.
You should remember that if voters can see that you are working only for them, you should get re-elected if you choose to run again.
If the voters can’t see that you are working only for them, and the leader doesn’t like what you are doing, he or she may put up someone to run against you.
That’s when you have to realize that public office is a temporary job. You can keep it. Or, you can lose it through no fault of your own.
If you expect the job to be permanent, and leave only on your terms, you are in the wrong line of work.
You have to learn that losing an election is NOT the end of the world. Voters are fickle. The same voters who voted to elect you may decide not to vote at all. Or, they may be so influenced by the show your opponent puts on that they are persuaded to vote for that person.
As long as you believe you did everything you could, with what you had, for those who voted for you, you will sleep at night.
As a public official, you have to listen to your voters. Their opinions and stories should be instructions to you on actions you should take.
(Attention voters: Your public officials need to hear from you at all times.)
Public office is no walk in the park. It’s hard work. It requires integrity, honesty, humility and selflessness.
Those who serve in office without those attributes should not be there.
You have to listen to your voters, because you are working on THEIR behalf.
So, run for office if it suits you. Don’t run if it does not. If you serve your voters well, you are most likely to be rewarded.
Peter