How To Bounce Back From Failure

--by Carolyn Gregoire, syndicated from huffingtonpost.com, Jan 02, 2014

Rejection is rough, no matter how you slice it. But it's also an inescapable fact of life, and our ability to deal with failure and rejection has a hand in determining how successful and happy we are.

Happiness isn't the opposite of depression -- resilience is, according to psychologist Peter Kramer. Think of the people you most admire -- many of them didn’t get where they are just by sailing through life without any negative experiences or failures. Most of them distinguished themselves by their ability to get right back up every time they fall, a truism reflected in countless inspirational quotations on the power of perseverance (In the words of Winston Churchill, "It is the courage to continue that counts.").

So how do resilient people differ from those who become paralyzed by every failure and setback?

Here are seven habits of highly resilient people -- and ways that you can improve your own ability to cope with challenges.

They fully experience both positive and negative emotions.

Building resilience isn't about blind optimism. Rather than looking only on the bright side and pushing away negative emotions, resilient people let themselves experience what they're feeling in any given situation, whether it's good or bad, according to Positivity author Barbara Fredrickson.

“The resilient person isn’t papering over the negative emotions, but instead letting them sit side by side with other feelings," Fredrickson told Experience Life. "So at the same time they’re feeling ‘I’m sad about that,’ they’re also prone to thinking, ‘but I’m grateful about this.’”

They're realistically optimistic.

A recent Taiwan National University study found that adopting an attitude of "realistic optimism," which combines the positive outlook of optimists with the critical thinking of pessimists, can boost happiness and resilience.

"Every time [realistic optimists] face an issue or a challenge or a problem, they won't say 'I have no choice and this is the only thing I can do,'" researcher Sophia Chou told LiveScience. "They will be creative, they will have a plan A, plan B and plan C."

They "reject rejection."

Rejection chips away at our self-esteem and confidence, making us fall harder with each subsequent setback or failure, Elaine Dundon, founder of the innovation group, said in her TED Talk on the subject, adding, "Rejection also steals our joy."

But rejection is inevitable, and coping with it effectively is essential to becoming resilient. As HuffPost blogger Alex Pattakos puts it, choosing to reject rejection can ensure that "you don't become a prisoner of your own thoughts.”

"It's important to understand that everyone is in a different 'space' and, in some cases, no matter what you say or do, they will always reject you or your ideas," says Pattakos, explaining that taking this mindset helps you to not take the rejection personally.

They build strong support systems.

Then you get knocked down hard, it's important to have the resources to help you get back up again, which includes having people to lean on. A 2007 study found that social support can actually boost resilience to stress.

They notice (and appreciate) the little, positive things.

Resilient people are good at tapping into their "positivity ratio,” according to Fredrickson. This means that they notice and appreciate the little joys and victories -- which keeps them from feeling like "everything" is going wrong. Her research has shown that a three-to-one ratio of positive to negative experiences is ideal for building resilience and boosting happiness.

They seek out opportunities for growth and learning.

Resilient people seek out growth experiences that boost self-reliance and individual decision-making skills, which gives them confidence in their ability to bounce back from failure.

"As a sense of competence increases, individuals are better able to respond effectively in unfamiliar or challenging situations and persevere in the face of failures and challenges," Kathleen M. Sutcliffe and Timothy J. Vogus write in Organizing for Resilience.

Those who have mastered the art of resilience know that setbacks and challenges can be our most powerful learning opportunities. Some of the world's most successful people have been fired from their jobs, and used the experience to learn something about themselves.

"I worked for American Harper's Bazaar... I got fired," Anna Wintour once said. "I recommend that you all get fired, it's a great learning experience."

They're endlessly grateful.

Gratitude is known to boost health and well-being -- and those who are thankful may enjoy better physical health and mood than those who focus on hassles and complaints.

“I got grateful when I got fired,” Sallie Krawcheck, formerly one of Wall Street's most powerful female executives, explained at The Huffington Post's women's conference, "The Third Metric: Redefining Success Beyond Money and Power." “I said ‘How many people get to get fired and it’s on the front page of The Wall Street Journal?’”

Krawcheck says that gratitude not only helped her deal with being fired, but it also helps her keep life's everyday stresses in their proper perspective.

"How do I get through it all?" said Krawcheck. "I'm endlessly grateful."

Courtesy: Dailygood

Read, Learn & Flourish!

Grow, Glow and be Great!

Request to Participate in an Educational Leadership Survey to School Principals

Survey Instrument: Building Collaborative Culture in School Survey

Title of the Research:

A Study of Principals Awareness for Teacher Leadership in Building Collaborative Culture in Schools

Purpose of the Research:

The purpose of this project is to identify what Principals’ “aware” about building a collaborative workplace environment for teachers. Collaboration is identified as teachers working together in the shared pursuit of improving professional practices that improve student learning. So the project aims to identify what awareness school principals have in building a culture of collaboration.

Teachers who engage in continuous learning become better teachers. Hence, improving student achievement is conditional upon teacher learning. And given the nature of the global economy that we live in, it is imperative for our education system to continually improve. Collaboration is one effective strategy for improving professional practice. Therefore, a collaborative culture becomes foundational to improving student learning and best preparing the next generation for a global economy.

This study will help clarify areas on which professional organisations, institutions of learning, education boards and departments across the country can focus to be more effective and efficient at building administrator’s capacity to create collaborative workplace environments for teachers.

Procedure:

Many school principals in the states of Kerala, Karnataka and Maharashtra are invited to participate in a brief, 10 to 15 minutes on-line survey using Gmail facility.

                                                                                                                  

Risks:

There are no known risks of discomforts associated with this research.

Benefits:

Participants in this study do not receive direct individual benefit. However, participants do indirectly get professional benefit from participation in this research study will help professional organisations, institutions of learning, education boards and departments to develop principal capacity to create collaborative workplace environments for teachers. Results of this study will help these individuals and organisations provide current and future principals with better quality professional development and focussed learning based on identified needs that will ultimately improve teacher practice and student learning.

Confidentiality:

Your participation and responses to my questions are confidential. Data used in reports will be presented in a manner that prevents identification of individuals and schools.

Opportunity to Ask Questions:

You are encouraged to ask questions concerning this research before on after agreeing to participate in this research study. Please contact me at 09552061187 or my wife, Mrs. Ancy Radhakrishnan, 09552913784 or chettour@gmail.com or readnflourish@gmail.com with any questions you have regarding my study.

Freedom to Withdraw:

Your participation in this study is voluntary. You are free to decide not to participate in this study or to withdraw from this study at any time without adversely impacting your relationship with the researcher. Your decision will not result in any loss of benefits to which you are otherwise entitled.

How to Participate:

Copy and paste the ‘survey attachment file’ given below into a new MS Word document and follow the instructions given with it or you can request me in the below given email id for survey questionnaire and follow the instructions in the questionnaire. After answering the questionnaire save the document onto your computer and attach and mail the same file in the given email id. Any problems, kindly contact the researcher. Forwarding this page link to interested fellow principals and encouraging them to participate in this exercise would be appreciated.

Consent, Right to Receive a Copy:

You are voluntarily making a decision whether or not to participate in this research study. Your acceptance certifies that you have decided to participate having read and understood the information presented. Please print a copy of this informed consent for your records. I would appreciate if you could mail me a certificate of your participation in this survey in your letter head with your sign and stamp.

Please accept my sincere thanks for your help with this important project.

Radhakrishnan. C

chettour@gmail.com

Survey Attachment file

Survey Purpose:

The purpose of this survey is to identify what principals “aware” about building a collaborative culture in schools for teachers. Thank you for your time!

5-point linkert-scale items

Please respond to the following items using this scale(Put a tick (√) against the appropriate option):

Use

DK = Don’t Know or Unsure

1 = Strongly Disagree

2 = Disagree

3 = neither Agree nor Disagree

4 = Agree

5 = Strongly Agree

Principals Must:

Sl. No.	Principals Must:	DK	1		2	3	4	5
1.	Involve staff in making important decisions.
2.	Provide opportunities for staff input on important decisions.
3.	Encourage staff input on important decisions.
4.	Expect staff input on decisions.
5.	Implement decisions based on staff input.
6.	Engage all teachers in leadership roles.
7.	Focus staff meetings on student learning.
8.	Use workshops as the best way to improve teacher practice that impacts student learning.
9.	Have teachers work together in teams as the best way to improve student learning.
10.	Have teachers work by themselves as the best way to improve student learning more than by working in teams.
11.	Engage teachers in daily professional learning as the best way to improve student learning.
12.	Build consensus in order to facilitate change.
13.	Persist in the face of all obstacles in order to implement change.
14.	Recognise whether solution(s) to problems are either simple or complex.
15.	Recognise that meaningful change can be easy.

To build effective teams:

Of the following items, please identify the importance that you place on each element needed for building effective teams.

Sl. No.	To build effective teams, how important is:	DK	1	2	3	4	5
16.	Specific question strategies for teachers.
17.	A focus on improving instruction.
18.	Teachers working together.
19.	Teachers planning together.
20.	Teachers thinking together.
21.	Teachers talking about professional issues together.
22.	Teachers responding and observing to teaching.
23.	Teachers observing and responding to curriculum.
24.	Teachers observing and responding to assessment.
25.	Teachers developing joint lesson plans.
26.	Teachers developing curriculum.
27.	Principal evaluation of teachers based on the work of the team.
28.	The use of protocols (step-by-step procedures for teams).
29.	Training teachers in the skills and knowledge of collaboration.
30.	Using an incentive system for high teacher performance.
31.	Eliminating the isolation of individual classrooms.
32.	Networking with teachers in other buildings.

Resources:

Of the following items, please identify the importance that you place on each resource for building a collaborative environment for teachers.

Sl. No.	How important is it for Principals to find, provide or develop:	DK	1	2	3	4	5
33.	Time
34.	Materials
35.	Equipment
36.	Space
37.	Training in the use of protocols (step-by-step procedures for teams).
38.	Training in specific procedures.
39.	Administrative support.
40.	Trust between teachers.
41.	Access to new ideas.
42.	Access to expertise.

Continuous Improvement:

Of the following items, please identify the level of importance that you, as building principal, place on each element you know is necessary for continuous improvement.

Sl. No.	As principal, how important is:	DK	1	2	3	4	5
43.	Focused resources on a small number of goals.
44.	Data collection and analysis.
45.	The use of multiple information sources to guide and demonstrate improvement.
46.	Research-based decision making.
47.	A simple focus on refining processes in small ways.
48.	Clear, frequent talk about teaching.
49.	Clear, frequent talk about learning.
50.	Recognition and celebration for superior practices and results.
51.	Inventiveness/Innovativeness.
52.	Risk-taking on the part of the teachers.
53.	High expectations for student learning.
54.	The inclusion of continuous improvement work in teacher evaluation procedures.
55.	Using group of teachers as the main way for improving student learning.

Designing of professional learning:

Of the following items, please identify the level of importance that you place on each design of professional learning that you know will improve student learning.

Sl. No.	In improving student learning, how important is:	DK	1	2	3	4	5
56.	Developing, scoring, interpreting and acting on assessment as professional development.
57.	Designing, implementing, reflecting on and revising curriculum as professional development.
58.	Analysing and acting on data as professional development.
59.	Engaging in lesson study as professional development.
60.	Engaging in faculty study groups as professional development.

Correlation to Student Learning:

Of the following items, please identify the level of importance you place on each as it relates to your own work and its correlation to student learning.

Sl. No.	As principal, I must:	DK	1	2	3	4	5
61.	Learn along-side my staff.
62.	Learn from a mentor.
63.	Plan together with other principals about professional issues.
64.	Think together with other principals.
65.	Observe and respond to teaching with other principals.
66.	Observe and respond to assessments with other principals.
67.	Focus on improving instruction with other principals.
68.	Use protocols (step-by-step procedures for teams) with other principals.

Your own level of awareness:

Please rate your own level of awareness by responding to the following items:

Sl. No.	Self-assess your own level of knowledge on each of these areas:	DK	1	2	3	4	5
69.	Staff involvement in important decisions.
70.	Teachers working in teams.
71.	Modelling professional learning with/for staff.
72.	Allocate resources to improve student learning.
73.	Focusing staff meetings on students learning and improvement.
74.	Continuous improvement of student learning.
75.	Adult learning principles.
76.	Student learning principles.
77.	Principles of change.

Open-Ended:

        78. Please identify specific assessment-related activities that teachers can engage in as part of their professional learning:

        79. Please identify specific curriculum-related activities that teachers can engage in as part of their professional learning:

        80. Please identify specific instruction-related activities that teachers can engage in as part of their professional learning:

        Demographics:

        Demographic Items:

        81. Total years in education (including the current year).

            Years:

        82. Total students in your school.

            Students:

        83. Total years as a Principal (including the current year).

        Years:

        84. Total years since your last higher educational course (any course).   Years:                                                                                     

85.  Do you participate in a professional learning team?

Yes/No    (Strike out which is not applicable).

      If yes, please describe the composition of the professional learning team.

86. Please identify which Education Board you are part of.

Education Board: CBSE/ICSE/IB/IGCSE/State Board

In case State Board, specify:

                      

Thank you!

 

Thank you for your participation in this important survey!