Abraham Lincoln
- Created a very unique team of people that comprised of his rivals, and many of the greatest minds of his day.
- When we are creating teams of people to work on projects, we should also look for the best person for the job… for with those people we will be able to accomplish so much more than on our own!
- We often think that those with the most brains and talent get to the top… But often it is the private ambitions that trump the talent. … Getting people to buy into a new idea is much the same… We don’t have to be the best, we need to have a passion for what we are teaching.
- She tells story after story about Lincoln choosing people that had hurt him in the past for high positions in the govenment. He always overlooks his personal feelings for the best person for the position.
Leadership Qualities that Abraham Lincon Possessed
- Capacity to listen to different points of view
- Ability to Learn on the Job
- Ready willingness to share credit for success
- Willingness to share blame for failure
- Awareness of own weaknesses
- Ability to control emotions
- Stength to adhere to fundamental goals
- Know how to relax and replentish your energies! (have fun and a sense of humor!)
- Go out into the field and manage directly! Bolster moral!
Tolstoy said that Lincolns greatness was found in his integrity of character and the moral fiber of his being.
I need to read a biography about him! Does anyone know of a good biography I can read?
By Jeff
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Posted on: October 24, 2007 at 11:49 am
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Hey All! I arrived safely in Seattle yesterday afternoon and spent a couple of hours in the massive exibition hall! I really need to write more about that later.
In any case, I am going to be taking notes in each of the sessions I attend. I am not going to try and catalog the words I hear, but rather the impressions and thoughts I have about what I hear. I figure most (if not all) of the sessions will be available online at some point so you can watch them yourselves.
I have chosen an itinerary that focuses on virtual worlds, social networking, and Web 2.0 type presentations as this is what I am most interested in. Stay tuned… I will probably publish more articles in the coming days than I have in months.
By Jeff
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Posted on: October 24, 2007 at 10:44 am
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So yesterday I got a call from my boss and was asked if I wanted to go to EDUCAUSE next week in Seattle. Hmmm… let me think about it for a second… One of the biggest, if not the biggest educational conferences in the nation … connecting with people like me (obsessed instructional technologists)… Four days in Seattle (a place I have yet to visit)… Um… YES!
That leads me to my next question, I now have around 200 people who read this blog… or are at least subscribed to it. Are any of you going to be at the conference? I am assuming most of you are fellow bloggers in my RSS reader… is there going to be a meet-up similar to the one in Atlanta over the summer (I couldn’t go… we just had a baby). I REALLY hope so. It would be great to meet some of you!
I get in on Tuesday midday and leave Friday morning. If no official meet-up is planned… anyone want to get together and discuss instructional technology? I always have something to say about education and one or all of the following: Google, mobile devices, haptic technology, social networking, and now a days even virtual worlds… And most of all I would love hearing from you!
Leave a comment here or contact me directly at jeffvand at gmail dot com. Hope to see some of you soon!!
By Jeff
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Posted on: October 16, 2007 at 3:03 pm
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Michael Wesch of Kansas State University just published two more AWESOME video’s that definetly deserve your time to take a look at. The first is about Students of Today. It is a startling look into what students are really using technology for… where students are really spending their time.
The second is about information and how the internet has changed the way we interact with and find information. Enjoy.
By Jeff
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Posted on: October 12, 2007 at 12:46 pm
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A couple of days ago my boss, Marc Tillett, recommended I watch this lecture by Randy Pausch. It is about an hour and half long so it took me a while to find the time, but I just finished it and must say I recommend it to EVERYONE! It was one of the best lectures I have ever heard!
I think that Randy’s story is getting pretty well known, but for those who don’t know, Randy is dying of pancreatic cancer and only has a couple of months left to give. Despite his condition, he is in great shape and really energetic as he gave his last lecture. He talks about his professional career and how he got where he is, some virtual reality and HCI (Human Computer Interaction) stuff, and then lastly give some great advice.
If you have the time, you should certainly watch this. If you don’t have the time, you owe it to yourself to find the time. Enjoy!!
[Note: If you want to skip the introduction go to 8:25 in the video player]
By Jeff
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Posted on: October 3, 2007 at 8:20 am
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