“Summertime, and the livin’ is” … BUSY! With all due respect to Gershwin’s famous lyrics, the livin’ this summer hasn’t been easy. Fun – yes! Event-filled – yes! Memorable – yes! But easy – not exactly. Let’s see – we sold one house, bought another, packed to move, packed for a big trip with our kids and grandkids, took the trip and celebrated a major milestone (our 40th Anniversary), came home and packed some more, moved, began unpacking, continued unpacking, created and published a new weblog, and began work on an E-book. Other than that, we’ve been loafing – when we’re not unpacking. Overall, the many challenges have been met and accomplishments celebrated, so we look forward to fall as the season approaches. We also look forward to more empty boxes!

Our goal is to make this newsletter interesting and useful. Each month, we feature an overview of a different topic, some food for thought, and perhaps a smile or two. Enjoy! and please invite others to join the Viewpoints subscription list – it’s an opt-in list on our web site: www.infiniteperspectives.com .

Warmest Regards,

Charles (Charlie) Boyer
Infinite Perspectives, LLC
www.infiniteperspectives.com

GOOD TIMING! Our family (kids, spouses, grandkids) enjoyed a cruise together to Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula where it was hot, sunny, and beautiful. We had a great time, and were safely back home when we learned that the eye of Hurricane Emily went right over where we had been just two days earlier. We were glad that we missed the storm. Now, our thoughts and prayers are with the victims of Hurricane Katrina, and we count our many blessings.

NEW BLOG. What’s a BLOG anyway? Andy Wibbels, author of EasyBake Weblogs, describes “blog” as the sound the cat makes just before coughing up a hairball. But that’s not really what it is. “Blog” is short for “Weblog” – basically, an interactive web site where new material can be added easily and where readers can post comments.

Part of this summer was spent developing a new ‘blog, titled LeaderSavers Weblog, A Survive-and-Thrive Forum for Arts Administrators. The first entries, or posts, were up and running early in July. More articles and helpful hints for newer administrators will be coming soon.

Although this new ‘blog is intended primarily for arts administrators, I believe many things will apply to everyone who works with people. No matter what business you are in, when you get just beyond the slight differences from one business or profession to another, it’s all about people.

LeaderSavers Weblog is designed to help newer administrators work successfully with people. Arts administrators often have some especially difficult people to work with – temperamental artists, divas, prima donnas, conductors – no lack of ego here, is there? Learning how to work successfully with others is a major part of an arts administrator’s work, and often learned without any formal training in the art of administration. One poor fellow had to learn things the hard way – read “The Tale of the Three Envelopes” and you’ll see what I mean.

Survey Results. As part of the preparation for the E-book and blog, a short survey was sent to more than 100 music executives in US colleges and universities. The executives were asked to identify the seven essential skills or traits that were necessary for success as an administrator. The #1 essential skill was: Build Trust and Credibility among your colleagues, students, supervisors, parents, the public. That came as no surprise to me, because without trust and credibility, there is very little that truly can be accomplished. Trust is hard to earn and easy to lose. The responses were varied and interesting. The #7 essential was: Maintain a Healthy Sense of Humor. It is so important to keep that funny bone in good working order. I’ve often heard that it is most important to laugh AT yourself and WITH others – never the other way around. Take a look at the blog section titled “Survey Results” to get an idea of what’s coming in the E-book.

You Are Invited to visit the new weblog, look over the short articles posted there, and post a comment or two. Take a look! LeaderSavers Weblog can be found at: www.leadersavers.com

POINTS TO PONDER . . . now that schools are back in session, stop for a minute and reflect on just what it is that teachers do.

Teachers Make A Difference

The dinner guests were sitting around the table discussing life. One man, a CEO, decided to explain the problem with education. He argued, “What’s a kid going to learn from someone who decided his best option in life was to become a teacher?”

He reminded the other dinner guests that it’s true what they say about teachers: “Those who can, do. Those who can’t, teach.”

To corroborate, he said to another guest, “You’re a teacher, Susan. Be honest. What do you make?”

Susan, who had a reputation of honesty and frankness, replied, “You want to know what I make?”

“I make kids work harder than they ever thought they could. I can make a C-plus feel like the Congressional Medal of Honor and an A-minus feel like a slap in the face if the student did not do his or her very best.”

“I can make kids sit through 40 minutes of study hall in absolute silence.”

“I can make parents tremble in fear when I call home.”

“You want to know what I make?”

“I make kids wonder.”

“I make them question.”

“I make them criticize.”

“I make them apologize and mean it.”

“I make them write.”

“I make them read, read, read.”

“I make them spell ‘definitely’ and ‘beautiful’ over and over again, until they will never misspell either one of those words again.”

“I make them show all their work in math and hide it all on their final drafts in English.”

“I elevate them to experience music and art and the joy in performance, so their lives are rich, full of kindness and culture, and they take pride in themselves and their accomplishments.”

“I make them understand that if you have the brains, then follow your heart … and if someone ever tries to judge you by what you make, you pay them no attention.”

“You want to know what I make?”

“I make a difference.”

“What do you make?”

(Author unknown. This was sent to me several years ago via email by a student teacher)

NEXT ISSUE: Sensitize Yourself. The late Thomas Leonard, pioneer coach and founder of Coachville, wrote about ways we attract others to us – or detract others unintentionally. How do we attract others? What signals do we send that turn people away? We’ll take an in-depth look at one of Leonard’s 28 Principles of Attraction and take a look at the Top Ten Ways to Sensitize Yourself.

Infinite Perspectives Coach-Based Consulting can help YOU

• Turn your intentions into actions
• Build your team into a well-tuned ensemble
• Create your windows of opportunity

Call (303) 972-2581 to schedule your complimentary consultation.

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