Tuesday, February 16, 2016

3 steps to an awesome beginning

We tried something new at our last librarian's meeting that I just have to tell you about.  First, let me start by saying that I am a huge fan of Marie Forleo, a life coach (among her many titles) whose work primarily focuses on entrepreneurship, although I find them very applicable to librarian life.

I subscribe to her Youtube channel and her email newsletter, etc.  Each Tuesday she comes out with a new edition of her show Marie TV.  In one episode she interviews a woman who discusses a great method to starting meetings.  She suggests that everyone shares 3 things: a brag, a gratitude, and a desire.

So many of us have great difficulty sharing our wonderful news with people.  We feel bad "bragging" on ourselves and what is going on in our libraries.  The fact is, we had better start tooting our own horns, folks!  If we aren't educating and information the public about what we actually DO they won't KNOW.  I loved the way this episode of Marie TV called it "trueing up to what IS."  Don't you just love that?  I know I can TRUE up to the great things going on in my library without feeling like I'm a braggart---as long as I think of it that way!

Guess what?  YOU CAN, TOO! We all have gifts & talents we are meant to share with one another. If you aren't sharing your great ideas, then how can I learn from you? If I'm not sharing, then how can I help you to sharpen your saw?

Thursday the district librarians met for our February meeting.  I really enjoy our get-togethers.  We have great snacks and great conversations, and I really felt that opening up the meeting this way was particularly successful.  It felt like people shared a bit more deeply, and were more real with one another, actually.

Here's what I do know: we are better when we allow ourselves to be vulnerable with one another & we accomplish more when we are all rowing in the same direction.  This way of opening up a meeting felt like a powerful shift in that direction.

I encourage you to give it a shot, and if you want more specific info on it, here's Marie's video (skip to 10:58 if you just want the info!)

2 comments:

  1. Thanks for sharing the tip AND the great resource, Sonja! Our admin usually has us start meetings with "celebrations", but I like the specifics of "a brag, a gratitude, and a desire." I agree with you that positivity and vulnerability goes far in building relationships. :-)

    ReplyDelete
  2. I couldn't agree w/ you more. Around ten years ago an administrator told me I have to "sell" myself. He's right. People have no clue what we're about if we don't let them know what we're doing! I'll check out Marie Forleo's YouTube Channel; I'm thinking about how to take the idea of "Trueing Up" into the classroom. I teach general and college-level speech and AP Lit and Comp, so I'm always looking for discussion ideas. I scored w/ your slice. Thank you!

    ReplyDelete