One of the most exciting parts about the many ventures I am involved with is working with emerging leaders. Yesterday I had the privelege of working with close to 140 juniors at Wheaton Academy in West Chicago, IL. We have worked with WA for the past 4 years in a variety of ways working with student leaders, administration, and now the entire junior class taking them through their Gallup StrengthsFinder results, character training with the hopes of helping them have a better idea of who they are and what they were created for.
One of the themes that kept coming up during the day yesterday in my mind, and other people that were helping run the event was “Go with the goers.” What does this mean? It is pretty self explanatory, but there were about 80% of the students who were really enaged, and about 20% who were not. The 20% did a variety of things from forget to take their assessments prior to our arrival, to chat during presentations, to call their parents and demand to be picked up - all maturity and learning issues for sure.
The 80% loved learning about how they were created and were super-engaged throughout the day. The more and more I thought about it I just kept thinking - “Focus on the goers.” The same kids who spent time at age 16 learning more about themselves and where their character was at are the same future men and women who will make something of themselves and contribute to the world.
Go with the Goers.
JVD
cool, sounds like taking the strenghtsfinder approach and extending it to our focus in the equipping of others. Still I always wonder when the non-goers will come around… because the potential’s there nonetheless…
Joe, good advice, I’ll try to remember this when I’m spending more time getting the 20% to be there and forgetting about the 80% who are attentive. That’s amazing it’s that high!