And finally....

Reflect on a successful experience you had managing someone else? What made this successful? What could you have done differently?

I manage all of the time: myself, my students, my team, and more...I would have to say that my growth and maturity in managing my cross country team over the past few years is my most successful managing experience. It's not so much that I am a great coach, but that I have been growing and learning along with the team. Coaching is a different type of management from what people are used to, but it's a very important type too. Seeing that my team is improving and they are all leading one another shows me that my management style (coaching style) has been successful. I look forward to growing every season and hope that my teams grows with me

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Reflect on a great manager- what made he/she great? What does this tell you about yourself?

I've had many good managers in my young career-life, but my current boss stands out as a really phenomenal manager. Not only does he manage teachers well, but the students in our department. He is very hands-on (even though he is a director and doesn't teach). Being hands-on at that level and making connections with staff as well as students is huge and i respect it and aspire to be that way very much. His managing inspires me to strive for that level of expertise and excellence. And now he was just promoted to building principal. This shows me that he is still growing and moving up in his career...that you don't have to stall or plateau ever.

More Catch-up....Kevin = fails at blogging on-time

How can management be innovative? Does it then become leadership? Where do the lines intersect between management and leadership?

Managers have to be leaders. There is no way around this. Do they have to be GOOD leaders? No, but leaders nonetheless. Innovation is key in management, also. There is no use to be a manager whom manages exactly the same as someone who came before them. So, this is where innovation comes in...being new, exciting, powerful, motivating, and so on...in a new way...innovative. The lines intersect at success. Wherever or whenever a manager is a leader and finds success is the moment that a manager is a leader...it's a sort of Nirvana.

Blog Catch-up...oops

Blog: How does motivation translate into technology design and success? Think of an example successful technology, and share how motivation was a factor in its success.

I think that motivation leads to the chouce to seek out and use successful technology. We are motivated either intrinsically to seek out and use something and make it successful, or extrinsically by a boss/coworker/peer/etc who force, or convince, us to use or try something. I would not use a new technology in my classroom if I didn't feel it was important, pertinent, interesting, or required. It's my motivation that leads to my students trying and using new things!