Image from The Mindful Manager I’ve written before about the book “Traction,” and how it has changed my life. “Traction” is where I encountered Stephen Covey’s “Rocks” analogy for the first time. The visual is powerful, so I promise reading this entire passage is worth it: Picture a glass cylinder set on a table. Next to the cylinder are rocks, gravel, sand, and a glass of water. Imagine the glass cylinder as all of the time you have in a day. The rocks are your main priorities, the gravel represents your day-to-day responsibilities, the sand represents interruptions, and the water is everything else that you get hit with during your workday. If you, as most people do, pour the water in first, the sand in second, the gravel in third, and the rocks last, what happens? Those big priorities won’t fit inside the glass cylinder. That’s your typical day. What happens if you do the reverse? Work on the big stuff first: Put the rocks in. Next come the day-to-day responsibilities: Add the gravel. Now dump in the sand, all those interruptions. Finally, pour the water in. Everything fits in the glass cylinder perfectly; everything fits into your day perfectly.… Continue Reading Let’s ROCK our priorities this semesterRead More
Illustration by Crystal Hall Have you looked through the Fall 2021 In-Service Agenda yet? I’m a former calendar editor who LOVES to sift through itineraries, choosing my own adventures, so that’s what I’ve done below. The Adult Learner Summit, part of our five-year Get REAL project, is a series of sessions peppered throughout the week. Some sessions are offered more than once, and all will be available through Zoom, offering maximum flexibility. Check it out: Monday, Aug. 16 3 to 4 p.m.: VWCC CPL OverviewZoomThere’s a lot more to CPL than just AP classes. Join Cathy Ferguson for a brief overview of this vital program and its benefits. 4 to 5 p.m.: Faculty Resources for Career ReadinessZoomJoin Shonny Cooke as she identifies what career resources are available for VWCC students and the crucial role faculty play in directing students toward them. Tuesday, Aug. 17 3 to 5 p.m.: Adult Learner AdvisingST 114/ZoomBased on the AL360 survey results, this session will give participants a chance to consider how VWCC can better incorporate career advising into its student orientation module and provide a more holistic advising and referral process. Presented by the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL). Wednesday, Aug. 18… Continue Reading Calendars, ready?: Adult Learner Summit scheduleRead More
I’m just days away from a proper summer vacation, and I’m excited about my beach reads: “High Conflict: Why We Get Trapped and How We Get Out” by Amanda Ripley: In a July interview with the American Press Institute, Ripley talked about how journalism can help hyperpolarized communities find common ground. I was intrigued by her thoughts, so I immediately ordered her book. “The Business of Belonging: How to Make Community Your Competitive Advantage” by David Spinks: I’m hoping to apply any insights from this book to the fledgling idea of cultivating “career communities” here at Virginia Western. “Super Courses: The Future of Teaching and Learning” by Ken Bain: John Warner, who writes the “Just Visiting” blog on Inside Higher Ed, has raved about Bain’s book, “What the Best College Teachers Do,” so I figured I would read his latest release. I just finished “Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World” by David Epstein, which emphasized the value of general education alongside vocational skills — which made me feel really good about my undergraduate degree in “integrative studies.” This was just the latest book in my quest to better understand creativity. What are you reading this summer? I would… Continue Reading What are you reading? (Comments are open)Read More
About Shelley
Shelley Lyons is glad to be back on campus as she is a Virginia Western alum, and has served as the Administrative Officer for Grants Administration at Virginia Western since early 2022. Prior to VWCC, her career focus was within the Human Services and Arts fields. She wrote her first grant in 1996 on a whim and has continued to plan and learn since that time. She most enjoys seeing a well-planned project come to fruition, where funder, project manager and beneficiaries can all feel success and see impact.
Recent Posts
- Have you heard? October 28, 2024
- The Game of Life – Innovation Edition! August 29, 2024
- Why Try An LOI? May 10, 2024
- Grant Nerds Unite! March 12, 2024
- The Power of Collaboration November 17, 2023