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About the Wiser Next Week Series: These entries will involve posting my book, Wiser Next Week, chapter by chapter, freely available to the public. Additionally, I’ll be recounting a story about something I’ve learned based on the chapter’s topic since the months that have past when the book was published in December 2018.

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Kicking An Ideal To The Curb

When you’re on the road and living far from home perpetually, things go wrong often, as in a lot.

• You get sick from some sketchy food
• Getting overcharged by a vendor
• Losing your sense of direction and ending up in the wrong place
• Your gear getting lost, broken or stolen

All of the above has happened to me on several occasions. That’s just the way it goes, with travel just like anything, you cannot take the good without the bad.

One of my coping methods that I’ve taken up since leaving the states is that whenever things go awry, I mutter foul language. I feel better after getting a few good curses out. Once in a while though I say the words loud enough for those around me to hear and stare.

While as an English teacher in Thailand though, I kept that bad habit all wrapped up tight.

I wanted to portray a clean languaged, enthusiastic teacher to my students, even though by the end of the school year I was so tired and wanted to go back to my old habit of swearing at little things as a dorm of stress relief.

I remember one of the 8th grade boys used the F bomb in class when I had my back turned. I used it so many times when things went south in my monologues, but always tried to keep it private and set a good example.

The Difference Between A Manager And A Leader.

A manager talks to his/her people and says you should be this or you should do that. In essence sitting in the rear with the gear and telling people what they should do and how they ought to act.

While a leader rides to the helm and says,

“Follow me boys”

A leader,

• Uses clean language dispute urges on the contrary
• Keeps his promises of returning to teach them despite the passing of his father on the other side of the world
• Completes his contract of teaching for the entire school year, no matter how unhappy and tired he is to show his pupils the importance of honoring commitments

Often times what the leader shows is idealistic and represents the right thing to do, but the leader has failed to uphold.

But they still act like it exists for the sake of the followers, knowing that with the reinforcement of these ideals done for long enough, some of it may stick with the followers despite the decaying effects time wreaks on our morals.

11 Qualities of Leadership

The leader knows the truth is hard while lying is easy. And tries to demonstrate the way the world ought to be through example. Some of these ideals include:

1. Unwavering courage based on knowledge of self.
2. Self-control (stope swearing)
3. A keen sense of justice.
4. Definiteness of decisions.
5. Definiteness of plans.
6. The habit of doing more than paid for.
7. A pleasing personality.
8. Empathy.
9. Mastery of detail.
10. A willingness to assume full responsibility (you signed a one year contract to teach these kids, now go finish what you started)
11. Cooperation.

Here is the “On Management & Leadership“ chapter of Wiser Next Week. Take it and implement it into your own life.

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Previous Chapters

“I Didn’t Know How to Do Laundry” Wiser Next Week Intro

“The Spray & Pray Teacher” Wiser Next Week: On Emotions

“Show Them Your Greatness” Wiser Next Week: On Fear

“Psychological Ownership” Wiser Next Week: On Loyalty

“Strategically Smile to Get What You Want” (Wiser Next Week: On Happiness)

“Your Body is a Car” (Wiser Next Week: On Health)

“The Gift of Time and Age”(Wiser Next Week: On Aging & Death)

“Project Your Life 5 Years Ahead” (Wiser Next Week: On Regrets)

“You’re Doing it Wrong” (Wiser Next Week: On Mistakes and Failures)

“Align Principles With Action” (Wiser Next Week: On Goals and Persistence)

Action is Courage (Wiser Next Week: On Persistence)

”See Things As They Are, Not How You Wish Them To Be” (Wiser Next Week: On Perception)

“Grab It By The Reins”(Wiser Next Week: On Opportunities)

“Ask And You Shall Receive”(Wiser Next Week: On Finding Solutions)

“A Part of What You Earn Is Yours to Keep” (Wiser Next Week: On Money)

“The 5 Principles of Entrepreneurship” (Wiser Next Week: On Entrepreneurship)

“Making A Living Vs. Making a Life” (Wiser Next Week: On Work and Career)

“Why Do Things You Suck At?”(Wiser Next Week: On Prioritizing)

“We Become What We Think About” (Wiser Next Week: On the Controllable and Uncontrollable)

“Check Your Adjectives”(Wiser Next Week: On Attitude)

“When Lightning Strikes Twice” (Wiser Next Week: On Change)

“Reap A Destiny” (Wiser Next Week: On Habit, Motivation & Willpower)

“Linking Theory With Practicality” (Wiser Next Week: On Decision Making)

“Budget Your Life” (Wiser Next Week: On Time)

“Always Have Your Guinea Pigs” (Wiser Next Week: On Learning)

“Better Speeches Means Bullet Point Images” (Wiser Next Week: On Remembering & Knowing)

“Look In Your Pockets” (Wiser Next Week: On The Simple Life)

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