“We don’t think so, my lord. Why, then, ’tis none to you, for there is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so” – Hamlet, William Shakespeare 

In the month of July, we as South Africans were challenged to confront threatening, destabilising events and emotions, due to the social tensions and unrest. Moreover, questions regarding our own biases and opinions on the unequal structure of society were subtly posed to us all. In confronting these issues, our perception of the events and people alike has been a powerful tool in shaping our experience of the unrest seen in our country.

 

In this sense, as unfortunate as events have been during that ill-fated week in July, that moment in time gave us an opportunity to contemplate our views on our society and interrogate how far we allow our own biases to dictate what we perceive of a given situation. 

In dissecting significant occurrences of social upheaval, as witnessed in the unrest last month, many (particularly the media and our leaders) tended to simplify the causes behind the unrest, in an attempt to create an easy-to-understand, dominant perception across the citizenry. This inaccurate characterisation of events was perpetuated on social media, as I discussed recently on The JM Podcast, where people would bandwagon and justify viral viewpoints, without any form of prior independent thinking.

 

The unrest, or ‘looting’ as has been established by mainstream media, cannot be simply attributed to unruly human behaviour. Rather, a culmination of various factors – poor governance, corruption, criminality, poor defence capabilities, classism, poverty, hunger, unemployment, social inequity (all of which were exacerbated by the pandemic) – gradually accumulated over a sustained period of time, ultimately erupting, facilitated by the less pleasant side of human nature.

 

All of these factors combined to produce the anarchy we all witnessed occurring on the news, and for some, in their own communities. A well-informed background and understanding of the context of the unrest we witnessed is pivotal for one to fully appreciate the destructive occurrences of social unrest.

 

In our respective reactions and observations of what we saw happening around us, we ought to practice empathy and perspective, over moralism and judgementalism. As has been become common knowledge in human psychology, we are prone to viewing people, national events, personal situations etc., through an emotional lens. We tend to project our personal and emotional needs during interactions we have with the world around us. At the end of the day, we are emotional creatures.

 

It is virtually impossible to reverse the thousands of years of evolution in our genetic makeup as humans. Therefore, taking the cognitive decision to emotionally detach ourselves, in certain instances, when forming opinions on events, is a significantly liberating decision to take. In this regard, emotionally detaching ourselves from the world around us, essentially enables us to see people or events for who and what they really are. Doing this limits the influence our emotional needs and biases have on our perception of a person, event, belief system etc. In this way, you are not being blinded by your own emotions or prejudices, but seeing people as they are.

 

This is something we ought to do the next time we face such events, in order to appropriately consume what happens around us in a more objective, empathetic manner. This is something I believe many of us lacked – resorting to judging and moralising over people who participated in the looting, without acknowledging our own varying levels of privilege. It is much better to practice empathy especially during a time where we witnessed people expressing their long-held frustrations over their own country, which has continuously failed them and excluded them from economic opportunities. That is not to justify the irresponsible actions of a minority, but to view such situations with an acknowledgment of the social inequality that still persists in our 27-year-long democracy.

 

Lastly, it remains extremely important to understand the causes of the issues we face as a country. However, instead of fixating on the problem, our leaders ought to apply their minds to finding effective, lasting solutions. Like Novaneers, we ought to be guided by both independent and collaborative thinking alongside a solutions-based approach to our country’s challenges. Importantly, in all we do, it is vital to continue cultivating a sense of hope that we have seen the worst and are finally heading into a period of sustained prosperity. Now is the time to celebrate our resilience and look to the future with optimism and a firm willingness to collectively solve the problems our beautiful country faces.

 

Stand a chance to win 7 days of luxury accommodation in Umhlanga, KZN, when you tell us what makes your Novaneer child stand out. 

We may be biased but we believe that Novaneers (Nova Pioneer students) stand out amongst their peers. 

They’re the kind of students who aim high. They’re empowered to lead, to grow, to do more, be more and achieve great things.  #HighExpectations

Novaneers are resilient and adaptable in uncertainty. We saw this when schools closed last year and they had to pivot to a new way of learning (#AlwaysGrowing). They worked together with their peers and teachers to thrive during what may have been the toughest year for all of us. #GreaterTogether 

Our students are always pushing boundaries. They think fast to solve problems and, most importantly, they solve problems together. #SolutionsFirst

Their confidence is off the charts. They’re the kind of students who speak up because they know their voice matters! #JoyOfLearning

But most importantly, Novaneers stand out because of their big hearts – they care deeply about their peers, their learning and their teachers. #ServantLeaders

Enough about what we think however, we want to hear from you mom, dad, sister, brother or even you Novaneer, what you think makes a Novaneer stand out. How do you stand out?

Post on social media showing us what makes your Novaneer child a stand-out student, be creative and get all your friends to like and share. Tag @novapioneer_sa on Instagram and Twitter, Nova Pioneer South Africa on Facebook and @novapioneer on TikTok, using the hashtag #imaNovaneer. 

The post with the highest engagement, this includes likes, shares and comments (views excluded) will win 7 days of luxury accommodation in Umhlanga, KZN (please see terms and conditions below).

P.S: Make sure your profile is public in order for us to view and enter your video into the draw

Terms & conditions: 

• This competition is open ONLY to current Nova Pioneer parents from schools in South Africa. Entrants would have to be a current parent at the time of the competition closing on 15 November 2021. 
• There will be one prize of a 6-night stay at a 3 bedroom self-catering apartment in Umhlanga, KZN (sleeping a max of 6 people). This prize can only be redeemed in low or mid-season (excludes December and early January). Travel, meals, and entertainment are excluded from this prize and will be for the winner’s own account. 
• The prize must be redeemed before 15 November 2022. Dates will be subject to availability.
• Nova Pioneer parents and students may enter the competition utilising the following mechanism: 
  • Current Nova Pioneer parents will have to film their child (or themselves) talking about what makes their Nova Pioneer child stand out from the rest. They need to post the video online (Instagram, Twitter, Facebook or TikTok) using the hashtag #imaNovaneer and tag us on their post. The video with the most engagements (likes and shares – not views) as of 15 November 2021, will win the above-mentioned prize.
  • By entering the competition through the use of the hashtag, Nova Pioneer will consider this consent from the entrant to post on their social media platforms.
• The winner is required to pay a R2000 breakage deposit before the stay
• Nova Pioneer has a right (with consent from the winners to): (i) electronically publish and distribute the photos of these prize winners in any website or social media platform

(ii) include the photo(s) in advertising and promotion materials; and 

(iii) to include the photo(s) in print and non-print products.  

• The winner will be notified by direct message via the associated social media platform.  
• Prizes are not exchangeable, transferable or exchangeable for cash. 
• The prize must be claimed within one month from the date of the draw.
• All unclaimed prizes will be forfeited by 30 June 2022.  
• Parents are to abide by the rules and regulations stated by the organizer.  
• In case of dispute, the organizer’s decision is final and no correspondence will be entertained.  
• This competition runs from 20 October 2021 to 15 November 2021. The winner will be announced on 20 November 2021.  
• Nova Pioneer reserves the right to amend the terms and conditions of or withdraw this competition if required by the authorities.

 

Simikazi Deyi expresses the importance of mother tongue languages in an article in 2018 that states, “Language is not just a series of words, but includes certain nuances that emerge in the form of idioms, metaphors and euphemisms, as well as praises. Language is therefore tied intrinsically to a sense of belonging, which is in turn linked to society and its values”. In a country where our differences have so often divided us, our school is always looking for tangible opportunities to acknowledge the spectrum of who we are. 

 

Language has historically been a divisive tool in education. Used to disempower, to segregate, and to alienate children from access to quality education. One simply needs to reflect on the 1976 Soweto Uprising to realise how powerful a tool language is in creating equitable access to education. In modern day South Africa, we still struggle with classism and bias based on people’s accents when they speak in English. As schools serving children on the African continent, it is our responsibility to work to create a cohesive society, and the acknowledgement of our language diversity is one of many ways we can make this possible for our learners. 

 

A starting point for us was to embrace the different languages spoken by our students. In social and break settings, we do not prohibit students from speaking in their mother tongue. Rather, we seek to empower our students to understand how to include their peers, and not allow children of differing languages to feel excluded from a social group. We also encourage our students to learn language through socialising with their peers, who may speak a different language. This is a more complicated approach than simply saying everyone must speak English, however, the long term impact on social cohesion is more meaningful. 

 

With all this in mind, our team launched our first Love Your Mother Tongue Week (LYMT Week) in 2019. LYMT Week is a week where parents can book a slot to come in to visit their child’s class during the Morning Meeting, which is the first half hour of the day. During this time parents are invited to read a story, teach the children a song, or recite a poem in their mother tongue. During COVID parents have been able to join via Zoom. Since starting LYMT Week, we have been treated to the most rewarding recognition of who we are as a nation. Our children have experienced parents celebrating the various indigenous South African languages, Asianlanguages, English, Afrikaans, languages from the Middle East, as well languages from throughout Africa by introducing them to the rich nuances of their languages through music, poetry and storytelling. 

 

We host this each term in an effort to normalise the differences that make us who we are, and being mindful to not just doing this once a year on a national holiday. Operationally, this is a very simple event, which requires no changes to our timetable, and is facilitated with a simple booking form. While it is very little work to organise, the power and impact of it is huge. It is however, important that the true shift does not just come from a termly event, but rather from interrogating our policies about language, and language diversity, both formal and informal. We should continue to strive to create cohesion through our everyday actions and daily acknowledgement of our differences, or else events like this will remain hollow and will be unable to affect the change we need to see in our society.

 

High school is the final phase of basic education, and the seeds planted in high school will be the fruits that will grow in tertiary. Looking for a high school for your child is no small feat. Parents want to know that their children are well prepared in high school to face tertiary education.

 

1. Find out what happens to students after they matriculate

 

A school’s post-high school success rate is one of the first things parents ought to consider when looking for a high school for their child. At Nova Pioneer, we place great value on students’ post-high school success. We strongly believe many elements can impact a student’s ability to succeed after completing high school. Thus, we want to ensure that students perform well academically at our institutions and ensure that they feel supported and prepared to succeed beyond Nova Pioneer. 

 

2. Additional support programmes

 

The kind of support a high school provides their students, specifically with regards to tertiary support programmes, exposure and resources – is as important as the school’s success rate. Our Post-School Success (PSS) programme at Nova Pioneer is designed to leverage different stakeholders in the student’s ecosystem, to facilitate the student’s exploration and understanding of themselves. The programme is a unique offering available to our senior high school students and it provides our students with personalised guidance on exploring post-school options.

 

3. Educational philosophy 

 

Parents should understand the unique educational philosophy of the school that they’re considering for their child. Schools operate with different educational values and some might not be aligned with your family values or the values you wish to instil in your child. For example, public schools are typically driven by a directive to teach in order to test. On the other hand, independent schools, like Nova Pioneer, have much more creativity and flexibility to develop our curriculum to allow our students to learn in a more all-inclusive way. We, at Nova Pioneer, are intentionally developing generations of innovators and leaders who will shape the African Century.

 

4. Academic programme

 

Parents should also get a sense of what the academic programme of the school looks like and how it fits into their child’s needs. Your child will be spending their last years of basic education at that school; make sure that the school offers classes that interest and challenge your child. Nova Pioneer offers the Cambridge Assessment International Education (CAIE) curriculum, designed to teach students how to learn and how to go on learning. Our role goes beyond helping students achieve good results, and beyond giving students passports for progression to university or employment. We give our students a curriculum that will bring lifelong success in tomorrow’s world.

 

5. Classroom experience

 

Parents ought to have a guided experience around the high schools that they’re considering for their children. Make sure that you see the on-campus offering, facilities and how the classrooms are structured. In our classroom experience, Nova Pioneer invites parents to become students again by having them experience our unique way of teaching and experiencing what it’s like to be a Novaneer.

What parents need to remember is that there is no right or wrong way of selecting a high school for your child. Parents need to consider what will work best for their children. Place the needs of your child first when choosing a high school for them. And remember, whatever the high school has to offer your child, at the end of their high school career, the school needs to have prepared them for the next level of education post-high school.

 

Source

 

Each year, parents enter into a co-guardianship with their child’s teacher. Each of us in this partnership plays our different roles, but we all strive to surround the child and put their needs at the centre. Our common goal is to have the child succeed throughout the year and to ensure they are happy in the school environment. Attaining that goal is more likely when parents develop a good relationship with their child’s teacher.

As with all healthy relationships, it is important to establish effective and open channels of communication through which the parents and teacher can identify areas of common ground, develop mutual respect and understanding. In this way, parents and teachers form the foundation for rich and meaningful dialogue around our children’s education.

So, how can you develop an understanding of who your child’s teacher is? To get to the heart of a teacher’s personality and to find out what drives them, I propose the following five questions. The answers will give you a picture of the person your child spends part of their day at school with.

 

What led you to become a teacher?

 

Most educators have a story to tell about how they ventured into teaching. Their story informs you on how they teach and how they relate to their students in the classroom. This will give you a window into the kind of classroom environment that the teacher will create and it will reveal why your child’s teacher shows up to work every day as well as what makes them passionate about what they do.

What do you want most for my child this year?

The beliefs and expectations the teacher has of each student can directly impact student achievement and growth. This question sheds light on how your child is viewed by the teacher and gives an indication of how the year will progress.

How do you view mistakes and how do you discipline students?

Knowing a teacher’s style of discipline and how they deal with the inevitable mistakes that children make, will help you gain a clearer picture of what is happening in the classroom. Knowing the teacher’s views on discipline will help you to understand the teacher’s reaction to any given event. Often teachers choose to work at certain schools because their personal views on discipline align with that of the school. However, it is important to understand your child’s teacher’s personal views.

What is your philosophy on education?

A teacher’s philosophy on education will determine how your child is taught, how much their voice will be heard as well as the students; access to certain resources. How you can successfully advocate for your child can be greatly influenced by how well you understand your child’s teacher’s approach to education. A deeper understanding of the teacher’s core beliefs of teaching and learning can allow you to develop a strong partnership with the teacher which will, in turn, have a positive impact on your child’s school year.

What is your expectation of us as parents and what does good communication look like to
you?

In any relationship, it is good to understand what each person’s expectations are to keep things harmonious. I would suggest that you seek to understand early on what your child’s teacher expects from you as a parent. Knowing this will allow you to establish rules of engagement with the teacher and also give you the opportunity to discuss how this fits in with other things that you have to do as a parent. Gaining an understanding of this from the outset can lead to conversations about where you are struggling and where you need help.

Your ultimate goal is to get to know your child’s teacher and I would encourage you to make this a priority. Make an effort to learn about and value the individuality of this very significant person in your child’s life. I would also suggest that parents reflect on what five things you would like your child’s teacher to know about you. This will go a long way in building a parent and teacher relationship that will ultimately benefit your child.

 

We live in an ever-changing and demanding world and children will be presented with opportunities and challenges, many of which will be new to their parents. The Cambridge curriculum was adopted by Nova Pioneer with the aim to equip students with the skills required to not only cope in the 21st century but to thrive in it.

Nova Pioneer delivers the Cambridge curriculum using a unique blended and enquiry-based learning model. With this, we persistently challenge our students to aim high and achieve beyond the ordinary, to seek out opportunities and research solutions that enable them to shape the world they live in. This is another reason why parents should consider a Cambridge curriculum for their children.

 

Cambridge curriculum offers students flexibility

 

The four stages of the Cambridge curriculum leads seamlessly from primary to secondary and pre-university years. Each stage – Cambridge Primary, Cambridge Lower Secondary, Cambridge Upper Secondary and Cambridge Advanced – builds on the learners’ development from the previous one, but can also be offered separately.

The Cambridge progression pathway in Secondary School at Nova Pioneer begins with Lower Secondary in the first and second year of Secondary School. The focus in these years is mostly on laying a very strong base in mathematics, science, and literacy in order to facilitate the high expectations of the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) and Advanced Levels (A-Levels).

IGCSE in the third and fourth year of high school is in itself an exit phase that provides students with an internationally recognized certificate that allows them access to tertiary institutions and the workplace. Depending on their performance in the IGCSE, students have a choice to do their Advanced Subsidiary Level (AS-Level), which is a university preparation phase that is academically intensive. 

Students can also opt to do the A-Levels or Grade 13 over two years, which is the preferred option for stronger academic candidates as universities give higher Admission Point Scores (APS) for A-level study. This can make students more competitive for admission into highly selective institutions, courses, or admission into international universities.

 

Cambridge versus Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS)

 

When faced with the choice between CAPS and Cambridge, parents often have questions as to what are the fundamental differences between the two curricula. Firstly, CAPS, as with any state offered curriculum, is aimed at mass progression. The aim of state curricula is to support the bulk of the population through the curriculum and provide general literacy for as many students as possible, hence the lower pass requirement. Cambridge, especially after the IGSE’s, is primarily focused on tertiary preparedness and progression (at an international level), with significantly higher pass requirements.

With the CAPS curriculum, students have a wider range of subject choices, however, these are not covered in as much depth as those subjects offered as part of the Cambridge curriculum. Furthermore, given its aim of mass progression, CAPS offers a very set curriculum with prescribed resources and textbooks, which fully cover the content examined. Conversely, the Cambridge curriculum offers teachers more flexibility to bring their own interpretation to the material. Lastly, CAPS’ final exams focus on the assessment of the content, whereas with Cambridge, it’s the assessment of skill.

The Cambridge curriculum teaches students to develop an intentional interest and desire for learning, and it also equips them with the necessary skills required to succeed at major universities and corporate companies anywhere in the world. It provides students with an internationally recognized education that prepares them to compete globally in pursuit of their academic and career development.

 

 

As children grow in their early childhood years and enter pre-primary school, their world begins to open up. They want to explore and frequently ask about the things around them. Eventually, their interactions with others help to shape their ways of thinking and moving.

Early childhood development progresses gradually and continuously in clearly defined phases. It is most important that parents send their children to pre-primary schools that are equipped with teachers who are skilled at working with young children during this crucial period of their lives. Teachers in pre-primary school play an important role in ensuring that your child has a strong foundation for their future school career. 

At Nova Pioneer we believe that a strong educational foundation in pre-primary school is vital to not only shaping your child’s academic success but also in paving their road for success in life. How your child learns and develops mentally, emotionally, physically and socially is critical to us. At Nova Pioneer, we use a unique integrated approach to support our youngest of students’ growth. We offer vast opportunities to develop your child’s intellectual curiosity and love of learning. Here are the 5 skills that you can expect your child to develop in pre-primary school:

 

Independence

 

We’ve realized that children become more independent in pre-primary school. Naturally, becoming more independent enables children to take care of their own basic needs, to be mindful of their belongings, and to develop their self-confidence. Nurturing your child’s independence is vital in pre-primary school because it encourages them to not only be resourceful and to learn how to solve problems on their own, but it also gives them the confidence to build up their student voice.

 

Language skills

 

Language develops rapidly during pre-primary school years. There is an increase in the scope and function of speech, and children start to use words to resolve conflict. They understand the conversation and volunteer their own ideas and opinions. Their concentration, memory and attention span increase and they begin to participate in discussions to make sense of the world that they live in.

 

Social skills

 

Consequently, children become more socially aware in pre-primary school, and they learn how to get along with others. They share more readily at school, take turns with one another more easily, and begin to work through conflict peacefully. Their play evolves from parallel to interactive play and they are comfortable forming friendships in a pre-primary school environment. Also, pre-primary school is where children begin to learn more about social cues and it’s where their individual personalities begin to unfold as they are exposed to different people from different backgrounds.

 

Physical development

 

Children attending pre-primary school learn how to intentionally use and control their bodies through the various physical activities they engage in at school. There are also striking physical changes in their body proportions during this time as they grow and partake in challenging physical undertakings when they play with their peers. They become capable and confident of more strenuous activities and learn to have greater endurance. Pre-primary school is also where children start to develop dominance and learn to have control over their hand muscles, which is an essential part of physical development during this phase of their lives.

 

Emotional maturity

 

In pre-primary school, children learn to outgrow the heightened emotionality of temper tantrums. Emotions begin to colour their lives. They become better at controlling their emotions and can be reasoned with. They overcome problems with separation from their parents more easily as they interact with other children and they are able to build trust with their teachers and peers. Lastly, emotions become more evident in children’s facial expressions in pre-primary school. Their body posture, movements and tone of voice help both parents and teachers to easily identify the children’s emotional cues. 

 

Are you considering moving your child to Nova Pioneer in 2022? Why wait for the new year? We would like to encourage you make the move now. Parents who start with Nova Pioneer before 31 October 2021, will enjoy a tuition free month in January 2022.

 

You may have some concerns about starting relocating your child mid-year but we believe that this can be a progressive experience for your child and family. Children are known to be quite flexible when it comes to change, and challenging them in this way is a good life lesson for learning adaptability. 

 

Support given to mid-year enrollments

We agree however, that there are potential challenges that come with moving schools in the middle of an academic year.  At Nova Pioneer, we work with our parents to ensure we provide support to students who join mid-year. Below are some tips on how parents can make the mid-year transition less disruptive.

 

Communicate the decision for the move

Talk with your child about moving schools well in advance, if possible. Take time to discuss each concern and allow your child to express themselves and their feelings about changing schools. This will help parents understand their child’s feelings and fears about changing schools. This can also give us insight into how we can best support them. Also ask them what they are looking forward to the most about going to a new school and talk to your child about what to expect at the new school.

 

Come meet our team

We always advise parents to visit the campus before the child starts classes and ensure they stay engaged with the school and teachers to find out how the child is settling in. Also, feel free to ask for more information on our psychosocial support services in case your child may need additional or professional support to adjust with the change. 

 

Come prepared

Make sure that your child has the correct school stationery and uniform, as well as sports clothes. Also, organise your child’s transportation to commute to and from school. Parents need to remember that children are most concerned about fitting in at school, and having the basics covered can help them integrate better into their new school environment. 

 

Encourage building community

Get your child involved in extracurricular activities that interest them, to help them make new friends and for them to be part of the school community. Also encourage your child to try a new activity to help them grow and expand their scope of activities at school.

 

Stay connected to old friends

Remember to make space for your child to reconnect and maintain communication with former school friends. It’s good for your child to not feel like they have lost or neglected their old friends, it will also comfort them to be able to keep memories of their previous school and to stay in contact with the friends that they have left behind. 

 

Sources:

https://www.thespruce.com/help-kids-move-to-new-school-2436189

https://raisingchildren.net.au/school-age/school-learning/school-choosing-starting-moving/moving-schools 

 

As I write this, I think of my younger self, in the late 1990s, with only a  few years of working experience. (Yes, that was ages ago and I am giving my age away!). I can vividly recall my father – who was my greatest role model – telling me that I didn’t need to become “hardened” as a woman in business to “make it”.

 

Hardened 

 

When I looked “up the ranks” (ironically a  phrase that I detest but which was a pertinent reality in my early career), in the various organisations that I was part of, for the first 15 years of my career, the women in senior leadership were few, relative to their male counterparts. They were also mostly in fact “pretty hardened”, ambitious-at-all-costs and fiercely driven. Many of them made their jobs their “whole life”. 

 

Feminine

 

Thankfully I had my dad whispering in my ear on how important it was not to “lose (feminine) self” in the quest for career success or model success in a predominantly male persona (which I think at that time, many women assumed was the only route).

 

Admittedly there were times, when I have/did put my roles of “being a mom, a wife, a daughter, a sister and a friend” on hold and de-prioritised these in favour of work, work, work.  Perhaps the subliminal narrative inside my head was that in a business context, feminine roles and qualities were in fact a handicap or sign of weakness.

 

Grateful 

 

Fast forward a couple of decades to where I find myself now, in the wonderful world of education and as part of the Nova Pioneer family. I truly never even think of my gender in my workplace context – I don’t think twice about being a female. How grateful I am to think that gender is just an irrelevant demographic, right now in my work life.  I don’t feel embarrassed about needing to “rush off and be a mom to my own kids” during a working day or in fact anything else that comes with the territory of my role as mother, wife, sister and daughter. These roles are equally respected and appreciated by the teammates that I work with. How very grateful I am for that, when things felt quite the contrary some decades back for “women in business”.

 

I identify first and foremost as a woman. This means that in every aspect of my life, it is important to me that my womanliness is ever-present and authentic.

On its own, this principle should not be a challenge to uphold. However, in a world in which the acceptable view of gender and gender equity continues to evolve in ways that are often contradictory, my pursuit to be a woman takes on an interesting tilt.

It becomes imperative then, that I define for myself what lies at the core of my womanliness, what values I wish to embody as a woman, and how these can be brought to life in my role as a leader. One relevant manifestation of this in my role today is empathy. Not mushy sentimentality, but rather the striving to connect meaningfully with others, to understand and celebrate their strengths, and along with that, to inspire them to harness the potential often obscured by our weaknesses; all while leveraging an intentionally nurtured professional relationship. It calls for a combination of warmth and firmness, a clarified sense of fairness, and the ability to be positively honest, especially when tough things need to be said.

I am a coach. And indeed every leader is one, or at least should strive to be one. Leadership extends beyond a title or a job designation. It lies in the ability to rally others in pursuit of a higher aim, to help them see that in truth they can attain it, to equip them with the skills and tools needed for success, and to inspire them to retain a winning front even in the face of the many obstacles they inevitably will encounter. This is the type of leader I strive to be.