Here’s why I pester people with an Encourager email every school day – SCN Encourager

I can’t be the only one who appreciates a pat on the back

We live and work in a funny world.

Sure, we have our own stressors and deadlines, but we rarely – if ever – feel the sting of a “kick in the butt” boot from our supervisor.

We just don’t operate in severe pick-it-up or pack-it-up environments.

Most of us live and work with people we enjoy, like, love, and respect.

Our homes and school communities are special in this way.

(And I’d hate to tell you how often I keep forgetting this.)

We still must deal with sad or negative news, though.

What we see in our email inbox reminds us of this reality everyday.

Interspersed between assorted updates, issues, tasks, requests, surprises, and calendar re-arrangings, we’ll always see items like this:

 

Nothing fun here.

And probably about 70% of our email stream contains items that either give us pause, tell us what to do, or demand our attention.

Even when I factor out the wedding-related emails I receive from Cindy and my daughters, my percentage of worrisome emails only goes down to 66%.

But my personal bank-account-draining stressors and deadlines aside, you know what I mean.

There will always be sad and negative news in our midst.

And that’s why I send you the Encourager every school day.

I know your plate is incredibly full, jam-packed with the responsibilities that come along with meeting the full spectrum of academic and social needs in the people you serve.

And let’s just admit that any visible public praise – which is very much different than your own inner understanding of your value and contribution – is typically underwhelming.

I’m just trying to re-balance your incoming messages to the positive somewhat.

That’s all.

If no one else will raise the flag to salute who you are and what you do – dang, I will.

You earn a positive shoutout every school day.

In exchange, I learn a ton by writing what I write.

In a big way, you provide the fuel for my merry journey toward average.

A peer from the Detroit area recently asked, “what are you, some kind of nut?”

While I was grateful this question came to me without asking for Cindy’s opinion, I’m proud I’ve got enough school communicator in me to still be able to dance around this one for awhile.

I might not be so lucky tomorrow.

I’m going to take a huge step out of my school PR comfort zone on Tuesday and I hope I can drag you along with me.

All in the spirit of encouragement, of course!

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