Mr Anthony Rowlands: Weekly Update 23/03/2018
In this week's update, Mr Rowlands details his 9 step plan to meeting challenges, making the rights choices and taking responsibility.
At today’s Junior School Assembly Mr Simon spoke about the importance about meeting challenges and taking responsibility. On the whole, this is something we do very well at BIS HCMC, however, we all welcome support in meeting a challenge. It is very important to think things through in order to make the right choices and having the following plan in the past has always helped me to think more clearly.
Accept that a challenge is happening. A lot of people will dismiss challenges that come before them. They’ll convince themselves that the problem is smaller than it really is or that it doesn’t exist in the first place. You need to recognise when you start thinking this way because it’s true what they say: the first step in overcoming a problem is admitting that you have one. Accepting that a challenge is real and that you’re going to have to deal with it can be really frightening but we need to think positively and remember the challenges we have already met in our lives.
Take action. It’s important, with any challenge that you end up facing it and start doing something about the problem as soon as you possibly can. Each moment of inaction becomes an action in itself. Problems usually multiply when left to themselves. The sooner you start facing the challenge, the easier it will be to overcome.
Evaluate the facts. The best place to start is by evaluating the facts. Don’t just deal with what you think the problem is; the real issue might be something you didn’t even realise was a problem. Take some time to make sure that you understand the situation as fully as possible. A challenge is rarely one single task or problem, but is instead made up of lots of different parts.
Take account of what you have. Now that you know what you’re dealing with, you’ll want to think about what tools and resources you have available to help you in facing this challenge. What resources are most important will depend on your problem, but there are lots of things you can consider. Think about your strengths, the people that can help you, and any physical resources you might have. You should also think about areas in which you are weak. This will let you plan ahead so that you can compensate or at least be prepared in areas where something might go wrong. Be realistic about both the good and bad things that you have to offer this situation.
Find more information. Now that you know about what the facts of the situation are and what you have available to you, you can start finding information that can help you. Find out more about the challenge you’re facing. Talk to people that have faced the same challenge. The more you know about the facts, similar situations, and the experiences of others, the easier time you’ll have making smart decisions about facing your own challenge. It’ll also help keep you from feeling alone.
Look at all possibilities. When we’re worried, we tend to see only a few paths out of a challenge. You might see your situation as “either I do this or I do that”. However, this is rarely an accurate view of the situation and thinking of it in this way can often be harmful to your decision-making process. Challenge your ideas of what is really necessary to the situation or what your options really are. Find the paths between the ones that are so clearly marked in your mind. You may find that a middle road or a total detour is better for you in the long run, even if it doesn’t match what you thought the situation would be.
Communicate, communicate, communicate. If the challenge you’re facing in any way involves other people, then a large part of your challenge can be dealt with by talking to other people. Most of our problems come up in the first place because we fail to communicate in the way that we should.
Look for a mentor. When you’re facing a challenge, one thing you can do to really transform your experience of the situation is to find a mentor. Anyone who can give you good advice on your specific situation and inspire you. Having a mentor can make your experience more positive and help you change how you experience what’s happening to you.
Keep trying until you find a solution. The final key for dealing with challenges in your life is to just keep trying. You have to be persistent. Without being persistent, you’ll frequently find yourself unsuccessful in the things you try. Every challenge can be met and every situation made better, so long as you keep your mind open.
The school’s ‘Aide Memoire’ is a great guideline for us here at BIS HCMC and is referred to on a daily basis. It is a wonderful source to help us meet our challenges.
I do hope that you all have a wonderful weekend and I look forward to seeing many of you at the Primary School ‘Spring Fair’.
Anthony Rowlands, Principal
