We said goodbye to the beloved owner of the Lakers, Dr. Jerry Buss, this week. The one thing that I have heard said about him most often is that he enjoyed his life.
He invested in his vision for the team and that vision was based on bringing the fans of Los Angeles something to cheer about.
Buss turned basketball into showtime and the fans tuned into find out what would happen next.
Remarkably, this also translated into 10 championships over the 30 years that he owned the team. I am inspired by his simple desire to bring people something to cheer about and how that motive brought in big results.
One of my favorite radio sportscasters is Jay Mohr. He brings a smile to my face every time I listen.
Like Buss, he brings his own brand of enthusiasm and candor to everything he does. Listening to his show gives me a little lift as I move through my day.
This week I funneled some of that enthusiasm into my teaching practice with great results.
I had been listening to Jay as I pulled up to the school for my weekly lunch group. I started the session out by asking the students about the “best” and “worst” parts of their school experiences.
I have asked similar questions in the past and had lukewarm results. This time, however, I really wanted to know.
I went in there to see and hear what was really going on inside my students’ worlds. I was on fire with enthusiasm and came from a place of understanding and open-hearted listening.
We laughed and reflected together on the things that we all struggle with in our days.
Some students talked about their disdain for language arts, one student really hates waking up early to come to school, and another student thought that the whole school was the worst part. (Thankfully, the lunch group was dubbed the best part).
Like Mohr and Buss, my intention was to engage my audience and bring them something that would inspire them to tune in and focus.
I let them know that I cared what they were thinking. I shared my thoughts about life and school in a way that was vulnerable and let them know that I had nothing to hide and that I was willing to lay it all-out on the table because I trust them.
I trust in the commonality of our experience and the value in being honest.
The best part was that it turned the whole thing into a fun activity. It felt good to get things off my chest without being judged.
It felt good to laugh at the reality of our experience and acknowledge that we are all in this thing together.
Afterward there was an atmosphere of mutual respect and understanding. We did some art, played some games and had fun together until the bell rang and it was time to go to the next class.
So thank you, Dr. Buss, Jay Mohr and all of the people in my life that hold a vision of service fueled by enthusiasm and the intention to give people something to celebrate.
It is people like Lelah Pealer at Culver City Middle School, Debbie Hamme and Kim Redmon at El Rincon Elementary, and Chris Collins at Farragut Elementary School, who bring light to my day.
I intend on continuing down this path of learning new ways to inspire and stay inspired. With that as my vision, the way becomes clearer, even when it isn’t.