Comment #1 on: Irving Peralta’s Week 4 Reading Entry

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Wk 4 Reading Art of Possibility: Graduation

This book continues to bring awesome memories back from when I was in Jr. High and High School and how everything I went through as a band member is now helping me to be a great leader. Seriously, we should have started Full Sail University reading this book. What I like about it the most are the stories. Most books are just what one individual thinks or his/her research, but this book contains substance by bringing us in the lives of real people. I love the story of the 10 year old from the ‘failing’ school who was given a chance to conduct the band. WOW! What a dream and all because a man was able to enroll others to see the positive outcome of what seem to be pointless. I now can relate to the feeling I get when our 4th graders graduate. For the past two years we’ve been able to take our kids to their actual future high school and have them walk the auditorium stage as they receive their diploma. We are the only school in our district doing this and believe me that it brings chills to know that they will eventually attend that school. From the proud parents to their bright smiles it is worth spending that money to rent the buses and purchase the balloons. We’ve enrolled ourselves in our community and have benefited from their positive feedback and gratitude. Sure, we cannot please every parent even when the place sat more than enough people there were still complaints. But as I learned from the book, when this situation gets on the board I have the opportunity to make the change and help solve the problem or make it worse. As they say, “the ball is in my court”. What I will do next time is choose a better framework. See this as an opportunity to make our graduation ceremony better the following year. Constructive criticism.

My Comment:

Irving, I agree with you that this book should have been at the start of our journey with Full Sail. I was surprised in my readings to find that the book was an easy read. Again I agree with you that I love the stories. The Zanders have a way of telling the events that keep you enthralled on every word. Their ability to read people and create or develop solutions and antidotes from their mishaps and shortcomings is a tribute to their leadership style. Your explanation of his ability was right on target. He has the ability to enroll others to see the positive (or the possible) outcome of what seemed pointless but only initially. I thinks its great that you have you are involved in planting sparks in young peoples lives that will ignite within them the same sparks that are within you.