In a word, this week has been insane. To kick it off, I played Lincoln Center on monday. The true difference between a rehearsal space and a concert hall is a concert hall doesn’t need microphones. It is sculpted in such a way that sound can carry from one part of the theater to the other. It is an architectural masterpiece. But besides that, it was an amazing night just from a musical prospective.
Tuesday was even bigger than that, if you can believe it. Tuesday was Seminar day, and boy was I dressed for it. I wore a CIA style earpiece and a full suit. and by 8:45 that morning I was already tired. But this year was different, because this year I didn’t have that much on my plate for seminar day, so I have no idea what it could of been like for the people who actually had to run the event. Nonetheless, Annalie Aplin and the HGHS Student Council pulled that day off without a hitch.On a side note, for the second seminar day in a row, I got an internship offer.
Wednesday I went back to work, if you could call it that. I say that because most people attribute work with negatives, and I can’t call what I am doing negative.
On wednesday I was able to shine at Swift Kick, as I was asked to put my own spin on their program. Currently, Swift Kick is a speaking company targeted at colleges and some high schools. One of their trainings focuses on increasing student leadership, while the other focuses on shaping a digital identity.
A few months ago I did a free seminar on the impact of social media on students. The presentation was to an audience of parents and teachers. When the presentation was concluded, the first question asked was “Are you going to go speak to the students?”
I said no because I had way too much on my plate to start thinking about making free speeches a career. But, When it came to expanding Swift Kick, my prior experiences came forward. Why can’t we appeal to parents just as we do students? Why can’t we teach parents how to raise a student through social media?
And then the real idea hit me.
For about five months now I have been discussing this idea of intrinsic motivation. Motivation that doesn’t come from a paycheck or fear, but from the drive to complete a task or make someone else feel good about themselves. When someone is intrinsically motivated, they do more than those who are simply motivated by payment. So if employees were intrinsically motivated, wouldn’t that make the company run better?
I am going to give you two scenario. In scenario one, a co worker you have never met before comes to you with a task and asks you to complete it. In scenario two, a co worker and friend comes to you with a task of equal effort. Which one will you complete with more effort?
There is an added level of effort when a friend asks you to do something. You know that the sooner you complete it, the sooner your friend can move on with their day or complete their next task.
Therefore, when employees are better acquainted, the company runs better. And how can we get employees more acquainted? The same way we get students more acquainted at high schools and colleges.
This is where my idea took form. Swift Kick has a product that can bring a student body together. It makes sense that you could use that same tool to bring a company together. And how can you pitch that idea to some of the top businessmen in the country? Present to the parents at some of the top high schools in the country.
So in conclusion, when you present to parents in top high schools and the like your presentation, then you tell them about your corporate programs. When these parents, who are also captains of industry, hear about this product, maybe they decide to jump on.
That’s just the morning. Wednesday nigh I went to a seminar on how to use Google Aps to increase efficiency in the classroom. It’s part of an organization called EdTech Meetup, where once a month a group of people come together to listen to a speaker and discuss who we can use technology can further the advancement in education. Not surprisingly, I was the youngest there. But it was honestly amazing. I didn’t only get to hear to a google expert and get a chance to see the new chrome laptop, but I also heard from professors and teachers from all over the tri state.
What is starting to emerge in this internship is the transition from observation to interaction. I have an idea that has been brewing since I did my first presentation on social media. A lot of parents don’t know enough about social media and its impacts to make an educated decision on how to let their kids use it. So over the next few weeks, I want to make that my goal. Get parents to understand the true benefits of social media. It is a strong force, and everybody deserves the chance to use it to its full potential.
Thursday was where everything in Tom’s mind started to take form. I learned about myself that day was that I can be creative, but not in an artistic sense. My creativity strives from my words. When I talk and when I blog, I can be creative. Tell me to build a website and tell me exactly how you want it to look, and I will build it. But tell me to design a website, and I’ll be completely stuck.
In the past few days I have gotten the same question over and over, which is “What do you want to do for the rest of your life?”. And I don’t have a clue. I want to be involved with technology because that’s what I am good at. I want to be in a position where I am interacting with others constantly. I can’t sit behind a desk and do data entry. You couldn’t pay me enough to sit behind a desk for the rest of my life and do data entry.
Thanks for reading
