Cha Ching!

One of my favorite professional development workshops to deliver locally, regionally, and nationally, is "BANK IT!" This was inspired by an experience I had at a Nuts & Bolts Symposium many years ago when I heard the magnificent Mark McLeod chant "CHA CHING! CHA CHING!" throughout his presentation on building relationships with students, faculty, and stakeholders. Since then, I introduce the idea of making positive "emotional" deposits to every single classroom of students I have. After each deposit, we say, "Cha-ching!" just like Mark McLeod, a sound that rings like a happy cash register. (True Martha-ism: I even bought a cha-ching button, and my students love to push it when they feel like someone did something that made them feel great)

How can we ask our students and colleagues to take risks if we won't? How can we ask students to take on huge projects if we don't? Why are we surprised when people say "No" to us if we are always asking and rarely pitching in?

While you might not be able to experience my BANK IT! workshop, you can still try one of the highlights of the experience: making a cha-ching chain.  Cut strips of paper or cardstock. Hand out colorful pens and markers. Ask each person to write down something small they could say or do that would feel GOOD to another person. 

These don't have to be huge, time-consuming, or expensive. One of the most transformational ideas I learned from this activity is "Say hi to a stranger in the school parking lot and smile." I still do it to this day, and it makes a positive difference.

Go around the room and read your ideas together. Listen as you hear all of the wonderful suggestions for making people feel GOOD, feel SEEN, and feel like they MATTER. Then, loop your CHA-CHINGS together. You now have a CHA-CHING CHAIN.  Fire marshal permitting, string it from a wall or ceiling where people can see it and get inspired. It doesn't take much to make a positive difference!