Why COMPELLED Educator?

Long ago.... after 4 short years into my career as an educator... I thought I needed to get out of coaching and education. My husband and I owned a fitness club and I was a personal trainer (still coaching!) After 2 years, even though I enjoyed what I was doing at the time - I "knew" I was supposed to be in education.

A couple of years after getting back into coaching and teaching, I went to a softball coaching clinic where I heard Jeff Janssen speak about the personal development and team-building work he was doing at the time with the softball team at the University of Arizona. He gave everyone a copy of his “Commitment Continuum,” a document I had laminated and have used since I got it those years ago. I have used it with my students, athletes, teachers, and myself. It is a guiding chart for teams to determine where team members are with their commitment to the team goals. With some tweaking, it can also be used to self-check levels of commitment to individual goals. At one end of the spectrum, you will find Resistant. At the other end, you will find Compelled.

From the Merriam-Webster Dictionary,

com·pel

 verb \kəm-ˈpel\

com·pelledcom·pel·ling

Definition of COMPEL

transitive verb

1

: to drive or urge forcefully or irresistibly <hunger compelledhim to eat>

2

: to cause to do or occur by overwhelming pressure <public opinion compelled her to sign the bill>

3

archaic : to drive together

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Coach Bob Starkey describes Compelled this way on his blog...

Compelled- team goal is of utmost importance and the player is totally invested in making it a reality. These are the players who feel a true sense of mission and purpose in what they are doing. They seek to and enjoy putting in extra time because they view it as an important investment in achieving the team’s mission.

Coach Starkey sums it up nicely for me. There's never a day that I don't feel a passion for what I'm doing or a lack of a sense of purpose. I look forward to sharing with you my thoughts, experiences, and ideas as well as learning from you.