On Saturday morning, I woke up early and began putting my Teaching Thoughts newsletter together. As I browsed Twitter, I was saddened to learn of the loss of an amazing leader and true inspiration, Tony Hsieh. Though he was in the world of business – he started Zappos – he had a profound effect on my teaching.
Two things that Hsieh was crazy for – culture and customer service – really changed how I teach.
I may have even stolen one of my mantras from him: let your freak flag fly. I recall hearing him say how at Zappos he didn’t want his employees to have work/life separation. Instead, he pushed for work/life integration. That is, he allowed his workers to bring their lives into the offices of Zappos. And it transformed the culture. He made it safe for his employees to be themselves . . . while still at work. If you’ve ever been in my room, you can tell that I’ve taken that piece of advice to heart. It is also how I strive to make my classroom a safe place for students to bring their lives into it via their writing and presentations.
Hsieh’s other passion – customer service – has also been one of my focuses in my classroom. I recall one Zappos employee saying rather proudly that the record for a customer service call was 8 hours! At Zappos you see, customer service reps are encouraged to really engage with their customers. They don’t read from a script or have a time limit on their calls. If a rep is talking with a customer and hears their dog bark in the background, they are encouraged to ask about the caller’s dog. This type of customer service is what made so many Zappos customers fanatics for the company. That is one reason students have my cell phone number. Yesterday alone I helped a dozen students via text. I know that isn’t for every teacher, but it is for me. And those two lessons from Hsieh are why I have the greatest job in the world!
Inside this week’s teaching thoughts, you’ll find several works from and on Mr. Hsieh and the impact he left . . .
The World is a Fine Place and Worth Fighting For . . . We all share this planet. What this man does to help out an animal (a sloth of all things) is the perfect metaphor for what this world needs more of right now.
Book of the Week – Delivering Happiness by Tony Hsieh. This is a wonderful read. I ordered it right after I listened to my first podcast featuring Hsieh. What makes Zappos such a force in the world of shoes is that they don’t just sell shoes. They have what I call in the world of education a “noble teaching purpose.” Zappos doesn’t sell shoes; they deliver happiness. There is a world of difference. What if we approached our work that same way? What else can we deliver to our students besides the curriculum? What kind of impact would we have?
Teaching Thoughts – Tip #56 – The first step to a happier life . . .
I heard this on a podcast the other day, and it stopped me in my tracks: “Step number one to a happier life is to give up your hope for a happier past.” How true is that?
Podcast of the Week - Growing Leaders, “What The History of Education Can Teach us About the Future of Education.” Tim Elmore looks back on how we got here – as in the world of distance learning – by examining the history of our profession. I can’t help but wonder why we haven’t changed more. If there is a profession that accepts the status quo, it has to be education. I recall reading an essay on education reform that made a great observation. If Rip Van Winkle woke up today and started walking around modern America, the only two things he could really recognize (because they haven’t really changed much in a few hundred years) would be churches and schools. Why did it take a pandemic to get us really moving on changing education?
Video of the Week - Zappo’s culture - Imagine working in a place that took culture so seriously, one of their core values was “Build a Positive Team and Family Spirit”? Now, I don’t mean the kind of core values that 99% of all businesses, teams, and schools have. You know the kind. They hang up on fancy bulletin boards and appear on letterhead, yet only a fraction can actually state any of them or cite examples of said core values they have witnessed.
Not at Zappos. They take core values so seriously, the put a video game in the elevator to “Build a Positive Team and Family Spirit.” Where they actually want you to stop and play the game and engage with whoever is on the elevator instead of just standing quietly or checking your phone or listening to your earbuds? Where they encourage you to cross pollinate ideas by talking to that person and even getting off on the wrong floor to see what is going on in the world of shipping, marketing, or tech?
That’s the kind of culture that turns you in to one of the best places to work on earth.
Give This a Try in Your Classroom - Here I share ten lessons that my hero, Coach Mumm, and I put together that are guaranteed to help you build culture in your classroom. Give them a try! You won’t be disappointed.
Article of Interest – Check out “These Are the Books Zappos Wants Its Employees To Read.” Imagine that. A company that is not only insane about its own culture but also professional development so seriously. I love it! What books would you like to see every teaching at ISD 564 have to read? I’d love to see your lists!
Have a great week. Keep building that culture with your students – even if it’s via Zoom – and if you have a culture builder that works great, share it with me. Please!
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