Generosity is essential if you want to be successful online.
If you are promoting a cause, you are a teacher. This applies as much online as it does in real life; whether you make a living from teaching or not. It applies even if you are not qualified.
These days in the UK, we are told, schools are really businesses. Most of my life they’ve been a part of the statutory sector. I’m not sure I’m happy with this change but a lot depends on the teachers. If a teacher is a business person, it is probably OK. The prospect of business people running schools is far worse than the prospect of teachers becoming business people.
I was listening to a headteacher this week. She was discussing how to attract and retain high quality staff. This is a headache in most places; in my neck of woods, a disadvantaged area, schools have real problems.
Look, she said, (I paraphrase) the thing is you help teachers develop. When teachers from your school become better qualified and move onto become deputies and head teachers, this attracts new teachers to your school. Of course, if someone does well, they may move on but that’s OK. Many will stay on if the school looks after them and the ones who leave enhance the school’s reputation and that will attract more high quality teachers.
Not only does this show good business sense but it is also good for the school.
And it’s also good for your online presence. If you:
- care about people by offering good content, in time you will find people follow you.
- have something to sell, they are more likely to buy it.
- run a campaign, they’re more likely to join in.
The headteacher spoke a lot about values but never once mentioned generosity. That’s the value I saw in her talk.
Do you have favourite websites that show similar generosity of spirit?
