Nobody wants to be the role model of what not to be. Instead we hope to cull our craft and develop our demeanor in ways that help us to build good character and become collaborative mentors, colleagues and friends to those we live and work with.
Yet many of us have had the experience of being a poor role model from time to time when we've made a bad judgement, erred or acted without good sense. That's part of the learning curve of being human. It's what you do after those trying events though that turns the page to better days or digs the ditch deeper in despair.
As I think of this I'm thinking of errors that students make. I'm thinking that we can show them a simple drawing of a fork in the road and tell them that they can use this experience to move towards better or continue the path of error and poor judgement. Moving toward better will serve them well as they continue, and I'll share the rationale for that with those students.
Our President has had many chances to take the higher road, but he continually disregards that path. Instead he digs a deeper and deeper ditch when it comes to disrespect and disregard for so many hard working, dedicated people of multiple perspectives.
What we can learn from him is that's always best to work with respect and care for others whether we agree or disagree. We have to do what we can to move forward with truth, good process, dignity and both individual/collective vision for the promise and potential life holds. Onward.