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I have been listening to the audiobook \u2018To Sell is Human\u2019 by Daniel H Pink, the same author who wrote the very influential \u2018Drive\u2019, a book about human motivation.<\/p>\n
His fundamental message throughout the book is that we are all in the \u2018selling game\u2019 regardless of whether we have a job in sales.\u00a0\u00a0 Pink uses the example of teachers and other educators throughout the book. Educators, he maintains are always trying to sell our subjects and our classes to our students. If the students have bought into what we are doing, they are more likely to retain information, be less disruptive and work to the best of their ability.<\/p>\n
Throughout the book, Pink offers nuggets of advice on how to sell yourself to others.<\/p>\n
One of the ones that stuck with me is the idea of \u2018Buoyancy\u2019, the ability to pick yourself and be positive despite what has happened that day. I think that this is especially important when working in a school. As we all know, there are bad days, and good days! If you are positive, upbeat and optimistic it will rub off on the students that you teach.<\/p>\n
Pink also talks about being \u2018attuned\u2019 to the people you are selling to, really taking the time to understand them and what they want.\u00a0 The better we know students, and the more time we take to understand them, the more time and attention they will have for us. How can we really get to know disruptive students? Can we find out what makes them tick? What really motivates and inspires those quiet, reserved students?<\/p>\n
The author then talks about \u2018Clarity\u2019, are we communicating with our students in a clear, simple manner? Are we over complicating a lesson, or an idea? I think that there\u2019s always room for this in our day to day lives.<\/p>\n
Finally, the author offers some interesting ideas for \u2018pitches\u2019. You may have head of the \u2018Elevator Pitch\u2019, whereby employees have the duration of a ride in an elevator to sell an idea or introduce themselves to their boss (this probably doesn\u2019t apply much to us in schools!). Pink offers many alternative pitches that can be used, the most interesting of which I found to be the \u2018Pixar Pitch\u2019. In fact, I found it so interesting that I used it as a plenary in one of my lessons. I\u2019ve uploaded it to TES, ill let you take a look!<\/p>\n