Irish Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht Heather Humphreys won applause at Sunday morning's St. Patrick's Day breakfast when she said the Irish in Massachusetts have thrived in politics, business and culture, and called Boston "the Irish capital of America."
Noting she'd been told to expect a lot of ribbing, Humphreys picked up instead on the mostly friendly, bipartisan vibe in the South Boston breakfast hall – once a crucible where no politician left unscathed – calling the occasion a "love-in."
Our boys have been working hard at school. After seeing their recent report cards, we wanted to affirm and appreciate them for their good work. We understand basic psychology well enough to know that appreciating their behavior will likely result in more of that behavior. But we've also come to realize that placing our appreciative emphasis only on their behavior will likely result in the development of only that, their behavior. And they will grow into human doings more than human beings.What's more central to our long-term success in personal relationships and at work: behavior or character?
Sure, everyone needs periodic feedback on their behavior, both appreciative and corrective. But think about what might happen if we showed more gratitude for who people are instead of just what they do.
