Most communication research on bad news messages focuses on crisis communication, where attention is often limited to image repair strategies. The authors argue that a key indicator of an organization's effectiveness in communicating "bad news" messages is its organizational culture. Developing an organizational culture that values positive…

This paper contributes to the ongoing discussion in this journal about counsellors' experiences of vicarious traumatisation (Sexton, 1999; Dunkley & Whelan, 2006a, b). It builds on my previous paper (Etherington, 2000a) that focused on the role of supervision in moderating the potential impact on helpers, and on the helping relationship, of…

Studies on second language (L2) learners' strategies tended to characterize strategies as individual learners' cognitive predispositions or personality traits, leaving a critical question unanswered: Why do learners use different strategies in different contexts? From a sociocultural perspective, this article pursued this question by focusing on…

Invitational Theory argues that learning is enhanced when learners are positively encouraged or "invited" into the educational experience. Arising from perceptual and self-concept theory, Invitational Pedagogy is constructed on four principles: respect for people, trust, optimism and intentionality, and upon five pillars: people, places, policies,…

This is a commentary on educating leaders within the constraints of a highly technical curriculum. The U.S. Naval Academy's mission is to produce leaders for the nation. Many things compete for the time and attention of Midshipmen (the Academy's students). Greater attention must be paid to interpersonal communications skills in the formal and…

The authors describe an exploratory analytical tool called "The 5Ps Leadership Analysis" (Personal Attributes, Position, Purpose, Practices/Processes, and Product) as a heuristic for better understanding the complexities of leadership. Using "The 5Ps Leadership Analysis," the authors explore the leadership of General Robert E.…

In this article, the author demonstrates how students can use biographies in developing their own personal strengths of character. Because biographies raise issues in context, they provide excellent material for thinking about character traits. Books like those discussed in this article show how people living in actual situations made decisions…

This article provides an analysis on the articles published in this special issue focusing on resiliency. A synthesis of these articles, arguing for the importance of resiliency in promoting psychological well-being, is presented in the commentary section.

After years at the periphery of the social sciences, simulation is now emerging as an important and widely used tool for understanding social phenomena. Through simulation, researchers can identify causal effects, specify critical parameter estimates, and clarify the state of the art with respect to what is understood about how processes evolve…

Difficult personalities come in a variety of roles in just about every setting. While types have been identified in the typical corporate and business culture, difficult work personalities also inhabit the world of early childhood education (ECE) workplaces. Because difficult people have an impact on workplace morale and productivity, the topic…

An academic and professional development course has been introduced to help first-year chemical engineering students to deal proactively with the transition from secondary school to university and to develop professional skills. The course uses the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) as a personality model to facilitate skills development and many…

This article is written from the perspective of a practicing headteacher as a contribution to the theory and practice of spiritual leadership in education. By using a conceptual map derived from personality type theory it seeks to articulate several distinct facets of spirited leadership, intended to denote what engages, enlivens and enlightens…

Laws of Life is a literacy-based intervention that allows students to identify and articulate the principles by which they live their lives. In the urban context, such an intervention is vital for reclaiming children's interest in writing and helping them to more intentionally guide their lives and their futures according to positive core values.…

In this essay, Susan Engel argues that curiosity is both intrinsic to children's development and unfolds through social interactions. Thus, it should be cultivated in schools, even though it is often almost completely absent from classrooms. Calling on well-established research and more recent studies, Engel argues that interactions between…

Employers seek employees who possess soft skills. Employees who do not have excellent soft skills may not experience success in obtaining and sustaining employment. McEwen's (2010) framework for skill-building--introduce, explain, practice, and reinforce--was used to describe activities for enhancing soft skills. Soft skills building activities…