I was having similar musing lately, you won't be surprised to learn. :-)
I work at a school named Hillcrest. Several years ago, the social worker, I believe, came up with the following mantra/affirmation for the Hillcrest staff: Hillcrest Hustles Harder. Like you said, a badge of honor that most, if not all, were happy to wear. I pushed back at it a bit, saying I wanted to work smart and well but not necessarily hustle or work "harder." My commentary was met with polite silence and some blank stares. Since the time of sheltering in place and teaching from home no one has brought this mantra back. Until last week. Because of high staff turnover not many of the Hustle Harder folks remain at Hillcrest. One proud Hustler though mentioned it at the end of the year retreat last week. I said nothing. But I went home and tried to think of alternative alliterative phrases. It wasn't easy. Hillcrest harmonizes happily? Hawks (the school mascot) have heart? I just don't think these phrases will bring the same umphf that Hillcrest Hustles Harder does. I'm keeping them in my back pocket. Maybe I'll sponsor a contest to come up with a better affirmation for all of us. :-)
Hillcrest Has Heart seems like a much better focus! Let's focus on kindness, intention, and caring. That is what heart represents and even resilience and hard work can be attributed to heart. So much better than hustle and harder. Those are terrible words. Doing things quickly causes mistakes and I firmly believe in worker smarter not harder. Harder to mean insinuates that you are wasting time and effort in the wrong direction.
Thanks for sharing, Lori. And thanks for pushing back at the idea that young children should be focused on "hustling harder." Yes, the phrase has a nice ring to it - but, ugh no. I like "Hawks have heart."
I was having similar musing lately, you won't be surprised to learn. :-)
I work at a school named Hillcrest. Several years ago, the social worker, I believe, came up with the following mantra/affirmation for the Hillcrest staff: Hillcrest Hustles Harder. Like you said, a badge of honor that most, if not all, were happy to wear. I pushed back at it a bit, saying I wanted to work smart and well but not necessarily hustle or work "harder." My commentary was met with polite silence and some blank stares. Since the time of sheltering in place and teaching from home no one has brought this mantra back. Until last week. Because of high staff turnover not many of the Hustle Harder folks remain at Hillcrest. One proud Hustler though mentioned it at the end of the year retreat last week. I said nothing. But I went home and tried to think of alternative alliterative phrases. It wasn't easy. Hillcrest harmonizes happily? Hawks (the school mascot) have heart? I just don't think these phrases will bring the same umphf that Hillcrest Hustles Harder does. I'm keeping them in my back pocket. Maybe I'll sponsor a contest to come up with a better affirmation for all of us. :-)
Hillcrest Has Heart seems like a much better focus! Let's focus on kindness, intention, and caring. That is what heart represents and even resilience and hard work can be attributed to heart. So much better than hustle and harder. Those are terrible words. Doing things quickly causes mistakes and I firmly believe in worker smarter not harder. Harder to mean insinuates that you are wasting time and effort in the wrong direction.
Thanks for sharing, Lori. And thanks for pushing back at the idea that young children should be focused on "hustling harder." Yes, the phrase has a nice ring to it - but, ugh no. I like "Hawks have heart."