Who is “we?”  Have you ever heard statements like these at home and work:  “We should really do something about that!” “We need to make a decision‚” “We should get this done by Friday‚” “We need to do a better job of keeping the house clean.”

“We” has you leaving the conversation wondering who’s we, and whose doing what?  It also can be interpreted as a passive tactic, of not asserting what you really feel/think/believe, or a defensive move for avoiding conflict or responsibility.  Either way, it leads to miscommunication.

So here is what you can do if “we” shows up in conversation.   First, trust intentions.  Stay curious, wanting and waiting to listen and understand.  Second, openly, and without opinion or assumption, ask for clarification.  (If you’ve already formed an opinion, judgment or assumption, it’s tough to be truly open.)

If you have been trained in the Process Communication Model (PCM), you know we are also talking about using appropriate parts and channels (what’s in front of you?) in how you ask for clarification.

Rest assured that if you do nothing, “we” will keep hanging around and tasks will never get completed… because “we” doesn’t do anything.  A frog could get more done.  If you want to know more about the PCM, give us a shout. Ribbit.

Submitted by:

• More responsibility, less resentment
• More courage, less disappointment
• More ownership, less compliance
• More acceptance less judgment
• More honesty, less assuming
• 
More persistence, less aggression
• 
More trust, less control
• More creativity, less coercion
• More intention, less luck
• More asking, less wishing
• 
More mistakes, fewer failures
• More joy, less justifying
• 
More goals, fewer rules

- NR

In the coming year, look for the continuing evolution of PCM with Next Element.  Our passion is to help you communicate for a change!

-NR

Read Seth Godin’s entire blog post…

Tools vs insight

How is your vocabulary? It’s a vital tool, certainly. Do you know these words?
a, after, and, as, die, eternal, first, gets, gun, have, in, is, job, life, me, mouth, my, pushing, saying, step, that, the, to, Tyler, waiter, you.

How about these?
a, am, and, anywhere, are, be, boat, box, car, could, dark, do, eat, eggs, fox, goat, good, green, ham, here, house, I, if, in, let, like, may, me, mouse, not, on, or, rain, Sam, say, see, so, thank, that, the, them, there, they, train, tree, try, will, with, would, you.

The first list contains every word in the opening lines from Fight Club, the second is the entire word list from Green Eggs and Ham.  Of course, neither you nor I wrote either of these, regardless of how well trained we are in what the words (the tools) mean.

Knowing about a tool is one thing. Having the guts to use it in a way that brings art to the world is another. Perhaps we need to spend less time learning new tools and more time using them.

from:  http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2011/12/tools-and-insight.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+typepad%2Fsethsmainblog+%28Seth%27s+Blog%29

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• Have your meetings become a forum for competing agendas, apathy and wasted energy?
• How much time do you waste arguing, nitpicking policies, chasing rabbit trails, delaying decisions, and talking around the real issues?
• Is scheduling another meeting the only guaranteed outcome of your time together?

While meetings have a place and purpose, too often they are experienced as unneeded, unproductive, and unsafe, thus fostering a cynical and apathetic attitude among participants which negatively affects the organization at large.  Effective meetings build alignment around common goals, support innovation and decision-making, and facilitate direct, accountable action, and include each participant as a valuable part of the process.  In this live audio conference, you will learn tips to notice and combat drama in your meetings, identify logistical details to keep meetings on task, engage and motivate a diverse audience, and facilitate a more safe, creative, and accountable meeting atmosphere.

The result: More enthusiasm, more productivity and innovation, less wasted time and energy.

 As our guest, you are eligible for 20% off the *registration fee!

Essential Techniques for Productive Meetings
February 14, 2012
1:00PM EST – 2:30PM EST (Noon – 1:30PM CST)

Please see this attached marketing publication for more details: LORMAN ED_ProductiveMtg_Feb14_2012

Register online: http://www.lorman.com
Call: 866-352-9539
*Discount code: F2716129
Priority code: 15999

We look forward to having you in attendance and will be prepared to answer your questions and provide you the latest information on this topic.

FEATURED CLIENT

Our featured client this month is Kidron Bethel Village, a retirement village in North Newton KS.  Read how they increased communication effectiveness by 20 – 40% in six key areas.  The article can be read in its entirety by clicking here.

PCM NUGGET

“PCM leaves no-one indifferent because it is so pertinent, complete, and predictive” – Jerome Lefeuvre, Kahler Communication France

From California to Michigan, Vermont to Florida, and right here in the Midwest our experience has been the same as in France. PCM is transformative. We will continue to expand the reach and impact of PCM, innovate, and explore the depths of what this tool can do.

CONTEST

The first person to reply to this question correctly, “What three words could change your life?” will win a $25 gift card of their choice. (This prize has already been awarded)

GOT PROCESS POLL

And the winner is…How can I adapt my communication style and stay authentic?  Authenticity isn’t just about “sticking to your guns.”  Being yourself is about being all you are, accessing all your potential and qualities to be effective with others. Read more by clicking here.

UPCOMING SEMINARS

• Process Facilitation Seminar – Nov 14 – 16, Newton KS
• NEOS Certification – Nov 15 – 16, Newton KS
• Advanced PCM® Conflict Resolution Seminar – Nov 17 – 18, Newton KS
• PCM® Trainer Certification – Nov 28 – Dec 2, Newton KS
• To register, or find out more about any of these seminars, click here.

Here is a blushworthy quote from an attendee of a Process Communication Model Seminar hosted by the greater Wichita area Young Presidents’ Organization…

“I say modern life is conceived through communication. Have you ever moved an object without touching it? That is influence. That is what Nate & Jeff did.“  – Mark Hamade,  Chief Operating Officer at PKM Steel, Salina Steel, MSS Transport

If you haven’t purchased the PocketPCM from your local apps store yet, what are you waiting for?  This handy-dandy, at-your-fingertips communication tool may be just the thing you could use for one of those “awkward moments” at those upcoming holiday parties!

In case you missed it Nate’s article, “Problem Employees: Invest in them or invite them out,” was recently published by the Wichita Eagle.  Click here to read the complete article.

Your title is like a window of opportunity to connect, motivate, listen to understand, and model healthy conflict, which carries a responsibility beyond having the final say.

Managing Your Own Stress: Facilitating PCM in a Different Culture

I participated in my first PCM workshop in the Fall of 2007. From that moment on I have worked at incorporating the information and techniques into my family and work life. That journey led me to complete my certification training in the spring of 2009 just prior to leaving for a 3 year service term in Bogotá, Colombia. I have spent virtually all of my time as a certified trainer living and working in a Spanish speaking, Colombian context.

As the day of my first PCM seminar in Spanish was fast approaching, I had increasing concerns about my ability to perform in another language, or if the model was appropriate in the Colombian cultural context. In the end, the majority of my fears were unfounded. It is amazing what stress can do to one’s perspective.

A few months ago I was given the opportunity to provide a one-day retreat focusing on how to improve empathy among employees of Justapaz, a non-profit peace and justice organization in Bogotá, Colombia. I welcomed this challenge, knowing the importance of PCM content, and what it could do for this group. I have worked with this group for the last two years as a volunteer for one of their educational projects in various parts of the country and have been looking for a way to incorporate the PCM information into what they do on a daily basis. I thought the retreat would be a great opportunity.

In many ways it felt like the first time I gave a speech or lecture in public or the first time I led a group through an adventure course, or any other kind of training. There seemed to be so much happening at once, and so much to remember. Add to the mix a second language, unfamiliar cultural cues and expressions, and not having a co-facilitator, and I felt as if I had a very good recipe for disaster, which was quickly becoming stressful. I faced this challenge in the context of my own PCM profile as a Rebel (base and phase).

My first reaction when presented with the idea was, “sure, sounds great!” Honestly, I was bored during a staff meeting when I was asked the question and it sounded like a fun and exciting challenge, which is a very typical Rebel response. It didn’t take long for that response to become the root of my stress. The reality of what I had agreed to began to sink in.

I was going to present the Experiencing Excellence PCM material and it was not available in Spanish. I knew this required not only prep for the workshop itself, but a great deal of time in front of the computer translating. In addition, I am not fluent enough to translate a long written document without great effort. As a Rebel, it was much more fun to think about and create ways this retreat would be good for the organization.  To fantasize about how awesome it would be if they would only let me
implement various aspects of the model into their work – versus how to actually present the information in a practical, applicable way.  I spent a significant amount of time spinning my wheels, day-dreaming, and talking about this idea instead of getting the planning work done. As a Rebel with a few years of experience working with PCM under my belt, I know what measures to take to get my needs met and yet, ironically, knowing about it seems to take all the fun out of it. It just feels like someone telling me what to do. However, without being attentive to myself I knew, from personal experience, this could lead to a variety of ugly situations at work and at home. I decided to make my life a bit easier.

First and foremost, I made the decision to walk as fast as possible to the commuter bus station each day (either on the way to or home from work) in place of taking a taxi or another local bus. This is a 35-40 minute vigorous walk which gave me time to listen to my music, dream up ideas (at times with my wife), and get much needed exercise daily. In addition, I scheduled times to meet regularly with a trusted Colombian co-worker as a way to report on my progress. She is great at listening to my ideas, helping with language, and providing direction in general…a very creative and organized Persister-Workaholic.  She is a great complement to my own profile. On a daily basis, I also took frequent breaks; talking to co-workers, volunteering to run an errand out of the office, etc. Lastly, I took the opportunity to informally teach English to a small group of Colombians as a way to interact in a more familiar and fun setting (in terms of language) and gain insight into Colombian cultural norms. These steps provided me with variety during my work week; contact with various people; and set-up situations where I could be with people who could answer the Rebel’s existential question, “Do you accept me for me?”

In the end I got the translation done at a usable level and received positive feedback from the group.  As a Rebel, I was able to meet my needs, and still navigate what was feeling like an overwhelming work task.

I also came away with some lessons learned, and questions about the impact of Colombian cultural differences for PCM:

■    The limiting factor of the PCM in this culture is my own ability with the language and not the applicability of PCM itself.
■    Given another opportunity, more time must be spent on adapting role-play and activities…this is the hardest part in another language and context and without it there is a large gap between theory and applicability.
■    The content of PCM is absolutely applicable and needed in organizations that I am familiar with here in Colombia.
■    I work better with a partner…duh!
■    The Colombian culture has been shaped by over 50 years of extreme internal violence which undoubtedly has an impact on interpersonal relational patterns. I was surprised by the percentage of participants who had experienced 3 or more phases.  This made me wonder if there is a connection between individual phasing and a traumatized society.
■    Social graces and a non-confrontational/conflict avoidance relational style are highly respected in this culture and add another level of subtlety to reading and interpreting what is truly being communicated.  People rarely evaluate themselves, give accurate feedback, or reflect honestly in front of others, especially co-workers.

I am very thankful for the opportunity. It was something I wanted to integrate into my work setting in Colombia.  It was a tremendous learning experience in terms of language and professional development. Managing my own stress was most of the battle. It has been more difficult here than in my native culture; an experience which has caused me to grow in ways I could not have anticipated.  I look forward to understanding more about PCM, both in terms of application in Spanish-speaking contexts and the influence of culture on personal analysis and behavior.

Aaron Chappell Deckert
PCM Certified Trainer
International Service Worker for Mennonite Central Committee serving in Bogotá, Colombia

To learn more about Aaron’s family experience in Columbia, check-out their blog at: http://www.cdcolombia.blogspot.com/

• Helping new pastors move from readiness to effectiveness in ministry
• Four new PCM trainers
• Driving performance for different personality types
• What to do when “I don’t care” comes from a Rebel
• How is PCM different from DISC and MBTI?
• PocketPCM
• Upcoming Events
• Will you vote for us?

While pastors are often very good at all of the above, they are also human beings with stress and communication issues just like any other person. One lucky group of clergy is not only receiving post-seminary training on how to communicate life lessons from the Bible but also how to attend to their own personality in times of stress.

For the past 11 months, the United Methodist Kansas West Conference has invested in a residency program called Clergy Leadership and Effectiveness Training with Next Element. This post-seminary training is designed to help deacons, elders and local pastors with change management, conflict resolution, self awareness and message proclamation on their journey toward ordination.

Karen Rice Ratzlaff, one of the pastors at First United Methodist Church (FUMC) in McPherson, chairs the entrance committee of the Kansas West Conference Board of Ordained Ministry and says Next Element incorporated the Process Communication Model® (PCM) into the program to help residents move from readiness to effectiveness in ministry.

“The training Next Element provides fits into this goal and strengthens each person’s leadership capacity,” she says. “Leadership is a huge component in ministry in our current cultural context and the Process Communication Model has applications to all areas of leadership that clergy need.”

As a part of their training with Next Element, the resident class of ten was asked to journal how they used new skills on a daily basis, offer a sermon demonstrating how they could connect their message to different personality types in their congregations, and identify scriptural affirmations that could speak to various people with different viewpoints. In addition, each of the residents were offered six coaching sessions with Next Element partners Nate Regier or Jeff King to use in any way they wanted, perhaps to create a church mission statement, learn to deal with church conflict or work to strengthen their marriage or family.  As one resident expressed, “The tools gained in PCM allow you to analyze all fronts of communication so that you can understand people and be understood.”

Ratzlaff is a dedicated student of PCM and seeks to use it in her professional and personal life. She and FUMC-McPherson’s lead pastor Mike Marion are certified PCM instructors.

PCM is obviously helpful as Ratzlaff and Marion work among staff members, apply its principles to couples during pre-marriage counseling and motivate church volunteers to carry out tasks and events. Understanding individual differences in communication helps pastors with a variety of settings and tasks including preparing sermons, interacting with people in the office, caring for people during a funeral and other leadership demands.

On the last day of the program, the group participated in experiential learning activities on the Bethel College Discovery Adventure Course

In years past, educational events offered by the Board of Ordained Ministry for the post-seminary residency program received mixed reviews but Ratzlaff says the Next Element course has been so popular, its class members continually approach her with statements such as, “grateful,” “amazing” and “valuable” and give specific examples of how it has enhanced their own professional and family lives.  One participant stated, “It only took one day of being with Nate and Jeff, and the members of my Residency Class, to realize God had something deep planned for me if I was willing to invest in the experience.”

Ratzlaff says she knows PCM works and therefore trusts what it does to improve personal relationships and help pastors become more effective spiritual leaders.  “I really appreciate the way PCM teaches you to take care of yourself based on your unique individual needs,” Ratzlaff says. “It isn’t a one-size-fits-all kind of model. PCM is very unique to who each person is. I’ve found in ministry how important it is to be emotionally healthy as possible. The heart of sustaining ministry for the long haul is finding a healthy balance between life and work.”

Marion has served FUMC-McPherson for 11 years with a total of 33 years in ordained ministry. As lead pastor for the church he supervises staff and administrative committees to help church members develop a vision for what God’s calling is all about. He preaches most Sundays and teaches within the congregation, being personally vested in the music program.

Marion met Regier and King four years ago at a conference and after a brief presentation on PCM, he knew he wanted to learn more. He began to see the value of PCM almost immediately and believed in its potential to help other pastors.

“PCM helped me begin to see other people’s strengths in a new light,” he says. “In church we certainly believe that God gives us the gifts and strengths we have and as the body of Christ we want to utilize those to be effective in our mission. I saw that potential in the church and in my personal life and relationships. Most of my family has taken PCM training and we joke at our family gatherings that we should all wear our PCM nametags.”

After their own positive experience, Ratzlaff and Marion wanted to introduce other clergy to PCM, and to do so early in their ministry so they could begin implementing the tools in their own congregations.

“Through PCM you gain a lot of self awareness and learn how to live authentically with others in community.” Ratzlaff says. “It helps us on a daily basis with our interactions with people of all styles. I love that it helps embrace each person’s diversity and gifts while we make leadership choices to move forward.”

Regier says the philosophies of Next Element and the First United Methodist Church in McPherson compliment each other in many ways. Both organizations focus on self-awareness and communication as fundamental competencies of leadership.

“We also have a progressive outlook that challenges status quo and continually seeks ways to effectively reach people.” Regier says. “Next Element and FUMC-McPherson also share a true belief in the potential and gifts of each person.”

Marion agrees. He says PCM reinforces the belief that people are all fearfully and wonderfully made by God.

“It helps us celebrate that we all have different gifts and to learn to appreciate ourselves in the way God has created us, which is so theologically important,” he says. “From a standpoint of the Board of Ordained Ministry, it and Next Element are both working toward what it means to have effective leadership. So often I’ve heard Nate say, ‘Do you want to be right or be effective?’ The skill sets Next Element teaches help you to be more effective and that’s really one of the major things the board is interested in.”

And while Marion easily recognizes the value of PCM in his personal and professional life, he says it is important for residents in the training program to learn these essential leadership skills that will compliment other pastoral work in messaging, communication, conflict management and pastoral care. One reason clergy “burn out,” Marion says, is because they have not practiced self care. PCM, however, teaches clergy how to ensure both their emotional and physical needs are met.

“Jeff uses the reference point that when we all travel by air, the instructions at the beginning of the flight say in the event of an emergency you must place the oxygen mask on yourself before helping others,” Marion says. “Self care is really about that as well. You can’t help others and give them oxygen unless you’ve given it to yourself. Too often, pastors fall into this myth and PCM teaches key things that help you take care of yourself then work full-force to help others.”  And as summarized by one participant, “Coming in with a closed mind will only hinder you. However, with an open mind, the transformation that will take place as a result is mind-blowing.”
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Interview and writing by Rhonda McCurry, contract writer.

In a remote area in the Calabasas hills, there is a stone building, an outdoor amphitheater, a tree house and a garden. Children come here each day, ages preschool through 5th grade, to follow their passion. The lessons are based on what they want to learn that day. A simple question to a teacher like, “How does a robot work?” can turn into months of instruction and international Skyping to engineer and build a working robot, just to see how it is done.

Students at this learning center are also engaged in a professional, unique communications strategy called the Process Communication Model (PCM). This personal development training allows children to identify their own personality and how it relates to their peers – all while learning traditional subjects of reading, writing and arithmetic.

Founders Suzy Amis Cameron and Rebecca Amis

Inspiration following Frustration
The Amis sisters, Susan and Rebecca, founded MUSE School CA in 2006. Before this, their first-hand experience – namely frustration – with the public education system made them wish for a better way of learning for their children. As a result, Suzy Amis Cameron chose to home school her oldest son in the eighth grade. Then she hired a teacher who wrote a school curriculum just for him. This, Cameron says, is when he burst wide open.
“If we had known his learning style when he was two or four years old, it would have saved us a lot of heartache and tears,” she says. “Next we found a Los Angeles high school that catered to his passions. In one month, just watching him go from having his spirit completely squashed to witnessing his essence come back was amazing.”

Cameron says the same spirit-crushing school environment made her oldest daughter “live under her hoodie” for two years. Placing her daughter in the same L.A. high school as her son, Cameron watched the hood hiding the girl’s face disappear and see her essence rise again. Then Cameron met, married and started a family with film director James Cameron. When it was time to place their five-year-old child into a school system, Cameron once again considered home schooling. She had researched the Reggio philosophy of child-led learning and decided to open a private school that would accustom ten children in its humble beginnings. Fellow parents soon heard of the school’s focus on giving children an opportunity to pursue knowledge within their own heart. Today, MUSE School CA has grown to 90 students and 15 teachers for preschool through 5th grade levels.

“When we searched for a name my husband, Jim, referenced the Nine Muses of Greek Mythology and the inspiration they create,” Cameron says. “The MUSE school is really about inspiring children and adults. We want to be a muse and give everyone the courage to be who they authentically are.”

Child-led Learning
Cameron says MUSE school teachers are trained to identify a child’s interests and build curriculum into projects that suit each individual. This allows each student to grow and learn at their own pace. This can often mean children engage in subject lessons offered at one or two levels above their grade in school.

MUSE School boasts a tag line of inspiring children to live more conscious lives in relation to themselves, others and the planet. This includes learning to take care of Mother Earth. MUSE School has a no waste policy. They eat snacks and lunches grown in their own gardens and drink water from Kleen Kanteens. Students clean the school using dye-free, toxin-free and pesticide-free products. MUSE School students also participate in community outreach programs, for example, raising money for a local animal shelter and cleaning up beaches.

“These sustainable practices are about taking care of, respecting and honoring one’s self and one another,” Cameron says. “We have three sets of relationships, teacher to teacher, student to teacher and student to student. This is a place where each child’s idea is as good as an adult’s idea.”
Sustainable education isn’t cheap but the MUSE School maintains its original 501(c)3 status. Cameron also says half of the students receive financial aid to cover tuition. The end goal, she says, is to teach sustainability at a young age so that as the child grows into adulthood they believe it is commonplace to recycle and avoid toxins.

“If people don’t make big changes very quickly, there won’t be much of a planet left to grow up in,” she says. “We teach them that it is how you live and that they should do it for the greater good.”

Learning How to Communicate
As if it weren’t enough to open a school that literally teaches children how to live and learn, Cameron’s sister, Rebecca Amis, began raving about the PCM. Amis told Cameron repeatedly how amazing the Next Element-led course is and finally, Cameron gave in and attended her first PCM session.

“It was so much fun learning personality styles and realizing why people do things the way we do,” she says. “I was hooked from there. We incorporated PCM into the MUSE School three years ago by having a one-day parent training. Parents said they learned a lot about their own children, and specifically, how to talk to them in a different way, which was really mind-blowing.”

Next Element teaches PCM as a framework for appreciating, respecting and developing the uniqueness and dignity of others. MUSE School CA uses this adaptive approach as an environment for better learning. It helps teachers and student’s negotiate conflict in productive ways and empowers children with skills to be more effective throughout their lives.

MUSE Schools incorporates PCM and facilitates self-efficacy with teachers to help them connect with students on social-emotional learning, academic achievement and behavior. MUSE selected Next Element as its communication partner because of the company’s expertise in helping businesses align metrics and training with organizational communication and staff development.

The PCM Experience
The next PCM-MUSE encounter was a three-day training with school staff. Again, Cameron says the group had amazing results. Cameron has now completed the advanced training – twice – and is working to earn her training certificate in PCM.

At MUSE, gifted teachers offer the PCM experience on a daily basis. Through inquiry, listening and observing, they evoke the authentic interests that animate our students and bring personal relevance to project-based learning. This not only engages children toward learning but models how to fully engage them in everything they do, for a lifetime.

Cameron also says PCM offers great solutions for conflict resolution, which is key for reducing children’s  frustration. When MUSE teachers speak to students in their channel, the child responds to the challenge and distresses.

“At a very young age, MUSE children participate in council, a traditional way of communicating by passing a talking piece around,” she says. “They learn to speak and listen from the heart at a young age, in contrast to so many adults who can not articulate how they’re feeling. PCM has also been strong in teaching children how to navigate relationships and even if they don’t get along with everyone, it raises an awareness and encourages respecting each other as individuals.”

Jeff King is a partner with Next Element and has been helping incorporate PCM with MUSE Schools CA for the past year. After training both Amis and Cameron in the communications program, he also travels to California once a month to observe teachers using PCM in the classroom. At the end of his day-long visit, King provides feedback, telling teachers what they did well and how to improve their connection strategy with students based on personality types.

“Multiple teachers have felt their connection with students and realize PCM is a more efficient way of learning and communicating,” he says. “MUSE teachers love it.”

Personal PCM
On a daily basis, Cameron uses PCM to better communicate with her husband and five children, each of whom, she says are all different personalities. PCM training has helped get her family to the same end point by using various channels. One daughter is a Dreamer, constantly reading a book in a discreet corner of the room. Cameron says PCM tells her to specifically command her to complete tasks, which actually motivates this child and removes her from stress.

“She will go read for ten minutes then come back to the group,” Cameron says. “She knows how to recharge and feels empowered about taking time for herself.”

One of Cameron’s sons is a Rebel, a jokester yet difficult to stay mad at. PCM gives Cameron insight on the right channel to talk and motivate him to accomplish tasks as well. Her youngest daughter is a reactor, who loves hugs and wants to be with other people. Cameron’s director husband is a Promoter, and her sister, Rebecca is a Reactor.

Cameron herself is a persister-workaholic. She maintains a tight schedule and does not like to be late. She says she is constantly looking for and gathering more information and though she often wants to manage everything on her plate, Cameron has realized how to de-stress through PCM.

She also enjoys discovering other people’s communications channels, a PCM skill that she will hone as she works toward her PCM training certificate. During one of the advanced PCM sessions, Cameron made the comment to King that she wanted a quick reference of each of her family, friends and teachers PCM profiles, preferably on a keychain.

King presented her with this exact gift, made from business card-size tags, all looped together on a keychain. Cameron keeps this at her side at all times.

Accomplishing Her Goal
Six years after building a place to help her own children grow and learn in a positive educational style, Cameron has built a multi-grade, international school system that celebrates individual children for who they are. MUSE School CA students learn at their own pace and are not expected to sit in a box all day. Watching MUSE students flourish and hearing comments from happy parents is what truly motivates Cameron.

“Because PCM allows you to be exactly who you are, it gives you ways to differentiate yourself,” she says. “Schools are mainly started and created by Workaholics. Then a Reactor goes in and starts making mistakes and a Promoter without the right attention stirs things up. Rebels are left to do their thing and are kicked out because the teacher doesn’t know how to communicate. Before we brought PCM into the school there were times when I would get frustrated but I’ve seen extraordinary things happen since our teachers went through their first PCM training.”

Cameron is an avid reader and when she was a single parent, she accumulated volumes of parenting and leadership books. Though they contained interesting information on motivation and sibling rivalry, she says PCM has taught her how to manage communication techniques much more effectively.

“Early on I was a single mom for many years and went to a child psychologist to become a better parent,” she says. “If I didn’t have PCM skills now, I would have many more frustrated days of not knowing how to reach my children. Now I have five children who are successful, gorgeous and darling and will become functioning adults. Even as a mommy and a wife, there are things that come up with Jim where I’m able to see where he is coming from and have the ability to get him out of distress and let him go.”

Cameron says her hope is for each child of the world to appreciate who they are as authentic individuals.

Now isn’t that a dream coming true?