SynerVision Updates July 2023

TOP 5 CHALLENGES FOR TODAY’S LEADER

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UPDATES JULY '23

UNDERSTANDING UNEXPECTED OFFENSES FROM THOSE YOU SERVE

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TRUST - WIN IT OR LOSE IT

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KNOWING THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN KNOWLEDGE AND WISDOM

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A NOTE FROM THE PUBLISHER

OneofthegreatthingsaboutlivingintheLandof theFree,HomeoftheBraveisourrighttofree speech,asguaranteedbytheConstitution.Ralph WaldoEmersononcesaidthat “speech is power; speechistopersuade,convert,tocompel.”

TherehavebeenanumberofgreatAmerican oratorswithinthepastroughly250yearssinceits writing,includingAbrahamLincoln,FranklinDelano Roosevelt,JohnF.Kennedy,MartinLuthorKingJr., andRonaldReagan.Eachofthemareknownfor impactfulspeeches,andareoftenquotedacrossall ofliterature.

Knowingthis,Itrymybestatbrevitybasedonthe wordsofAbrahamLincoln:"Bettertoremainsilent andbethoughtafoolthantospeakandtoremove alldoubt." Italsoremindsmeofanotheroratorofa differentilk.

―GeorgeBurns

I'll be offering a recap of a presentation I gave at the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana campus some 15 or more years ago to the senior class in a workshop known as Charm School. Its purpose was to ready the student body to enter the workforce. I updated it to include your digital life.

-Give Good Phone

In July for Influencer Members

“The secret of a good sermon is to have a good beginning and a good ending; and to have the two as close together as possible.”

Top5ChallengesforToday’sLeader

byHughBallou

Leadership is a general topic that people understand in different ways; in fact people have contrasting and conflicting perceptions of how leaders should behave and what leaders should do. Over the past 31 years in working with leadership in many types of organizations doing different kinds of work and leading different sizes of groups, I have observedthese5thingsthataremyvisionof whymanyleadersdon’tmaketheprogressthattheyarecapableofanddon’t’getintoastride ofcontinuousimprovementthatpropelsthemintotheydeserve.So,consequentlyleadersare overstressedwithtoomanydemandsontheirtime,havelowerperformingteamsthan expected,andearnlessincomethanpossible.

Herearemythoughtstheseleadershipgapsandwaystoaddresseachone:

1)NotUnderstandingTrueLeadership:Wehavehadleadershipmodelsandhavebeen taughtthingsthataren’tworkingtoday,andmayhaveneverworked.The“Boss”orautocratic leaderisathingofthepast.Manypeopleinpositionsofauthorityusepowerofpositionasthe leveragetogetpeopletoperform.Ifwetrulyhaveateamofcompetentpeople,thenit’scrucial toletthemperform,astheyarecapable.Tellingpeoplewhattodoisn’ttheanswertogetting thebestresults,unlesstheleaderonlywantstobearoundtobosspeopleallthetimeanddo nothingelse.Thisdoesn’tdevelopcapacityforanyoneandwastestheenergy,timeandtalent oftheleader.TrueleadershipinmyworldisTransformationalLeadershipwheretheleaderis theinfluencer,visionary,andempoweringagentforotherstoperform.Leaderslead.Others do.Whoevertaughtusthatweshouldbewillingtodoanythingweaskotherdotomostlikely didn’tmeanthatwehadtoactuallydoit.Ifso,whyhaveothersanyway?

2)NotBeingVulnerable:Fearofbeingwrongcomesfromthemisconceptionthatleaders musthavealltherightanswers.It’smoreimportantforleaderstoaskgoodquestionsand empowerotherstohavetherightanswers.Saying,“Idon’thavetheanswer”isatruewayof beingvulnerable.Onestrengthofleadershipisbeingvulnerablebylettingotherknowwedon’t havetheanswersandthatwedon’thavealltheskills.Weleadbyexampleandnotbybluffing. Whenwebluff,thenpeopleintuitivelyknowit,sowelosecredibility.Beingauthenticisatop traitoftheTransformationalLeader.

3)NotUnderstandingtheValueofRelationships:Leadershipisbasedonrelationship. Alwaysworkonrelationshipswiththoseinyourcharge.Thisismisunderstoodbymanyas havingtobe“friends”withemployees.No,thatnottheonlychoice.

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UPDATES JULY '23

On the Lighter Side

Q. If you crossed a Patriate wiith a curly-haired dog, what would you get?

A.YankeePoodleDandy

Q. At the Boston Tea Party, which brand were the colonists demanding?

A.Liber-Tea

Q. During the War of Independence, what was his favorite tree?

A.TheInfantry

Q. What would you get if you crossed George Washington with cattle feed?

A.TheFodderofOurCountry!

UNDERSTANDING UNEXPECTED OFFENSES FROM THOSE YOU SERVE

byShannonParish

After forty years in ministry as a pastor and Life Coach I have recognized that servingothersandhelpingthemtohealis not for the faint of heart! In collaborating with individuals who are recovering from unrecognized trauma, I have identified a certainpatternthatisbesttonotignore–ormisunderstand.

Thepeopleyouservecomefromaplaceofbrokenness,distrust,andmisinformation,if yourmissionissimilartomine,inhelpingpeopletohealandgrow.Itisimportantforyou tounderstandtheemotionalreactionsthatmightariseunexpectedly.

FORINSTANCE…

AwomanthatIwillcallSallyforthesakeofprivacy,beganattendingourCirclesJourney Groupsafterspeakingwithmeonaone-to-onebasis.Shestruggledtomemorize everythingIsaidasthoughitwereamagicalformula.However,theinformationIwas givingherwassomethingthatIshareofteninthegroupsthatIfacilitate.Iinvitedherto comeandjoinus.

Thesecommunitygroupsareforthosewhowanttoseekanswersandfeelfreetoask questions,nomatterhowodd,withoutshameorjudgment.Thegoalofthisapproachisto teachpeoplehowtoembracewhotheyareandhowtounderstandtheirjourneywhile allowingthesamegracetoothers.Welearntogetherandgrowtogetherwhileutilizinga varietyofresourcesandtopicspresentedasacatalystfordiscussionandexperiential learning.

AsSallyattendedeachmeeting,shewouldhavedramaticphysicalresponsessuchas poppingupoutofherchairandpacingthefloorwhileshelistened.Shewouldhugherself androckorexclaimloudlyaseachrevelationexplodedinhermindandheart.Hergrowth wasastonishingandexcitingtosee.(Oneoftheotherattendeesinourgroupsaidthat afterwatchingSallysheunderstoodwhathealinglookedlikeandwantedtoreleaseherself towardsherownhealing).

continnuedonpage6

Watchingoneanotherhealandgrowisanother benefitthatwehavewiththistypeofmeeting format.Peoplegettowatcheachothergrowand feelsaferinallowingthemselvestoexperience thatforthemselveswithoutthefearofshameor judgmentifitisnot“doneright.”

As Sally continued to grow and share her thoughts,Ibegantoseeherasapotentialfuture facilitator.Shegrabbedaholdoftheconcept veryquicklyandembracedeachonewhile growingexponentiallyinfrontofmyveryeyes.It wasthrillingandencouragingformeasaleader andfacilitatortowatchherblossom.

Shewashungrytogetasmuchasshecould fromwhatIwasteachingandhiredmeasher personallifecoachwhichissomethingelsethatI dooutsideofthenonprofitarena.Becauseof howsheprocessedherthoughtsverbally,I suggestedtoherthatsheconsideraretainer thatwouldincludefivesessionsamonth.This wasamodestretainerandbecauseshesigned upforaretainerasanaddedbenefit,Iofferedan extrasessionasabonus.Thatprovidedherwith sixcoachingsessionsamonth.Imentionedthis becausemycoachinghercameintoplaywith whatIamabouttotellyou.

One day during our regular meeting, the conversationwassolively,thattimepassed quickly.Attendeeswereleaningforwardintheir chairsandactivelyparticipating.Sallywassuper engagedandprovidedhelpfulcommentsand insights.

WhenIlookedatthetime,Irealizedthatwehad goneovertimeandneededtoendthemeeting. Beginningandendingmeetingsinatimely mannerhasbeenimportantinsettinghealthy boundariesandaddingvaluetothetimewe havetogether.

Hope makes room for love in the world. We can all share it, we can all believe in it, even if we are radically different in every other way. We no longer need to fear our differences because we have common ground. We can hope together— therefore, hope liberates us. It frees us from our fear of the other.

StevenCharleston

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ChallengesofLeadership Anditdoesnotmeantheleadermustmakedecisionsso thatpeoplelikethem.Theinverseistrue.Makeprinciplebaseddecisionssopeoplewillrespectyou.Valueand respectpeopleoverresults,thentheybecomemore focused on results along with you. Leadership is relationships.Communicationisalsoenhancedthrough goodrelationships.

4)NotUnderstandingHowtoManageSelf:Writer Richard Rohr says, "Transformed people transform people.”Healsosays,“Woundedpeoplewoundpeople.” Notmanagingselfisthestartofbuildingadysfunctional

team.Iftheleaderisanxious,thentheteamisworried.Iftheleaderisdishonest,thentheteamis dishonest.Yougettheidea.Avalue-driven,principle-basedpersonalpracticeiskeytohigh functioningasaleaderofothers.Theteamisareflectionoftheleader.Nothavingahighlevelof self-awarenessandself-controlisgoingtodriveresultsthatarenotdesirable

5)NotHavingaPlan:Chasingthe“shinyobject”iswhatentrepreneursareaccusedofdoing. Thatscenarioisnotlimitedtoentrepreneurs,however.I’msurprisedathowmanyleadersare leadingwithoutaplan.Thisisaformofcontrolduetoinsecurity.Ifothersdependontheleader foractiondirections,theleaderisalwaysincontrol.Thisisasystemthatgreatlylimitsactivityand isdependentononeperson.Withawrittenplan,everyoneknowswhattodoandwhentodoit andcanfunctionoptimallyTheleaderthenguidestheprocess

Reversingthesedysfunctionsismovingfrom“Push”to“Pull”leadership.Themusicalconductor pullsmusicoutoftheensemblebylettingothersperformuptotheirhigheststandard.Thisisnot differentintheworkplace.

5StepstoOvercoming ConflictAversion InspiringYourAudience bySharingSuccessStories

Missed Any Episodes?

BeyondDancinginYourPajamas

Notjustanotherevent,butan eventthattellsYourStory!

"The people who laid the foundation of our institutions had seen a great searching out of minds in the sixteenth century. It was during that period that there had been put forth in matters of religion and had come to be acknowledged the principle of private judgment. A remarkable body of men held to this theory with a tenacity which no persecution was able to shake. Along with it went the complementary doctrine of the direct contact of the individual with the Almighty."

excerptfromCalvinCoolidgeFoundation

ThePriceofFreedomEssay

ON THE SUBJECT OF TRUST

Universallyacknowledgedistheundeniable importanceoftrustinfosteringstrongand thrivingrelationships.Regrettably,trustoften goes unnoticed until it shatters, leaving individualstograpplewiththeaftermath.At such a dire juncture, rectifying the harm inflicted may prove an insurmountable challenge.

Insteadofrelyingonhappenstance,wemust activelyconcentrateoncultivatingtrust.By directingourattentiontowardsthisgoal,our energywillnaturallygravitateinthatdirection, aidingusinachievingit.Asweembarkonthe journeyofbuildinghigh-trustrelationships,itis imperativetobearinmindthreefundamental truths about trust. Firstly, trust is not an incidentaloccurrence;rather,itisaskillthat canbeacquiredandhonedthroughdeliberate andconscientiousefforts.

Theessenceoftrustliesinitsnatureasaskill ratherthanamerespontaneousoccurrence. Acquiring and nurturing trust demands intentionaldedicationandeffort.Toembarkon thisjourney,havingaclearframeworkthat defines the components of trust within a relationshipprovesbeneficial.InourBuilding Trusttrainingprogram,werelyontheABCD TrustModel,apowerfulrepresentationofthe fourpivotalelementsoftrust.Whencultivating trustwithinarelationship,onemustembody the qualities of being Able, Believable, Connected,andDependable.Demonstrating competence, credibility, establishing meaningful connections, and unwavering reliabilityallplayinstrumentalrolesinbuilding trustbetweenindividuals.

Trust is not merely an abstract, feel-good conceptbutratheratangibleskillthat

canbehonedthroughcompetence,integrity, connection, and dependability. The first element,"Able,"emphasizesthesignificanceof beingtrustedduetoone'sproficiencyand expertise.Whenindividualsexhibitknowledge, skills,andcapabilitiesrelevanttotheirroles, they naturally become trustworthy in their endeavors.Thesecondelement,"Believable," centersonactingwithintegrity,adheringto personal and organizational values, and conducting oneself honestly, ethically, and fairlyinallinteractions.Establishingasenseof credibilityandtrustworthinessreliesheavilyon upholdingtheseprinciples.

Moving forward, the third element, "Connected," highlights the importance of buildingrapportandeffectivecommunication withothers.Thosewhogenuinelycareabout thewell-beingoftheirpeersfostertrustthrough genuine connections. The final element, "Dependable," accentuates the value of keeping promises and being accountable, responsive, and reliable in fulfilling commitments.Suchconsistencyandreliability createastrongfoundationfortrustwithin relationships.

The correlation between trust and organizational success is undeniable. Trust doesn'tsolelyresidewithintherealmofsoft skills; it drives tangible results within organizations.ExtensiveresearchbytheGreat PlacetoWorkInstituterevealsthathigh-trust organizationsboastaremarkable50%lower turnoverratethantheirlow-trustcounterparts Furthermore,employeeswhotrusttheirleaders perform20%betteranddisplayanastounding 87% reduced likelihood of leaving the organization.Thebenefitsoftrustextendcontinuedonpage21

Long May Long May Long May it Wave it Wave it Wave

Volunteers Are Drawn To Organizations That Offer More Flexibility And Choice In What They Do. Try Setting Up A Volunteer Buffet For Them.

byKarenKnight

Irecommendspreadingoutavolunteerbuffet.

No, I’m not completely out to lunch (pun intended!). Many people haveexpressedfrustrationoverthelastfewyearsaboutthe“lack ofvolunteers.”Idon’tthinkthatpeoplearevolunteeringanyless. I believe that they are just demanding more flexibility in their volunteeringexperience.

Backtothevolunteer’sbuffet.

Thinkaboutyourvolunteerprogramasarestaurant.Intraditional restaurants, people come in, choose something off the menu of what’savailable,anditgetsservedtotheminthewayandinthe amountsthattherestaurantdecides.

Then someone had a different idea. What if they thought we let peoplechooseexactlywhattheywantandintheamountsthatthey prefer?Ratherthana6-ouncesteak,ascoopofmashedpotatoes, continuedonpage23

I had just mentioned that we needed to end our meeting when Sally raised her hand to offer anothercomment.Iaskedherifshecouldholdthatuntilournexttimetogethersothatwecould endthemeeting.Areasonablerequestthatledtoanegativeresponse.Thatwasthelastdaythat Sallyattendedourmeeting.

Aweekafterthatlastmeeting,IreceivedaletterinthemailfromSallysayingthatshehadfeltit wastimetoleavethemeetings Herletterstatedthatshehadbeenhighlyoffendedbymycutting her off within that meeting and mentioned that she hated the fact that as a coach I was too availabletoher!(NOTETOSELF:donotfeelguiltyaboutmyavailabilitytoothers.)Shefeltthatit waslikepayingsomeonetobeherbestfriend!(NOTE:Herperceptionsofwhatacoachshouldbe versuswhoIamasauthenticallyme,wascreatingcognitivedissonanceinhermind.)

Anotherexampleisoneofourattendeeswhowassoimpressedwithwhatwewereaccomplishing inourgroup,thatshewantedtogivefinanciallytothenonprofittoensurethatIcouldcontinue doing what I was doing. However, this has become a little awkward when it comes to her relationship with the nonprofit while walking through her own pain points and perceptions (Walkingoneggshellscomestomind)Lovingandcaringforpeopleastheyhealandcontinueto movefromaplaceofpainintopeaceandfreedomcanbeachallenge.

What I learned from Sally sometime after this event, is that had discovered thatshehadADHD Thisdiagnosisexplainedagreatdealtoherandhelped to make sense of things such as we experienced together. My studies have shownmethatADHDisalsoasymptomoftrauma.Itisnotjusthyperactivity orbeingmentallyscattered,itisfromatraumatizedbrainandbrokenheart. HerinabilitytositstillinachairandherpacingwasasignofADHD.Thehit andrunletterthatfeltlikeapersonalattacktome,washerwayofvalidating her experience and advocating for herself (which she was learning to do in ourgroupmeetings.)

Sallyrefusedtohaveanyconversationandstoppedothersfromspeakingaboutusoreven mentioningthenameofourgroup.Thiswasherwayofprotectingherheartfromaperceived rejection.Thisreactioncamefromanimplicitmemoryofherbeing“shutdown”andcensoredin thepastbyauthorityfigures.

Myaskingherto“holdthatthought”toendthemeetingontime,wasnotajustifiablereasonfor heroffense.Nevertheless,itFELTlikeitbecauseofthedepthofpainfromherpastexperiences whenSally’smotherwouldshutherdownandcensorwhatSally’smomwantedhertothinkor say.Unfortunately,herdissatisfactionwiththisrepeatedexperiencebledovertootherswholater leftthegroup.

tcontinuedonpage16

“You cannot give what you do not have.”

LATIMESJULY1,2023CROSSWORDPUZZLE

ACROSS

1 Lean

5 Comedian profiled in "Last Man Standing"

9 Member-owned shop

13 "Because Freedom Can't Protect Itself" org.

14 Abbr. on an ESPN ticker

15 Home country of Olympian

Pita Taufatofua

16 Low-alcohol brews

18 Something to gain?

19Random comments online?

21TV planet on which people age backward

22 "Make sense?"

23 Sydney's st.

26 Was more than superficial

28 Red choice

31 "Sorry, can't make it"

35 "We'll Meet Again" singer Lynn

36 Feed

37 Before, previously

38 Burton of "Reading Rainbow"

39 Profess

40 Finally learns about

42 Kind of filler

44 Maroon 5's " Will Be Loved"

45 Service call?

46 Blue choice

49 Many times o'er

51 Unnamed informant

57 Treats, as a winter road

58 Catering production?

59 Healing plants

60 "Make sense?"

61 Some leafcutters

62Catherine who is one of the six in Broadway's "Six"

63 Fed. IDs

64 Blue-bottled vodka

DOWN

1 Lean

2 Brand with Blue Lemonade and Blue Vanilla flavors

3 "You me!"

4 Lead-in for jet or prop

5 Prepare to scare, with "on"

6 Big name in gaming monitors

7 "Jude the Obscure" author

8 Role for Sudeikis

9 Saves

10 Bona fide

11 Scary figure

12 Picks up a bill, or hands a bill

15 Tantalize

17 Frame

20 Some British parents

23 Battery acronym

24 Show one's face, maybe

25 Medium also known as aquarelle

27 Jane Lynch series

29 Give a skilled delivery

30 Allegorical cards

32 Ben or Jerry, notably

33 25-Down, e.g.

34 Wit's end?

38 Try to protect, in a way

40 T. Rex rock style

41 "Is that so?"

43 Vast chasm

47 Rises into view

48 Warthog pair

50 Low winds

51 Urgent letters

52 Character voiced by Moira Kelly

and Beyoncé

53 Read quickly

54 Putrid

55 Lincoln or Jackson

56 Crafts site

– John Heider*

ReverseParadigms,Interveningvs.Observing byHughBallou

Managing self is the leader’s first responsibility Managing group process is next. Setting the example is a primary foundation for defining the transformational leader. In Bowen Systems, the leaderchangesthebehaviorofothersinanygroup emotional system by changing self. Leading an ongoingbusiness,ministry,ornonprofitrequiresa high functioning culture with leaders on teams alignedwiththeorganization’svaluesandguiding principles.

Ifacilitatemeetings.That’soneofmyprimary skillsandpassions.Ihaverehearsedmanaging group process for 39+ years in a career as musical conductor. What I’ve learned is that theleadercan’tmakeanybodydoanything–if they can, it doesn’t last very long and the outcome is typically compromised. The relationshipsarealsocompromisedandmany timesdamagedbeyondrepair.

Many leaders work in groups – teams, of various sorts which are group emotional systems We impact everyone else in that system with our actions, both good and bad. More often than not, whengroupmembersarenotperforminguptothe expectationsoftheleader,it’sadirectresultofthe leaders actions or inactions. The first principle of TransformationalLeadershipinmyworldisbeing toletgoofthingsthatsomeoneelsecandoandin masteringtheartofdelegation.

Ihavelearnedthatasaleadermyresponsibilityistoseegrowandtovalidate othersinwhicheverdirectiontheirjourneytakes.Formetotakeoffenseasthey haveistoallowmyownimplicitmemoriestorulemylife.Thissetsmyvisionand mymissionatriskoftotalcollapse.ThisissomethingIhaveseeninchurchafter churchthatIhavebeenamemberofthatnevermadesensetome.

Inteachingpeopleaboutwhatdefinesunrecognizedtraumasandtheexperiences inlife'sjourney,itisimportanttoalsotalkabouttheoffensesthatwillcomeand howtomanagethose.Icannotpreventanyonefromchoosinganoffense.Thatis theirownjourney,butIcanchooseahealthierwayofrespondingtothisbehavior bynotslammingthedoororhumiliatingthemintheirpainresponse.

ItisnowfouryearsbeyondtheoriginaloffensethatSallyfelt.Shehasbegunto communicateagainandengagewithoutfearofretribution,shame,orjudgment.I amwaitingpatientlyforthedaywhenwecanlearnthelessonsfromthatmoment. Thisiswhatfacilitatingunrecognizedtraumalookslike.Loveispatient,loveiskind, lovedoesnotdemanditsownway,itdoesnotkeeparecordofwrongdoingbutis long-suffering.(1Corinthians13:4–8a)

“If you wish for success, you must devote yourself to success, and you must condition your mind to recognize it and to expect it and to demand it.”

- Napoleon Hill

“You will offend (“trigger”) others simply by the position that you hold.”

Regardingthefaithfuldonor,thelessonIhave learnedistonotrelyononlyonepersonto support the mission, but to continuously prepareforthefuture.Anything,nomatterhow well-intentioned,canchangewhenitcomesto human motivations. It is important to understandherownjourneyofgrowthand healingmorethananythingelse,notwhatshe cangive.

OneofthethingsIshareinCirclesJourney Groupmeetingsisthatthereisalessonin everything.Thelessonhereistobepatientand givetootherswhatyouwishtheywouldgiveto you.

Keepyoureyeonthevisionandthemission without shaming, judging, or badmouthing thosewhohaveanegativeresponsetoyour workIfyourworkistrueandauthentic,youwill beabletoworkthroughthis!Noonehasarrived at perfection. We are walking a journey motivatedbywhatmatterstous,andthedesire toserveothers.

Itisnotthelessonsthatothersarelearningon theirjourney,northelessonofmyownworkto doinresponsetotheirnegativereactions.Itis this:whensomeoneisbecomingvulnerableand openwhenrevealingtheirweaknessesandtheir pain,theytapintowhatcausedthatpaininthe firstplace,andyoumaybeatriggerforthat pain,justbecauseofthepositionyoustandin, notbyanythingyouhavepurposelydone.

Micromanagingisdeadlybytakingpower assignedtoothers.Coachingisempoweringby enablingothers.Leadershipisasystemin whichtheleaderbuildsandequipsteam leaders.Sometimestheleaderneedsto intervene.Sometimestheleadershould observeandcommentlater.Knowingthe differenceisthewisdomofleading.

Intheirbook,FacilitativeLeadershipinSocial WorkPractice,BreshearsandVolkerprovidea helpfulsequenceofstepsinmanaginggroup process.

1.Observinganddiagnosingwhatishappening inthegroup.

2.Hypothesizewhatyouwouldliketohave happeninlightofthegroup’staskor developmentphase

3.Dosomethingthatencourageschange. Here’stheroutine–observe,think,andthen act.

Wealllearnfromourmistakesbypaying attentionandapplyingtheprinciplestothe followingsituation.Theleader’sdutyand delightistoassistothersontheteamtogrow theirskills.

Thiscanbeaccomplishedinseveralways:

Affirming:Encourageboldnessandthe spiritofattemptingtomeetthechallenge. Affirmingishonestfeedbackandnot trumped-upartificialverbiage.Besincere. Bedirect.Befactual.

Informing:Provideinformationneeded toaccomplishtheassignment.Setatimelineforprogress.Define“check-in”times for coaching and correcting. Provide informationandcheckforunderstanding.

Directing:Themusicalconductordirects andshapesthemusic.

Themusicalscoreitsimilartothestrategyin thatitprovidedirectionsforeachperson.The overallexperienceandtheattentiontodetails andthedevelopmentoftheculturedepend onthedirectionoftheleader.Don’tbeAWOL whentheteamneeddirection.

Correcting:Speaktowhat’sworking,what’s notworking,andwhatneedstochange.Theis mentoringandnotmicromanaging.Whenthe musicaldirectorstopstherehearsalandtells thetrumpetsthattheyaretooloud,theyare notupset.Thecultureexpectsthedirectorto makecorrectionswithspecificdetails.The conductorcontinueswiththeinformationthat thetrumpetsneedtoreducethevolumeby onedynamiclevel.Notmakingcorrections givestheimpressionthattheleaderisnot capable. Don’t focus on pleasing people. Focusondoingtherightthingandpeoplewill respectyou

Rehearseforexcellencebyobservingfirstand thenacting.Thereversecanbedangerous.

*Heider,John(1986-04-19).TaoLeadership: LaoTzu’sTaoTeChingAdaptedforaNewAge

**Breshears,ElizabethM.andVolker,Roger

(2013)FacilitativeLeadershipinSocialWork Practice

Confidence in Oneself Pays

Off if You Use it

Ittakesrealchutzpahtoworkyourwayintothe equitymodel,especiallythefirsttime.What'sthe equitymodel?(theweakmustavoiditatallcosts). It'sthatrareopportunitytoworkwithaclient businessandproduceresultssofantasticyouare actually part owner. Well, part owner of that particularcampaignanyway.

ThefirsttimeIdidsuchathingIhadjustconcludeda client'sdirectmailcampaign,andhisresultsblew everyoneawaySomuchsothatmyclientdecidedto takehiswifeandkidsonatwoweektriptothe CaymanIslandswithsomeoftheprofitsfromthisone campaign.Meanwhile,Icashedmywell-earnedbut modestcompensationandwentaboutkickingmyself inthebackside."That'llbethelasttimeIleavethat muchmoneyonthetable,Igrimaced.

TheverysameweekIhappeneduponaprospective clientthatsoughtadirectmailprothatcould produce$450,000insalesfromaplannedyettobe implementedcampaignhedreamedup.Althoughhis conceptwashorrible,hislistwashuge,well-cleansed, verytargeted,andcouldresultinasizablereturnwith therightapproach.NoticeIsaidCOULD.

So,Ipitchedhim."I'llproducethecontrolreadycopy formystandardrate,and100%ofthenetprofitsfrom yourprojectedfinalsalestotalisyours.However,for everydollarinnetprofitbeyondthatIwant40%(I actuallyaskedfor60%butsettledon40%.)He agreed,mainlybecausehebelievedifheevencame closetohistargetedamount,itwouldbefuntoseeif itcouldbeoverachievedbyenoughformetoearn anythingofconsequence.

Afternearly8weeksofcrafting,splittestinguntilwefoundtheperfectcontrolpiece,andhadthecopyreviewedby 4 different master copywriters (friends of mine), the direct mail piece was ready. A full-color multi-page piece, mailed to a national list, each mailing targeted the no-sale's, until we overachieved goal by 34%. My final compensation"overage"wasmorethan$37,500.Itpaystobeconfidentinyourabilitiesandasktogetpaidforit.

WhatistheDifferenceBetween KnowledgeandWisdom?

Knowledgeisknowingthatatomatoisclassified asafruit.

Wisdomisknowingnottoputitinafruitsalad.

Youdon’thavetoopenyourmouthanddumpout everythingThat’sgoingoninyourbrain.

Youdon’thavetotellthemeverythingyouknow.

Youknowtherearetwosidestothatcalmthing, there’sthePeoplethatstirthingsuparoundyou, butthere’stimeswegoaroundwetelltales,andwe agitate.“Hey,Iheardthis”

“Iheardthis,”“Haveyouheardthis?”andwe’restirring thisstuffup.

Bethatquietperson,bethatquietpersoninthecorner, allright.

Yougotsomethingtosaythat’sbeneficial,helpful,or properlycorrectofthepropermind,atthepropertime, thensayit. Otherwise,bewiseallright,talkingabouteverythingto everybody, that’sNotanindicationofthewise.

regular performance, as trustworthy employees are more inclined to remain with the organization, endorse it as a desirable workplace, and actively contributetothecollectivewelfare.

Takingtheinitiativetoextendtrustplays a crucial role in its development. Trust and risk go hand in hand, requiring someone to take the initial leap of faith. By trusting others, we set the stage for them to prove their trustworthiness and reciprocate the gesture This virtuous cyclestrengthensthefoundationoftrust withinourrelationships

Like tending to a garden, building trust demandseffortandconsistency.Plantingthe seeds of trust, nurturing their growth, and consistently fostering their development is essential to witnessing the gradual but rewardinggrowthofhigh-trustrelationships overtime.

Inconclusion,trustisfarfromanintangible concept; it is a learnable skill built upon competence, integrity, connection, and dependability.Organizationsthatprioritizetrust witness substantial benefits, and trustworthiness begins with individuals extendingtrusttoothers.Nurturingtrustwithin relationships requires ongoing effort and patience, but the eventual rewards are invaluable,akintoabountifulgardenyielding thefruitsofhigh-trustrelationships.

"The reason why the true contemplative-in-action is still somewhat rare is that most of us are experts in dualistic thinking. And then we try to use this limited thinking tool for prayer, problems, and relationships. It cannot get us very far. We cannot grow in the great art form of action and contemplation without a strong tolerance for ambiguity, an ability to allow, forgive, and contain a certain degree of anxiety, and a willingness to not know and not even need to know. This is how we allow and encounter Mystery. "

-RichardRohr

andaspoonfulofmixedvegetables, theycouldpickfourmeatballs,halfa scoop of mashed potatoes, a few frenchfries,andanappleOrasliceof vegetarianlasagna,agreensalad,and ….Well,youknowhowabuffetworks!

Historically,volunteerprogramshave been set up in the same way as traditional restaurants A person comesin,picksarolefromthelistof positionsavailable,andfillsthatrolein the manner and with the time commitment that the organization specifies.

Unfortunately,that’snotwhatmost peoplewantintoday'senvironment

I’vewritteninthepastaboutthetrendtowardmicro-volunteering.Atthetime,Ifocusedon youngervolunteers.However,Iseethatthedesireformoreflexibilityandchoicecrosses generationalboundaries.Everyonewantstobeabletodecidewhatandhowmuchtheywantto do,basedontheirsituationinthatparticularweek.LastweekGeorgewantedtogetoutthere andhelpcleanupasalmonstreamallmorning.Thisweek,hiship’sbotheringhim,andhis grandkidsarecomingover,sohe’dratherdosomeadminworkforanhour.Avolunteerbuffet wouldsolvethis.

Whenorganizationsinsistthatvolunteers“stayintheirlane,“theydrivepeopleaway.

Igetit.Avolunteer’sbuffetismuchhardertomanagebecausetherearen’tsetrolesandtimes. Thenagain,itwasmuchharderforbuffetrestaurantstoknowhowmuchandwhatkindsoffood toordertokeepthebuffetstocked.Andyettheynotonlymanaged,theythrived.

PartofitcamethroughtrialanderrorTheylearnedovertimewhatfoodspeopleweremore likelytochooseandinwhatquantities.Theydiscoveredthatcertainfoodsweremorepopularin thesummerthaninwinter.Andtheykeptthingscreativeandfunbybringinginsmallamounts ofnewfoodstoseeiftheywerepopular.

Youcandothesamewithyourprogram.Youprobablyalreadyknowwhichrolesarethemore popularandwhichtasksareinthoserolesYoucanbreakyourrolesintospecifictasksandoffer themasindividualselectionsratherthanacompletepackageIftherearetasksthatnoone wantstovolunteerfor,theneitherseewhatcanbedonetomakethemmoreappealingor assignthosetostaff.Nowandagain,addanewtasktoseeifit’spopular.

Youdon’tneedtomakeacompletechangeover.

continuedfrompage23

Manyrestaurantsthathaveabuffetalso haveastandardmenu.Ifyouhavetasks requiringspecifictrainingoracertainlevel of experience, you can keep those in traditionalroles.Afterall,somepeople wouldratherchooseoffthemenuthango tothebuffet!It’swhenyouofferboth optionsthatyouattractmorepeople. Pleasegiveitsomethought.Startsmall. Lookatyourrolesanddecidewhichoneor twocouldbeeasilybrokenupintoalistof bite-sizedtasksthatvolunteerscanchoose from.Postthelistwherepeoplewalkingin canseeit,andtheycanclaimtheone(or two,ormore)thatthey’reinterestedin.

Once you start, you can develop your organization'sbestsystemsandprocesses. Tryit.Onceyougetthingsgoing,Isuspect you’llfindmanymorevolunteersoutthere thanyouthought.

KarenKnight,theCEOof KarenKnight ConsultingandTraining,hasprovided volunteerrecruitment,engagementand trainingfornot-for-profitorganizationsfor over25years.Shecurrentlyserveasthe PresidentoftheBoardofDirectorsforthe KamloopsTherapeuticRidingAssociation inadditiontoherConsultingandTraining business Forinformationgoto: https://karenknight.ca/about/

VolunteerBuffet

ABOUTTHEAUTHOR

A GREAT IDEA IS ONLY AN IDEA UNLESS YOU HAVE A BUDGET TO BRING IT TO LIFE

Let’ssayyouhaveastartuporasmallbusinesswithabrilliantproductorservice. Effectivelymarketingtheproduct/serviceistheonlywaytoensurealoyalcustomer base.Atthispoint,itisimperativetohaveabudgetformarketing,inotherwords,an amountofmoneyearmarkedformarketing.

Thisbudgetcanbeutilizedtowardspaidadvertising,generatingweb/socialmedia content,promotions,andmore.Amongtheworkingcostsofacompany,themarketing budgetaccountsforabout11%onaverage,accordingtoWebStrategies,Inc.

Aligningthebudgetwithmarketinggoalsisthefirststepinmakingamarketingbudget, andoncethisisdone,itcanbeutilizedformaximumeffect.

Theaverageof11%ofacompany’sworkingcostisasignificantchunkofmoney.There areseveralwaystooptimizethebudgettoensureadecentreturnoninvestmentToput itinstartupjargon,many‘hacks’provideeffectivemarketingonaminimalbudgetA partofitcanbeallocatedfortraditionalformsofmarketinglikepaidadvertising, advertorialsinmedia,etc.;therestcanbeutilizedforhiringanin-housemarketingteam orfreelancemarketersandforhackslikesocialmediamarketing,guerillamarketing,comarketing,andmore.

We’veelaboratedacoupleoftechniquesthatworkonanexcellentbudget:

Socialmediamarketingisslightlytrickybut,ifdoneright,isonewithalowriskand returnratioasitisallaboutgeneratingtherightkindofcontenttostriketherightchord amongyourtargetaudience.Infographicsandsmallvideoswithinformationrelatedto yourproduct/serviceandnotnecessarilyaboutyourwaresensureagoodreachon socialmedia.

Also,onlinecontestsandthelikeswillgoalongwaytowardgeneratingafairamountof engagementwiththeaudiencesandhighlightingyourbrandonline.Leveragingsocial mediainfluencersandstrategicallyusingpaidpromotionfeaturesofsocialmedia platformsisoneareawherethisformofmarketingcostsmoney(apartfromwhatit takestogeneratethecontent)butonthewhole,itcostsalotlessthantraditional advertising.

Co-marketingworksinasimpleyou-scratch-my-back-I-scratch-your-backwhereintwo ormorecompanieswithasimilartargetaudiencecanrunacommoncampaign benefittingallthepartners.Itcanbedonebetweencompaniesofsimilarsizeor

between big and small companies. There are also risks involved if one of the partners doesn’t deliver up to the mark, but the returns far outweigh the risks as co-marketing ensures a good reachonline,especiallyifonecompanyismuchsmallerthantheother.Co-marketingcanbedone foronlinecampaigns,webinars,andduringofflineevents,conferences,etc.

Guerilla marketing is another effective way of utilizing the marketing budget. Akin to guerilla warfare’s shock and awe tactics, guerilla marketing employs unconventional tactics to ensure they connect with their audiences. Most guerilla marketing techniques directly involve the audiencesandareinteractive.

AprimeexamplewouldbetheCoca-ColadidforexpatworkersinUAEin2014.Inthat,Coca-Cola setupphoneboothswherepeoplecouldpayforcallswithCoca-Colabottlecaps.Itservedtwo purposes: it gave the workers an easy way to talk to their families back home (as opposed to payingtheunaffordablepricesofinternationalcalls)andthebeveragegiantamassivebooston socialmedia.PETAalsoemployssimilartacticstopromotetheircause.

Cooperativemarketingisanothertacticthattwoormorebusinessescanemploy.Itdiffersfrom co-marketinginthatco-marketinginvolvesjointlyrunningamarketingcampaignorconductinga brandingevent.Incontrast,cooperativemarketinginvolvesutilizingeachother’sbrandimagefor mutualbenefit.

Forinstance,everybigmallhaseitherMcDonald’sorStarbucks,whichcanbeusedtoadvertise itself and vice versa. Another example would be how travel websites have tie-ups with airlines, hotels, etc., and offer discounts upon purchasing through their website: this way, both the websiteandtheotherpartybenefitinoneshot.

Havingaclearideaoftheresourcesyouhaveathand,includingnotjustyourfinancesbutalso your time and effort that goes into these campaigns, helps you easily choose among many options available to market your product/service. It is also essential to note that a financial backupcanonlyinfluencethemarketingdecisiontoanextentsincethecontentandprocesstake precedenceovertheformerafterapoint.

“Whenopportunity presentsitself, don’tbeafraidto goafterit.”

-EddieKennison

Image Credit: Alan Murphy

IMAGINE, if you can, a jumbo jet filled with children under 5. Imagine thisevery 90 minutes, day in, day out, a plane like that crashed somewhere in the world, killing all onboard. That's how many children die each day from filthy water.

Over 3.5 million people worldwide, mostly children, die from waterborne diseases yearly. A planeload every 90 minutes. In Uganda, the latest statistics available state that the average age for Uganda's 37 Million people is 15.7 years. Imagine the poverty. IMAGINE the living conditions. We don't know how good we have it.

WHAT IF? What if we can change the lives of 37 million lives just by eliminating that one critical element - clean water for life. Uganda is just the beginning. We're growing an international movement. WHAT IF by having abundance of fresh water people could grow food for better nutrition and overall health? The average lifespan in Uganda would go from 68 years to who knows what?

WHAT IF each home had their own power plant that provides electricity so kids could do homework in the evening? Or patented small farm crop growth that uses 90% less water than traditional farming? WHAT IF?

IT TURNS OUT that it's achievable that the entire world can have fresh, clean water, healthier populations and thriving economies. Join us in changing the world for the better TODAY. Go to:

https://tag4change.org

TAG 4 Change private member association ministers to the extreme impoverished not just with water and food, we're dedicated to teaching people how to become self-sustaining, thriving communities where philanthropy reigns. Education is the key to transform lives, improve economies, and creating a world where everyone gains dignity. IMAGINE THAT.

RECIPE

Servings:2

PrepTime:15Minutes

TotalTime:15Minutes

INGREDIENTS

DryWhiteWine

½HeadofNapaCabbage(small)

2MandarinOranges(or1can)

1ShreddedCarrot

1RedorOrangeBellPepperSliced

¼CupCilantro(orlesstotaste)

4ScallionsCutinCircles

SaltandPeppertoTaste

¼CupToastedSlicedBlanchedAlmonds

3tbsChopSueyNoodles

2tbsToastedSesameSeeds

DRESSING

2tbsRiceWineVinegar

2tbsAvocadoOil

2tbsFreshOrangeJuice

1tbsSesameOil

1tbsSoySauce

1tbsMapleSyruporBrownSugar

1/4tspSeaSaltandFreshlyGroundBlackPepper

DIRECTIONS

1Pouryourselfaglassofwinetodrink. .

2.Chopthesaladingredientsinplaceinaservingbowl

3.Mixtheingredientsinanotherbowlandtasteforflavor

4.Pourdressingoversaladjustbeforeserving

Garnishwithnoodles,almonds,andtoastedsesameseeds