A brilliant woman that has been actively serving her community for years – is well known and highly regarded. In spite of that, she will occasionally admit that she struggles with imposter syndrome.

Another woman has chosen to share many of her golden years volunteering in several political roles. She is quick to emphasize how little she knew about politics when she got involved, and how much more she has to learn. In spite of all she doesn’t know, she is often surprised when people all across her state know her name and are recognizing her knowledge and contributions.

Here’s what both ladies don’t realize:

• It is their curiosity that continually fuels their learning.
• And as their knowledge continues to increase they are sharing passion and information with skill AND humility – a combination that earns both of them great respect while inspiring others.

There’s this basic circuit in the brain that energizes people to go out and get things that are intrinsically rewarding,  this circuit lights up when we get money, or candy. It also lights up when we’re curious.  –Dr. Charan Ranganath

On the flip side of being curious there are those that think they know all they need to know and have stopped exploring.

They are:

• Titled leaders that smell smoke within their organizations – but fail to follow it to the source.
• Those that form an opinion and refuse to consider another perspective. (Even if their opinions are based on a lifetime of what they’ve always done instead of on new information, trends or markets.)
• Leaders of companies that continue to lay people off – year after year after year.
• People that forward images and headlines on Social Media without reading the articles or investigating alternate sources of information – while expressing concern about the division in our world.

“ Strangely, being someone who ‘knows’ can interfere with being someone who ‘learns’. —MATTHEW D. LIEBERMAN PH.D.

Read more.

Those that prioritize curiosity over knowledge:

1. Have more fun
2. Seek the truth
3. Confront brutal facts
4. Learn faster
5. Acquire more knowledge
6. Are more humble
7. Build stronger relationships
8. Uncover root causes
9. Solve bigger problems
10. Make a greater difference

“ The humble keep their notebooks open, because they believe they can learn something from everyone. —CAREY NIEUWHOF

Read more.

How about you…

• Have you ever allowed your knowledge to kill your curiosity?
• How did that impact your joy, learning, relationships, growth or impact?
• Is it time to make a change?

Have you ever pondered the reasons or benefits of free speech?

• In nations?
• Or workplaces?

Obviously speaking freely is not allowed in many nations or workplaces.

• Technology:  Several people brought cordless phones with them from their home countries.  When those phones could not be monitored, police officers drove directly to their homes and removed them.
• Expression of Personal Thoughts/Opinions: One man was arrested because he took a picture of a government official’s parked car and posted it on Social Media – pointing out how inconsiderate it was. Others were arrested for speaking out against government policies.
• Fundraising: I was advised to take a post off of social media because I was encouraging people to donate to support effort flood victims in Baton Rouge.   I was warned that others had been arrested for soliciting donations.  (Even though all of my links went to vetted agencies in the U.S. – I took the post down.)
• Religion:  We were constantly aware that we risked our freedom and our lives if we shared our faith with others.

Now we’re in a country where freedom of speech is legal and protected.

But most of what we’re hearing and witnessing isn’t emphasizing how that uncommon freedom can be leveraged to build.

• Instead it is being used by some to MANIPULATE OUTCOMES and by others to STOP CONVERSATIONS.

Manipulation:  Several “trusted” news sources continue to create and distribute false news.  

This is one tiny example:  Over the weekend there were several reports and strong opinions about Melania Trump not wearing a headscarf in Saudi Arabia.   A repeat of what happened when Michelle Obama did not wear one in Saudi a few years ago.  The truth is that women from other countries, even Muslim women, are not required to wear headscarves in that country.

False reports are quickly picked up by others and spread by many.  Deepening divides and distracting everyone from real issues AND any hopeful progress.

TIP:  Watch those headlines!  If they sound inflammatory they are.  It’s about ratings not truth.  Unfortunately division rates.  Even when an article sounds believable and is from a seemingly credible source it is still wise to check it.

Freedom doesn’t exist if you don’t use it. -Margaret Heffernan

Do you have any friends that are “hiding in the closet” afraid to share what they believe because you are so vocal about what you believe?  Have you ever considered that:   

“ Free speech is significantly more powerful AFTER we’ve listened AND learned.

Business leaders: Who speaks freely with you?

A CEO recently released a close advisor that was with him for nearly a decade, because he finally recognized that he had been listening to a manipulator and a conversation stopper.  The sad part is that many people tried to tell the CEO what was happening, but they quickly learned that their attempts only put them at risk.  So they stopped trying.

Imagine how your leadership, team, organization and credibility would be impacted if you had allowed yourself to be sealed off by conversation stoppers and manipulators for nearly 10 years.  (That thought should make your stomach churn.)

TIPS:  

• Empower people at all levels to speak truth to power.
• Keep your eyes and ears open.
• Make sure that people at all levels have access to you.
• Put processes in place to evaluate what you hear while protecting the messenger.

And never forget that every single person on your team knows something that you don’t.  If you aren’t encouraging them to share what they know, you are limiting your leadership potential and the future of your organization.

As a titled leader YOU decide if your team:

• Believes they can speak the truth to you and each other
• Points fingers or solve problems
• Stands together or falls divided

Last night right before I went to bed, I learned about the shooting deaths of 3 more police officers – this time in Baton Rouge. It is heart-breaking and tempting to feel helpless, as angry people continue to destroy lives and rock our world with bombings, shootings, and even trucks.

This time felt even more personal, as I used to live in Baton Rouge and drove and worked where the shooting took place.  And in the time I was there, I fell deeply in love with the people, the city and the state of Louisiana.

I woke early this morning and immediately checked the news for updates and prayed.

A short time later, I was reminded that exactly three years ago today I posted an article about pain and anger as I tried to process the Trevon Martin case.

• Three more years of conflict.
• Three more years of finger pointing and blaming.

Clearly – What we’re doing isn’t working, as the conflicts are becoming more frequent and more violent.

A few minutes later this image from Mark Fidelman showed up in my Facebook feed:

If you are tired of the cycle of shock, grief, pain, anger, blaming and feeling helpless…  Here are a few ideas about how you can make a difference with what you have, right where you are:

1. Acknowledge that the truth is not found in the extreme views that sell news, it is found somewhere between those views.

This is from Slain Police Officer, Montrell Jackson’s Facebook Page days before he was killed, “I’m tired physically and emotionally. Disappointed in some family, friends and officers … but hey what’s in your heart is in your heart. I still love you all because hate takes too much energy but I definitely won’t be looking at you the same. Thank you to everyone that has reached out to me or my wife it was needed and much appreciated,” Jackson wrote.

“I swear to God I love this city but I wonder if this city loves me. In uniform I get nasty hateful looks and out of uniform some consider me a threat. I’ve experienced so much in my short life and these last 3 days have tested me to the core… These are trying times. Please don’t let hate infect your heart,” he continued.

This WSJ article highlights the stories of three black men and emphasizes that middle ground beautifully.

• Racism is still real.
• Those that experience racism struggle to navigate the tension between their desire to respect officers, while still feeling fear – not knowing who polices with integrity and who does not.
• The majority of police officers will give their lives for others and really need our support.
• We need to seek truth about issues with authority and corruption and address them.
• We need to address root causes. Not just symptoms.
• We need to take ownership of the changes we want to see.  Check out how people in Dallas are responding to Police Chief David Brown’s encouragement to be a part of the solution instead of just complaining about the problem.  

“ Truth and love fuel: Healing, hope and peace.

2. Do something to learn and serve at a higher level:

   • Watch this TEDx Talk by Police Officer Chip Huth and learn with his team and celebrate the impact they are having on their city.
   • Then purchase a copy of The Anatomy of Peace Book that was written by the group of people that provided the training to the police officers in the video.
   • Read it.
   • Share it.
   • Have a discussion about it.
   • Host and/or attend workshops about racial healing, peacemaking, how to have productive dialogs etc.…

*Our international housing compound has followed all of the suggestions in #2.  My neighbors are from a variety of different nations including:  Palestine, Jordan, Jamaica, Nigeria, South Africa, Australia, France, Pakistan, Germany, India, The Netherlands, Lebanon, Egypt, Syria, Sudan, China, Korea, Tunisia, America and more.  We also represent a wide variety of faith and non-faith backgrounds.  In spite of our differences we have all experienced powerful learnings and and growth and we will continue to invest our time in these types of activities.  

“ Be a light, not a judge; be a model, not a critic; be a part of the solution instead of a part of the problem. —STEPHEN COVEY

3. Look for what is working and share it.

Be intentional about sharing the good news that models, teaches, inspires, and encourages; more than you share the sensational stuff that increases  division.

This is what happened in Wichita, Kansas last night at a First Steps BBQ between Police Officers and The Community instead of the Black Lives Matter Protest that was originally scheduled.  

“ Be the change that you want to see.

4. Pray.  Don’t just say you’ll do it. Do it.

If you aren’t convinced that prayer works – check out this movie.  It was created by people who have first-hand experience with the power of prayer.  It was so popular that it became a hit movie last summer.

“ When light meets the dark. Healing begins. —TENTH AVENUE NORTH

We don’t have to feel helpless.  We were given brains and hearts to use them.

Please share:  How are you making a difference?  Is there anything you would add to this list?

When my husband said we were asked to move to a giant sandbox on the other side of the world my stomach churned so hard I had to sit down.

How was this possible?  We said we would go ANYWHERE in the world except – THERE!  Scenes from movies and the news melded with my own fears and questions were fired off so rapidly my husband could not reply.

A “yes” wasn’t possible if I could not change my thinking:

• From the losses to the possible gains.
• From the challenges to the possible opportunities.
• From fear to faith.

One of the possible opportunities was living in a diverse compound filled with people from other parts of the world and learning from each other.  (I had no idea at that time how diverse – Our little compound hosts people from more than 30 different nations.)

The vision of celebrating our differences was so motivating to me – that I unconsciously began to assume that everyone who had relocated here, had the same focus.

The reality is that some people shared that vision or have acquired it along the way. However…

• For some, moving anywhere away from home is torture – let alone adding the element of extreme culture shock.
• Others can accept a new location depending on where it is.
• Some are simply too busy with the details to focus on possible gains.  (Getting children moved, in school and settled, navigating a new health care system…)
• Others are trying to provide emotional support to family on the other side of the world while adjusting to life here.
• And a significant number are navigating most of this alone – as their husbands are on worksites or traveling for a majority of the month.

So when normal cultural misunderstandings occur in our compound – The people involved are already under loads of stress.   In those moments, previous perceptions fuel behavior that is less than ideal – and the responses are swift, judgmental and lingering.  When that happens, I am reminded that we are a snapshot of the daily challenges in our world.

“ We end up gathering with allies – actual, perceived, or potential – as a way of feeling justified in our own accusing views of others. As a result of this fact, conflicts try to spread. So what begins as a conflict between two people spreads to a conflict between many as each person enlists others to his or her side. Everyone begins acting in ways that invite more of the very problem from the other side that each is complaining about. —ANATOMY OF PEACE BOOK

In the three years we’ve lived here, I’ve heard people say phrases like these more times than I’ve heard them in my entire life:

• I hate ___________ (insert any nationality).
• We all hate _________ (insert any nationality).
• Those ________ (insert any nationality or religious group).
• I’m not racist but __________.

So now when I watch the news and my social media feeds – I keep seeing what is lost in the great divide between “Us” and “Them”:

Each one of those losses continues to impact families, workplaces, communities, nations and our world…  

We don’t have to passively watch as it happens.  Each one of us can make the choice to break the cycle of division and help healing begin.

I recently shared how inspired I was when I watched a police officer named Chip Huth share how he and his department were transformed when they learned to see people instead of seeing problems.  And how his TEDx talk introduced me to the Anatomy of Peace Book.

This month a group of ladies from several different nations on our compound, will be reading the book and then getting back together to discuss it.

We’re seizing the opportunity to learn and grow in ways we can’t imagine yet.

• Imagine what would happen if each one of us found ways to alter our thinking and behavior just a little…
• Imagine the difference we could make if we planted more seeds of understanding and peace right where we are…
• Imagine what could happen if more people read the book and would have similar discussions…
• Imagine the impact we could have on the world if we took those skills with us to our next locations and back to our own nations…

“ I become an agent of change, only to the degree that I begin to live to help things go right rather than simply to correct things that are going wrong. Rather than simply correcting, for example, I need to re-energize my teaching, my helping, my listening, my learning. I need to put time and effort into building relationships. —ANATOMY OF PEACE BOOK

PLEASE SHARE:  Have you considered how you can plant seeds that heal division?  What are you doing to create unity?

Want more ideas about how you can be an agent of change in a world that needs healing? 

Check out the links below:  

• Stop attacking the character of others in order to refute his or her ideas.
• In the Face of Terrorism, Why it’s More Important Than Ever to Travel.
• The difference between Debating and Discussing.

The first two articles in this series are linked here:

• Benefits of Learning from Those Who Think Differently
• Opinions Anonymous:  For recovering opinionistas that are tired of division

Image Credit:  Pixabay

The International Day of Peace is Monday September 21.  And I’m so ready to talk about what we can do to heal our organizations, communities, nations and world – instead of continuing to feed the fires that divide us.

This is the first post in a series.

• The second is:  One way YOU can create a more peaceful world.  (Really!)
• The third is:  PEACE:  A Leadership Strategy, Not Pixie Dust!
• The fourth is by Jane Perdue and titled How to reject divisiveness and make people feel valued.

 Yes – Conflict is messy, painful and destructive!

• When it appears in our personal lives, it is tempting to flee from it or to add to it.
• When it appears on our televisions it’s easy to begin to believe that there is nothing we can do.

[Tweet ” The Truth Is:  Change never begins “out there”.  It ALWAYS begins within us.  “]

If current events across our world that emphasize fear, hate, violence, chaos, and division cause you to ache for others, worry or feel helpless…

There is something that YOU can do!  

Pause and examine your behavior.  

Peace FAKERS

…Really believe that they are peace makers.  In reality they are experts at letting little irritations build up over time.  And as  little irritations build up, they eventually blow. And Holy cow – can they blow!  (Yes I am a recovering Peace FAKER.)

When they errupt, people around them are usually SHOCKED, and wonder what just happened and often begin to question if they really knew the person that just blew up all over them or not.

Peace BREAKERS

At best:  Are good people that  enjoy being “in the know about everything” -so much that they don’t realize the damage that their gossip spreading causes.

At worst:  Are manipulators that intentionally divide others for power, control, and/or financial gain.

Peace MAKERS

• Care deeply about others.
• Seek to heal instead of destroy.
• Summon courage and walk into discomfort.
• Ask questions.
• Listen.
• Seek to understand.
• Speak truth with grace.
• Listen again.

If you choose to be a Peace-Maker check out the dream in the SlideShare below.

And then summon your courage.  Change Your Behavior.  And watch how that begins to change every part of the world that you touch!

Learn more about Peacemaking from Ken Sande Here

I’m honored to co-host a #peopleskills Tweet Chat Sunday October 20th at 10 AM EST!

You’re invited to bring your thoughts to this chat and join people from across the world as we discuss Peace Making v.s. Peace Breaking.

This chat takes place the day prior to The International Day of Peace.

(And yes, this conversation applies to families and companies as much as it does to communities and nations!)

Please join us!  Click Here For More Information About The #PeopleSkills #PeaceDay Chat

Image Credit:  iStock

A little over a week ago my husband and I rode motorcycle to a city that is about an hour away from where we are living.

It’s a city we visited for the first time nearly one year ago.  A city that provided such a powerful visual of how leadership or the lack of it, impacts our world that I wrote about it right after our first visit, and have continued to talk about it throughout the year…

• A lack of a vision compared to a shared vision.
• Chaos compared to order.
• Anxiety compared to peace.
• Darkness compared to light.

This time we were in awe again:

Color that is so rare along the highway in the midst of this dusty sandbox was popping!  …As flowers were planted, watered, and blooming in the middle of the highway welcoming us!

In a part of the world where trash is everywhere – for these few miles it is NOT. For 60 miles – we’d been seeing what I’ve come to expect in this land – sand and litter!   And suddenly as if we’d entered an invisible force field, the litter decreaseed so drastically that was hard to find!

…And then I saw the signs indicating that there is a hefty fine for anyone caught littering…

• Amazing first of all, because signs like that are NOT normal here!
• And then, a complete curiosity because printed rules DON’T insure compliance or accountability here!

So once again I pondered the difference between the two cities.

One of the men that was traveling with us owns a very successful business in the city we live in. When I mentioned how much I appreciate this city, three things rolled off of his tongue:

1. He sees it too.

• He’s had lots of conversations with leaders in the city we live in.
• And nothing changes.

That’s not a lack of vision – it is a lack of ownership. 

2. He quickly credited the difference in this city to the heritage of the man in charge – who is NOT from this country.

• Which was interesting– because the man sharing those thoughts, IS from this country and his business is as uncommon and exceptional as this city is.

So why has heritage has become an acceptable excuse for people to lower their expectations?

3. And as we talked about the details – like no littering signs and a fine that is obviously resulting in less litter…

• He said yes – but who will enforce that?

And there it is… Someone has to take ownership of creating the change!  

If you recognize a need in your organizaation, community or family right now…  Are YOU doing something about it?  

[Tweet “If not YOU, then who?  “]

When you see an need…

• What moves you to action?
• What causes you to do nothing and walk away?

If you have a vision and aren’t sure what to do to make it a reality, consider this:

Sharing a vision for positive change is easy if you only share it once.

Getting people to believe in that vision is harder.  

Getting people to participate in the change is even harder.

1. The day or day(s) a message is delivered, not everyone is in attendance – mentally or physically.
2. Most people have to hear something many times before it fully impacts their knowledge level. (Let alone attitude and behavior.)
3. People have different learning styles.
4. People need to know WHY something is happening.
5. People need to know WHAT is happening.
6. They need to believe in both the WHY and the WHAT and TRUST the people driving the change.
7. They need to know how they can be involved.
8. And when they engage they need to be allowed to contribute their knowledge and strengths.

But Leading BIG CHANGE is possible and the rewards are amazing! 

If you decide to Lead Change repeat your message and model the behavior you wish to see.  Repeat your message and model the behavior you wish to see.  Repeat your message and model the behavior you wish to see. Repeat and repeat!

Have you ordered our NEW Book Yet?  

Get your Amazon Kindle Version Here! (And yes, if you have a smart phone or tablet there is a FREE Kindle App that you can download!) ~ Have a book sent to you from Amazon here!

Image Credits:  iStock,  AceConcierge, The Lead Change Group, Energizing Leaders LLC

Her comment came at a time when many people we care about are focused on “what is not” instead of on “what is”.

[Tweet “2 steps forward and 1 step back is still progress.”]

Her words were a waving caution flag reminding me that:

Focusing on the steps back, on the struggle, or on what is not…  Fuels negativity and slows progress.  

A few days later, I saw that friend again, and she spoke that important truth once more. .

[Tweet ““It is important to stop and celebrate progress.” ~Kristy Burns”]

Focusing on progress:  Fuels hope and creates momentum.

Stop for a minute and think about your life:

• Where were you 1 year ago?
• What were your goals at that time?
• What have you done since then?
• What have you learned?
• How have you grown and changed?
• What difference have you made?
• How have you celebrated?

Now stop for a moment and think about your family, your organization or the community you are a part of:

• What was happening 1 year ago?
• Did you have shared goals at that time?
• What has been accomplished in that time?
• What has been learned in that time?
• How have the individuals and the organization grown and changed?
• What difference are you making together?
• How have you celebrated?

 If you’re struggling to recognize progress remember:

2 steps forward and 2 or even 3 steps back CAN STILL BE PROGRESS:   If you’re dancing  ~ OR LEARNING!

How about you?  

Are you focused on the steps back or on the steps forward?  

 Image Credit:  iStock

I crave places that look like this:

Our current environment sometimes feels like this:

I crave environments that make me feel like this:

…A month ago we returned from an extended vacation, part of which was spent in Italy. (A place that had been on my bucket list for a very long time.)  We spent time in the hills, the valleys, in the mountains, on islands, in castles, and in a gondola drinking in life and beauty.

Previous vacations at Versailles and in Amsterdam have taught me to expect valuable lessons to emerge in the midst of our rest and adventure.  So towards the end of our time in Italy I paused to reflect:

*First I savored everything we were seeing:  Green and blue landscapes and skies filled with puffy white clouds… 

*Then I remembered the regrets of a dying friend:  As he told his wife that he wished they’d taken more vacations together.

*Then I pondered how temporary everything is as I thought of:

• Lives and cities that were destroyed with the eruption and fallout from the famous volcano Vesuvius
• Endless examples of cities that were built on of ruins of older cities – many of which are lonely ruins today or have yet another layer of life happening above them

EMPHASIZING the words spoken throughout Italy, “Carpe diem.” ~ Seize the Day!

After our time in Italy, we spent a few weeks with our families seizing days!!!  We hugged, we visited, we ate, we sat by campfires, we played games, we watched movies, we swam, we looked at stars, and we soaked in more green and blue landscapes. …And I drove a car for the first time in 16 months! (Something I can’t do where we live.) I opened the sunroof and the windows and let the wind whip through my hair!   Ahhh – pure joy!!!

And when the time came to go back to our expat lives, I struggled with feelings of exchanging endless freedom for a box.  (I know my grandmother felt that way when she was moved from her home to an apartment, to assisted living  and ultimately to a nursing home. And I know that at some point all humans will struggle with physical, mental, or emotional limitations that may be real or imagined.)

[Tweet “Boxes make it much more challenging to seize the day!”]

A few times my struggle was so intense I had to go off by myself and just walk and pray and focus on the things I am thankful for right now:  A wonderful husband, a loving family, amazing friendships, lots of adventure, tons of personal growth, a deeper understanding of our world, and the ability to visit places that I’ve only seen in movies, pictures, and on maps.

 A few days later, we boarded our plane to head back to our expat life.  As we flew across the ocean, I watched Dead Poets Society just so I could watch the scene where Robin Williams reminds the boys in his class to, “Seize the Day.”  …And I willed myself to do the same.

When we landed we learned that Robin Williams had taken his own life.  There was no way to miss the power of this lesson now. Even as his life was ending, I was watching him in living color, reminding others to seize this day, and live it to the full.

 Today…   Is the first day, of the rest of YOUR LIFE.

• You can seize the day by being thankful for the blessings in your life.
• You can seize the day by doing something outside of your comfort zone.
• You can seize the day by doing something to grow yourself.
• You can seize the day by doing something for someone else.
• You can seize the day by asking for help.
• You can seize the day by not looking back.
• You can seize the day by learning something new.
• You can seize the day by taking a stand.
• You can seize the day by listening more intently.
• You can seize it by forgiving someone.
• You can seize the day by trying again.

[Tweet “Do what you can, with what you have, right where you are.”]

How will you seize today?

• Seth is the bass player for the internationally renowned band NEEDTOBREATHE.
• His brother, Chandler is a decade younger, a very successful entrepreneur and a college student.
• They look different.
• They have different interests and different strengths.
• They hang out in different circles.

Prior to the interview I had just a few hours to take a brief look at their new book.   I was hooked instantly because:

• Of the electricity these two generate together.
• Their WHY reflects so much of my own WHY.
• Of their playfulness, and their deep respect for each other.
• Of their pay-it forward thought process….
• They get it.  You can’t break out of a broken system until you realize that Change Begins With “Me”!

How it all started:  The two of them were visiting one night and realized that the successes they’ve experienced are rooted in lessons their parents taught them.  (Lessons they did not always appreciate, lessons they sometimes took for granted, and lessons that many of their friends never received.)

As that realization sunk in, they decided to write a book to share those lessons with others and to give their parents a lasting legacy.  What they’ve created is as unique as they are.  Half of the book is written on a black background with white text, the other half is a white background with black text.  The pages are filled with pictures and doodles and links to music.  (They call it A.D.D. friendly and have written it with millennials in mind.)

The messages are simple but powerful.  (As a former Youth Director, Career Services Director and Recruiter this book is full of many of the skills that employers want their employees to have, but are not taught in most homes or schools.)

All this stuff we thought was common knowledge – Wow!  None of these people have ever learned this!  We wrote this with them in mind.  It is a testament to our parents.  Seth & Chandler Bolt

Stop here and let this sink in.  These are two ordinary young American’s that come from a simple background.  They talk about their A.D.D. and C’s in English.  They share their parent’s lack of further education.  They want you to get what I want you to get…

[Tweet “YOU are capable of making an extraordinary difference. “]

[Tweet “Your family, your workplace, your community and your world needs you.”]

So here’s where it gets even better…  You know how they always say that millennials are into giving?  Seth and Chandler are donating 100% of the proceeds of this book to fight malaria.  Check out the video below.

One of the last questions I asked them was which one of The NEEDTOBREATHE songs best represented the message of their book.  Their answers are as different as they are:

• Seth named a favorite of my Baton Rouge friends:  Something Beautiful
• Chandler voted for the song:  Reckoning

THEIR BOOK:  Breaking Out of A Broken System launched this morning on Amazon Kindle.  If you are one of the first 3000 downloads there is NO CHARGE!

Even if you can’t buy the book, will you help them spread the word?  

1. Share the link to the book on Social Media.
2. Tweet about #1Book1Life
3. Tell your friends.

Please leave a comment and let us know how you are passing this message on! 

So I made a few phone calls to invite some people to join me.  One of the calls was to a young mother that I had just met.  Two years later as I prepared for a move, that woman came to see me.

She emphasized the importance of that invitation and stressed that it was the spark that ignited her fire.

Prior to that call she had been thinking about changing her membership, and going somewhere else.  After being invited to participate and making one personal connection with someone, she got more involved.   As more time passed her sense of belonging and her ownership in the future of the organization increased.

And it all started with a personal invitation.

[Tweet “No matter what kind of organization you lead, personal invitations will ignite your growth.”]

I recently facilitated a meeting and heard these words; “This is the first time I’ve been invited to be a part of something where everyone was given the opportunity to participate, treated equally, and listened to.”

Yeah for that organization!  They’ve sparked!  …Now they need to make that practice a standard operating procedure!

[Tweet “Have you ever sat on the sidelines, waiting to be invited? “]

Have you ever felt joy and a strong spirit of contribution and ownership when someone asked your opinion, listened and responded?

If you lead an organization:

• Are you assuming that employees, members, and volunteers: know you want them to think, know that you are receptive to ideas, and  know how and where to plug in?
• Have you ever extended a personal, specific invitation for them to participate in your vision and your growth?

…And if you engaged them successfully in the past, how are you inviting new people and keeping senior people engaged?