Be Greater. Do Good. Every Day. Change Forward!
Correctly learning and using the names of people is still one of the easiest and best strategies in community building and community change. Each of us can do it and we can do it all by ourselves. The only permission we need is the permission of the person whose name we are trying to learn and use.
I was surprised (no, stunned) and honored with an invitation to the White House early last week for a meeting that took place at the end of the week. I was clueless why I received the invitation, especially on such short notice, so I called and asked if it was a mistake and, if not, what were they thinking?
Despite both the reality and perceptions of Baltimore, Maryland, there is at least one place with a deep, thriving sense of community.
Yesterday (Tuesday, May 24) I finished a multi-month project with Child Trends for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Adolescent Health (OAH) teen pregnancy prevention grantees. Today, my heart is full of appreciation for an incredible experience.
Whether it is Collective Impact, or another collaboration framework, our collaborative posture is a critical underlying factor in success.
A buzzing sound can mean many things. When I was a kid on an Iowa farm it usually meant scary bees. But there are buzzing sounds that indicate good things. I heard one just last week in Buffalo, NY.
Community engagement and community mobilization are often used interchangeably, but they are not the same. In fact, mixing them can be confusing, problematic, and incorrect.
This week I’m at the 17th Annual Global Conference of the International Leadership Association in Barcelona, Spain. This morning the keynote speaker, John, Lord Alderdice, of the United Kingdom, said, “The leader is not necessarily the brightest or best person, but it is the right person for the time.” Again we are reminded that context … Read more
This week I am in Vancouver, BC for the Tamarack Collective Impact Summit. After three such events I continue to be impressed with the events. This year I’m honored to make a small contribution to the event. I’ll be leading a workshop on out Roots to Fruit model of sustainable community change, facilitating a panel … Read more
This morning National Public Radio gave us a rare glimpse at a national holiday, Martin Luther King Day, through the eyes of a child and it was a rich experience. This is very special because we adults get to select the national holidays and everyone celebrates them by decree. With the exception of Christmas and … Read more