My Reaction to the Firing of Joe Paterno

“Throughout history, it has been the inaction of those who could have acted; the indifference of those who should have known better; the silence of the voice of justice when it mattered most; that has made it possible for evil to triumph.” Haile Selassie

You are not supposed to write things when you are mad. However, I am ignoring that right now. Anger is my reaction to the horrors that allegedly happened at Penn State. I have spent my career working with kids that have been abused. I work with therapists, educators and social workers that help these kids heal from some of the same stories that you are hearing on the news.

Did Coach Paterno deserve to be fired? Yes. Do I feel sorry for him? No. Maybe that will change when more facts come out. However, the INACTION to protect vulnerable children is intolerable.

On a related note, the new budget recommendations by the Governor’s office has recommended the elimination of funding for treatment to sexual assault victims. Most of these victims are children. If you want to do something – contact your local legislators to ask them to keep funding for these essential services. Please join me in my outrage.

There is no positive note in regards to this story – yet there is hope. We at HopeSparks witness every day kids healing from trauma and unspeakable acts.

Opportunities in the Face of Crisis

It has been fascinating for me to watch our countries elected leaders try to manage this debt crisis. Years of short-term and short-sited policies have put us in a very bad position. A number of households find themselves in a similar situation. As bad as it is, a crisis can open the door to amazing opportunity. We have one now. The question is will we act, or will we be paralyzed in fear and leave it to another day or worse yet – another generation. We have to look at the reality of our circumstances and make the hard decisions. Pretending it will just go away is about the worst thing we can do.

What opportunities do you have right now because of your circumstances? Are you in the midst of a financial crisis? Take a breath. The first thing you need to do is kill the fear that is causing you to live in a state of denial. Don’t pretend it will just go away. Take an honest look at your situation and don't be afraid to ask for help. This crisis might be the start of something profound.

Time to do MORE with Less --- Again

At HopeSparks we serve some of the most vulnerable populations. We do this because of our mission to strengthen families in our community. We partner with a plethora of different stake holders in the public and private community. The current economic landscape makes it even more difficult to find the needed resources to serve these populations. However, this is when I believe the non-profit sector shines. No sector is better at being creative and resourceful than the non-profit community. No sector is better at doing more with less. If we can learn to tell our stories better we will have more and more people investing and partnering in our outcomes.

We have significant problems and challenges in our own neighborhoods. I would urge you all to become active and support local non-profits that are solving problems with real results that make your neighborhood a better place to live. Get involved. One of the ways we can do more with less is if we have talented people like you volunteering for our organizations.

What is the Best Gift you Ever Gave?

What is the best gift you can give someone? Wouldn’t it be fun to give someone a new iPad or car. One of my best friends from High School is getting the gift of Bone Marrow from a 23-year old he has never met on April 4^th. My friend Chris has Myelodyspastic Syndromes (MDS). MDS are a group of diseases that affect the bone marrow and blood.

I don’t know if I will ever give a gift like this random 23 year old. He is not only giving my friend a gift, he is giving me one as well. He has inspired me. He has given me hope for my friend. He has also challenged me. I just finished ordering a free a kit to see if I am a match for anyone that needs Bone Marrow. Here is a link so you can do the same http://www.marrow.org/join/index.html?src=tabjoin It will take you less than 5 minutes. It might be the best gift you ever give - way better than an iPad.

It's not about the number of kids

Anyone can serve a bunch of kids and not make a long-term impact. If we don't create a lasting change with the kids we serve, what’s the point? If we don't drastically change their lives now and for the future - let’s all quit our jobs and work for some high tech company and become rich. Then we can donate to some organization that is getting the job done.

The thing is – real change is hard. How many of us have already abandoned our New Year’s resolutions just a couple of months into them. Most of us just want to shed a few pounds, not reclaim our innocence and childhood from someone that stole it from us.

We have kids and parents come for our services that have more challenges than any of us have had to deal with. If we can’t find a way to work with them to reclaim their innocence and childhood – then we are doing something wrong. With the leadership of some of our staff, we have moved to using evidence-based practices. Evidence Based or Research Based practices are the art of therapy, education and science combined to help a child make that lasting change. The results we are seeing are inspiring. For over a hundred years, our values of serving children and families haven’t changed – our methods have.

It's Not About Me!!

I was embarrassed by the size of the picture of me on our updated blog last week. Doesn't this one look better? The previous picture was created using a template. My mellon is already big enough - figuratively and literally - without having a billboard sized picture of me at the top of the blog. This Blog is about HopeSparks - not me. It just happens to be created by me.

That brings me to the point if this weeks Blog - humble leadership. I am inspired by true long-term leaders. In Good to Great, Jim Collins calls them level 5 leaders. Humility is one of the components of leadership that is attractive and makes you want to follow. True long-term leaders cannot help but spread the credit around. They take great pride in the work their team accomplishes. They don't take false unjustified pride and credit for others work. They also realize it is not about them, it is about the mission. I do not believe that leadership can be effective for the long-term results when arrogance or self-interest is at the heart of decisions.

One misconception of humility is that you are weak and indecisive. Humility is also agreeing with your talents and gifts and operating in them with a focused passion. Sometimes that may even come across the wrong way. No one said leading was easy.

Last year HopeSparks helped over 7000 people. Guess what, I didn't personally help one of them. We have a team of staff and volunteers that carried that load. I was just lucky enough to help steer the rudder and cheer them on.

Passion

I am sitting at a Starbucks writing this blog on a sunny Tuesday morning in Downtown Tacoma. We are already into month two of of 2011. On the first of January I decided my theme for the year would be PASSION. Whatever I do, I would do it with energy and commitment or I wouldn't do it at all. Yes, I am still paying bills. However, I am finding time to do things that bring me to life. One example is borrowing my friends Ducati Italian Motorcycle to commute to work - the long way. I am more alert and focussed for hours after a ride. I get giddy like a little kid as I am putting on all of that protective gear.

I have also discovered that it brings me great joy to serve others. I get way more out of it than those I am serving. My wife Jane and I had a great experience last night teaching a marriage class at our church. We both went home filled up with excitement and joy as the result our experience. There is nothing better for Jane and I to encourage and exhort couples to rediscover the power of operating as one. The passion that came out was a direct result of our belief in what we were teaching.

There are so many things that can get in the way of what we were individually created to do. What are you passionate about? What brings you to life? What makes you giddy?

David

Dduea@hopespark.org

www.hopesparks.org