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