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At the Intersection of Love and Destiny

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While in Kansas City, in between speeches for one of America’s premiere leadership organization, Lead 21 and a visit to Haskell Indian Nations University, I stopped by one of the most amazing “emotional crossroads” in America---the parking lot at Union Station.

Do You Think the Queen Winced?

There’s a spot down in Rappahannock County, VA, where you can stand 12.5 miles (which is roughly equal distance) from both Jamestown and Yorktown. Why would you care? Good question actually…and you might not….but if you dig irony, then you’d be able to ponder the fact that there is just 25 miles between where the British gained a continent (when they landed at Jamestown in 1607), and then lost that continent 174 years later (when Cornwallis surrendered to Washington in 1781 at Yorktown). Bitter pill, huh?

Some might say “serves em right”….but for today’s purposes, I just wanted to reflect on the fine line between victory and defeat, insanity and genius, right and wrong, etc….

Too many assume that the ride only goes one way…and when you are up, you stay up. For those of you who ponder leadership, and what it takes to stay tight, focused and forever bold…then there is a real lesson in this random tid-bit of Americana.

Hubris…confidence…certainty...”that’s the way it’s always been”…”we’re in charge”…these characteristics or mindsets are the danger signs in individual or organizational leadership, and they WILL inevitably lead to laziness, stupidity and the hard (and oft well deserved) fall.

I was down in Williamsburg this week to help open the 12th Campus Kitchen, and the ride down historic RT 17, from Fredericksburg to Williamsburg allowed me a few choice hours to groove on the Ohio Players, review my travels, ponder the events of the last few weeks and (as always) reflect on leadership.

As I roam the American countryside like Frankenstein’s errant monster (who was looking for love in all the wrong places) I see so many groups and individuals--old and young alike--stepping up to explore and often achieve new levels of commitment and courageous action. But I also see the bosses or institutions that stand in the way—cock sure of their role and their right. Most of these individuals or associations, like the British in the 1700’s, feel that their leadership is a given, and that their domain should remain unchallenged. They look down their noses at those upstarts who would dare to question their views…and their divinely perceived roles. They are the nonprofit royalty of today…those kings and queens, duke and dunderheads who speak eloquently of shared views, but who only bow to one—there own.

Now…I have to remind myself, that they really aren’t bad people…really-- they once truly cared…but they have just fallen into the trap that any of us can stumble into. It’s really quite easy, and it can snare the best of em, if you are not on guard at all times.

Anyway…as my friend Beecher Hicks says…”if you a leader, and nobody is following you…then you’re just taking a walk.” And that’s what I thought about, as I walked in the first light along the banks of the mist covered York River before heading back to DC and our humid home in the basement of the Federal City Shelter.

So…if you are one of those upstarts, renegades or revolutionaries who seek a new order, then take solace in this little historic diversion.

The Queen just visited the States, to help “celebrate” the 400th anniversary of Jamestown. I have to wonder, as the sun set and the formal dinners commenced, did she ponder the irony of the 25 mile gap between what was once theirs, and what is now ours.

I do.

Gettin' Down in the High Desert

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On my way from LA to Billings, Montana, I stopped by one of my favorite places in the universe: Joshua Tree, CA...

Big Sky, Bold Ideas and a trip to the Medicine Wheel

Somewhere about 700 years ago, a group of Native Americans trudged 10,000 ft up to the very top of what is today known as “Big Medicine Mountain,” one of only ten "nuclei of continents” on the planet (small outcroppings of super old rock that, through some kind of geo-allie-oop, end up on top of younger rock). When they got to the top, they built the Medicine Wheel, considered to be one of the most sacred sites in America. I have longed to see it ever since I first read about it about 20 years ago, and last week, in between speeches and meetings in Billings, MT, I made a three hundred mile loop, and ventured into Wyoming for a chance to stand before it, on a snowy, wind swept morning and contemplate the journey.

I was in Montana at the close of a week long trek that took me from LA, up to Joshua Tree, to Denver and then further up to the Big Sky country to speak at the annual gathering of the Montana Nonprofit Association. I had never been to Montana, so I jumped at the chance when my friend, fellow Nonprofit Congress delegate and MNA E.D. Brian Magee called to invite me.

I meet so many cool folks on the road….and have seen, often first hand, tons of cool initiatives taking shape, but some of the things I saw up there where SO beyond the norm that I have to put ALL my waiting work aside for just a few minutes to try to capture some of the energy I brought back with me.

First of all….when Brian and the MT delegates (including beer magnate and MNA Service Director Brad Robinson) got home from last years Nonprofit Congress, they went right to work turning some of the broad ideas we discussed into rock-solid reality. They organized the first ever “Nonprofit Day” at the capital, and brought close to 300 nonprofits to meet with their representatives to offer ample evidence of the size and scope of the MT network. They weighted in on numerous pieces of legislation (which all went their way) and they now have a real presence in their state. Senator Jon Tester send a rep to be part of the gathering, as did the Governor. THAT is what it’s all about---not waiting, not hoping….they made their presence KNOWN. I tell you what….this is one of the State Associations to watch. Like their colleagues up in New Hampshire, who are hosting the Primary Project, the Fantastic Four that make up the MNA team are not wasting a single second. They are just over five years old….but the palatable level of confidence that their members have in them, and their member’s willingness to step up to the plate when called, coupled with Brian’s willingness to demonstrate real leadership makes this one of the most up and coming, keep-yours-eyes-on-them organizations in the country. Shoot…if I could, I’d join the MNA ranks.

You know, now that I think about it. . .there is such a difference between a “boss” and a “leader.” Last week, I was standing with 49 other people that the Nonprofit Times had selected as the most “Powerful and Influential” leaders in the nonprofit sector. I was humbled to be included for the second year in a row, and to again represent direct service nonprofits (which are sorely underrepresented). As I looked around the room, I was struck by the number of bosses in the room. Fine folks all…none the less, too few are standing up, or together, to really push the envelope. I dig many of them, and count numerous as friends---but l long and look for leaders.

And while I was in MT, I met one of the MOST amazing leaders our sector has ever produced---Elouise C. Cobell (so powerfully pictured above). She has done three truly amazing things; she started the Native American Development Corporation, helped to found the Native American Bank, and….she has filed the largest class action lawsuit against the US government in history (Cobell v. Norton)!!!!!

In a nutshell….over the last 118 years, the federal government has mismanaged tribal lands and allowed billions of dollars in oil, gas, timber and mineral revenue to be exported off the reservation, with little of the proceeds benefiting individual land owners or tribes. To her reckoning, the tab comes in at close to 176 billion. After countless years of trying to get government folks to do the right thing she finally through up her hands and decided to take them to court.

Think about this…one lone women, a proud daughter of the Blackfeet Nation…decided that she would sue the government on behalf of 500,000 of her brothers and sisters. Like Gandhi, King and countless other true leaders, she did not let the odds stand in her way, nor was she dissuaded by daunting obstacles (including a veritable army of government lawyers). She has raised close to 16 million dollars to take this case all the way…and on October 10th, when she stands before U.S. District Judge James Robertson in Courtroom 23A, she will begin the final leg of her journey for justice.

I hope to join her. As much as I dug standing in front of the Medicine Wheel, and feeling the power of countless generations who made the journey up the Big Medicine Mountain to ponder the journey…nothing beats standing WITH a person who takes life by the horns and stands up to be counted. That’s a leader.

High Water in Dry Denton

For those who follow; I dig firsts. Life affords ongoing opportunities to try new things all the time, and even in my advancing years I’m amazed how often I can look up from the journey and say, “well, that’s one thing I can scratch off the list.”

I was in Denton, which is located in a dry (they don’t sell liquor) county, and on my last night of a three day sojourn in the Lone Star State, I had to “join” a private club to get a drink. It really was nothing more than a cover charge, which I anticipated anyway, as I was going to one of those “3 Bands-4-3 Bucks” nights at a local bar…but as I was paying for the pleasure of entering Andy’s, a swell little dump on the city square, I realized that in ALL my years of drunken debauchery I had NEVER done one of those “pay up-thanks, you’re now a member” deals. Now I have.

Anyway….Denton was an amazing adventure, and I owe it ALL to a joyfully circumspect bit of chance luck. A young woman out there named Valerie Gallardo had read my book, and commented to a DC friend that she dug it. He knew me and wrote me a note to tell me I had a fan in TX. “Great….that makes two,” was my response, as well as a request for her e-mail address so that I could forward my thanks. Long story short-she mentioned me to a group of University of North Texas “American Humanics” students who were coming to DC and they dropped by DCCK. We jawed for a few minutes and they asked me if I’d come out to speak at UNT, and that was that. Or so I thought.

I take ALL my gigs serious…but still, you never know what you’re going to get until you get there…and these AMAZING young leaders worked me like a pack mule, from morning till night…and then some.

I did 7 talks in two days, and I met just about everybody in a three county radius-faculty (funny thing, their new President, Gretchen Bataille is an old colleague and the former President of UNC Chapel Hill-we both did a double take when we saw each other!!!) and TONS of really open minded and committed to “what’s next” nonprofit leaders-folks like Gary Henderson of Communities in Schools, Scott Orr at Christian Community Action, the ENTIRE board of the Daily Bread Kitchen and Lylette Pharr from the Tarrant Area Food Bank. But the students took the proverbial cake.

They have a real team of aces high, academic leaders over at UNT-Dr.’s Lisa Dicke, Tom Evenson and Linda Holloway to name names…and they have got a group of the most dedicated, determined and down right dangerous (if you are a boring nonprofit leader) students who are major league into making something new happen. Allie, David, Melissa, Nathan, the SUPER TWINS-they totally made these two days the best I’ve had in eons, and if ANY of them come looking for a job-grab em quick and send me a thank you note (with cash). I also met this super bad young dynamo named Miguel Juanez, who leads Future Without Poverty, another on-campus group that helped out at my final gig, and another first-a hunger awareness banquet, featuring the staggeringly tight, One O’Clock Lab Band (side note-UNT has one of the country’s premiere jazz programs. Nora Jones is an alumnus!!!). Now that I think about it-between the hunger banquet AND Andy’s, that was two firsts in one night, which is another first-DAMN-a fuckin trifecta of firsts!!!!

One serious shout out has to go to Ashley Gatta, who, in addition to being one of the Humanics leaders, is also putting out a CD next week. Check out her mind blowing talent at www.ashleygatta.com. The only thing bigger than her smile will be your smile when her voice hits your ears.

Another goes out to my friend David Davenport, who runs the End Hunger Network down in Houston. He was up in Dallas (just a stone’s throw from Denton) for some medical work and when he learned I was in the hood, he drove up so we could sit a spell and conversate (if that’s not a word, it should be). Long story short-he had a vision for a super kitchen and he made it happen. He had LOTS of help, and he’s got a tight team…but make no mistake-this colossus of love was fueled by Dave Power. If you ever get down near Houston, reach out and tell him Robert sent ya.

And finally…..if you ever get near Denton, then drive up the road a few more miles and look for the exit to Ponder, Texas. Besides having a bank that Bonnie and Clyde shot up, they are the home to the Ranchman’s Steak House (or the Ponder Steak House-it works either way) that is one of those “my god, I’m dead and I landed in meat heaven” kind of shacks that makes America worth calling home. Serious…if you dig cow, this is the shizznit, my carnizzle. Home-made from scratch-EVERYTHING. They gave me the nickel tour and, besides leaving a trail of drool you could see from space, they made me feel like a true son of Texas.

And that is a mantle I’m wearing proud as I roll out again. This time to Billings, MT.

But my first stop-LA, Bebe…to see about a TV show. My motto: why talk, when you can talk on TV!?!??!

More soon.

History Being Made

Today is a huge day for the nonprofit sector…a day that may well one day be regarded as our independence day.

That word--independent--has come up a lot of late. In my recent debate with Pablo Eisenberg it was bandied about as a reason we should avoid politics. Pablo and others fancy themselves and the sector as independent of business and government. I do not.

Simply put….we take their money, we wear their logos and we keep a lid on numerous social issues that would have boiled over decades ago were it not for our sweat and determination. Our causes are true…but we have allowed our work and our contributions to be marginalized for decades.

To be blunt (but to employ the semi-poetic vernacular of my beloved hometown of Washington DC), we are but servants in the house of America. Some may work inside the house, others rest on the porch while the majority toil in the fields….but make NO mistake—we are, ALL of us, servants.

Today that ends. TODAY, we stand together. Today we join in the decision making the process.

Today is the first official Primary Project candidate forum. Our honored guest is Governor Mike Huckabee of Arkansas, and we applaud his vision for recognizing the army of dedicated Americans that we are. He will be the first and, mark my words, all will follow.

The road to this day has been rough. Many trembled at the specter of the “we can’t be political” urban myth. Others were simply “too busy” raising that money to stand with us. Others see the task as too big, or the challenges to overcome to daunting.

We do not.

In fact…the “we” I am talking about…they do not number in the thousands…if we are lucky, there will be a few hundred or so. But like the movie “300” it’s not how many are standing together, but where they are standing that matters.

They are standing in Dover, at the McConnell Center, an inter-generational community center, smack dab in the Granite State--New Hampshire--the first primary state.

Mark our words….candidates are beginning to get it. They are beginning to understand that there are 20 million nonprofit employees out there, backed up by 60 million volunteers, who are looking for a leader who sees us for the “ready to work” legions we are. We have the resources, the stamina and the faith to help turn this country around. We are EVERYWHERE and we can do anything.

IF we are led by a President who understands our potential.

Today we moved beyond wishing and hoping that we get that leader. TODAY we participated.

History is a cool thing to be part of. Join us.