The Courage of Forgiveness

Peace comes when you talk to the guy you most hate. And that’s where the courage of a leader comes, because when you sit down with your enemy, you as a leader must already have very considerable confidence from your own constituency.

Forgiveness is saying, "Whatever you may have done, however awful, it does not define you completely. Even if you committed murder, even the most gruesome murder, it doesn’t then turn you into a demon. You still have the capacity to become a saint." Forgiveness says you are given another chance to make a new beginning. - Archbishop Desmond Tutu on Forgiveness

Halfway around the globe another Anglican bishop, John Rucyahana, describes a reconciliation project that seems radical and unreal: Rwanda's ex-prisoners building homes for those who not only survived the genocide, but for the family members of those they killed. Laura Waters Hinson powerfully unfolds this story and expands our understanding of what makes us incredibly and oftentimes painfully connected to each other. With Rwanda's courage to transcend its transgressions we find ourselves challenging our own capacity to forgive. As We Forgive triumphantly expresses the highest form of leadership in action.

Living Service

Be like a ladder, not like a leader. If you become a ladder, then everyone develops themselves.

Jayesh Patel, founder of the Indian NGO Manav Sadhna, shows us how the Gandhian principles inspiring the organization are put into practice in the vast slums of Ahmedabad. There are enough good ideas, says Jayesh; what is needed to make real change is the commitment to one another through humble service. Ultimately, it is heartfelt compassion and sincere spirituality that motivates effective service to humanity.

Awakening Possibility in Other People

The conductor doesn't make a sound. He depends on his power on the ability to make other people powerful. And that changed everything for me. I realized my job was to awaken possibility in other people. - Benjamin Zander

A Willingness to Find Meaning in Something Greater than Ourselves

"As we consider the road that unfolds before us, we remember with humble gratitude those brave Americans who, at this very hour, patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains. They have something to tell us today, just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the ages. We honor them not only because they are guardians of our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of service; a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves. And yet, at this moment - a moment that will define a generation - it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all.

"Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends - hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism - these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility - a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.

"America. In the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations."

- President Barack H. Obama

The Night I Met Bill Drayton

"Mr. Drayton, my name is Amanda, it's an honor to meet you."
"Amanda, please call me Bill."
"Bill, your ideas has given me the courage to be a changemaker and take a chance on what I believe in."
He looks at my badge. "RethinkBPD?"
"It's a cause for mental illness."
"BPD, like Borderline Personality Disorder?"
"Yes! I was only diagnosed two years ago. I spent half of my life suffering. If only I knew earlier. That's what I hope to do with my project... I just don't know if I have enough in me to take it on. Is there any advice you can share with me?"
"Well, listen, BPD is a very serious illness and you have a lot to offer in terms of change. This is definitely something that's needed... you have a voice."
"How do I do it without any kind of funding? That's my biggest problem."
"You just do it. You don't need much. You start small, like so many others at Ashoka. There's a definite need out there. You'll hear the response."

Thank you Mr. Drayton, for all that you've done. You've made a big impact on my life.

Yes We Can

To me the video is a reminder about the importance of inspiration. Leaders—and you are now, or will someday be, a leader—have a great many roles to play and responsibilities to fulfill. But great leaders inspire, pure and simple. There are many ways to inspire people (your group, your company, your country). Great communication skills are not the only way. Nonetheless, the ability to paint pictures with your words—moving people and inspiring them with your ideas and your vision—can take you far in this world. If you fail to inspire, they will fail to listen. Never underestimate the power you have to inspire.
Via Presentation Zen.



For when we have faced down impossible odds, when we've been told we're not ready or that we shouldn't try or that we can't, generations of Americans have responded with a simple creed that sums up the spirit of a people: Yes, we can. Yes, we can. Yes, we can.

It was a creed written into the founding documents that declared the destiny of a nation: Yes, we can. It was whispered by slaves and abolitionists as they blazed a trail towards freedom through the darkest of nights: Yes, we can. It was sung by immigrants as they struck out from distant shores and pioneers who pushed westward against an unforgiving wilderness: Yes, we can.

It was the call of workers who organized, women who reached for the ballot, a president who chose the moon as our new frontier, and a king who took us to the mountaintop and pointed the way to the promised land: Yes, we can, to justice and equality. Yes, we can, to opportunity and prosperity. Yes, we can heal this nation. Yes, we can repair this world.

Yes, we can.

The Changemakers

Chutes too Narrow

It's only been a week into my year-long project and I've already found myself in a bit of a quandary: should I make my personal cause public? It seems like an obvious answer (of course!), albeit insignificant (my handful of loyal readers, you rock) but sometimes the things most close to heart are those most difficult to open up about. And so I look to a fellow journeyer, Rebecca Thorman, to remind me simply — yet powerfully — of what it means to lead:

...being a leader means being unfailingly honest and transparent. Stay true to who you are. The rest will follow... The longer you wait to take action, the higher the edge will seem from the ground. You must take the jump, and trust the parachute will open eventually.

While you're waiting for that chute to open one of the first things you worry about is being out there, all alone, falling flat on your face with no one there to help you pick up the pieces. But I've noticed that the more you do put yourself out there, the more you tell your story and the more personal it becomes, the less those worry-thoughts appear and the more courage you gain. Somehow, you find meaning in this crazy journey you've started on and even on the bad days you can hear yourself saying, sure, I can do this. I can definitely do this...

So thanks Rebecca, for your words of encouragement. Here's to taking that first step, that first jump. Here's to what we're doing right now — sharing our ideals, our passion, our accomplishments and mistakes — just laying it all out there. For what we we do now can only create the change and much needed momentum for the journey on. Who doesn't need that.

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When you commit yourself to making a difference in the world and share your passion and idealism with others, 'guardian angels' will emerge to help you. - City Year cofounder Alan Khazei as quoted in Forces for Good

Vision & Pragmatism

Social entrepreneurs often seem to be possessed by their ideas, committing their lives to changing the direction of their field. They are both visionaries and ultimate realists, concerned with the practical implementation of their vision above all else.

- Leslie Crutchfield & Heather McLeod Grant from Forces for Good

Start Where You Are

After much thinking and reflection, I (for now, at least) have decided to take a year to research, study, gain experience and exposure, as well as find my voice and build momentum before I incorporate as a non-profit. I've been reading these insightful books on non-profits and social sectors and they've described what it takes to be not just a good organization, but a great one. One of the major points they make is to vision the organization beyond one's own lifetime. If I can envision this organization beyond myself -- and greater than myself -- it will develop much more effectively, with precision and definitive impact.

Many of my peers share the same goals, passions and drive. What differentiates us is our experience in the social sector -- something i am just beginning to understand. I think it's great how much insight, connection, and awareness they have, like a quarterback calling out plays, inherently aware of where and how and at what point you want to throw the ball. Me, well I'm still here futzing around with the playbook!

So I decided to create this blog to help record my progress for the year. There's this incredibly inspiring woman, Rosetta Thurman, who blogs about non-profit professionals changing the face of the social sector. She writes wonderfully about leadership:

Having the courage to speak out about anything is a challenge, but when it is especially personal or compelling to you is when it most needs to be done. Our most authentic and inspirational leaders were able to move people to social change because they pulled the courage to speak out and act on what they believed was right from the very belly of their being.

We've all got skills and talents and ideas. For young nonprofit professionals with incredible idealism and passion to boot, it seems that the only thing standing between the problems and the solutions is having the courage to step forward and take action .

The "Courage to Lead" is my own stepping forward and taking action. I grew up pretty shy and pretty self-reliant, thinking I'd just be okay minding my own business, working for some firm. But life happens and life has made me see things and how we're connected to those things in an entirely new way. Once we realize we have a vision and have this intense desire to communicate that vision with the whole world... well there's no turning back. We can't get back into the comfort of our shell. We have to move forward, with courage, hope and discipline. That's where I'm starting. First with hope, then with discipline and courage will soon follow!