Hope Community Foundation

Today's title is a phrase that weighed on my mind. Mulled for over an hour or two in the middle of the night – say 2 am! Over and over again words unassociated floated about and danced with one another, associating a bit here and a bit there; finally two words came together and stayed paired. But the phrase was not complete; more was needed.

Finally, the concept of community, coupled with the concept of hope, were placed in a framework that might accomplish something – foundation. And there is was – Hope Community Foundation.

It’s purpose? To work with communities needing and wanting more in their lives. Something they could do for themselves with the assets and tools at hand. Maybe a key partnership or two to help make good things happen, but just the same, something local focused on the community and expanding the quality of life there.

What started this thought process? The other day I passed an empty church property that is for sale. I don’t know the story about the congregation and why it is no longer there. But I have been impressed with the property for its modular design and purposefulness.

It struck me the facility could easily be re-purposed as a ‘community center’ but the question was which community? And for what purposes? A couple of programs or more? How expansive would this ‘center’ be in the life of the community?

So I began thinking of the programs needed in that specific area: day care for the usual group of young children; day care for special needs kids; day care for adults with special needs. That’s when I realized the facility was well designed for these programs. Others could just as easily be assigned to the spaces depending on community needs.

Then the thought swerved to licensing and professionalism required to provide the programs under state supervision. That would require specialized management and operations. But those exist elsewhere, how could we attract them to this space and serve our local populations?

So I added professional organizations to the mix and came up with local park districts and church organizations. These have the interest and the professional training to take on the management of specialized programs. Even contracting for some of those programs from established organizations would work in partnership.

What is the attraction for each? Well, the population in need, of course; the facility with so much promise and adaptive fit; and professional mission and vision of course!

Expensive? To some degree, yes; but think about this; the facility is on the market for $1.5 million and includes acreage. Some of the latter can be sold off to soften the purchase price; but professional operations of the program will include daily/monthly attendance fees well established in the market; some of these fees are covered by insurance; others are subsidized by government programs. In all there will be revenue streams available to pay expenses and a mortgage for the facilities.

Also, the holder of the current mortgage may be willing to work with the professional partnerships involved. This would secure their mortgage investment. I would think they would be interested in this!

Now to some specifics. The location is on the border of West Chicago and Warrenville, Illinois. It is on a major commuter route and accessible to passing traffic – ideal for drop off and pick up of kids and adults enrolled in the programs. The communities have solid working populations with family members in need of the programs mentioned. Who might have the talent and organization to provide the services in the facility? Several organizations do this type of work and hopefully would be available to supply contract work to the local site. Other programs can be explored for offering at the community center as well. Also, both communities have professional park districts that could join forces to share the management of this project going forward.

Putting several ideas together to produce a larger program and operational entity is not hard to do. Mostly we let problems expand in our mind’s eye and lament the inability to do something about them. Well something can be done about such problems. All it takes is imagination and belief that individuals can make a difference.

Would anyone like to take on this project? For the good of Warrenville and West Chicago communities? How about building an umbrella organization as use it as a template to replicate community centers all over the nation?

This is an argument for people to take control of their own issues and fix them; not alone, but in collaboration with others who can help. This is not an argument for larger governments, either. In fact, this is an argument for shared responsibilities that keeps government growth in check.

Now who might  be interested in this type of project?

October 10, 2017

Hard versus Soft Skills

This phrase was shared with me the other day by a colleague. He pointed out that soft skills – those that allow us human beings to relate to one another positively – are disappearing. Or so it seems. Instead our focus is on the hard skills – computational, programming, selling, building, hand work and brain work in analysis, writing and so forth.

As we go about our business of life we note how edgy people are, tense, uncommunicative, even angry and spoiling for a fight. Facebook posts are filled with such sentiments. So too blogs, news feeds, and all the rest of social media. What gives?

Well, maybe we have allowed the hard stuff to push the soft stuff out of our lives. Maybe?

Let’s see – a pet bounds to the door when we return home; it cuddles with us for moments to re-establish contact with us. Spouse and kids greet one another warmly as they re-enter the family’s nest after a day of being away.

Evening hours in front of the TV allow time to decompress from our hectic day, but do such intervals really allow that? So much drama and news programming on public media now continues to push serious topics into our consciousness. We call this civic duty and artistic stimulation. Really?

Do we really need more stimulation?

I think we need relaxation and time to ponder. Some call this meditation. Others calmly insist it is thinking things over. Sorting things out. Blending our experiences of the day together so it makes more sense.

Mulling things over helps balance the mind, doesn’t it? Sorting and weighing relative values. Recalling comments made by associates during the day; did I fully understand what he or she meant? Were other meanings of the interchange possible? Did I miss something? If so, what is it and can I pick up the thread tomorrow when next we meet up?

Not all people are 100% accurate in their responses to banter or conversation. Some heavy clues are missed, clues that hint at meaningful content we need to process moving forward: in that relationship or problem/solution matter. Rapid fire exchanges may seem like fun at the time but there are layers of meaning lurking in the communication; this is what makes them clever and fun exciting and challenging. But more meaning remains for processing. Are we doing the processing, now or later? Do we take the time to think about such things?

The world of feeling is what makes each of us uniquely human.

That statement alone should make us stop and listen. Often it doesn’t. instead we glibly move on to the next topic of consumption. Feelings. Sensitivities. Right and wrong. Liking, loving, attracted or whatever. These are complex matters not quickly digested. They are often more like clues to niggle us to ponder.

The other day someone in a meeting suggested the old sales routine of getting to know the personal side of a client was a lost art. It was claimed the art built a relationship that would fuel interest and loyalty to our company, services and products. From that base we could and would sell again and again to the client. Based on our relationship with them.

Another commenter alleged that perhaps what is missing is a sincere attempt to learn the needs of the client. Really seeking clear answers from the client as to his/her needs is another way of getting to know the person of the client. But the facts learned are focused on a transactional relationship that matters to both parties at the time. How many of us actually know what our clients need? Do we ask the right questions? Do we understand the client’s relative capability to grasp all the complexities of his situation and what solutions may be needed to help him manage the problems?

Assessing needs and capabilities. Both represent our task, but the skill sets needed to do this are quite different. One is based on hard skill sets and the other soft skills. The human dimension. It requires both.

I suspect most of us shy away from the soft skills applications. We are unsure of what to do or say. We may even be embarrassed. Afraid to hurt someone? To get in over our head in such things?

I get it.

But this mixing in with the lives of others enriches our lives – theirs and ours.

More on this topic soon. Something more to think about!

October 9, 2017

Connections – Again

I witnessed something the other evening that was remarkable. I facilitated a roundtable discussion for SCORE. Entrepreneurs of varying ages, seven of them of varying stages of development in their business formations, came together to air their questions and needs. To make their business dreams take form from the start, or to advance what they already had in place. My job was to get them to mix and share – who they are, what they needed help with, and what they could share to help others in the room.

Well I got them started. And then – Wow! Pow! – things happened fast. All at once they seemed willing to share openly and rapidly. The real mover was a 19-year-old guy from Aurora. An African American who was excited and on fire with enthusiasm. He had ideas and was working them in real life and commerce. E-commerce. And that topic was what most of the folks needed to talk about.

Small businesses. Small marketing budgets. The need to get their name, product and services out in front of other people. People to buy, to help, to network with. How to do this without breaking their piggy banks? How to understand how to work social media as marketing (that’s what it is!) and get it to work for them.

Social media works great if you know how to work it. Few know this. Our young Aurora friend did. And the roundtable took care of itself.

I got the ball rolling and they took it. I sat back in amazement and realized what was happening. I understood some of it, but my job was to get things started and get out of the way. I did!

I’m still trying to make full sense of it all. Here is what I’ve come up with so far:

·         Younger generations absorb the universe around them. They feel the connection

·         Younger people feel the entrepreneurial bug just like we did; they have different tools and methods than we did and do

·         They intrinsically trust more than we did (?) and share more willingly

·         They give and get at the same time; the price and payoff is built into that dynamic

·         They continue doing this in place when they sense the value is there

·         The deeper they go into the subject matter the more they can share with others who need help and receive as much help as they give in return

I am certain the above bullet points are true. Still working on them. I will continue to do so and share what I learn in this blog.

Meanwhile how does this fit with my understanding of the broader world? That is taking more time and effort. Some early conclusions are these:

·         Each of us has much to learn from one another

·         Our private minds and spaces are our creative labs; portable and contained

·         Other people are needed to prove our ideas and creations work; we must remain in relationship with others

·         Communication is an act of relationship; it requires trust and willingness to be open to others

·         Younger people are less encumbered with protocols, knowledge and enculturated norms

·         Older people have much to share but some of it is baggage that hinders sharing and mutual understanding

·         Much of our environment contains fresh new data and understanding how it fits with old data – or replaces it!

·         Figuring out how the new works and enhances our lives takes openness and courage to explore

·         We cannot advance if we sit in our quiet little private spaces

·         Seek new people, new data, and new experiences to advance your own understanding

·         Include diversity in this brave new world: men and women together; cultures and ethnicities enriching each other; acceptance and tolerance of differences, better yet, ignore those differences; taken as differences they hinder; unaware of them they enrich

That’s a good list to start with.

Meanwhile older folks need to know that younger people have a gift for us. It is ours if we are open to receive it.

October 6, 2017

Equal Access to Government

Harvey stormed ashore off the Gulf of Mexico smack into Texas; then it backed up and hit it again; it backed up another time, took aim to the east a bit and slammed into Louisiana. Meanwhile the storm system continued to dump enormous rain totals throughout Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana and points north.

Then Irma slammed the northern Caribbean islands and finally took full-on aim for Florida; eventually it moved west and up the western Gulf coast of Florida. The entire state of Florida was affected by the storm but not as badly as originally feared. Irma continued up to the north and Mid-Atlantic states and then petered out. Jose followed Irma but turned north over vast reaches of ocean and went up towards Maine and Canada; it never did much damage to the US mainland.

But Maria came along in short order and slammed the Caribbean again, raked across all of Puerto Rico, and moved north into the Atlantic threatening some damage to US coastal areas but none actually happened.

Backdrop to all of this storm activity were two earthquakes in short order for Mexico. No damage in the US but a lot of death and destruction in Mexico.

Unsettled was Mexico and America and the Caribbean island states. Where to turn for help? Each other, of course, but so many were occupied at the same time with their own woes. Response times were swift but hampered. Some response was downright late as in Puerto Rico. But help finally arrived.

What is fully needed and what will be provided over time is still an open question. And this is somewhat reasonable given the enormity of all that has happened in a short period of time. But still, help will need to be delivered to Puerto Rico.

On the American mainland resources exist for the immediate disaster, then regional and national aid is available as follow up until the entire job is done. In the island territory of Puerto Ricco the damage was huge and systemic. Other than air drops or helicopters, not much direct aid could be sent to help; only coastal aid approaching ports, docks and some airports. As those facilities were cleaned up enough to receive aid shipments, aid was received, and redistributed via land routes as best as possible.

Truth be told, infrastructure was so damaged in Puerto Rico that secondary and tertiary airports were still not serviceable. Ports were rehabilitated enough to continue to receive shipments but the problem continued to be distribution routes into interior areas of the island. In many cases aid shipments were stalled for many days. Roads were washed out as were bridges.

That is an indication of the severity of the problems Puerto Rico suffered from. And it is an indication of just how much they needed massive aid from America. Eventually it came, but distributing it all will continue to be a problem until the infrastructure is cleared and repaired. That will take months in many cases, and years in some.

The issue eventually comes down to access to government services. We can imagine the difficulties. Especially given the rash of damaging storms which strained the nation’s abilities to respond again and again. But in Puerto Rico’s situation, much more help was needed faster and more thoroughly.

We can only hope that a better far-reaching plan will be developed in time for implementation for the next Category 4 or 5 hurricane. This is an issue for both the regional and territorial government as well as America’s FEMA organization.

I can’t shake the feeling that Puerto Ricans did not receive equal access to America’s help when it needed it the most. 

October 5, 2017

Do It Yourself

Years ago Marshall Field’s Department Store advised the shopper, “The package you take with you gets home quicker.” That was a friendly reminder that would save you time and them money; after all, they generously offered to deliver your package directly to your home or gift recipient at no cost. In the early days public transportation did not present convenient circumstances to transporting home shopping bags filled with stuff. So the service originated for practical reasons as opposed to pure service.

But the point remains: do it yourself and you are in control of the results; take the package with you and you know it will be home at the same time you arrive there.

An apt metaphor for the times in which we live. If you yearn for an outcome that is not currently present, it will happen soonest if you get involved with producing that outcome. At the same time you will be present as the problems and solutions are worked out and defined. Let’s not forget defining the desired outcomes as well! That may be the larger task to do!

So, how do we use this gem of wisdom?

Let’s see, a mass shooting in Vegas. Not a good thing. Preventable under certain conditions, but in a free society, the event remains possible. So prevention is a matter of degree. What can I do about it? What can you do about it?

My position is to share my opinion on Facebook and in my blog. I can live with the Second Amendment that gives our citizens the right to bear arms. It is a means to keep the government from being all-controlling. Citizens may own arms and bear them. The circumstances of all that are not spelled out in the constitution. Court decisions up and down the entire judicial system have opined on the second amendment. It remains open today but I think it will slowly be tightened up.

Plainly spoken, there are limits to the right to bear arms. We must have limits imposed on the type of weaponry available to the citizens. Hand guns are for protection and target shooting. One does not have to own an armory of such weapons, one or two perhaps. A collection of guns disabled from firing is OK as well, but not capable of firing in an immediate sense. It is a collection, not an armory.

Rifles are good for sport hunting, target shooting and more. But one does not have to have a large number of these guns to participate in sports. So, a limit on the number of guns owned by one person. Seems reasonable.

Also with rifles, the nature of the caliber and firing mechanism should be limited. Large caliber is for what purpose? Penetrating an armored vehicle? If so, this is police and military issue only; no citizen should have an operating fire arm that is capable of war. That’s what we have an army and police force for. Civilian controls over both armed forces are present, so we can trust they are not out to get us citizens. So we don’t need to duplicate their capabilities as ordinary citizens.

Machine guns and others with the capability of firing sustained rounds is not a sport feature desired by the sportsperson. So they should not be available to the public.

Registration of all weapons is required so public safety personnel can track down where the guns are and keep everyone who owns such responsible for the armaments. This is not a violation of privacy. It is a violation of my safety if you don’t have to be accountable for the whereabouts of your armaments. Public safety policy 101.

Mental and emotional upsets should disallow ownership of guns. It’s the responsible thing to do. It would prevent unhinged persons from amassing weaponry and ammunition to kill lots of people. It wouldn’t stop such incidents from happening, but it might just slow them down long enough to prevent their occurrence. Who knows if this would work? It’s worth a try in my opinion.

Too many innocent victims of shootings occur in America. It is not right. To some degree it is preventable. We should try.

So, per this day’s blog, you can do something about this. Here are some steps to take:

-Write your opinion; share it with others; blog, Facebook posting, letter to the editor, whatever

-Share your opinion with your elected representatives who can enact legislation to effect your opinion on this matter. They are supposed to do what is right and what their constituents feel about such matters. They can’t do that without knowing your stand on the issues. Share them.

-Join a group that shares your view and works for enactment of solutions to the problems you are interested in. Be a part of the solution, not a part of the problem.

This action on your part is the least you can do to ensure the world works better than it did before. We have problems in this world; we need to define them and learn what we can do about them. We then need to take action. Peaceful, knowledgeable action. I can do it; so can you. So let’s do it. Your opinion and mine may cancel each other out. That’s OK. At least we are doing something and not sitting back and complaining.

Act on your beliefs. Be civil. But share your thoughts. It is the only way you will learn the ins and outs of all the issues. And have a chance of making a difference.

October 4, 2017

Sixth Anniversary

Not an exciting title today, but a chronological fact. Six years ago, today I began this blog, View from Here, ‘a personal journal and commentary on today’s issues.’ In that time, I’ve shared a lot of personal tidbits and opinions. Some have been deeply personal; some frivolous; others demonstrated my struggle to understand the world one day at a time. Just like you.

Most of us take life one day at a time. The challenge is real; it is a struggle at times. Like yesterday’s mass shooting in Las Vegas, Nevada. What an awful thing; deranged. A product of freedom on one hand and mental illness on the other, free assembly and celebration of life and music, too. A mosh of things converging spelling antithesis of so many elements. Difficult to make sense of it, but we do in bits and pieces and go on to another day.

Like today. We awake to a fresh day and face articulation of our lives. What matters? What makes sense to us today? What will we do with this day? Will we be intentional in our actions and thinking? Will we have purpose and drive? Or will automatic pilot guide us through well established routines? When will we be real and allow authentic involvement? Or will we hide behind protocol and manners to smooth our journey of the day?

I have a meeting this morning that should prove important to the organization sponsoring it. I need to be present in mind to absorb the import of the session and offer my feedback if is worthy. I had a conference call with a client last evening; that session needs a write up and more thought to produce recommendations for them to follow. Their dynamics are not much different from the synergy and creative needs of the meeting this morning. They are of a piece. So too meetings later this week. Each have purpose and are creative parts of a much larger whole.

Much of life is like that. Connected. Part of the whole. To be joined and functioning as part of that whole, we need to think and articulate what the meaning is and connection as well. It takes thought and concentration.

It takes ‘being in the moment’ and authentically so.

Heavy thought. But this is what life is made of. It is not all fun and games unless you really like this sort of thing. I do. That’s the truth. If that makes me weird or different, well, welcome to my world. This is the sort of thing I do.

When I started writing this blog it was a tool to help me cope with life. At the time I was writing and editing for a local community newspaper, a weekly. It was a heady project and very worthwhile to those of us who produced the newspaper, and hopefully as much appreciated by the community for which and of which it was created. Feedback suggests it was valued. But writing the local in a world of global happenings was not as clear cut as it would seem. My mind conflated some of the issues. Not appropriate. So I wrote in both spheres and kept them separate.

That alone provide opportunity for unique viewpoints. Eventually I wrote about them. Not because I could, but rather because I had to. I had to work it out, explain it, articulate it. It was important I do this. For me. Along the way others read it and witnessed it. Whether it was important to them or not remains to be seen. Reflections on life are good for the soul I think. They are helpful to others to ponder as well. Perhaps that is all this blog is good for. Maybe it is worth more. Who will ever know or say?

We live with mystery – not knowing outcomes or meaning of many things. It is life unfolding. It requires attention and pondering. That needs quiet times and space. Both are luxuries in our time of haste and chaos. So much happening all at once. So much meaning forming simultaneously and independently and yet co-dependently, too. This is how the universe exists in real time. The meaning of it is for us to figure out.

This blog is my effort to do just that. For me. And you as well if it is of interest to you. There are 1847 items published here in six years, now approaching 2 million words. That’s a lot of thoughts shared. Many of them are most likely insignificant. But the weight of the whole still has presence for me. It has been a good ride and one that I wish to continue.

I hope you are willing and interested to continue the journey along with me. We are never truly alone and I need your company to keep me grounded.

Until tomorrow, then!

October 3, 2017

Connections

This title keeps popping up. I’ll tell you why.

I work with SCORE clients. SCORE is the ‘service corps of retired executives’ and it was started 54 years ago as an adjunct to the Small Business Administration operating out of the Commerce Department in Washington DC. Its purpose then as now is to help individuals start their own businesses, or help small struggling businesses survive their many challenges.

The thought has always been that small businesses are the job creation engine of our nation. That remains true to this day. So in our small way SCORE mentors help entrepreneurs form their small enterprises. One new job created. As it survives a person is hired to help keep the business moving forward. Two jobs now accounted for. Their activity meshes with other businesses and soon more work is generated and others are hired to perform that work. More jobs.

Last year SCORE was directly involved in creating 54,000 jobs. That’s a pretty standard outcome; year after year. Of course this doesn’t count the jobs saved by helping a small firm survive. About 40% of SCORE’s work involves small existing businesses; the other 60% of effort is devoted to startups.

Now, where do you suppose SCORE meets with their individual clients? Yes, there are meeting rooms and offices that are used, but mostly these are borrowed or shared spaces at local community colleges or chambers of commerce. A lot of mentor/mentee meetups are conducted at local Starbucks or Panera Bread coffee shops. And other restaurants and diners, too. Countless small enterprises hosting anonymous meetups of people intent on building new businesses.

Connections. All of this activity is about connecting people with one another. For what purpose, you ask? Well, to think about ideas that matter to those people, ideas that will yield newer ideas and finally possibilities of actions leading to fresh new businesses.

Inventive thoughts, really. Most of my readers would be amazed at the breadth and depth of the ideas discussed. Far ranging and climbing mountains of data that suddenly mean something completely new and dazzling.

The human brain is an amazing instrument. It creates concepts out of thin air. Those concepts can be connected to others and a synergy starts taking shape. Sometimes carrying a part of that concept to someone else develops partnerships unthinkable before. Soon odd pairings take place. Weeks later you hear of projects underway that would never have happened if the two thinkers hadn’t first met.

And we mentors often connect the dots so haphazardly that we don’t know what miracles we have helped create.

That’s something to think about. I often come home from one of these meetings walking about 14 inches above the sidewalk. Somehow this work elevates the spirit and mental acuity. The genius that is everywhere around us becomes obvious if but for a split second.

Future. Possibilities. All from connections. So tenuous, yet so powerful.

October 2, 2017