Webster’s defines an En-tre-pre-neur (pronounced: “on-tray-pre-newer) as: “One who launches or manages a business venture, often assuming risks.”

A lot of people don’t like that last part. Our natural instincts are to avoid taking risks. Our basic instincts are bent toward survival. We want security, not uncertainty. We want stability, not risk. We want simplicity, not complicity. Nothing wrong with that, right? However, when we really think about it, where can we get a guaranteed life of security, stability and simplicity?

I suppose it used to be that individuals and families could depend upon corporate America, or Government, to provide these things on a pretty sure and solid foundation. Our parents - and some of us - were offered a job that guaranteed a monthly paycheck (oftentimes with an opportunity for advancement and increased pay), health insurance and some type of guaranteed retirement pension such as a 401K, or the like. But as we have experienced in the last several years - TIMES IN AMERICA HAVE CHANGED. We are living in a time historians will dub as the “bailout era” (or something like that), as we witnessed the very institutions of our economic foundation come crumbling down, and stand in line for a handout/bailout (in the billions of tax payer dollars of course).

The long term security we once took for granted is no longer “guaranteed” and many people are not retiring as soon as they had planned. And those who had retired, are going back to work, and not always at the same pay grade they were at when they retired. Not to mention the millions of Americans who recently lost their jobs through being laid-off, while unemployment in our country still remains at record highs. Sounds kinda gloomy and doomy don’t it? But that is not my point (nor do I believe in the economic doom and gloom scenario - the fact is there is plenty of money to be made - more on that later.).

My point is to dispel the myth that getting a conventional Monday - Friday, 9 to 5 job is the safest and least risky thing we can do to provide for our families. Of course if one enjoys there job and/or finds a job that meets all their needs - more power to you! - But in my view, we should also be encouraged to follow our dreams and passions - the same unconventional path many have taken to create some of the best products and services we all purchase and enjoy - rather than just being programmed into the “job market”.

I especially like to encourage young people with this message because I believe too many adults and youth miss their “true calling” (or vocation) in life because we end up settling for something that does not really tap into all our gifts , talents and passions we are naturally endowed with from birth. I imagine there are some of you reading this right now who identify exactly with what I’m sharing. And one way you know it is that you have what many would consider a “good” job. Yet, it is not fulfilling and you can’t wait to get off work every day to go and do what you really enjoy doing and would do for free you love it so much. But what if you could do it for free and become so good at it that others would pay you to do it? “Is that possible?” you ask, yes it is and others are discovering this all the time. We are called “entrepreneurs”.

Now, to be sure, being an entrepreneur is not for everybody. And certainly there are many, many people who are very happy, and enjoy both successful and significance in their job career. So please don’t misunderstand me. I’m not saying a job is not a good thing. I’m just saying its not the only thing - or even the best way to make money and enjoy quality of life with family and friends.

Trading time for money is honorable and hard work. But trading your time, on your own terms, for the amount of money you deserve, is also honorable and smart work.

For example, I know of many, many entrepreneurs that make in a day what others make in a month. Please don’t let that offend or discourage you. I’m only sharing that to address what I said earlier, that there is plenty of money to be made and why I don’t buy into the doom and gloom scenario we hear on the news every day. But here’s the encouraging part - these entrepreneurs are just ordinary people living an extraordinary life simply because of an idea they decided to act on. I know that sounds too simple and of course there is much more to it than that. But what I want to emphasize is that as I meet these six and seven figure income business people they are no different than you and me. Dad’s, mom’s, grandparents, young, women, men and just regular everyday people. Except for one thing, they made a decision to act on their vision. Their dream. Their passion. And, one more very important characteristic - they failed. A lot. But they never gave up.

“How is that possible?”, you ask. OK - Allow me to now share with you one of the core principles of success here, and then I’ll give some other very key success principles at the end of this article.

Question: How can failure - over and over again - lead to success? Or another way of looking at it is - Why is failure a prerequisite for success?

Answer to the first question:

Because your “why” always needs to be bigger or more important than your “what”.

In other words, if “what” business I do for a living gets hard, brings problems, struggles and failures, none of those things will deter me if I know “why” I do what I do. My motivation for why I do what I do will not allow me to quit. “Why” (not what) is the big question that will keep us going and this brings us to the answer to the second question:

Failure is a prerequisite to success because that really is the only way you’ll know if you are truly doing what you love to do.

If I don’t truly love it. If I’m not truly passionate about it, when the trials of life come, I’ll quit. But that is a good thing because now I can move on to discover and decide on what my true calling, passion and vision is for my life that best fits the gifts and talents God gave me. Thus, failure is turned from a negative into a positive by releasing me to the right career path (there are many stories/biographies of this happening to some of the most successful people).

This leads me to my final point and success principle I’d like to share with you (assuming that if you’ve read this far you are probably interested on some level of becoming an entrepreneur).

This key principle is expressed in various ways, but it is foundational and cannot be overlooked or side-stepped once you decide to take this journey of launching your own business. Yet, it is probably the one that people struggle with the most. It’s a funny thing. I went through that struggle myself and still find myself honing this principle even now - so don’t worry if you don’t get it right away. Few people do. It takes time and concentration.

They entrepreneurial secret to success is:

• To know thyself
• To know your definite chief aim in life
• To discover your purpose in this life

As I said, there are several ways to say it. I like the way my friend and mentor Brendon Burchard (pictured in the first picture above and who earned more than $2.4 million dollars in the last two years alone) teaches it. Here is the framework Brendon teaches in his seminars:

Brendon Burchard’s Elements of Success:

1. Clarity
2. Competence
3. Confidence
4. Commitment
5. Coaching

Now as you can imagine, it would take me too long to fully explain each success element here, so let me just focus on the first one - “Clarity” and the last one “Coaching”:

1. Clarity of purpose - clarity of my motivation - of my big “why” - clarity of my vision and passion. The question we all have is: “How can I know?” Right? Isn’t that what you’re thinking right now? But here’s the thing - you do know! It’s already in you. It’s like a treasure chest that’s been buried just waiting to be discovered. You see, our purpose in life is not something we have to invent. It’s just something we naturally discover by paying attention to:

• Our dreams - God still speaks to us in dreams
• Our inner voice - conscience
• Our emotions - what things get us excited
• Our natural talents - singing, writing, drawing, speaking
• Inspirational books on others accomplishments
• Other peoples encouragement that can “see” it in us

This last point - others who can “see” it in us - speaks to the next success principle of the importance of having a Coach to help us achieve our dreams and goals.

2. Coaching - Brendon is one of my business or life mentors. He is someone I choose to follow, listen to, and learn from. He’s my coach. Hey - if Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Tiger Woods and other top world class athletes need coaching - so do I! Not as an athlete, but as an entrepreneur. And, as all these and other top performers testify to - it pays off to listen to those who know you, and are looking out for your best interests to make sure you become the best you can be. I know it has paid off for me and it will pay off for you too.

It has been said that in order to be successful - we must maintain three relationships in our life:

1. Someone whose life we speak into = to continue our legacy
2. Peers from whom we learn = encouragement and inspiration
3. Someone who we allow to speak into our life = wisdom & accountability

I pray my monthly communication falls into one of the above three categories.

Blessings,

Richard

“Of all the battles I have fought in my career, none has been as tough as my struggle to gain my father’s approval.” – Oscar De La Hoya, World Boxing Champion

Over the years I have noticed a bashfulness or shyness amongst many of the young Hispanic youth I used to counsel. I noticed almost every one of those who came to my office would stare at the floor when they talked to me. They rarely looked me in the eye. I never took that as a sign of disrespect or indifference because I knew how they felt since I had been that way myself. I remember as a young boy how difficult it was to express myself without coming to tears, (especially if I was talking to a teacher or some other authority figure), or how I would be extremely embarrassed to walk in front of any crowd; especially if I thought I would draw attention to myself. I took an “F” in my college speech class just so I would not have to stand up and face an audience as part of my final exam (Hardly the traits of a leader and public speaker). So, I get it. But when it comes to leadership, our ongoing personal growth requires that we acknowledge, address and work to overcome these types of challenges.

As I mentioned, my own inner battles of personal growth, have led me to form a simple theory about how this “social timidity” happens, where it originates, and why it is common amongst so many Hispanic youth. My theory is not scientific, but simply my own observations and process of how I learned to overcome what I call “the voice of shame and self-consciousness.”

My first clue came when I began to read and learn about dysfunctional family systems from Dr. John Bradshaw’s book, “Bradshaw on the Family – A Revolutionary Way of Self-Discovery” (Health Communications, Inc., 1988), and what was described as a “soul sickness”; a deep sense of shame, caused by the lack of affection and abandonment of one or both parents (Physically or emotionally). Bradshaw explained the difference between guilt and shame and the importance of parents knowing this difference. Guilt is feeling bad about something we have done. Guilt says “I’ve made a mistake”. Shame is feeling bad about who we are as a person. Shame says, “I am a mistake”. And therein lies what I believe is at the root of our inner struggle. Shame then develops into self-consciousness. The more I studied these new terms, the more they made perfect sense to me and gave me an understanding I needed to begin to defeat this voice of the past.

Webster’s defines shame as; “a painful feeling of guilt, embarrassment or disgrace. Something that is unfortunate or regrettable”. Thus, shame in and of itself is not bad, until self becomes the subject of the definition. And part of the discipline and verbal reprimand we got sometimes can make one feel that we are “something unfortunate and regrettable” to our parents. We are often the victims of a barrage of belittling remarks like – “what’s wrong with you?”, “are you stupid?”, “you make me sick”, “idiot”, “dummy” and a variety of other put downs some parents consistently use to address their children. Add to this self-consciousness, defined as; “uncomfortably aware of one’s appearance or manner”, and we realize we have what Bradshaw described as “soul sickness”, which can cause us to never really know who we really are.

For example, I recall the battle I fought (and eventually overcame) with words from my father that I perceived to be belittling at the time. Like any young boy, I wanted the approval of my father. But being a child of an alcoholic parent is tough for a variety of reasons, let alone expecting to be nurtured, encouraged and emotionally embraced. I remember when he asked me what I wanted to do, or be when I grew up. At that time my dream was to play professional baseball for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Our house was about a ten minute drive from Dodger stadium. When we did not have the money to pay for a ticket, sometimes we would climb up the hill behind the stadium (Where today you can see the huge blue letters that read “THINK BLUE”) where we could at least partially see pieces of the game. Whenever we went to Dodger stadium, we would wait for hours after the game to get an autograph from any of the players we could catch getting into their car. Some were patient and kind about it, others were not, but it really didn’t matter because it was just as exciting to see the players up close and personal. Baseball soon became my greatest love. Thus, the answer to my dad’s question was that I wanted to play for the Los Angeles Dodgers when I grew up. Now, what do you suppose I wanted to hear from my dad? What do you think a good response from a dad to his son would have been? Something like, “That’s great son, I think you can do it”, or “That’s a great goal and if you work hard and keep playing the way you are now, it’s possible”, or something to that affect. However, his response to me (on more than one occasion) was, “Well, do you really think you’re good enough?” The tone of sarcasm in his voice just caused my heart to sink. “Do I think I’m good enough?! That’s an emotional let down to a little boy. Of course looking back, I realize my dad did not know any better and probably did not mean to discourage me. Nevertheless that “voice” would hinder my thinking about myself over the years.

I’m not sure if this is a cultural thing or not amongst Latino’s, but our parents were quick to verbally correct and sometimes belittle, but slow to give positive verbal praise. It’s kind of like the mentality of playing the game not to lose, rather than playing to win. It was always about what we couldn’t do and the negative warnings of - “don’t get a big head”, “be careful not to think you’re all that”, and “if you don’t have big expectations you won’t have big disappointments”. Not exactly the words that encourage a young boy to believe he can achieve his dream. In addition to the lack of verbal praise, I often witness a lack of physical affection many of our youth experience as a normal part of their daily life. Sometimes to the point where the parent actually physically pushes children away from them when they come towards them as a natural need for the parents touch and comfort.

Oscar De La Hoya, one of the greatest boxing champions of our time, speaks to these things in his autobiography, “American Son, My Story” (Harper Collins, 2008):

“From the outside we looked like the typical Mexican-American family. We didn’t have any more or any less than other households in our East L.A. neighborhood. On the inside, though, there was something lacking, something very essential in the nurturing of a child. Maybe that was typical, too, of our neighborhood. We never talked about anything. We never had conversations around the house. I remember saying just a few words to my mother at a time and that was it. My parents never sat my brother and me down and talked to use about the birds and the bees or any problems we might be having. They never offered to help us with homework. They simply said, “We’re the parents and you listen to us and that’s it.” The thing I regret the most is not telling my mother I loved her. She never told me she loved me, either. I knew she did love me and I’m sure she knew I loved her, but we never had that kind of communication…I don’t want to say our household was cold, but there really weren’t any emotions in evidence.”

To be fair, I’m not saying this is true about every Latino family and I’m sure other cultures experience the same thing. It also varies from family to family, child to child and the absence of one of these things does not mean the absence of all of them. For example, perhaps one parent is very affectionate, but not very good at expressing emotions verbally, or vice versa. As Oscar continues, “My parents didn’t know how to express themselves, especially my father. It’s only recently that he has told me he loves me and has given me big hugs. I finally feel he’s proud of me.”

I know this sounds like I’m totally blaming the parents. And while shame and self-consciousness can come from a number of other places, I do think our home life plays a big role. Nevertheless, the good news is, for those who may be struggling with the voice of shame and self-consciousness from the past, we can decide to change any negative thought or voice that comes into our mind and not allow the past to control us any longer.

Three simple suggestions for overcoming the voice of shame and self-consciousness:

Acknowledge the shame (Soul sickness) – As a leader we do not have the luxury to remain with a shame-based mentality inherited from our past by the abandonment or mistakes made by ourselves and others. Acknowledging our sickness is always the first step towards getting better.

Forgive and let go – Even if we have been wronged and hurt, we must learn to admit it, own up to it, forgive others and move on. Of course this is easier said than done, but it is possible and necessary for our own personal health and happiness. As the great leader, Nelson Mandela said, “Revenge is like drinking poison and hoping it will kill your enemies.”

Learn to function in the “zone” – As an athlete we experience the difference between performing in the “zone” and performing in “self-consciousness.” It occurred to me how much better my performance was when I played away games instead of home games in front of people who knew me. When I played at home, my focus was on me - how I looked and how I acted. Any little error was magnified in my mind because the spectators in the stands were people who knew me. Yet, when I played in places where no one knew me, I felt relaxed and I could focus on playing the game, rather than playing to the crowd. I realized I needed to shift my focus away from the home crowd and ignore those watching who knew me and just concentrate on playing to the best of my ability and not worry about friends and family.

The important point is being free to discover who we really are, develop our skills and learn to find that “zone” where we perform at our peak potential without any hindrances from within or without. It is that place of intense concentration, where knowledge, attitude, skill and clear conscience come together for maximum production. The more we practice discovering and developing our real self, we will defeat the voice of shame and self-consciousness.

How to Overcome Voices from Our Past

Leadership is influence. It is the ability to move people in a desired direction or influence them to join your cause or follow your example regardless of your position in a company or the community. And one of the places potential leaders need an example to follow is in the ability to defeat negative thinking and overcome the fear of failure – or what I call “voices from our past”.

I have known many Latinos who had all the talent, ability, and savvy to achieve great things and become great leaders, except for one thing. They did not have the capacity to overcome negative voices from the past that play like a broken record inside their head. Talk about “those oldies but goodies”! Remember your older sister playing that one 45 single on the record player with the arm pulled out to the side so it would play over and over and over again (You would have to be my age to know what I’m talking about here – sorry young people there were no Ipod’s back in the day)? And if you hear that song today you would know the words by heart. That is exactly what I’m talking about here with “voices from our past”. Those negative words we heard from someone or from somewhere that keep playing in our heads. Like a record on repeat, they just keep playing in our minds over and over and keep us from realizing our full potential. Remember when we were kids and we learned the school yard rhyme, “sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me”, well nothing could be further from the truth. Words have power and repeated often enough we tend to believe them (whether for good or bad) and live them.

How many people do you know who are so talented, so intelligent, so well liked, yet for some reason they just never seem to take their life to that next level? Perhaps, you are an athlete and you have played in the gym or park with some of the best talent and skill to be found anywhere in the country, but somehow that talent never finds itself performing under the lights of the big time. You know it is not a matter of ability, but rather a matter of something missing within. Or maybe you have listened to the soothing sound of that skilled musician who just can’t seem to put it all together and sign that record deal. What about the guy who could draw your face perfectly with a simple pencil on a scratch pad without even thinking about it, the only problem is he draws it from his prison cell. Or the girl in your class that was so smart in math she could figure out the answers in her head before you could write down the problem. But today she works a low paying job from nine to five and parties all weekend with the homies. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with working nine to five (or having any job for that matter), but somehow we expected more. We all know people like that. When we try to encourage them that they are capable of more, voices from the past (like the record, “It’s too late baby, now it’s too late, though we really did try to make it” a 70’s song by Carol King) start playing in their mind. But it is never too late to change our life and it all starts with replacing our past negative voices with a positive voice and thoughts that affirm our true potential. In this article I will address just one of those inner voices that play like a broken record “skipping” in our minds that we need to overcome and replace with the right voice.

The Voice of Fear

Until we become aware of how these negative past voices affect us and learn how to defeat them, they can hinder our full capacity to achieve great things. One of the biggest and most common mental hurdles created by our past negative voices is the fear of failure. Negative past voices create a deep-seated mistrust of self. Although we might accomplish good things here and there, these voices cause us to doubt and fear that we can sustain those achievements day after day, year after year, as a normal part of our life. Our inner dialogue and thoughts are filled with “but what if’” or “maybe I shouldn’t try that”, or “I probably won’t win anyway”, “I don’t think I can”, and all the other excuses we make to talk ourselves out of greatness. In other words, we have developed a fear of failure. I endured this very struggle for years before I learned how to accept who I really was, and achieve my purpose in life.

It was fun playing ball in the park little leagues. At that level there was never very much pressure to perform and win and I just let my natural instincts and abilities take over. Being an All-Star at that level was easily achieved and winning was pretty much the norm. But junior high and high school were a different experience and something I was really not prepared for. Of course I did not realize any of this at that time, but as I look back I can clearly see how the fear of failure definitely stunted my natural ability to perform at my peak potential. Physically I had good size and above average skill. But, as is much more commonly known today, physical athletic ability is only part of what’s needed if one is going to continue to succeed and excel in athletic competition. One’s mental capacity must also be developed. A certain mind-set of self confidence is needed and that was something I was lacking. Although I was voted as the seventh grade athlete of the year in junior high and selected as an All-League player (sort of like an All-Star honor in high school) at the Varsity level in Baseball, Football and Basketball, I don’t believe I achieved “greatness”, or as much as I could have had I understood and been taught the importance of developing my mind to overcome the inward voices of fear and failure. Allow me to explain.

Quarterback was my natural position in football, but the extent of my experience was flag football in the after school sports programs in junior high and playing in the local park leagues (other than playing in the streets at home). Nevertheless, I had a good arm and the other leadership abilities a quarterback needs to run the team, so when I got to high school I tried out for quarterback on what was then called the “B” team (sophomore team). I made the team and was the starting quarterback in every game. The following year I moved up to the Varsity and began the season as the starting quarterback as a junior. However, my performance was inconsistent and our team was not doing as well as it had the previous year. Our school (Franklin High) and football team had a reputation for winning and we were the defending league champions. After just three games I was benched and did not play quarterback for the rest of the year. The following year as a senior, I decided not to play quarterback. I told the coach that I thought I could play other positions and I ended up being a first string defensive back and second string running back. But that is not the real story. The real story, the truth of the matter was that I was afraid to fail again. The guy who had replaced me was a good player. He was also a returning senior and I was expected to compete with him for the starting position. At least that’s what everybody took for granted. And although he was a good player, he certainly did not possess any more talent than I had. My problem was that internally, in my mind, I was hearing and listening to that broken record, “what if you try and fail again”? The thought of giving it my best shot and failing to win the starting position again was too much to handle. It had been embarrassing enough being benched and I just could not face the possibility of losing my position again. My friends encouraged me, my coaches encouraged me, but they did not know, understand or address the one thing that was holding me back – fear of failure. I took the easy road and just said I didn’t care about playing quarterback anymore, which was a total lie. I knew I was a good enough athlete to make the team and play, but I settled for second best and cheating myself out of reaching my full potential at the position I knew I really wanted and could’ve excelled at. We won the championship and had our third undefeated season in a row. But deep inside I always regretted my decision to give up and not compete for the position I knew I was best at. I was angry with myself for giving up without a fight.

As I stated earlier, it took me quite awhile to learn this lesson and overcome that voice of fear, but I have overcome it and so can you. Don’t short change yourself by giving in to that old broken record of fear that tells you not to try and that you are wasting your time if you do. Great leaders are not great because they have had everything handed to them on a silver platter. Rather, they are great because they have faced their battles head on and did not quit until they won.

In his book, The Success Principles, How to Get From Where You Are to Where You Want to Be, Jack Canfield shares; “Research indicates that the average person – that means you – talks to himself or herself about 50,000 times a day. And most of that self talk is about yourself, and according to the psychologist researchers, it is 80% negative – things such as; “They don’t like me”, “I’m never going to be able to pull this off”, “That other team is going to kill us”, “I’m always late”, “I can’t seem to ever get organized.” Psychiatrist, Daniel Amen has named the battle of negative thoughts in our minds as ANTS = Automatic Negative Thoughts. This is a good metaphor because we all know what to do when ANTS show up in our home or picnic – STOMP/KILL THEM!”

How to Kill the ANTS of fear in our minds:

1. As a potential great leader, I suggest you take a few minutes to consider if you struggle as I did with this negative voice of the fear of failure. Don’t be afraid to face it. Don’t be afraid to call it what it is. That is the first step to defeating it. Acknowledge your fear to fail and then consider what that voice of fear may be robbing you of; a better grade, a better position, a better girl friend/boy friend/spouse, a better job and prosperous career. Next, consider where these messages may have originated from (Parents, relatives, teachers, friends, etc.),

2. Work to become and expert “thought catcher” and “thought changer” – This is accomplished by making the conscious effort to think about our thinking about ourselves and replacing the negative, fearful thoughts with positive, affirming thoughts.

3. Practice killing those ANTS on a regular basis. This takes practice, persistence and patience, but eventually you will overcome them.

Example:

Catch the thought, “Why are you going to waste your time trying when you know you’re not going to make it?” – And change it with, “I can do this, I am good at this and I know I will succeed if I give it my best effort and not give up.”

Remember – our personal growth as a leader is not for our benefit, but also to be an example that others can follow to improve their professional and personal lives. Next month we will discuss overcoming the voice of PRIDE.

Single parents can provide the needed leadership in their homes. The single parent home seems to come up a lot as an overwhelming problem that we can’t expect single parents to overcome in terms of raising productive children. I disagree, and suggest this is not a correct assumption nor is it the expectation we should give young parents. On the contrary, I don’t think single parents and the power they have to raise healthy, respectful and obedient children is given enough credit. I understand the hardships of being brought up in a single parent home, as well as, being a single parent, having personally experienced both. Single parenting is tough. You are the bread winner, disciplinarian, cook, chauffer, cheerleader and everything else. And in the case of single moms, we are sometimes given the impression that they don’t stand a chance in raising their kids without a father in a tough neighborhood filled with drugs, gangs and violence. Much is made about the fact that fathers have neglected their responsibility and their abandonment leaves their children with almost no hope of living a life free of delinquency. But, while it is true that not having a father figure in the home can increase the odds of delinquency, it does not mean that mom can’t do the job of raising good children alone.

Please don’t misunderstand me. I’m not suggesting that the father is not needed or important. A responsible, caring, and dependable father is very important. But if women and children are left solely to depend upon the father for their survival and emotional healthiness, then we might be worse off than we thought. The fact is, whether the father is in the home or not, the mother is usually the one carrying the load of child rearing anyway and in most cases doing a pretty good job. For example, a lot of attention has been given to the issue of youth street gangs and the claim by some studies that their numbers and influence are growing in America. However, two very important and overlooked statistics regarding youth who join gangs are the following:

“Law enforcement estimates of nationwide juvenile gang membership suggest that no more than 1% of all youth ages 10-17 are gang members.” (Office of Justice and Juvenile Delinquency Prevention 2006)

“The best estimate of general U.S. youth gang prevalence is 5% ever-joined, 2% current gang members…the strongest message in this research is that…most youth – 7 or 8 out of 10 – do not join gangs through adolescence.” (Klein, Maxson – “Street Gang Patterns and Policies” 2006)

Reports by law enforcement and the media would have us believe that gangs and gang members are out of control. But according to these studies and statistics, 97-98% of youth ages 10-17 are not gang members, and only 5% of youth in America have ever joined a gang. And 8 out of 10 youth in America never join a gang. According to Custodial Mothers and Fathers and Their Child Support: 2005, released by the U.S. Census Bureau in August, 2007, there are approximately 13.6 million single parents in the United States today, and those parents are responsible for raising 21.2 million children and 84% of those parents are mothers. It seems to me that single parents for the most part are doing OK.

Of course others will bring up the fact of how many youth from single parent homes commit crimes and are locked up in jail or prison costing tax payers millions of dollars. And others might point to other problems kids get into besides gangs that also come from single parent homes. Be that as it may, my point is that not enough attention or credit is given to the vast majority of single parents whose children are not living a negative lifestyle and have gotten along just fine. This is important and I hope if you are a single parent or teen parent not married and living at home, that you will take heart and be encouraged to know that it is possible for you and your children to escape the negative statistics and live a safe, happy and prosperous life.

Perhaps you have recently separated from your spouse or been divorced and are feeling guilty about the ramifications your decision will have on your children. Or worse yet, maybe you have suffered losing your spouse to a sudden tragic death. Make no mistake about it, it will be hard and difficult as a single parent, but it by no means is the end of your life and do not believe those who tell you that your children’s lives are destined to be destroyed.

Highland Park is a little town about ten minutes northeast of downtown Los Angeles and home to some of the oldest L.A. neighborhood gangs, whose reputation for murder, drugs and youth violence unfortunately continues to grow. That is where my single mom raised her five children. When I wasn’t playing in the streets or at school, I hung out at the local park (that still remains the hang out of the same local gang) with my brother and friends, where we played games, got into mischief, and at the same time, honed our athletic skills. Like most barrios, it was nearly impossible not to be a part of the gang that we all indentified with. I know if it had not been for my mother and my natural athletic ability, I would have completely committed to the gang and ended up like so many others did; as school drop outs with no education, a low paying job, locked up or dead. The sad part about this (and it is still true today) is that most of the kids I am speaking of here, also had talent and great potential as well. Thus, this begs the question; what made the difference between me and my brother and them? Why did we escape and go on to a successful life in leadership? I believe part of the answer was because of the discipline, love and commitment of our mother who chose to be involved in our life as the priority of her life. This also includes the involvement of our extended family that my mother made sure we respected and valued. But it was by no means easy for her or us. It was a road filled with all the typical obstacles of living in poverty that my brother and I often tripped over, but somehow got back up and kept moving forward.

My mother is an incredible person and of this writing still living strong in the same barrio at the age of ninety-two! I could probably write a whole book on just her alone as the “Hero of Hardship” role model she has been to our whole family, including grandchildren and great grandchildren. A great amount of all that I have accomplished as a leader I owe to my mother. But, the point is that my mother is but one of many examples that prove that single moms can do a good job of raising their children in the midst of a tough neighborhood (And this was back in the day when there was not nearly as much help or community programs like there are today lending assistance to single parents in similar circumstances.) Some mothers feel like they can’t give their sons the same inner satisfaction or character that a father can give his son (Or vice-versa in the case of a single father with daughters). And perhaps there is some truth to that in some aspects of growing up. Yet, on the other hand, my brother and I can testify to the fact that our “single-mom” more than filled the place of our absent father and gave us the character we needed to eventually become the men, fathers and community leaders we are today.

So – for all you single parents out there – take heart, and know that your example, your hard work, time commitments and financial sacrifices are making a difference in your children and one day very soon you will reap the fruit of your love and leadership.

“What makes me unique? That was the question I felt compelled to address…What alone do I have to offer? – It came to me in a flash: Whatever my accomplishments, all the things I loved were rooted in the dreams and goals I had as a child…My uniqueness, I realized, came in the specifics of all the dreams…that defined my forty-six years of life. Sitting there, I knew despite the cancer, I truly believed I was a lucky man because I had lived out these dreams. And I had lived out my dreams, in great measure, because of the things I was taught by all sorts of extraordinary people along the way.”

– The Last Lecture, Randy Pausch, Professor, Carnegie Mellon University

Leadership is about daring to dream. It is about the proper use of vision and applied imagination. In leadership jargon the words “dream” and “vision” are used interchangeably. They both speak about our ability to think about, envision and creatively imagine what our future will be, or what we would like it to be.

My friend Richard Montanez was a dreamer. Ever since he was a child, his creative mind was at work; dreaming and imagining he could do and have more than what others were limiting him to. He tells the “cookie story” of how in grammar school (back in the day) there used to be two lines after school – one for the white kids and another for the brown kids. The difference was that the white kids’ line went into a bungalow where they received cookies and milk for a snack. While in the other line there were no cookies or milk but only homework to do before going home. One day Richard got “hungry” and wondered if he could get away with standing in the white line and not be noticed. “Hunger will cause you to dream big”, as he likes to say. The other kids told him he was crazy, but somehow he still hoped that the teachers wouldn’t notice him even though his skin was dark brown and he had jet black hair. Closer and closer he got to the door. He began to sweat and get nervous, but his hunger was stronger than his nervousness. When he finally got to the front of the line the teacher looked at him and asked him what he was doing. In his shaky, but hungry voice, he asked if he could go in and get some cookies, to which the teacher replied, “Yes you can”! What a difference Richard made that day, not only for himself, but for the entire school and all the other Latino kids watching this “hungry dreamer”. But the story does not end there.

As he grew older, Richard got a job one day as a janitor for the corporation, Frito-Lay, the maker of many different food products and snacks, amongst which are two of my favorites – Fritos and Cheetos. One day he noticed that his co-workers were taking the leftover Cheetos and putting salsa on them and eating them as snacks during break times. Being the dreamer that he was, all of a sudden he had a great idea and approached his boss to ask if he could share the idea with him. “Richard”, his boss said, “what idea do you have that you want to meet with all the executives?” Richard replied, “I think I have an idea that could make a lot of money and I would like a chance to present it.” His boss gave him a funny look but agreed and told him to let him know when he was ready to make his presentation. Excited about the opportunity he went all out. He bought a suit and tie, which he had never done before. He bought a book on marketing and making presentations, and read and studied the best he could, but he really did not know what he was doing, he later admitted. All he had was an idea, a dream, and knew if he could get it across it would be big. The day finally came and there he was up on the executive floor of the corporate building in the executive meeting room with all the executives sitting around the table listening to him struggle to explain himself. “I made a complete fool of myself” he said. Then during the presentation, one of the Vice Presidents, whose job it was to come up with creative ideas, asked him; “OK Richard, so how much of the market are we going to get if we do this idea of yours”? Richard said; “I don’t know, I haven’t read that chapter yet.” As they all sat there and looked at him, all of a sudden a picture of the chip racks in the store came into his mind and he quickly added; “but, I think if we do this we will get this much of the market” – stretching out his arms from side to side. At that they all began to laugh at him, except the CEO and President of the Corporation. Who proceeded to stand up and said; “Gentlemen, this man has just told us that if we go with his idea, we are going to make millions of dollars”, and the rest, as they say, is history. You see, Richard Montanez is the creator of what you and I today know as “Hot Cheetos” that has become one of the biggest selling products for Frito-Lay, making them literally millions of dollars each year and took Richard from the corporate janitor to one of the Regional Corporate Vice Presidents all because he dared to dream.

This former gang banger from East Los Angeles tells how he knows what it is like to bang in the barrio and ride in the back of the lawn mower truck, and also knows what it’s like to ride on the corporate jet! Richard says; “the corporate jet is much better”. Richard is a prime example of a Latino leader who applied his creative abilities to dream and moved from the margins to the mainstream of the corporate world and today he shares his story every chance he gets to inspire young Latino leaders that you too can “make it” – you can become more successful – if you dare to dream.

A lot of professors are asked to give talks titled, “The Last Lecture”. Professors are asked to pretend that if they knew this was really going to be the last lecture they could give – what message, wisdom, advice, information, or knowledge would they want to deliver to their audience that would sum up their life’s legacy. In the case of Professor Randy Pausch, of Carnegie Mellon University, he did not have to pretend it would be his last lecture, as he had actually been diagnosed with terminal cancer. As he began to search his soul about what he wanted to say, he knew he did not want to talk about death, but rather about what it meant to really live your life and that’s when his subject clearly came to him – “Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams” – that he delivered to a packed hall of 400 students and colleagues a few months before he died.

I think it is very instructive that a professor, who knew he only had a short time to live, would choose the topic of fulfilling one’s life dreams as his last message and legacy. If you think about it, there were so many other things he could have talked about; dealing with death, what it’s like to have cancer, his career as a University professor, the lessons he has learned from having to leave his wife and small children behind, his fears, questions, hopes and beliefs about life after death, and so many other topics. Instead, he chose the topic of fulfilling your childhood dreams.

But sometimes we don’t always achieve our childhood dreams. My childhood dream was to play for the Los Angeles Dodgers, and although I did not fulfill that dream, I am happy that my career went beyond high school and into college and semi-pro leagues that allowed me the experience to play alongside others who eventually did make it to the big leagues. So, what did I do? I had to change my dream and reinvent myself according to the other talents I had in addition to my athletic abilities. Of course the process took awhile, but eventually a new vision unfolded. People reinvent themselves all the time, or change careers, as others would put it. There is nothing wrong with starting out doing one thing, and if it doesn’t work out, trying another road that is still in line with who you are and what you are talented and passionate about. They key however, to reinventing yourself, is vision. It is applying your ability to imagine, dream, and create in your heart and mind a life that rings true within you about your unique mission and role in life, a sense of your own destiny, a sense of purpose and meaning.

In his “Last Lecture”, Professor Pausch talks about achieving one of his boyhood dreams of becoming a Disney “Imagineer”. This division of the Walt Disney Company is described as, “Walt Disney Imagineering is the master planning, creative development, design, engineering, production, project management, and research and development arm of The Walt Disney Company and its affiliates. Its talented corps of Imagineers is responsible for the creation of Disney resorts, theme parks and attractions, hotels, water parks, real estate developments, regional entertainment venues, cruise ships and new media technology projects. Walt Disney Imagineering has produced some of the world’s most distinctive experiential storytelling”. While you may not aspire to work for the Disney Company as an Imagineer, I am encouraging you to work as an Imagineer for yourself – to master plan, creatively develop; design and project manage your own life!

“Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited to all we now know and understand, while imagination embraces the entire world, and all there ever will be to know and understand.” Albert Einstein

So, what about it? - What was your childhood dream? Do you still have it? Are you still pursuing it? Has it changed? What are you dreaming about doing or becoming? For some, you have definitely known for years exactly what you want to do for your professional career. For others, you’re still not quite sure and that’s OK too. Don’t worry. It will come to you. And hopefully by reading this article, it has helped you get on track to at least begin to discover the real you, develop your unique gifts and talents and then to dream your way to your definite purpose in life.

The Role of Leadership

As we consider our role as leaders, I like what John Gardner says, “The first step is not action; the first step is understanding. The first question is how to think about leadership.” As Gardner says, the first step is understanding, which is different from knowledge. This is an important distinction that leaders can overlook. Knowledge about a subject does not necessarily mean we understand how to implement the knowledge we have. Have you ever known a “know it all” who doesn’t possess the tact or grace to lead others? Their problem is not a lack of knowledge, but a lack of insight, a lack of finesse and discretion in handling a particular circumstance. In other words, they lack understanding.

Pride hinders Understanding

Our lack of understanding can sometimes be caused by pride. And hardly anything is more detrimental to a leader than pride. Pride blocks our willingness to improve, deafens our ability to hear constructive correction, and deters us from seeking counsel. It stunts our personal and professional growth and it isolates us from those who can help us. Pride is what keeps us from recognizing why everybody else has moved on. It causes us to become irrelevant. For example, it can keep us stuck on methodologies that may have worked in the past, but are not working today. Yet, we continue on with what we know even if it is no longer productive. Pride can also weaken our relationships. It speaks of winning the argument, more than winning the relationship. Pride shouts to exercise its position of power, rather than exercising the power of humility. Pride says knowledge is king and the leader is never wrong, rather than seeking the wisdom of understanding the bigger picture. The voice of pride says the leader does not need others, which further pushes us into living with the sound of silence where self deception lurks. Great leaders cannot afford to overlook the possibility of being poisoned by pride. Thus, the primary thing about our role as leaders is not so much our position, but our understanding the purpose of our position, and to understand that we turn next to Gardner’s second point, “how to think about leadership.”

What is leadership?

In thinking about how I think about leadership, I came up with the following six principles to share with you. I trust you will find them helpful as you continue on your leadership journey.

1. Character = personal power from within - Dr. Stephen R. Covey, one of the great leadership role models of our time talks about “primary and secondary greatness”. He says that to focus our relationships and leadership on personality traits is always secondary to focusing on the development of our personal character within. He teaches, “If we use human influence strategies and tactics to get other people to do what we want, we may succeed short term; but over time, our duplicity and insincerity will breed distrust. Everything we do will be perceived as manipulative. We may have the “right” rhetoric, style and even intention, but without trust, we won’t achieve primary greatness. In a social or academic system, you may get by if you learn how to “play the game.” You may make favorable first impressions through charm; you may win through intimidation. But secondary personality traits alone have no permanent worth in long term relationships. If there isn’t deep integrity and character strength, true motives will eventually surface and relationships will fail. Many people with secondary greatness— social status, position, fame, wealth or talent—lack primary greatness or goodness of character. And this void is evident in every long-term relationship they have, whether it is with a business associate, a spouse, a friend, or a teenage child. It is character that communicates most eloquently.”

2. Exampleship = confident to ask others to follow us – This may seem a little bold, but the fact of the matter is if aren’t confident enough in ourselves and what we are doing to ask others to follow our lead then we forfeit our leadership role. Our role is to set the example, show the way, and live the life we are calling others to follow. Muhammad Ali, the three time World Heavy Weight Champion of the World and one of the most famous American icons, talks about the example of a leader who is also his personal hero, Nelson Mandela – “Mandela is my hero because he is a man of great personal honor, strength, and integrity, but he was always fighting for something greater than himself – It is painful to imagine that this man, who radiates so much love, who espoused so many truths, could have spent so much of his life in prison – Mandela has inspired me to think beyond myself, to think of people in the wider world as part of a common humanity. He remains a hallmark of what it really means to give of oneself selflessly, which is, indeed, a gift for us all.”

3. Influence = possess a quiet authority – Dr. John Maxwell, another giant in the leadership field, teaches us that leadership is simply influence. The great thing about this is that anyone, from anywhere in the community or company can have influence. We may not have the most responsibility, make the most money or have the highest position, but we can still have the most influence for the common good. Dr. Maxwell writes, “Do individuals have to be at the top of the organizational chart to develop relationships with others and get them to like working with them? Do they need to possess the top title to achieve results and help others become productive? Do they have to be president or CEO to teach the people who report to them to see, think, and work like leaders? Of course not. Influencing others is a matter of disposition, not position.”

4. Service = understands that humility is strength not weakness – Many leaders stumble over this principle. Somehow they get the idea that being in charge means that others are there to serve them. Their paradigm of leadership is being the one who gives the orders and is removed from listening to the suggestions from the front line workers. While that kind of leadership can work to a degree, it will not work to unleash the full potential productivity of your followers. Peter F. Drucker, considered the Dean of business and management philosophy, said, “The great majority of executives tend to focus downward. They are occupied with efforts rather than results. They worry over what the organization and their superiors ‘owe’ them and should do for them. And they are conscious above all of the authority they ‘should have’. As a result, they render themselves ineffectual.” Tapping the fullness of our follower’s contributions is accomplished by servant leadership. Jesus, who many consider the greatest leader of all time, taught his followers this principle when he said, “Whoever desires to be the greatest among you shall be the servant of all.” This requires the strength of humility. Don’t make the mistake of thinking meekness is weakness. Humility is not being powerless, but is rather having power under control for use at the right time and for the right reason.

5. Action = willingness to take a risk that succeeds or fails - Personal growth and transformation expert Anthony Robbins says, “Personal power is the ability to instantly and consistently take action, even in stressful, harsh, or unfair conditions. It requires the ability to:

• Identify your precise or specific outcome at any moment in time
• Take the necessary action to achieve that outcome without hesitation
• Judge whether the present results you are obtaining are leading you closer to or further away from your goals
• Quickly, effectively and continually flex your approach until you achieve your desired outcome

Everything we try is not always going to work out. Every idea we get will not always lead to the desired result. Venturing out will sometimes lead us back to square one. However, all leaders must understand that there is no success without failure. Failure is part of the process that we endure. Failure is what shapes our character. Failure is what reveals us for what we are. But, regardless of how many times we might fail, we will continue to learn, adjust, flex and take action once more until we achieve the desired outcome.

6. Vision = sees before others see and sees what others can’t see – “Where there is no vision, the people perish” is the tag line I use because I have learned the value of developing a vision. The value of vision lies in how it can inspire people to higher levels of life and provide motivation to accomplish great things. Vision can ignite a fire within people. It can cause whole movements to spread across a neighborhood, school, community or country. Where would we be today without visionaries? Visionary leaders see beyond the norm. They see what others can’t see. They see the possibility when others see only the impossible. Visionaries dream of realities before their time. They call into existence that which does not exist. They believe for others what others cannot belief for themselves. I love the story of Michael Angelo and his creation of the statue of King David. Allow me to paraphrase it here: Michael Angelo had been commissioned by the leaders of a certain town in Italy to create a monument for the town center square. As he thought about what to do he passed by this huge piece of marble rock every day. As he continued to look at the rock, he finally saw and knew what he would create. He diligently went to work, carving, chiseling, sanding, polishing and working until he had completed the project. He called the town commission and all the people together for the great unveiling of his creation. As he unveiled his statue of King David the people marveled in awe at his master piece. When asked how he had created such a fine piece of art he replied, “As I looked at the rock I saw in it King David and I just cut away everything until he appeared out of the rock.” That is the way of visionary leaders. While everybody else only saw a huge rock, the artist saw a master piece just waiting to be brought to life and worked until it was manifested.

The above six principles are not an exhaustive list of leadership principles.  Leadership is a huge topic and a lifelong pursuit. Nevertheless, I trust you will find them useful as you consider your role in whatever leadership capacity you are currently in or aspire to be in. And remember, being a leader does not mean having a title or position of being in charge.  And if you are a parent, then you already have the most important role of leadership one can have in society.

RRR

My purpose in writing this article is to inspire and instruct more young Latinos into leadership. Even though we have grown to be the second largest minority group in the country, we still have a ways to go in attaining the level of civic and political representation that will champion our long struggle from the margins to the American mainstream of influence. Latino youth continue to fall behind academically and too many are dropping out of school, surrendering to negative lifestyles, becoming victims and/or perpetrators of violence, and ending up in juvenile halls, jails and prisons. Latinos remain underrepresented in federal, state and local government, despite the fact that statistics increasingly “speak Spanish.” What this means is that social trends reveal the powerful influence our people are having upon all aspects of our social, economic and political life. Yet, we continue to be marginalized from mainstream influence within American politics. Nevertheless, I suggest, we are at a turning point. A window of opportunity for leadership has opened and it is now our turn to step up and make sure it does not close. As for those of us in leadership positions today, we must continue not only to lead, but also to recruit, train and coach the young leaders of tomorrow to change our legacy of nonchalant participation in the American public discourse. For example, with all the debate that is going on in our country today regarding health care, the recession, joblessness, education, war, illegal immigration and every other issue affecting our daily life, where is our voice? Who represents us on the national scene of leadership? Who can we look to for guidance? Where can we find the Latino-American perspective represented on the nightly news, cable news, and daily radio and Sunday talk shows?

While Latinos are lumped as one demographically, we are a very diverse group of Americans that have yet to develop a common voice that speaks with a common vision. I suggest that until the Latino vote is galvanized we will remain on the margins of American life. After all, if we have the numbers but not the influence, does it really matter that we have become the largest minority group in America? In order to increase our influence we will need leadership capable of weaving a tapestry that includes all the threads of Latino culture. Although American-Mexicans (those of Mexican descent born here) and Mexican-American immigrants (those born in Mexico who have come here) comprise the majority of Latinos in the U.S., our Hispanic-Latino brothers and sisters from other countries contribute to a cultural diversity that enriches us far more than it should divide us as we all face the common minority pressure to “fit in” without “selling out.” Selling out speaks to the challenge for those born in the U.S. and raised in the Latino culture, and expected to master two languages, cultures and loyalties. If we do not, we are criticized from the margins by our own (“you’re a pocho” – a put down for not being able to speak Spanish properly). At the same time, we are ridiculed from the mainstream (“you’re a wetback” – a put down from the mainstream labeling us as outsiders not worthy of dignity or respect).

As a minority growing up in America during the sixties and seventies, I struggled to find my identity and often felt ashamed of my own culture. As a little boy I was exposed mostly to the Mexican culture at home, but to a different culture in school, even though most of the students were of my own culture. After graduating from elementary school, my mother decided that my sisters, brother and I, were going to attend a junior high that was across town with a majority of white students and a growing number of Hispanics. I still found myself hanging out for the most part with Chicano’s; the “jetter” crowd, as we used to call ourselves (Kind of a cross between a “Cholo” and a “Continental” in dress). By the time I got to the ninth grade (1968), the Hippie culture was in full swing. All of a sudden my life took a whole different slant. My girlfriend was white with blond hair and blue eyes, my sisters went from “Cholo” (slang that describes a certain kind of dress) boyfriends to “Surfers” and listening to the “Beach Boy’s”. All of a sudden, drugs, Griffith park “love-ins” and concerts at the Rose Palace (In Pasadena, CA) became the “hip” thing to do for the new crowd I was now beginning to hang out with. It was all fast and confusing for a young Chicano still living in the barrio and still hanging around with gang members and American-Mexicans living a different experience. Being a good athlete also had an effect on me as I found myself surrounded by more whites than browns, especially when I went on to play college football and baseball where I was one Hispanic among less than a handful of others. I tried to fit in amongst the whites, but deep down inside one never knows where you stand in the general white crowd no matter how white I talked, dressed and acted. I also tried to fit in with my black team mates, which was a little easier since they understand the minority thing. But even that was awkward at times because again I found myself trying to adapt to their culture and not the other way around (I’m sure the white guys and black guys reading this that grew up around mostly Mexicans know what I mean).

At first I really did not pay that much attention to the disproportion of representation of Latino’s in the different circles I found myself in. But eventually I began to wonder why and have become much more aware of it over the years as a community leader. As I continue my journey today and sit around the social and political community problem solving table, I still find that I am only one amongst less than a handful of other Latinos. I have witnessed this at the local, state and national level of leadership. In calling for more Latino leadership I hope to make a positive difference in what has been an ongoing marginal experience for Latinos–Born in America, living in America, educated in America, but still on the outside looking in.

The grassroots fabric of our nation has changed and we need the leadership to change with it, represent it and restore the hope, dreams and possibilities of why our fathers crossed the border in the first place that seems to be slipping away and getting out of reach for our children and our children’s children. Or is it just me? Is it true that we are the first generation of parents whose children will not enjoy a better lifestyle than their parents? Am I over reacting? Is it just because I am getting older that I feel this way? Did my parents feel this way about my future? Or were they assured that regardless of the sacrifices they had to make, they knew that their children would have it far better than they did because they could see the growth and prosperity of the nation? But I am not assured that the same or even greater growth and prosperity will be there for my children and grandchildren if the leadership in our country does not change direction.

As Latino’s we all know, or at least have an idea, of what the plight of our immigrant parents and grandparents has been like in America. We owe it to them and to ourselves to accept the baton of leadership for such a time as this. We need to re-ignite the fire within of that pioneering spirit to find new pathways and explore the twenty first century frontiers of new and better ideas. Ideas have always been the mark of great leadership and emerging Latino leaders should realize that the gold “minds” of progress, prosperity and thought leadership remain full and ready to be discovered. As I shared parts of my own story, I believe it speaks for many others with similar backgrounds and similar struggles that they overcame to achieve their position of influence and significance. Of course there are always differences in particular details of each story, but in general, if you have grown up in this country with a Mexican/Latino heritage, you know, understand and relate to what I shared. My prayer is that the voice in my story will touch and influence you, wherever you may be in your personal journey, to aspire to new heights of leadership and to dream even bigger dreams in areas you may have never considered before.

Community leadership is:

1. Investigation – Knowing what the burning issues are, or the “community cry”, as I like to call it. This can be determined by surveys, focus groups and town hall meetings where the public is engaged to address local concerns that are directly affecting their quality of life.

2. Involvement – Community leadership need not be a “top down” structure. In fact, it is usually more effective when it is led by grassroots, or “bottom-up” leadership that comes from the unelected, un-bureaucratic strings that slow the process for taking action.

3. Investment – While it is true that something can be done about issues with little or no money, a lot more can be accomplished when those entities who control the community purse strings invest in the development of committees, strategic plans, and employees to implement the plans developed. This includes investors from both the public and private sectors of the community. The more private money the better, as, again, it usually does not come with all the strings that hinder and limit needed action.

4. Influence – Once the issues have been identified, plans have been discussed openly with any and all concerned and investors have been secured to hire employees to implement the plan, a campaign is needed to raise awareness, recruit volunteers and educate the constituents about the purpose, goals and objectives of the action plan to sustain it until the goals are achieved.

Using the above principles, my intention here is to raise awareness and focus the attention of community leadership on the local youth street gangs. The first principle of “Investigation” has been accomplished by many communities and does not need further elaboration here, except to say that those who decide to be involved with the gang issues should remain students, keeping up with all the changing data regarding gangs. As one writer put it, “if there is any constant in today’s gangs…it is their changing forms…”

Youth violence and street gangs continue to be a concern for many communities across the country. According to the National Gang Threat Assessment 2009, law enforcement now estimates there to be one million gang members in America! This is a substantial increase from the estimate of 760,000 in 2006. No one seems to be quite sure if the reason for the increase is because of an actual increase of youth joining gangs, more communities paying more attention to, or finally acknowledging their gang problem, or simply a faulty methodology for collecting accurate gang membership data. My guess is that it is some combination of all of the above.

For many communities, this “old problem” for others, is a new problem for them and they are searching for answers. Unfortunately, there are not a lot of answers to be found and it is more about learning what not to do, than what to do, that has been tried unsuccessfully by other communities. Most community’s first order of business has been to involve law enforcement. That is understandable given the crime associated with gangs. However, new gang communities should also learn that over time, law enforcement is not a solution to the gang problem, but only a normal and necessary reaction to the gang problem. In other words, if a crime is committed by any person or group of people, we expect law enforcement to react and do their work accordingly. But the problem does not end there, nor should it be expected to any more than chopping off weeds at the surface should be expected to end the problem of the weeds growing back. Nevertheless, many communities continue to go down this well trodden road of heavy suppression tactics to solve the gang problem.  While suppression can provide a temporary “quick fix”, that gives our “front lawn” a neat and orderly appearance for awhile, in due season, the weeds grow right back.

The Roots of the Issue

Gangs exist for a reason. Youth are drawn to this destructive lifestyle for a reason. We may not like, agree with, or accept their reasoning, but gangs continue to exist and grow regardless, and that alone should cause us to step back and think more deeply about this gang phenomenon that continues to allude a solution. This is why I use the metaphor of “weeds”, because, like gangs, we have never been able to solve the weed problem and have come to simply accept it as a fact of life, rather than a problem that can be solved. Yes, we can solve it better in some places than others. We can replace real grass with astro-turf and rid ourselves of having to deal with the problem. But that solution is artificial and comes at the expense of giving up enjoying the nature of the real deal. In any case, in the end, weeds exist, will continue to exist and in some places thrive, due to environments beyond our ability to control. Unfortunately, the same can be said about gangs. As the professor of criminal justice at the University of Illinois, Chicago, author, and gang expert John Hagedorn says: “today’s gangs are not going away soon, no matter what we do.”

As I have studied, watched and been actively involved with the gang issue over the years, I suggest, that communities should view gangs, like weeds, as a fact of life, and not as a problem they can get rid of. I know that sounds pessimistic or maybe even cynical, but that is not my intention. My intention is to be realistic. Realistic about how feasible it is for communities to expect to put an end to the gang problem, when they can’t even solve its root causes:

1. Poverty – Statistics show that wherever there is poverty, there will be a high probability of gang spawning. The U.S. government declared a “war on poverty” decades ago, but we are not any closer to solving the problem of poverty. According to the United Nations, nearly one billion people live in slums, 12 million in the U.S. alone. And by 2020, the UN predicts that half of the world’s urban population will live in poverty.

2. Drugs – UN studies show that illegal drugs are a $400 billion global business equaling 8% of the global economy. And Professor Hagedorn tells us that, “In Chicago, like elsewhere in the United States, cocaine transformed gangs into economic enterprises”. Accordingly, drugs are a major motivator and a strong tool of recruitment for youth to join gangs and make quick cash.

3. Racism – Aside from the “normal” race issues our country has battled before and after the civil rights movement, racism has become a factor amongst the gang sub-culture, according to recent revelations from interviews and court documents with Mexican Mafia gang members and associates. Prison gangs are divided by race. Prison gangs continue to have influence over many local street gangs. According to the record, many seemingly “senseless” murders have been part of a Mexican Mafia ethnic cleansing initiative begun in the 1990’s.

4. Broken Families – The 50% divorce rate of married couples in America has been known for many years. In addition, we have also exposed many of the family secrets of abuse and neglect children suffer at the hands of their parents/guardians behind closed doors. Today, we are dealing with the attempt to re-define the nuclear family and the institution of marriage, which will certainly carry its own consequences (unintended or not). The bottom line is the effect all these things combined will have on the future health and happiness of our children and their children. By their own admission, an unhealthy home life is one of, if not the main reason, why youth join gangs in the first place.

Given the above root causes for creating gangs (and other negative lifestyles); I suggest being realistic is an important factor in determining community strategy. Approaching a problem to get rid of is a different mentality than approaching a fact of life. We all hope that the scourges of poverty, drug addiction, racism and dysfunctional families would disappear. Nevertheless, we have all had to learn to live with these things, and in many cases have been victims touched personally by one, two or all of the above.

Choosing Your Battlefield

By being realistic I do not mean to suggest giving in or giving up just because these facts of life are in our midst. Even Jesus said, “the poor you will always have with you”, but He did not mean to imply that we should do nothing about it, but simply to recognize it as something to acknowledge and deal with correctly, fairly, justly, reasonably. Thus, each community must do the same regarding gangs. It means that we shift our focus from the problems gangs create, to the problems that create gangs. We know what to do about the problems gangs create. That is the job of law enforcement. It is the root causes outlined above that communities often choose to neglect or acknowledge as battlefields that need more of our time, energy and resources.

I have no doubt your community has many fine leaders (perhaps you are one) and community organizations already in the trenches dealing with all of the root issues I mentioned and more. And if by chance you are not already involved, I pray this article has stirred something deep within you to cause you to consider joining the battle for the safety of your neighborhood or community with your family, friends and colleagues. Because the fact is, we are responsible for the quality of life in our community more so than the police or any other government agency.

My cousin recently wrote to me and said: “I’d like to ask, as an individual, what can I do?  In my small city 4 miles square, there are so many gangs.”

The answer to that question is which battlefield is most important to you? Which issue is closest to your heart? Which problem strikes a chord within and ignites your passion to get involved? Once you decide that, you can either take part in a community focus group or forum (Investigation).  Volunteer at a local nonprofit as a mentor or other place of service (Involvement). You might want to become an annual donor to one of the faith-based or nonprofits working in your particular areas of concern (investment). Finally, you might consider using your speaking or writing talents to attend city council meetings, or write a letter to the newspaper expressing your views and solutions. Believe me the words of voters do carry power with politicians! (Influence)

Now if you’re still not sure about what you can do, let me suggest the following: Community leadership starts in the home. This is why the role of parents and the influence we have on our children is so crucial to perpetuate and preserve any amount of safety we can expect in our neighborhoods. This is what I have chosen as my battlefield and I invite you to join me, along with many other “Parents on a Mission” (POM), as I call them, who are dedicated to their own personal growth in learning the required skills to raise happy, healthy children as the best gang prevention strategy any community can invest in. If you are not a parent, or a parent of small children, then you are the perfect candidate for enrolling in the POM leadership training. If you kids are already teens or older, this leadership training will still help you, as well as, help you to help others.

Join the leadership Movement for Gang Prevention

Finally, as with any community problem, leadership is the key. And, as mentioned earlier, leadership can come from anywhere and anyone in the community willing to invest their ideas, talent, and/or time and resources to ongoing efforts already in place. Or perhaps be part of initiating a new movement of creative solutions. However you decide to get involved, I can assure you that your leadership will make a difference and help improve your community and prevent more children from joining gangs than if you choose not to get involved at all.

If you are interested in learning more about “Parents on a Mission”, and joining me in our leadership movement for gang prevention, please visit:

www.richardrramos.com/gang-prevnetion

Sincerely,

Richard

“We argue that we may be heading for an ‘institutional Katrina’ – the final failure and collapse of key economic and political bureaucracies left behind from the industrial age.”

“The third wave wealth system is increasingly based on serving, thinking, knowing and experiencing.”

“The countries with the key economies in today’s world – are all heading for a crisis that none of them wants, that few political leaders are ready for…in all these countries, key public institutions are out of step with the whirlwind of change that surrounds them.”

– All of the above quotes taken from book by A&H Toffler, “Revolutionary Wealth”, 2006

“A revolutionary transition is ahead of us…Today, most of the public and their leaders have remarkably little knowledge about the future…We are driving at relentlessly increasing speed into an extraordinary future, but we are driving blindfolded.” – J. Martin, The Meaning of the 21^st Century, 2007

In light of the theme of the above quotes, below are five qualities needed for tomorrow’s leader:

1. Tomorrow’s qualified leaders will lead in needed change. Company’s and/or communities will need to decide which side of the coming collision they want to be on – Driving and looking in the rear view mirror at what is fast approaching them – OR driving and looking out the front windshield figuring out the next move to go around the slow moving “car of policy” in the way of progress.

2. Tomorrow’s qualified leaders are Thought Leaders that keep companies and/or communities in the game of world class competition. Social influence has evolved from; “Cash is King”, to “Content is King”, and now to “Concept is King”.

3. Tomorrow’s qualified leaders know how to create significant collaboration. With the coming collapse of institutions as we have known them, new strategy and outcomes with new partnerships of relevant purpose are needed

4. Tomorrows qualified leaders show leadership in accurate anticipation. Thought Leadership is not only knowing what is “new”, but also what is “next”. We live in a world where what is next is moving towards us so fast, that what is new is obsolete before we can even understand it. What is “new” is what has already been developed. What is “next” is what is being thought about and imagined into reality. Thus, “new is old” and “next is transforming”.

5. Tomorrow’s qualified leaders find a new voice without losing their values. In his new book, “How The Mighty Have Fallen” (2009), Jim Collins says, “When people become arrogant, regarding success virtually as an entitlement…they lose sight of the true underlying factors that created success in the first place…overreaching better describes how the mighty fall.”

Leadership is crucial.  Make no mistake about it - when we lead, where we lead, who we lead and how we lead has ramifications far beyond what we may think.  Therefore we must remain sharp, on point, and competent.

Leaders must always be alert and self-aware.  We must know when it’s time to get away from the “urgent” and take time for the “important” - like the sharpening of our saw (mind).  Otherwise we grow weary, work harder instead of smarter, get lazy and make decisions that are not always our best.  We begin to settle for the old axiom of “good enough”.  Slowly we begin to lose a bit of our edge of excellence and enthusiasm we had when we began our leadership journey.  To avoid this pitfall we need each other. We need accountability.

We usually associate accountability with personal face to face relationship that may bring up negative or positive emotions depending what our experience has been.  Some of us have had the pleasure of being mentored up close and personal by a great leader that possessed all the qualities and characteristics we admire and strive to emulate.  Others have experienced let down, frustration and a bitter break in relationship.  Nevertheless, whatever the case may be, accountability is still a bedrock principle for competent and long lasting leadership.

For those struggling with past experiences and/or struggling to find “the right” personal mentor, I offer some alternative ways to look at being personally accountable.

Over the years I have studied, read, analyzed and subscribed to numerous books, articles, magazines, video and live presentations.  I have watched and learned from some of the “Masters” (as we might refer to them) at the top of the field of leadership past and present.  Leaders such as Stephen Covey, John Maxwell, Ken Blanchard, Hyrum Smith, Anthony Robbins, Warren Bennis, Daniel Coleman, Napoleon Hill, Peter Drucker and a host of others.

One of the things I observed and thought about was the autonomy, loneliness as it were, of those at the top.  After all, who holds the top leader accountable?  It seemed that they were all mentors of others, holding others accountable, but what do those at the top do?  Some of them refer to their personal mentors, others do not.  Still others answer to a Board or advisory council, but that is not always the same thing.  Professional accountability is one thing.  Personal accountability is another.

Below are some suggestions on how to consider personal accountability from a different, yet practical perspective.  As I share my thoughts I hope you will discover, or re-discover, your personal path of accountability.

1. Strangers can help you be accountable - Sometimes it’s those who don’t know us that can give us the insight or correction we need.  This happens in a passing comment, situation you observe or a direct comment from the security guy at the airport that delivers the kick in the butt we need.

2.  Relatives - Wisdom and accountability can found in the most unlikely places.  We may have thought our mom, uncle, aunt, grandma, mother-in-law, etc. were too old, or out of touch and unable to teach us about us.  However, unexpectedly it’s at the family reunion, Christmas party or wedding where we reconnect and stumble across old school wisdom that holds us accountable in ways we may have taken for granted and overlooked.

3. Good Books - Many of the people I consider “my personal mentors” are people I have never personally met, but whose books I have not simply read, but studied and consumed once and again.  My notes in the margins and highlighted passages - are all dated so when I go back to them I can see how long it’s been and what progress (or not) that I have made regarding the principle I committed to when I first read the book.

4. Media - There’s nothing like a good movie, song or TV show that speaks right to your heart and brings you to that place of brokenness and child likeness again.  Media that causes humility and necessary paradigm shifts can hold us accountable to personal goals and values in the most indirect but powerful way.

5. Sermons - For churchgoers sermons can really keep us in check.  All of us are bombarded with the thinking of others - the political, social and cultural clashes of the day.  You would have to live in a cave not to be.  At the end of the day, the nice thing about hearing a good sermon is you get to sit and take in what God’s Word has to say on particular issues from a spiritual perspective.  It reminds a leader we are part of something much bigger than our own ambitions.

6. Children - Need I say more?  The simple honesty and innocence of children will bring you to accountability quicker than all those high priced leadership seminars we pay to go to.  Not that we don’t need the seminars, but in case you can’t afford it in these days of recession, don’t forget that “out of the mouth of babes” comes wisdom and lessons we need and should heed.

7. Spouses - As in the example above, our spouse has a way of bringing us back to reality very quickly.  Talk about up close and personal! There’s no escaping this accountability whether we like it or not.  Public image is easy, private character is work and no one knows our private character better or is more qualified to call us into accountability than our spouse.

To be sure, I don’t mean to imply that we can be a “Lone Ranger” all the time because we had a bad experience with a past boss, leader or coach.  But the bigger point about personal accountability is that even if we do have a mentor, it doesn’t guarantee progress if we don’t receive their guidance.  Remember, the key to personal accountability is possessing the personal integrity to receive wisdom in the form of correction.  And if we don’t, or can’t, find someone who can directly speak into our lives, I suggest we can find that needed voice of accountability in the many simple, daily things and people around us.