I recently had the privilege to partner with 15 other authors, from all over the world, in producing Energize Your Leadership: Discover, Ignite, Break Through.  When we first started to explore the idea of a collaborative book project, we wanted to provide the reader with both a topic that would be relevant and content that would add value to them in their role as a leader.

We all deal with finding what it takes to find the energy, not only to fuel our own motor, but to fuel the leaders we are trying to develop around us.  In my Chapter titled “Question Yourself” I share the story of my own journey in finding that fuel.

When my job description and responsibilities changed due to a leadership restructuring at the business I had worked at for 15 years, it changed the way I was able to lead.  What I didn’t realize at the time was that my opportunity to lead was what was filling my bucket and providing the energy that led to my success.  It was the fulfillment of adding value to others and working as a team to accomplish goals that inspired me to be the leader I was capable of being.  When that changed, so did I.

So what did I learn from this experience?

• I now understand that I had found my identity in what I did and not in who I was.  When what I did fell apart, so did I.  The “why” that once fueled me had been lost and I was literally running on empty. [Tweet Now]
• I realized that as leaders we can sometimes become more concerned with protecting the why that fuels those around us and forget about filling up our own tank.  As my mentor John Maxwell says, “You cannot give what you do not have.”
• I found out how empowering it is to empower others.  I think at the end of the day, we all want to add value, make a difference, and be part of something bigger than we are alone.  We need energy to do that!

I learned many things from that experience and now know that this is something that we need to keep in check and review often.  I use three questions to make sure that I protect myself from running on empty.

• What would it take to increase my level of awareness?
• What intention have I set to create a change?
• Who will I ask to hold me accountable in making that change?

I encourage you to invest in yourself and invest in a copy of Energize Your Leadership.  I think you will find the insights from myself and my 15  colleagues will add to your ability to keep the tank full and have some in reserve to share with those around you.

SEE YOU AT THE PUMP!

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Barry Smith  5/4/15   photo courtesy of Authors   © Building What Matters 2015

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Sinek, the author of Start With Why, provides a deep look into what creates the most effective teams and more importantly, what keeps them working together, even during the most difficult of times.

This is one of those books that will take you a little bit longer to read because so many thoughts require you to take another look, just to make sure you understood the power behind them.  A phenomenal effort by Sinek, Leaders Eat Last not only looks at the dynamic of the team but of the individuals that make up that team.

What really sets this book apart is Sinek’s unique look at why some people make good leaders and others don’t and the “why” behind the results they get.  In this post, the second of four, I will attempt to capture the basic thoughts of the eight parts of the book.

PART 3: REALITY

THE COURAGE TO DO THE RIGHT THING – Sinek tells the story of an air traffic controller that broke the rules and as a result, saved over a hundred lives.  The point of the story is that sometimes it’s ok to break the rules, because it’s the right thing to do.

The bigger point of the story is that we have created a culture of non-thinking rule followers that use those very rules to justify making the wrong decision just because “that’s what they were told to do.”  Sinek goes on to discuss the idea of trust and offers this great thought: “We don’t just trust people to obey the rules, we also trust that they will know when to break them.”

SNOWMOBILE IN THE DESERT – Another great chapter!  We are the most advanced creature on the planet and yet, have the most difficult time working collaboratively towards common goals.  Sinek suggests that people are not the problem in most cases when discussing our cooperative efforts.

Our culture is so competitive that in most of the environments that we work in, we are judged on personal performance.  This creates a natural condition pushing us to do better than the next guy.  Sound like looking our for #1 to me.  Create an environment in which your people can thrive, and they will!  (Tweet This)

PART 4: HOW WE GOT HERE

THE BOOM BEFORE THE BUST – This is Sinek’s look at how the economic health of the nation has impacted leadership.  The roaring twenties were a time of prosperity and wealth never seen before.  Then the stock market crash hit in 1929 beginning a depression lasting until nearly 1942.  Going to war is widely accepted as the event that pulled us out of that depression.

The point he makes is that like in anything, there has to be balance.  He makes a great comparison between the good times and the bad – at least from a leadership perspective.  The generations that have produced great security and stability have focused on leadership and service, not excess and consumerism.  Hmm, isn’t that interesting!

THE BOOMERS ALL GROWN UP – Sinek takes a look at the three stock market crashes we have endured since the baby boomers took over running government and business.  There has clearly been a shift to the idea that people are as disposable as products.  We have moved away from a strong sense of community and now focus on protecting “what is ours.”

This may be one of the strongest thoughts in the book – “There are smart executives running companies and managing systems, but there seems to be a distinct  lack of strong leaders to lead the people.”  I wonder if the leaders still exist but there no longer exists a job description that includes them.  Just sayin’

Here is Sinek’s bottom line that I take away from this section of the book.  “It’s not how smart the people in the organization are; it’s how well they work together that is the true indicator of future success or the ability to manage through struggle.”  

Read that again and just think about it for a minute.  Does it apply to your current environment?

• Click here to read part 1

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Barry Smith  3/13/14   photo courtesy of amazon   © Building What Matters 2014

The post Leaders Eat Last – Part 2; A Leader’s Environment appeared first on BUILDING WHAT MATTERS.COM.

In my new book coming out later this spring, Leadership by Invitation, I explore the concept of answering the call to lead.  What will it take to answer that invitation?  A new commitment to investing in yourself and in others to create the impact and influence needed to lead.

So if we need to make new investments, we need to be prepared to make the necessary deposits that will result in a positive return on that investment.  As I was balancing the checkbook the other day it struck me that our Leadership balance sheet is much a checkbook.  You make deposits and you make withdrawals and what you have to work with is represented on the bottom line.

Credit Cards Don’t Work When It Comes To Leadership

I know you understand that if you want to take a withdrawal, at some point in time, you needed to make a deposit in order to make that withdrawal.  Let’s take a look at a few things that leaders need to keep in balance to lead.

Look, the day is going to come, if it hasn’t already, that you need to make a withdrawal from your leadership bank and if you don’t have the funds to cash that check, you will lose the opportunity to make a difference is someone else’s life.  Credit cards don’t work when it comes to leadership and we can’t ask life to take a time out until we build back up our account.

I have heard more than once that if you want to see where someone is committed, look at their calendar and look at their checkbook.  Those two things will show you where you deposits are being made.  The question is whether or not they are in something that will allow you to make a withdrawal down the road.

Life Has No “Time Back” Guarantee!

TIME

If there is never enough time, and there never is, how can we expect to make the necessary withdrawals to invest time in others.  Leadership is influence, right?  Most leaders are consumed by the needs of the people they lead.  It’s not intentionally set up that way, but those in authority, the leaders, are typically expected to solve the problems.

So how does a leader make those time deposits?  They can start by EMPOWERING others to make their own decisions.  Part of being a leader is casting vision, and communicating that vision will allow others to understand the desired outcome and make decisions, on their own or within their team, that will produce that same outcome.

Another great way is to DELEGATE.  I love what my mentor John Maxwell told me.  If someone else can do something 80% as well as you, let them do it.  You don’t have to do it all yourself!

You Can Wear Your Running Shoes In The Boardroom

HEALTH

Most of us live in a culture that is simply moving faster than we like.  If you want to live in the age of technology, you need to be prepared to move at light speed like the rest of the world.

I love the quote “Lead, follow, or get left behind.”  If we don’t take the lead on leading ourselves to take the necessary steps to show up with physical energy, mental clarity and emotional stability, (Tweet This / Share on Facebook / Post to LinkedIn) how can we be expected to instill that in others?

As a leader, what deposits are you making to allow for those withdrawals?  Are your eating, exercising and sleeping habits providing the deposits necessary for you to make those withdrawals when a twelve hour day is needed?  I have said it before.  The toughest person to lead is me.

What Is Your Disaster Management Plan?

We are usually last on the list and leaders, by nature, put others first.  This is a formula for disaster.  Look at the most successful leaders.  They show up with energy, clarity and for the most part physically fit.  Any clues to be found there?  Do you think they are making the right deposits?

I have heard more than once that if you want to see where someone is committed, take a look at their calendar and their checkbook.  That’s my challenge for you today.  Take a look at those two things and see what they are producing for your bottom line.

That leads to an related question of great importance.  What adjustment do you need to make today to build up equity in your Leadership Balance Sheet?

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Barry Smith    1/24/14   photo by author   © Building What Matters 2014

The post Deposits and Withdrawals – What’s On Your Leadership Balance Sheet? appeared first on BUILDING WHAT MATTERS.COM.

If you have read any of Miller’s recent work, you know that he has a unique way of building a story around the premise of the book and in effect, brings the lessons and the story itself to life.  The Heart of Leadership is a follow up, at least as the story goes, to “Great Leaders Grow” (read my review of Great Leaders Grow).

Blake, who got off to a great start as a young leader now finds himself stuck.  Stuck in his job and stuck as a leader.  He turns back to his mentor Debbie, who had previously been mentored by Blake’s father before he passed away.

Debbie introduces Blake to 5 professionals that take Blake on a journey to find what he has been missing to take his leadership to the next level.  He has been missing The HEART of Leadership.

So let’s take a look at just what it is that makes up The Heart of Leadership.

HUNGER FOR WISDOM

Leaders recognize that if they want to be effective over the long haul, they need to be life long learners.  They need to commit to not only increasing their knowledge but their relational skills as well.  Be self confident and consistent in your beliefs and values but always be open to input, new ideas and the views and opinions of others.  We can always learn, even in our failures and difficult times.

EXPECT THE BEST

Miller states it very well; “To expect the best is an attitude, a belief, a choice, a lifestyle and a trait that virtually every successful leader possesses.  We believe the best about others and about ourselves.”  What a powerful statement.  Expecting the best is about attitude and as we all know, attitudes are contagious.  Leadership character is about having a positive attitude and creating a culture that expects and produces the best.

ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY

There may be no greater leadership character trait than owning your actions, and not only your actions, but the actions of the entire team.  John Maxwell says that “everything rises and falls on leadership.”  Miller makes it clear that accepting responsibility, for both the good and the bad, needs to fall on the leader.  Along with that, praise needs to be shared whenever possible.  Leaders with heart give the credit to others and find their success in the success of their team.

RESPOND WITH COURAGE

Miller pulls a quote from Dr. Henry Cloud; “Leaders get what they create and what they allow.”  [Tweet This] It takes courage to create.  Often times, leaders are faced with making difficult decisions.  Responding with courage, and doing it consistently, will shape your leadership character and help to build trust.  Courage is a product of confidence and confidence comes from believing in yourself.

THINK OTHERS FIRST

Leaders need followers and a leader’s responsibility is to turn those followers into other leaders.  This only happens when the leader focuses on the success of those he is leading. Miller puts it like this; “It’s about who is responsible for what, and how can I, as the leader, help people to be successful?”  Miller makes a valuable point that if we are to become servant leaders, we need to spend time with other servant leaders and learn how they think and understand the real reasons why they do what they do.

I think the biggest takeaway for me from this fine work was the example of an iceberg that Miller uses to describe leadership.  The 10 percent above water represents your leadership skills – What you know.  The 90 percent underwater represents your character – Who you are.  We often judge people for what they know but the true heart of leadership comes from your character – this is the heart of leadership.

I love this quote from the author; “It is ultimately leadership character that determines our opportunity for influence and impact.“  So today I have a challenging question for you:  What is included in the 90 percent of your iceberg?

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Barry Smith    10/24/13   photo courtesy of Amazon   © Building What Matters 2013

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Although the official release of Scott’s first book, Discover Your Sweet Spot – The 7 Steps to Create a Life of Success and Significance, is not scheduled until the first of the year, I have had the opportunity to be included in a group to receive an early release of the book.

Yes, this is another book that focuses a lot on leadership, but Scott provides 7 steps that will guide you along a path to success and significance in whatever lane you are travelling.

Scott is the Vice President of the John Maxwell Team and one of the team mentors.  A very successful businessman in the Landscaping business, Scott parallels the ideas of DESIGN, BUILD and MAINTAIN into whatever environment we find ourselves.

This will be the first of three posts taking us through the 7 steps that will teach us how to Design, Build and Maintain a life of success and significance.

PHASE 1: DESIGN YOUR LEADERSHIP ENVIRONMENT

STEP 1 – Discover Your Sweet Spot – Design with the End in Mind

For the last 30 years I have spent countless hours reviewing construction drawings.  Without fail, the better the design, the better the project and more importantly, the fewer problems along the way.

It has been right in front of me most of my life and I never got it, not until Scott showed me how just as a good design can produce a great project, it can produce the same in your life or leadership ability as well.

That design, when done correctly, will land in your Sweet Spot.  Scott breaks down your sweet spot like this; “The convergence of three things: Purpose, Passion, and Plan.”

• Purpose is who you are designed to be.
• Passion is what you love to do.
• Plan is the strategic convergence of being and doing.

As Scott puts it; “Living and working from our Sweet Spot results from intentional design, not accidental disorder.”  I love that!  Are you living by design or disorder?

STEP 2 – Sweat the Small Stuff – The Devils are in the Design

This is a great step.  Scott describes the importance of ALL the details, especially the small ones because they really represent the minor adjustments that can make a major difference.

These “Design Devils” come in many different forms and again pulling from his years in the landscape business Scott gives us the infamous five that seem to show up the most often.

POOR DRAINAGE – The people that we bring into our personal or professional life need to be intentional and not accidental.  The people you surround yourself with are going to create the environment in which you wish to grow.  this will determine the flow of your life.  How conducive is your environment to success?

CONTEXT CONFUSION – When you add something to your life, a relationship, a new toy, a bigger house and so on, have you really considered how critical it is to your plan or purpose?  It’s kind of like the shiny squirrel syndrome – we get attracted to something because it looks good, but in reality it may not serve our overall design.

HIGH TRAFFIC – There are clearly areas of our life that receive more traffic than others such as our health.  Face it, everything we do consumes our energy.  If the design does not allow us to refuel, eventually we will run out and … well, you fill in the blank.

AESTHETIC MISFIT – Teamwork makes the dream work, right?  We have got to surround ourselves with those that as Scott puts it; “believe like we believe, but who think different thoughts.”  If you don’t have a shared value system and seek the same desired outcome, it simply won’t work.

SHORT-SIGHTED PLAN – We have to design with the end in mind.  Being short-sighted will result in one of two things:

1. We assume something will stay the same when, really, it’s designed to change.  Or
2. We assume something will change when, really, it’s designed to stay the same.

I have reviewed numerous books and many have had a specific topic or targeted audience.  Discover Your Sweet Spot is for everyone.  We all have a Sweet Spot, but very few are living in it.  If you want to get there, do yourself a favor and pre-order this book.

In the mean time, I leave you with these three questions from John Maxwell referenced by Scott in the book:

• What is required of me?
• What yields the highest return?
• What creates the greatest reward?

When you discover the same answer to all three of these questions, you have Discovered Your Sweet Spot!

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Barry Smith    9/11/13   photo courtesy of Scott M Fay   © Building What Matters 2013

The post Discover Your Sweet Spot – Part 1: Creating The Design appeared first on BUILDING WHAT MATTERS.COM.

His third book, The Mentor Leader, unlocks the concept of leadership much more than Quiet Strength or his second book, Uncommon, had done previously.  Make no mistake, they are all worth the read, but The Mentor Leader brings it all home.

The subtitle, secrets to building people and teams that win consistently. says it all. Mentor Leadership is about building people and when you do that, success is sure to follow.

I will break the book’s nine chapters into three posts.  The first will discuss the Mandate, Mind-set and Maturity of a mentor leader.  The second will cover the Marks, Moments and Model of a mentor leader and the final will address the Means, Methods and Measure or a mentor leader.

THE MARKS OF A MENTOR LEADER: CHARACTERISTICS THAT MATTER

“Being approachable and available is necessary for effective leadership.”

• Mentor Leaders are high in character.  They know who they are and what they stand for.
• Mentor Leaders exhibit trustworthy traits such as competence, integrity and self-confidence.
• Mentor Leaders demonstrate leadership attributes such as courage, vision, mission and faith.
• Mentor Leaders have strong relational skills such as accountability, shepherding and loyalty.

The marks of a mentor leader define much more than what that leader does.  They define who that person is.

THE MOMENTS OF A MENTOR LEADER, INFLUENCE AND IMPACT

“Regardless of our situations in life, we are always role models for someone – always.”

• Mentor Leaders know they can only change one life at a time.
• Mentor Leaders are prepared to act when Unexpected Opportunities become available.
• Mentor Leaders understand that others are watching and act as role models.
• Mentor Leaders seek out and take a proactive role in mentoring others.

A mentor leader recognizes that not all moments to make a difference in someone’s life will be planned out.  The difference is that they are ready, and willing, to act when opportunity knocks.

THE MODEL OF A MENTOR LEADER: LIVING THE MESSAGE

“When you are in a crisis, it’s too late to try and get people to follow you.”

• Mentor leaders are known for both their words and actions.
• Mentor leaders are known and respected for commitment to their faith.
• Mentor Leaders are known by the legacy they are creating.

I believe the best way for a mentor leader to lead is to develop other leaders.  The life of a mentor leader may be remembered for their defining moments, but the true measure of a mentor leader is in how many defining moments they can help create for others.

My son and I have traveled over 1,500 miles over the last four days and we have seen all types of people living in a variety of different ways.  Several of them, without even knowing their stories, could have benefited from a mentor in their life.

So I have one question for you today related to your influence on others.  “When opportunity knocks, will you be ready?”

To see part one of The Mentor Leader click here

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Barry Smith    7/10/13   photo by amazon   © Building What Matters 2013
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The post The Mentor Leader – Part 2: Marks, Moments and Model appeared first on BUILDING WHAT MATTERS.COM.

His third book, The Mentor Leader, unlocks the concept of leadership much more than Quiet Strength or his second book, Uncommon, had done previously.  Make no mistake, they are all worth the read, but The Mentor Leader brings it all home.

The subtitle, secrets to building people and teams that win consistently. says it all. Mentor Leadership is about building people and when you do that, success is sure to follow.

I will break the book’s nine chapters into three posts.  The first will discuss the Mandate, Mind-set and Maturity of a mentor leader.  The second will cover the Marks, Moments and Model of a mentor leader and the final will address the Means, Methods and Measure or a mentor leader.

THE MANDATE OF A MENTOR LEADER

“Mentor Leaders understand that if we lose sight of people, we lose sight of the very purpose of leadership.”

• Mentor Leaders put people first.
• Mentor Leaders strive for significance in life.
• Mentor Leaders keep an eternal perspective.

John Maxwell recently said that ‘Once you get a taste of significance, you will never settle for success.”  Mentor Leaders understand this concept and base their leadership style on making a name for others and not themselves.

THE MIND-SET OF A MENTOR LEADER

“A well-cast vision is one that can be commonly shared by all members of the team.”

• The focus of a Mentor Leader is on the other person.
• Mentor Leaders maximize the present while envisioning the future.
• Mentor Leaders focus on Vision, Mission and Values.
• Mentor Leaders understand it’s all about serving.

The mind-set of a mentor leader is on the big picture.  Having clear vision on your mission will require a firm hold on your value system.  Strong values will empower a leader to creates strong people.  People are who make the difference.

THE MATURITY OF A MENTOR LEADER

“Your past has helped to set a course for what motivates, directs, and drives you, or what holds you back.”

• Mentor leaders deal with the past learning from the experiences.
• Mentor leaders forgive to allow freedom from the things that hold us back.
• Mentor Leaders motivate, prioritize and balance.
• Mentor Leaders focus on strengths

Mentor Leaders are not created overnight.  They understand where they are.  They understand how their previous decisions have impacted their current condition and they have a clear picture on where they want to go.  They are able to utilize all the resources they have and their life experiences to mentor others along the way.

No question today, but a challenge instead.  Find someone to mentor you and find someone you can mentor.  A life can be changed and it might just be yours!

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Barry Smith    7/3/13   photo by amazon   © Building What Matters 2013

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The book has Debbie, the one mentored in The Secret, now mentoring the son of her mentor following his death.  Blake, just starting out in his professional life, is searching for a way to fit in as an employee and fill the role as a leader.

Debbie shares many of the insights that Blake’s father had shared with her years before.  The book evolves around the acronym GROW.

The model is comprised of four ways that leaders must challenge and stretch themselves, both on and off the job, to reach their greatest potential.

GAIN KNOWLEDGE

Blanchard and Miller describe four ways that we gain knowledge:

1. You need to start with yourself if you are going to lead effectively.
2. You need to gain knowledge about others if you are going to lead as a group or individually.
3. You need to gain knowledge about your industry.
4. You need to gain knowledge in the field of leadership.

In short, to be an influential leader, you need to be a life-long learner.

REACH OUT TO OTHERS

Blanchard and Miller suggest that “teaching is one of the primary ways that leaders learn.”  I think they have described this process well by stating “As a leader, your role is to teach by sharing information as well as asking probing questions.”

The point is that as leaders, we need to take the first step.  If there is a problem, show up with a solution.

OPEN YOUR WORLD

Blanchard and Miller add “Your capacity to GROW will determine your capacity to lead.  If you get too busy with your job to grow, your influence and your leadership will stagnate and ultimately evaporate.”

They go on to suggest that “you will add much more value as a leader if you open up and expand your world with leadership experiences and life experiences.”  They then add the reminder that “you need to be on the lookout for experiences inside and outside work that will make you a better leader over time.”

WALK TOWARD WISDOM

The closing statement to the four steps is clarified with this statement; “Wisdom is the application of knowledge, discernment, insight, experience, and judgement to make good decisions when the answer may not be obvious.”

They acknowledge that growth in wisdom has no formula, but almost always has at least one of four elements:

1. Self-evaluation is the ability to look in the mirror and tell yourself the truth.
2. Those pursuing wisdom need honest feedback.  Find someone you can trust to provide that honest feedback.
3. Be willing to seek counsel from others.  Great leaders know when they don’t know and are willing to find the answers.
4. Understand and accept that wisdom is accumulated over a lifetime.  Great leaders understand that there is always more to learn.

I think my favorite line from the book is “We got caught providing yesterday’s answers to today’s problems.”  How often do you feel like that is what’s going on around you? Great Leaders GROW is a great read for anyone interested in developing or improving their leadership skills.

Influential leaders need to be ahead of the game.  What are you doing today to GROW as a leader?

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Barry Smith    6/26/13   photo courtesy of Ken Blanchard Companies   © Building What Matters 2013

The post Great Leaders GROW – Becoming A Leader For Life appeared first on BUILDING WHAT MATTERS.COM.

When I last left you, we had finished up our training and were headed to an indoor arena to celebrate what had just taken place.  When I walked into the arena, I was amazed to see thousands of people already inside. Two marching bands played at the bottom of the stands as we walked into the arena to take our seats front stage.

Several spoke but it was John Maxwell and Manuel Espina (President of Guatemala Prospera) that were the focus.  Recognition and appreciation were conveyed and the team was honored by being invited to the stage to receive a standing ovation from the attendees.

John told the Guatemalan audience that their Country was chosen to be the first to experience this transformation not only because they wanted and needed it, but because they were ready for it.  I wounder who else is ready.

From there, we traveled to Antigua for a private celebration that included our team along with our translators.  It was very rewarding to me personally that our translators were included in this as they were so much a part of the success and experience of the week.

The venue for this final chapter “in Country” was incredible.  Convento Santa Clara, a five hundred year old structure in the heart of Antigua, was something I have never experienced before.  This was my first time out of North America and it was probably twice as old as anything I had seen before.

The events of the evening included an amazing meal, music, more acknowledgement of the efforts that went into the events of the week and a slideshow that once again brought everyone to tears.  So much happened this week and it will no doubt be weeks, or months before it all sinks in.

Chances are very good that we will return to Guatemala but as the night came to a close, we all understood that there were some goodbyes that would be forever.  That being said, the people we met and the Country of Guatemala will be in hearts forever.

I received an email from Anai, my translator for the first two days, on Sunday wishing me a Happy Father’s Day.  A week ago, I didn’t even know she existed and now, she will be a part of my thoughts every time I look back on the incredible change that took place in my life this week.  Anai is just one of many that impacted me this week and helped me to realize how much more I have to give.

That giving starts today.  My family, my friends and my colleagues will all notice a difference.  John Maxwell once told us “You cannot give what you do not have.”  This week I realized that “you don’t know how much you have until you start to give.”

I am back home now and find it hard to focus at times as even the smallest of things take me right back to Guatemala.  My life changed this week along with thousands in Guatemala.  What we did this week was significant and I am grateful for everyone that made this possible and experienced it with me.

“Feliz Nuevo Dia” or Happy New Day, was an expression that was used often last week. A new day it is, and with that I wish you all happiness and gratitude for being part of this journey with me.

• Click here to read Day 1
• Click here to read Day 2
• Click here to read Day 3
• Click here to read Day 4
• Click here to read Day 5
• Click here to read Day 6
• Click here to read Day 7

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Barry Smith    6/18/13   photo by author  © Building What Matters 2013

The post Guatemala – Let The Future Begin! appeared first on BUILDING WHAT MATTERS.COM.

Along with great training from John and the EQUIP team, we were blessed to hear stories from some of the locals regarding their anticipation for what will transpire later this week.

Earlier this week people lined up along the streets, cheering on those completing the Guatemala Próspera March that began in Atlanta weeks ago.  Mother’s running out to hug some of the walkers telling them they had been praying 20 years for this emphasis on leadership to be brought to their homeland so their children could have opportunities that were once only a dream.

Honestly, this is all somewhat overwhelming.  The only real examples of support I can compare to in the United States is when we have joined together after some major disaster of tragedy involving the loss of human life.

I believe that what is going on here in Guatemala is about the loss of human life.  Not in the sense of what you think but in “life” that represents the basic rights we enjoy in the US and other Industrialized Nations.

That life, as most of us enjoy it, is not the rule here in the Country of Guatemala, it is the exception.  Imagine if you woke up tomorrow and were told that your country is about to be transformed into something that you have only heard about, something better than anything you have ever experienced before.

That is the attitude of the Guatemalan residents.  Thousands wait to see the impact of this transformation.  The chant of “Transformation begins with me” or to correctly represent it “Transformación esta en mi”, is becoming the war cry of the people.  The Government is being transparent and asking to be held accountable for this change.  Think of the implications of that in itself.

I ask you to take a moment and just picture what it would be like to live in a country with 360,000 orphans.  That number, as a percentage of the population, would be millions in the United States.  A country that has 140,000 people added to the workforce every year with only 20,000 jobs available.  A country that has been praying for years for change that will allow those with the desire, to have an opportunity to succeed.

There is not one person in this Country that matters any less than you or I.  They deserve a chance.  They deserve to have someone believe in them.  They deserve a reason to believe in others.  THEY DESERVE HOPE!

Tomorrow we meet with our translators and coordinate the training that will begin on Thursday.  This I know, my life has already been transformed and in a discussion with some of my fellow coaches tonight we agreed … we have already accomplished so much but have not even started.  This is just the beginning.  Tomorrow starts now!

I know some of this may be hard to understand and this really has been a “you had to be there” experience.

But this I know, when I look into the eyes of those that I will be blessed to train this week, I can only hope that they can see my heart and that I can see theirs.  This week I am not an American and these men and women won’t be Guatemalans.  We will all simply be people sharing this planet that want to be part of the solution.

The solution starts with the Hope that is already here.  Now it’s time to go from relevance to significance.  That will only come from within.  “Transformation Begins with Me” or as I now refer to it, “Transformación esta en mi”

• Click here to read Day 1
• Click here to read Day 2

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Don’t miss a single post from Building What Matters by subscribing at the top left of this page. 

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Barry Smith    6/11/13   photo by author  © Building What Matters 2013

The post Guatemala – “Transformation Begins With Me” appeared first on BUILDING WHAT MATTERS.COM.