"Even a happy life cannot be without a measure of darkness, and the word happy would lose its meaning if it were not balanced by sadness. It is far better to take things as they come along with patience and equanimity." ~Carl Jung

Life has a way of being both extremely challenging and unequivocally rewarding at the same time. Happiness is truly an internal emotion brought out by life experiences. No one person in this world can make someone happy unless that person chooses to be happy with themselves and their lives. Despite the wealth of many Americans in this country, the United States rates the highest among industrialized nations with people suffering from major depression according to a 2004 study conducted by Harvard Medical School. So while countries like Nigeria deal with hunger and Cuba deals with oppression, Americans often deal with materialism and a sense of entitlement fueled by runaway capitalism and the media who tells every American to spend, spend, spend even if you can not afford the items that you are buying.

My challenge to you is decide what is important in your own lives and the lives of your family. Find happiness in your health, your family, your friends and your community. Decide this year to give time rather than presents, a smile rather than a frown, or a hello to someone you do not normally speak with. Stop making your dark moments the focus of your life rather than the temporary problems they are that make your happiness so much more enjoyable in the end.

Nkozi Knight

Vice President B.C.C.

http://alonzoweeklyleadershipthought.blogspot.com/

It's not till the tide rolls out that you can see who's been swimming naked. ~ Anonymous

This morning a very nice lady was stuck in her car while going up hill in our fresh snow. A few of us got out of our vehicles in traffic to help push her to safety. While pushing, I couldn't help but notice how nice the car was. I was confused that this vehicle couldn't make it up the small hill. It became clear that her tires were almost bald and no matter how cool the vehicle looked, without proper preparation for snow, this car wasn't going anywhere. I'm sure she knew that she needed new tires but figured she had more time to get them. The experience got me thinking about the quote for this week. Where in my life will I be left exposed if the tide suddenly rolls out? I remember being the back up quarterback in high school and not really paying attention to the plays since I never expected the starting quarterback to get hurt. When it actually happened I was confused and unprepared to lead my team when they needed me most. I also suspect that some leaders delay addressing important matters on their teams because times have been good and they don't want to upset the balance. Since you can't time or predict when times will turn sour, the risk of doing nothing to prepare clearly isn't worth it.

My challenge to you this week is to address something in your personal or professional life that you've been hiding under the tide. That is, commit to taking a step toward addressing a weakness you have before the world knows you have it all. Perhaps its an insecurity about public speaking or simply not understanding the numbers behind a budget item you are responsible for. There are many things that we as leaders hide behind because the system allows us to. A sign of your evolved leadership is being prepared for when the tide rolls out and knowing you've got it covered.


Alonzo Kelly
http://alonzoweeklyleadershipthought.blogspot.com/

In the world to come, I shall not be asked, "Why were you not Moses?" I shall be asked, "Why were you not Zusya?" ~ Rabbi Zusya

While I thoroughly enjoy sending lengthy messages about self accountability and self worth, this week is different. There is nothing I can say that wasn't already said in today's quote. While Rabbi Zusya refers to the 'world to come', I'm focusing on tomorrow. His message speaks for itself. No one will care why I didn't turn out to be like someone else if I didn't even live up to staying true to me.

My challenge to you this week is for you to simply be you. Don't spend money on gifts that don’t speak to your character and don't represent what you stand for. Don't try to impress your neighbors or colleagues by supporting a position that you personally don't believe in. Your students, patients, staff, or children are only impressed by the genuineness of you. Trying to be someone else only jeopardizes your integrity and leadership.

Alonzo Kelly
http://alonzoweeklyleadershipthought.blogspot.com

Communication

The colossal misunderstanding of our time is the assumption that insight will work with people who are unmotivated to change. Communication does not depend on syntax, or eloquence, or rhetoric, or articulation but on the emotional context in which the message is being heard. People can only hear you when they are moving toward you, and they are not likely to when your words are pursuing them. Even the choicest words lose their power when they are used to overpower. Attitudes are the real figures of speech. ~ Edwin H. Friedman

My apologies for the long quote this week but it was too important to cut out any words. This weekend my family decided to rescue a puppy (Copper) from the Humane Society. The dog was cute and cuddly until we got home and he decided to start marking his territory. Of course as we were telling it to stop, he was running away. For the next six hours, everytime we were showering the dog with love and praise he would run to us and respond with a wagging tail. Whenever he was doing something naughty he would run away. The decibel in our voice had no bearing on his attitude about staining our carpet. At bed time we asked our children to go and get ready for bed. It was an overwhelming moment of clarity for me to see my daughter, son, and puppy, all walking away when they were being asked to do something they simply didn't want to do. Why did it take a cute puppy and crap on my carpet for me to understand the simple lesson that Mr. Friedman shared? When words are pursuing the audience, no matter how eloquent or loud the tone, they will land on deaf ears. Once again, a lesson I've learned the hard way.

My challenge to you this week is to practice the art of communication without overpowering your audience. Create an environment where distractions are minimal and your delivery is calm and clear. Try not to have your words 'chasing' the team but rather greeting them. A simple test on whether or not your words are chasing the audience would be to count the number of times you have to repeat yourself on the same message. I woke up on Sunday morning believing the best communicators were world leaders and inspirational speakers. I went to bed wishing I had met Mr. Friedman and Copper 25 years ago.

Alonzo Kelly
http://alonzoweeklyleadershipthought.blogspot.com

First say to yourself what you would be; and then do what you have to do. ~ Epictetus

Since before we were born, our parents had a plan for what they wanted us to be. After a few years of getting to know us and analyzing our behavior, they may have crafted a different plan. I was supposed to be either a crash test dummy or a lawyer. Of course there's no relation between the two but those were my mom's choices. By the time I was 12, I had already had 4 different sets of stitches, two oral surgeries, and 1 broken bone. (That helmet she made me wear around the house made sense after awhile). She figured that I would need to be an attorney in order to defend myself! Now at the ripe of age of 34, I've added 9 reconstructive surgeries, more broken bones, multiple sprains and a bad back to the fold. All of which are the results of my own accidents! Clearly she was on to something. While I sit back and laugh at my experience, there is a seriousness to the words of Epictetus. I am tired of people always telling me what they are going to be but never doing a single thing to get them there. I have friends that tell me they are going to be doctors, lawyers, accountants, and nurses, but won't even bother to take the first step of requesting a college admission application. I have friends that tell me they are going to be better leaders, fathers, mothers, and mentors, but won't do a single thing about addressing an opportunity they have to improve. It is usually the start that stops most people. A lion wakes up one day and says to himself that he is going to be king. He then proceeds to go about his business of trying to make it happen. We have a lot to learn from the lion.


My challenge to you this week is to take a first step towards accomplishing a goal you've set for yourself a long time ago. Perhaps you had a goal to be more organized. This week be non-negotiable on your promise to have one pile of papers on your desk completely addressed and removed. If your goal is to lose weight, take all the candy and junk food in your home and put it in a box. Wrap it with so much duct tape that by the time you get through it, you won't want what's in it anyway. If your goal is to be a better parent, commit to reading one book, EVERYDAY, with your child. Life is what happens while you're busy planning for it. Its time to stop planning and get on with it already!

Alonzo Kelly
http://alonzoweeklyleadershipthought.blogspot.com

What Will You Change

Few will have the greatness to bend history itself; but each of us can work to change a small portion of events, and in the total of all those acts will be written the history of this generation.
~ Robert F. Kennedy

Last Wednesday I tried to buy a copy of every major newspaper to save for future conversations with my children. The significance of this years election will be one to remember. One of the more obvious points of historical significance is the diverse candidate slate we had to choose from. Men, women, young, old, black, white, mixed, divorce, adoption, religion, teen pregnancy, community college, prestige college, no college; this election had it all on one ballot! I firmly believe that every election from now on will either have a diverse candidate on the ticket or will be blindly running a losing race. While taking in the sights and sounds of our country the day after our community had spoken and elected its next President, a sudden dose of reality set in. The pundits on television, the talk show hosts on the radio, even the people in line at the grocery store, were experts on everything that was right and wrong with the outcome of the election. What lessons have we learned from events that rocked the foundation our country in the past? How many of us are now willing to accept that regardless of who won last Tuesday, we are now the next leg in this relay race called life? The election process began with each candidate holding the baton and sprinting as fast as they could, hoping to reach us first. The baton must now be passed on to us. Are we ready to take it from President-elect Obama and hold ourselves accountable for our portion of this race or will we drop the baton and wait for the next one? If we commit to focusing our time, energy, and resources to safely and efficiently handing the baton to the next person in line, our children, then Tuesdays election will indeed be historic. President Kennedy points out that the history of our generation will be written by all of us, not the gifted few.

My challenge to you this week is to have a discussion with someone else about your portion in this relay race of life. What are YOU going to commit to being responsible for to ensure the safe passage of the baton to our children. Since the beginning of time, elected officials have promised to change things so that the future of their children would be protected. One could argue that the baton has been dropped so many times over the past century that our children wouldn't recognize it as a baton at all. But, if each of us commits to being great in our own right, then there is hope that our children will finally receive a baton in tact. An event that makes history doesn't have to make the front page. Paying a bill on time 3 months in a row, doing homework with your children before they watch cartoons, or picking up a piece of fruit rather than a piece of candy can be historic events in their own right and none of which has anything do with who won last weeks election. Let this be the generation known for having the best credit, the smartest children, and the healthiest life style. These are the acts that President Kennedy spoke of then and now I challenge you to follow through.

Alonzo Kelly

The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten the gift.
~ Albert Einstein

I've often marveled at wild animal trainers and the courage they display on stage or in the arena. Surrounded by 3000 pounds of raw flesh eating power, trainers and performers display a calmness and cool that I could only imagine. I've seen 10 tigers bow to a 180 pound man in a cage. I've witnessed a bear roll over at the simple wave of a hand by a 140 pound women. On television, we can watch in awe as a man sticks his head in the open jaws of a full grown crocodile. Our rational mind tells us that with training, patience, and perseverance, we can overcome any fear and accomplish anything. Our intuition fails us sometimes as we forget we are talking about WILD ANIMALS! It takes the occasional reminder on the Animal Planet series, When Animals Attack, to keep things in perspective. I suppose Mr. Einstein could have been talking about leadership when he put this quote together. In hindsight, I bet we could all explain a bad decision we've made that was more heavily weighted on our rational mind than our intuition, affectionately referred to as our 'gut feeling'.
My challenge to you this week is to invoke your intuitive mind in a major decision you must make this week. Perhaps this decision will take place in the voting booth or maybe even the doctors office. The dictionary defines 'intuition' as a sense of something not evident or deducible; an impression. The dictionary defines 'rational' as having or exercising the ability to reason (in other words, using logic, analytic thought; intelligence). My rational mind would tell me that it is indeed possible to train a crocodile to allow me to put my head in his mouth without him snapping it off. We have data to prove this is possible and I've even witnessed it. Besides, more people die from being struck by lightening than being eaten by crocodiles. Of course my intuitive mind is the reason I've never done it. While I'm not advocating to reduce the amount of logic and data you use to make decisions, I am supporting Mr. Einstein's recommendation that we stop ignoring our gift of intuition. This gift could prove the difference between success and failure.

Alonzo Kelly

Q: David's father had 3 sons: "Snap, Crackle, and ?"
A: David!

Q: If you were in a race and passed the person in 2nd place, what place would you be in?
A: 2nd Place!


I love those jokes! The main reason I love them is because they point out just how fast our mind works and how silly we look when we ignore the obvious. My wife likes to point out that I am really quick to make assumptions about what she is going to say or what she is thinking. I of course deny that until she actually does tell me what she's thinking. Those conversations usually end up with me saying something like, "Oh, I see, oops, my bad.". The same thing happens when I'm having a serious discussion with my daughter. I'll instantly assume that she knows what I'm talking about because we've had the conversation before. When she explains her behavior, I again end up saying, "Oh, I see, oops, my bad". You would think that enough of these types of conversations have happened to me that they wouldn't occur as frequently as they do. My biggest fear is that something important will happen at work and I will immediately respond with what appears to be the obvious at the time without further exploration or assessment. I'm happy to report this doesn't happen often but its probably because of the fear of getting it wrong and having to stand in front of my team saying, "Oh, I see,…..". You get the point.

My challenge to you this week is to ask one clarifying question of your peers or leader during a discussion. Practice the art of seeking clarity. Your students, classmates, clients, or fellow team members will pick up on your behavior and do the same. The result is a dialogue rich in meaningful discussion and expectations being made clear. We as leaders shouldn't wait for others to take the lead on ensuring we are able to execute on goals which are clearly defined and ready to be achieved.


Q: How many books can you put into an empty back pack?
A: 1; After that the back pack is no longer empty!


Alonzo Kelly

Objects in mirror are closer than they appear. ~ Rear view mirror warning

I bring you this quote from my weekly Weight Watchers class. Yea, I said it, I'm on Weight Watchers. For the record, the thought of a rear view mirror in weight watchers class understandably scared a few. Anyway, I couldn't help but think about what else would be in my rear view mirror if I took a careful look. Past learning experiences, failures, or let downs would be there. But previous family gatherings, uncontrollable laughter episodes, and overwhelming times of joy would also be in sight. What I love about the warning on our car door mirrors is the fact that although objects are reflected from an angle of the past, they are not all that far away. The warning to not assume that you are in the clear or have entirely lost something is a lesson about life. I saw a poster in church this past weekend that said, "If you're not sure where to find God, start at the place you last spoke". Perhaps you can't seem to figure out how to laugh again or simply relax. Maybe you're struggling with a relationship and need to reflect on why you care so deeply about the person in the first place. A quick glance in the rear view mirror will reveal that what you think is in the distant past, isn't really all that far away.

My challenge to you this week is to take a quick glance in the rear view mirror. As a leader, take a peek at some of your past successes and failures and reflect on what you've learned. Make a personal pledge to recapture the lessons from the past that guide your thinking and behavior today. If we are unwilling to reflect on our past experiences, we are destined to make poor decisions based on misguided information and blind assumptions. I don't know about you, but if the driver in front of me on the freeway insists on changing lanes without using his rear view mirrors, I have no choice but to do one of the following; either refuse to follow them and let someone else put their future in his hands, or pass him entirely and keep an eye on him while he's following me. It would be a mistake to think your staff or students aren't doing the same about you!


Alonzo Kelly

It is said an Eastern monarch once charged his wise men to invent him a sentence to be ever in view, and which should be true and appropriate in all times and situations. They presented him the words: "And this, too, shall pass away." ~ Abraham Lincoln

This past Friday, like many millions of people around the world, I tuned into the first Presidential Debate. They've been debating for over 18 months now but the media said this was the first. I listened very carefully for their plans and strategies to take our country to a better place. I kept a keen eye on body contact, body language, and signs of frustration or angst. I watched the moderator cleverly encouraging them to talk to one another rather than the audience. For 90 minutes I was able to drink from the cup of euphoria and imagine a world with peace and prosperity. I enjoyed hearing both candidates say that our systems are broken and they both had the answers to fix them. For that hour and a half, all was right with the world. Then, like being suddenly awaken from a dream, the debate was over. I was left to fend for myself in the madness of life. I realized that if I don't pay my bills on time, there's nothing either candidate could do to fix the credit crisis. If I don't properly educate myself and my children, there's nothing anyone can do to break the cycle of poverty. It became clear in all of one minute that the feelings I had during the debate shall pass if I don't make myself part of the solution. President Lincoln didn't need wise men to provide the sentence that any of us could have provided. 'This too shall pass' is a phrase that if not used appropriately can enable us to accept our current state of sad affairs. I agree that most difficult times will pass, but they'll be back if we don't demonstrate we've learned something through the experience.
My challenge to you this week is to reflect on a difficult situation that you simply let pass away without addressing it head on. Reflect on how the situation may rear its ugly head again if you continue to ignore it. Leadership requires knowing when to fight and knowing when to walk away. Walking away however is not a solution if the other party doesn't believe you are aware of what's going on. If you appear to be naïve or simply blind to the issue, both the problem and problem source will reintroduce themselves very soon. Teachers shouldn't ignore difficult students, doctors shouldn't ignore difficult patients, and managers shouldn't ignore difficult employees. "And this, too, shall pass" is a great saying when recovering from a difficult situation. Shame on us all if we dismiss the opportunity to learn from it.

Alonzo M Kelly

There is no moral precept that does not have something inconvenient about it. ~ Denis Diderot


I am a member of many organizations that are committed to community service and leadership. We stand side by side and proclaim to reject all that is wrong in our community and be models for all that is right. We profess to reject violence, discrimination, every 'ism' you can name, and infractions against humanity. In other words, we reject what my daughter describes as 'mean people' and the mean things they do. Why is it then that more often than not, it gets harder to hear this unified voice of peace and unity? I suspect that for every person who is truly trying to do the right thing, they are trumped by the scores of people who simply don't have time to join them. I'm careful not to say they don't care because I believe most people do. As this weeks quote highlights however, doing the right thing absolutely involves some element of doing the convenient thing. I've often wondered how leaders are able to use the word 'fantastic' to describe their mood EVERY DAY! After the fifth day I walk away wondering what they've avoided addressing in order to keep their harmony. While I shouldn't assume that they've avoided anything, it is something that gives me pause considering the plethora of issues we need to address in our places of business and community.

My challenge to you this week is to do one thing for someone that you know needs to be done but is inconvenient for you personally. You may choose to help an elderly person register to vote, take your neighbor grocery shopping, or give someone feedback that they absolutely need to hear. For all the things that make our leaders great, both past and present, it is their ability to do what is too inconvenient for the rest of us that stands out most. I dare say that everyone reading this email is great. What we must do this week is practice the skill of embracing inconvenience to be ready for anything that comes our way. It’s the inconvenient times, not the smooth times, that our leadership is needed most.


Alonzo Kelly

"Every memorable act in the history of the world is a triumph of enthusiasm. Nothing great was ever achieved without it because it gives any challenge or any occupation, no matter how frightening or difficult, a new meaning. Without enthusiasm you are doomed to a life of mediocrity but with it you can accomplish miracles."~Og Mandino

It is often hard to face life with an enthusiastic spirit; however, it is extremely important to remember that the outcome of any situation is directly impacted by both your enthusiasm and effort which has a direct correlation with your desired results. We have all heard the saying, “You can do anything you put your mind to”. What this is truly saying is we control our destiny, our life, and our future. You can not be a victim if you refuse to be victimized and no one has to be a product of a negative environment or lower socioeconomic conditions if they choose not to be. Life is about choice and whether we choose to live with a poor attitude and little motivation or high enthusiasm and great determination is up to us.

My challenge to you this week is to live with purpose and enthusiasm and no matter how many times you stumble and fall in life always continue to get up, stand up, and be accountable for the way your life turned out. Continue to accomplish miracles in your own life as well as the lives of others who look up to you and no challenge will ever be unassailable.

Nkozi knight

Moral Standing

There is no moral precept that does not have something inconvenient about it. ~ Denis Diderot

I am a member of many organizations that are committed to community service and leadership. We stand side by side and proclaim to reject all that is wrong in our community and be models for all that is right. We profess to reject violence, discrimination, every 'ism' you can name, and infractions against humanity. In other words, we reject what my daughter describes as 'mean people' and the mean things they do. Why is it then that more often than not, it gets harder to hear this unified voice of peace and unity? I suspect that for every person who is truly trying to do the right thing, they are trumped by the scores of people who simply don't have time to join them. I'm careful not to say they don't care because I believe most people do. As this weeks quote highlights however, doing the right thing absolutely involves some element of doing the convenient thing. I've often wondered how leaders are able to use the word 'fantastic' to describe their mood EVERY DAY! After the fifth day I walk away wondering what they've avoided addressing in order to keep their harmony. While I shouldn't assume that they've avoided anything, it is something that gives me pause considering the plethora of issues we need to address in our places of business and community.

My challenge to you this week is to do one thing for someone that you know needs to be done but is inconvenient for you personally. You may choose to help an elderly person register to vote, take your neighbor grocery shopping, or give someone feedback that they absolutely need to hear. For all the things that make our leaders great, both past and present, it is their ability to do what is too inconvenient for the rest of us that stands out most. I dare say that everyone reading this email is great. What we must do this week is practice the skill of embracing inconvenience to be ready for anything that comes our way. It’s the inconvenient times, not the smooth times, that our leadership is needed most.

Alonzo Kelly

President Milwaukee Urban League Young Professionals

www.tmulyp.org

Change does not necessarily assure progress, but progress implacably requires change. Education is essential to change, for education creates both new wants and the ability to satisfy them. ~ Henry Steele Commager


I'm not sure about you but I've been pounded over the head with the word 'change' so much that I'm afraid to even use it in a sentence. Our elected officials promise to bring change to our government. Our corporations will change the way they do business. Technology will change the way we view the environment. My daughter vows to change her attitude. It goes on and on. This past week I received feedback on my midyear review that almost made me change the way I go about my job. The feedback was very clear, very direct, and certainly created a renewed sense of urgency. What my boss was looking for is exactly what Mr. Commager identified as the source of change. Progress is what my boss was after. Progress is also what our government, corporations, environment, and yes our parents are ultimately hoping to achieve. In order to progress at anything we must first educate ourselves on what we want the end result to be and then be daring and bold enough to act on this new information. Change for sake of change is a complete waste of time and resources. Progress for sake of progress on the other hand implies a step in the right direction and an increased capacity for learning.

My challenge to you this week is to not get caught up in the rhetoric of change. Examine a particular project or process that you a currently involved with and renew your focus on the end result. Whether you are gearing up for students to return to the classroom, or contemplating making an adjustment to your personal circle of influence, keep your eye on where you want to ultimately end up. Try not to get lost in the act of doing things differently for risk of losing sight of why you are recommending something different in the first place. Few leaders survive very long if they are known for 'shaking things up' without a clear vision and explanation to the reason behind it.

Alonzo Kelly
President
Milwaukee Urban League Young Professionals
www.tmulyp.org

"When I was tired, I slept; When I was hungry, I ate; and when I had to go, well, ya know, I went". ~ Forest Gump "So you just ran?" ~ Lady at the bus stop "Well, Yea!" ~ Forest Gump

The movie Forest Gump has some of the best lines ever written in a movie. While everyone remembers his box of chocolate references, one of his best lines was part of a dialogue he had with a lady on a bench while waiting for the bus. It’s a simple instruction on achieving incredible results through disciplined focus. I suppose our Olympic athletes also provide this same lesson by being the best in their country at a specific event. Rather than trying to be decent at all things, they choose to be excellent at a few. I wonder what I could accomplish if I chose to focus on changing one part of our community at a time rather than all of it at once? If on Mondays I feed the homeless and Tuesdays teach children to read, could I actually end homelessness by teaching kids to read on Mondays and Tuesdays? I'm not sure of the ultimate result but I do realize that I'm cheating both groups if I'm not completely focused on either. If it were my career we were talking about, I would have to ask what I think I could accomplish with my team if we focused on being excellent at a few things rather than decent at a bunch of stuff. These are tough questions but necessary to address in order to take my personal and professional development to the next level. Forest Gump slept when he was tired, ate when he was hungry, and went to the bathroom when he had to. But at the end of the day there was never any doubt what his energy was focused on; he was running. Nothing else. And that's why he was able to run from coast to coast.

My challenge to you this week is to commit to completing one task this week with an excellent result. Don't turn in a good report, turn in a GREAT report. Don't complete a task on time, complete the task BEFORE its due. Don't just play catch with your children or pets for sake of spending time, play with them so much that they can't take it anymore! If we can commit to focusing on one task and completing it without distraction, we will begin to realize what we are truly capable of. When you're tired, rest, and when you're hungry, eat. But after each of those necessary breaks, resume your focus on excellence. If we can do that, our combined excellent efforts will produce extraordinary results!

Alonzo Kelly

President

Milwaukee Urban League Young Professionals

www.tmulyp.org

How Do You Manage Your Time

There is nothing so useless as doing efficiently that which should not be done at all. ~ Peter F. Drucker

My boss has us doing an exercise that involves an inventory and assessment of how we spend our time. The entire exercise causes me to examine my priorities and personal level of accountability (which I'm sure was her intention in the first place!). One of my biggest take away from the exercise is that I've somehow managed to convince myself that it is indeed possible to be everywhere and actively participate at all times. The scary part is that I've also managed to convince others around me that they can do the same. It’s the few smart ones in my circle of influence that have held tightly to the fact that leadership without focus isn't leadership at all. I quickly discovered that there exists a great opportunity to improve on my ability to model behavior as it relates to time management. Mr. Drucker politely calls to task those of us that have meetings on our calendars 30 minutes longer than they need to be, engagements after work that do nothing for our health or work/life balance, and make excuses for why we won't attempt to offer bold changes on our team which we believe will improve results. My apology goes out to the countless mentors out there that have been telling me this for years. I get it now.

My challenge to you this week is to conduct an audit of how you spend your time and reprioritize. At the most basic level, take a look at your calendars over the next few weeks and rate the meetings you have on a scale of 1 - 10 with 10 being 'ADDS SIGNIFICANT VALUE TOWARDS THE ACHIEVEMENT OF OUR GOALS'. Anything that you rate a 5 or below should not be given the same amount of time as something you rate a 9 or 10. At a more strategic level, take a look at how you spend your overall time and examine whether or not it helps achieve your goals personally or professionally. I give Midwest Airlines credit for the bold announcement that they would stop offering some non-direct flights or eliminate leisure destinations from their menu. While there will be some initial challenge with whatever changes you decide to make, you will be stronger in the long run and be better positioned to deliver high quality service to your customers, clients, students, family, and yourself.

Alonzo Kelly
President-Milwaukee Urban League Young Professionals

When Communicating with Others

Don't be bashful when communicating guidelines. If you are bashful about guidelines they morph into guidance. They are two very different things!

~ Andrew Owen, Executive Vice President, Head of Invest Products and Operations,
Wells Fargo Funds Management Group

This past weekend my daughter and I had plenty of opportunity to discuss and reinforce the rules of the house. One such rule involves a tree. There is a tree on our neighbors lawn that has the same effect on kids as candy in the candy store. It stares at them with its tempting branches and beautiful leaves. Its just low enough that kids can reach out and grab its limbs without giving a single thought about asking permission first. Its also just high enough for a kid to break every bone in their body with one miscalculated step. My wife and I originally told our daughter that we didn't think it was a good idea for her to climb the tree. Then we moved toward saying it would not make us happy if she climbed the tree. Finally, SHE IS NOT TO CLIMB THE TREE! PERIOD! Every time we found our daughter in the tree she said she knew we didn't like her in there but couldn't come up with a reason why she did it anyway. I suspect that had I listened to Mr. Owens words regarding guidance and guidelines, the tree issue would have been settled a long time ago. Of course, this same lesson applies to our own lives both personally and professionally as well. While my boss doesn't seem to struggle with the difference between guidance and guidelines, I admit that there's opportunity for my own improvement in this area when it comes to communicating with my team (and children).

My challenge for you this week is to commit to making it clear when you communicating guidelines and/or simply offering guidance. There is probably no greater disappointment than when a team doesn't achieve a goal and the reason it wasn't accomplished was because of the leaders poor communication. On a personal level, I suppose this is what happens every January 1st when we are making our New Year's resolutions. On a professional level, I would suspect this is also what happens when a team misses deadlines. As Mr. Owen correctly points out, there is a distinct difference between the two. Leaders take the time to make sure they understand them both and accept the consequences when you are not clear on either.

Alonzo Kelly
President Milwaukee
Urban League Young Professionals

Celebrate Your Life

In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: it goes on. ~ Robert Frost


This past week had to have been one of the toughest of my short 34 years of life. I buried a friend. After coming to grips with the realities of life and death, I was comforted by family, friends, and peers. The words that were shared with me I shall not be able to repeat word for word but their rooted message will live with me forever. Losing someone you love is not easy, I am not 'fine', and I will never get over it. But I also heard them say, as Mr. Frost points out, life goes on, it has to. It has been a long time since the lessons regarding choice have been so clear. I choose to remember my friend for being one of the first to teach me to stand up for myself. I choose to remember him laughing not crying. I choose the lesson of love and happiness versus sadness and sorrow. A former boss used to tell his employees that he has never had a bad day at work in his life. He would always say that if he didn't like his job he would simply leave it. I admit that until last week, I still rolled my eyes at the thought. Then it struck me that he too was talking about choice. As leaders, what we do, how we do it, and whom we do it with matters. We continue to write the story for our life which will inevitably be the most beautiful story about us ever written and told.

My challenge to you this week is to celebrate your story as written thus far. Don't wait for us to do it for you. The story of my friend Mark points out that we seldom get a choice in how the story ends. If that is indeed the case, then every page and every chapter should make for a beautiful ending. Take a friend out for ice cream this week and simply say its because you've earned it. Take your kids to the park by surprise and explain to them that you are celebrating the accomplishments of their mom and/or dad. You are beautiful and some of the best stories ever told are by the people who lived through them. The best leadership books on my shelf at home are written and told by the people whom the book is about. While recounts, reflections, and memoirs are nice books to have, there is no one who can tell a more beautiful story about you than YOU!


Alonzo Kelly
President
Milwaukee Urban League Young Professionals

Dare to Be Great

When I dare to be powerful, to use my strength in the service of my vision, then it becomes less and less important whether or not I am afraid. ~ Audre Lorde

I've been thinking a lot lately about what makes us so afraid to be great. What is the fear that keeps many of us from reaching our full potential? There are so many quotes out there that speak of not being afraid that it would be impossible to mention them all. Each of them speaks to us about being focused, resilient, and confident. Perhaps it isn't so much our fears that keep us from being great but the pressures of being great itself that holds us back. I dare say that most of us dream of purchasing the winning lottery ticket but we can also tell stories of what happens when people become instant millionaires. Often times the winners are in worse positions than before they started. Why? Because they weren't prepared for their vision becoming a reality. Ever seen a child with a brand new bike? Did you notice how long it took him to crash it? Again the reason being because they weren't prepared for their vision to become a reality. So how do you prepare yourself to be great so that when the time comes you're ready? I offer this simple solution; accept your greatness today. You don't need a winning lottery ticket, new bike, or approval from someone other than you to deemed as great. As our quote this week suggests, use your strength in the service of your vision. If you believe and see yourself as great then the fears of failure don't matter. You will already have conquered them.

My challenge to you this week is to accept your own greatness. Accepting your greatness does not make you conceded or arrogant. What it does is allow you to get over the distraction of fear and get on with the business of building upon what you already know to be true. A mother or father that provides for their children is great. A teacher that increases the mental capacity of a student one lesson at a time is great. A leader that listens, supports, and drives results through others is great. Our brothers and sisters in the community that have made the commitment of making yesterday the last day they are not in control of their own destiny is great. So the only question left regarding greatness isn't what are you afraid of but rather why aren't you prepared?



Alonzo Kelly
President
Milwaukee Urban League Young Professionals

No snow flake in an avalanche ever feels responsible. ~ Voltaire

On a recent flight for business, I had the honor of listening to two black young men discuss their futures. The boys could not have been older than 13 but based on their conversation, life experiences have aged them well beyond their years. I listened to them talk about high school and college as though it were more of a necessary evil than a key to their future. I admit to taking some joy in the fact that at least they were talking about going to college at all. How they arrive there isn't as important to me anymore; I just need them to go! They were discussing sports, homework, fraternities, parties, and of course girls. I couldn't help myself and leaned over to ask the boys who inspired them to go to college. They said it wasn't a particular person but probably the whole family that said they need to go. One boy even offered that he didn't have a choice. His mom said that if he didn't go he wasn't going to be able to stay in her house. I assumed by the rather large smile from the lady in the seat in front of them that she was indeed his mother. I asked them if all their friends talk about going to college. I have to respect their honesty because they said that while most of their friends talk about it, they probably won't go. We talked about college for another 20 minutes or so and then our adult conversation window was slammed shut. An electronic pocket game was pulled out and the young men were boys again. Of all the things we talked about, I couldn't help but focus on the comment about the family unit being the inspiration for college. Voltaire offers a powerful visual of how a single contribution can cause a massive movement though no single element wants credit nor takes blame.

My challenge to you this week is to cause an avalanche of kindness. Partner with a few individuals from your circle of influence and do one hour of community service together. Meet at the park with a garbage bag in your had and pick up paper while walking and catching up with one another. Call the local long term care facility and ask if you can help plant flowers with a few residents. Locate the next high school graduation in your local area and attend with a few friends. High five the graduates and tell them thanks! Our result will be an avalanche of random kindness that blankets the community. None of us will know if it was our individual act that caused such a movement, nor will any of us care. That's the essence of leadership. Selfless behavior guiding the direction for others.

Alonzo Kelly

President

Milwaukee Urban League Young Professionals

Can You Fly?

Aerodynamically the bumblebee shouldn't be able to fly, but the bumblebee doesn't know that, so it goes on flying anyway. ~ Mary Kay Ash

I wondered this past week what we would be capable of if we didn't limit ourselves to what we believe is 'humanly possible'. There is no invention or convenience of today that was certain from the start that it would work. In fact, it was proving the doubters wrong of what was claimed to be +-'inhumanly possible' that probably drove most inventors. In college I debated whether or not to double major with accounting and a foreign language. I concluded it was not humanly possible to play basketball, pass accounting and learn a new language at the same time. That is until I met someone from another school who also played basketball, majored in accounting, had only been in the United States for 4 years, and was an ESL (English as a Second Language) student. I asked him how he did it and he said, '..I didn't know I wasn't supposed to do that!..'. This weeks leadership thought is short and simple because its not necessary to over complicate the issue. The leadership lesson is offered by the bumblebee who doesn't subscribe nor does he care about what others say he shouldn't be able to do.
My challenge to you this week is to commit to doing something extraordinary! If there is one thing that concerns me about our current economic times, it’s the fact that we are being led to believe that smiling and enjoying life are not supposed to be happening. I say smile a little longer, laugh a little louder, and pass it on! Extend a hearty 'GOOD MORNING!' to the patron next to you at the gas pump. Smile at the car that passes you in traffic that can't imagine you would have the audacity to do the speed limit. Complete a project this week that wasn't supposed to be done until 4 weeks from now! It's not until we become immune to our supposed inabilities that we conquer all that is truly humanly possible.

Alonzo Kelly

President

Milwaukee Urban League Young Professionals

Tell Me What You Know

Stay at home in your mind. Don’t recite other people's opinions. I hate quotations. Tell me what you know. Journals, 1843 ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson



As I continue to grow in this role of leadership, I find myself amused at how much I've become like my mom. Like most of you reading this, I swore that turning into one of my parents would never happen. My mom used to be adamant that I stop always telling her what other people thought and express an opinion of my own. I always assumed that if I referenced how another person felt about an issue, it would not only make me appear to be smarter, but would further validate my opinion. While trying to figure out a solution to a particular societal issue of today, I need look no further than the local evening news or global news media to provide all the answers because they do after all know what they're talking about, right? How else would you explain their ability to recite data, statistics, and historical trends as it relates to violence, healthcare, our economy, and education? All that's necesssary is to reference their solutions and set mine aside since they obviously know more about the issue than I do, correct? I'm hoping by now you've caught my poor attempt to point out how rediculous it is to believe that news reporters are the best qualified people to solve our everyday problems. While I certainly respect their profession, I do not believe they are the final authority on solutions to problems in the world. Mr. Emerson must have motivated my mom because he knew 165 years ago that those who can't use their own mind and state their own opinion render themselves useless to the discussion and meaningless to the solution.

My challenge to you this week is to speak YOUR mind and tell us what YOU know. When asked about our economy, tell us what YOU think it will take to fix it. When asked about the state of affairs in our community, state what YOU believe to be true. Much of what is wrong with our community today is that we rely so heavily on the opinion of others. If you don't have an answer for the question posed, then embrace the teachable moment and research the facts to design your own solution. Last week I mentioned that if you weren't confused you weren't paying attention. That quote applies this week as well. Leaders relish the opportunity to discover new ways to address a particular issue and meet the needs of their clients, customers, students, or consumers. How ironic is it that Mr. Emerson hates quotations but remains one of the most quoted figures to this day. Perhaps the lesson he teaches us is that leadership is hard enough as it is without having to think for everyone else as well.



Alonzo Kelly
President
Milwaukee Urban League Young Professionals

Never Give Up

I believe that the moment is near when by a procedure of paranoiac thought, it will be possible to systematize confusion and contribute to the total discrediting of the world of reality।
~ Salvador Dali

My daughter explained to me on the way to school this morning why birds can fly and dogs can't. She said that birds can fly because they need to sleep in the trees. Dogs can't because they would fall out of trees if they fell asleep on top of one. When I asked about the role of feathers she said they keep the birds warm in the air because its cold and they wouldn't be able to sleep at night. Of course she left me completely confused and in awe for the next 30 blocks. Why is it that children don't seem to get bogged down by distracting details and would rather just focus on what makes sense? Have you ever looked at a child after answering a question and simply said, '..it's just that simple for you isn't it..'. I will admit that I had to read the quote from Mr. Dali about three times before I understood it enough to have a take away from it. I tend to discount reality when I find myself too tired to properly explain why things are the way they are. It is not until I begin to have 'paranoiac' thoughts that I seem to consciously ignore anything that is distracting to the answer and focus only on what makes sense. It is at this moment that I would argue we are at our best. It was Tom Peters who stated, 'If you're not confused, you're not paying attention'. You find me a group of people that are confused about a problem and I'll bet that they, by far, will design the best solution.

My challenge to you this week is to address an area of confusion in your life. It can be a competency skill at work, an inability to connect with a child, or problem solving an equation at school. Our greatest conveniences of today are rooted in utter chaos and mass confusion. Every time you use the phone, turn on your lights, or start your car this week, thank the people from the past for being both confused and relentless. Leaders have no sense of prevailing reality because, quite honestly, we can't afford to. While confusion can be the biggest contributor to daily frustration, it is also the hunger for the solution that will separate the leaders from the followers.



Alonzo Kelly
President
Milwaukee Urban League Young Professionals

Brevity

Be sincere; be brief; be seated.

~ Franklin Delano Roosevelt

Last week in San Francisco while waiting to board my flight, I witnessed an interesting exchange between a passenger and a customer service representative. I don't know what prompted the exchange but here's the part I heard; "… yes ma'am but here's the point you're missing, I can't be any more clear than I have been already. How do you suggest I explain it in a way that you won't ask me the same question over and over again?". I had about 4 hours to think about what I had just heard. By the time I landed back in Milwaukee, here's what I understood to be true. Just like it doesn't take a whole day to recognize sunshine, it shouldn't take a lot of words to make a clear point. In fact, some of the most powerful phrases ever uttered have been short, precise, and to the point. The phrases 'I love you', 'thank you', and 'I apologize' will go down as the greatest phrases of all time.

My challenge to you this week is to be sincere, be brief, and be seated। There is a word for this; it's called brevity. I usually provide the definition but I'll let you do the work this time. Mr. Roosevelt understood that the longer it takes you to 'land the plane', the longer you hold the rest of us hostage in your conversation. Leaders don't need long sentences and big words to drive results. You just need to be clear and available.

Alonzo Kelly

President

Milwaukee Urban League Young Professionals

Watch Your Words

If: 1.a. In the event that: b. Granting that: c. On the condition that. 2. Although possibly, even though. 3. Whether. 4. Used to introduce an exclamatory clause, indicating a wish.
~The American Heritage College Dictionary; Third Edition

One of the most fascinating things about politics is the attempt to make a universal sell on change. For as long as I can remember, every person needing my vote has articulated why the governmental body, system, or agency they were inheriting was broken. Should you accept their opinion as fact, for the last 30 years you would swear that no citizen has ever had a job or health insurance, the educational system has always been a complete disaster, the water has always been polluted, we have always been over taxed, and societal ills were not just a symptom but an incurable disease. Ask a person in the process of leaving office why they couldn't deliver on their promises and they inevitably start with the word 'if'. They say things like, '..If my opponents had only supported more of what I was trying to do..', or '…If I had been given more access to resources..', blah blah blah. Why can't we just deliver on a goal and eliminate the excuse of conditions, possibilities, or wishes? What would be wrong with stating, "…When I am elected, I will spend the first six months trying to understand what has gone wrong with the promises made x years ago. I will then spend the next 6 months offering a measurable and transparent solution for what it will take to fix it.". I'm not sure in today's society that we accept just anyone's word as truth without having had the opportunity to observe their behavior. Politicians aren't the only one's I challenge with this idea. I hold you as everyday leaders to this same standard. Why does delivering on a goal have to be such a painful experience? When you are charged with educating someone, simply deliver on that goal and educate. When you are charged with delivering a quality product then do it! The word 'if' in our vocabulary was like kryptonite to Superman. Avoid the word, or the temptation to use the word, and you avoid the failure to deliver.

My challenge to you this week is to try to go an entire week without using the word if. Speak very matter of factly about what you can deliver without stipulations or 'if's'. This week I am committed to being on time for every meeting on my calendar. What are you willing to commit to that we can hold you accountable? I suppose you can keep using the word 'if' in your vocabulary this week to continue to be comfortable. Please then understand that as a client, customer, student, patient, or someone that relies your service, I may not be interested in growing our relationship. After all, I can only commit to you when you decide to commit to me.

Alonzo Kelly
President
Milwaukee Urban League Young Professionals

What do you lack?

People do not lack strength, they lack will. ~ Victor Hugo

I spent this past week doing what I suspect (or hope) many of you did. I listened to stories about Dr. Martin Luther King and reflected on the impact of his legacy on my life. We celebrated the anniversary of his assassination this past week and meditated on how far we've come since his untimely death. Dr. King spoke to each of us in his own way and his message called us to our own course of action. I will always be in awe at his courage to refuse to be distracted from his dream. If you pay close attention to the many speeches that conveniently air between late January and early April, there was one thing Dr. King said that sums up his character for me. Less than 24 hours before he was shot, he gave a speech where within the text he said, "…I have seen the promise land. I might not get there with you but we will get there…". I've often said that many of our great African American leaders were no different than you or I or anyone else in our community. What set them apart was their will. Victor Hugo points out that its not a matter of strength but a matter of will that makes us great. I don’t know if Dr. King had the ability to foresee his death or it was just a terrible coincidence that made him say out loud, for the first time, that he may not be able to see that which he spent his entire life trying to achieve. All he knew was that what he believed in and was fighting for was right. It wasn't solely his strength that kept him in harms way but the will to overcome the resistance towards achieving a desired goal. Many of us say that we would dedicate our lives to a purpose which ensures a better life for our children. I doubt many of us mean it as much as Dr. King did.

My challenge to you this week is to thank Dr. Martin Luther King. Thank him not for what he did but what he challenged us to be. Then apologize for reaping the fruits of his labor and taking for granted the cost he paid for our future. We dishonor him by not voting during election seasons. We add insult to injury by not ensuring our neighbor voted as well. We dishonor him by simply rolling our eyes at deplorable graduation and pregnancy rates within our community but still do nothing about it. We dishonor him by believing it is our own backyards that are most important and not our neighbors as well. At Dr. King's funeral, it was his own words and no one else's, that provided the eulogy. They played an audio tape for the 30,000+ that gathered during his funeral service to listen to his demand that we not remember him for winning a Nobel Peace Prize but for being a drum major beating the drum for which we march towards a better life for all men and women. This week, more than any other, I challenge you to be a leader and let your will be the strongest part of your identity. Honor Dr. King by honoring your responsibility as a leader.

Alonzo Kelly
President
Milwaukee Urban League Young Professionals

Pride and Memory

'I have done that', says my memory. 'I cannot have done that!', says my pride, and remains adamant. At last, memory yields. ~ Nietzsche

When I was in 8th grade, I teased a girl relentlessly for not being able to make a basket during gym class. She was always dribbling the ball off her feet and couldn't put the ball in the hoop if her life depended on it. The class knew I would have something to say as soon as it was her turn to shoot and braced themselves for the hilarious 'venom' I would spew the second the ball left her hands. Two days ago I played a pick-up game of basketball. After 6+ surgeries on both knees, it was very apparent I had no business being out there. I couldn't run, I couldn't dribble, I couldn't shoot, and I definitely couldn't make a basket. The guys on the sidelines had a field day with my comedy show! It wasn't enough that I was trying as hard as I could. To them, I was a clown in street clothes hanging on to hoop dreams I should have abandoned long ago. My memory takes me back to 8th grade when I was the one doing the teasing. Over time I have matured but my pride still won't allow me to believe that I was really as bad as the guys at the gym over the weekend. Alas, I convince myself that they were worse and should be ashamed of themselves for teasing me. Instantly I feel better about myself, dismiss my embarrasing behavior as a child, and set the record straight on why my memory can't be trusted. I tell you this story because I'm sure after three sentences you realized I was no better than the guys at the gym. I'm happy to report I realize that too. What's sad about this whole situation is that I have no way of going back to my classmate from 20 years ago and apologizing. I accept that fact that I must make peace with myself and account for my behavior. The only way to do that is to move forward and pledge to not engage in that type of behavior again.

My challenge to you this week is to settle the dispute between your pride and memory. In my opinion, pride is what should motivate us to push ourselves for better results. Our memory should be what keeps us on track. The two are in constant battle trying to determine which should influence our behavior. Spend this week addressing a particular issue for which pride has silenced your memory. Whether it’s a compromise on a team project, or a concession on an individual goal, let your memory guide your next move. Take advantage of first hand experience from similar situations in the past. I suspect it was your memory that propelled you into the leadership role you have. You learned through experience and utilized that experience to drive results. Your pride kept you hungry but is waiting for the opportunity steal the credit for your success. There is a phrase that goes something like, 'Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result'. Perhaps its not insanity but pride that blinds us to the barriers that keeps us from being great.

Alonzo Kelly
President
Milwaukee Urban League Young Professionals

Get Over It

….Well, crying isn't gonna bring him back, unless your tears smell like dog food. ~ Homer Simpson

When I was younger I had a favorite cat named P.C., short for Pussy Cat. (I know, real original). Anyway, our cat had to be returned to the animal shelter for behavioral issues. One day the cat is hissing me goodbye when I leave for school and that afternoon when I returned she was gone. Later on in life I had a dog that I loved dearly. He too needed to be removed from my home and all I could think about was PC. This past week I didn't pass a very important test necessary for my job. I get to take the test again, but that's not the point. For some odd reason, I reflected on my pets during this time of disappointment. I suppose it's because I spent more time thinking about after the test rather than the time at hand. I did the same thing with my pets. I was so busy thinking about tomorrow that I failed to accept the reality of today. Sometimes the best inspiration comes from the most unlikely of sources. Homer Simpson very matter of factly demands that we either let our disappointment go or do something about it. Simply wallowing in our own sorrow does nothing but distract us and those around us. My tears certainly didn't smell like dog or cat food so I suppose that's why neither of my pets came back. I suppose my tears don't smell like right answers either so I must either learn from my mistakes and do whatever is necessary to pass the exam next time, or retreat to a dark corner and feel sorry for myself. Clearly, feeling sorry for myself is not an option.

My challenge to you this week is to pick your head up from a recent disappointment and get over it. If you're thinking 'that's easy for him to say' you would be exactly correct. It is easy for me to say. I'm separating my ability to say it and your ability to actually do it. While I won't pretend to understand the depth of your disappointment from a recent challenge, project, or goal, I will say the fact that you're reading this email means that I need you to snap out of it. As a part of my circle of influence, I hold you accountable for being as strong as the person next to you. Like a computer virus, your inability to snap out of it will find the path of least resistance to infect us all with something we don't want and don't understand. I need you, we need you, at your best. Leaders don't have the luxury of self pity for a prolonged period of time. Accepting the fact that disappointment is part of the human experience, doesn't mean it has to be permanent.

Alonzo Kelly
President
Milwaukee Urban League Young Professionals

Start the Race!

It's the 'start' that 'stops' most people. ~ Author Unknown

I have a simple question for you; how are you doing on your New Year's resolution(s)? Yep, me too. In fact, I think I've managed to actually gain more weight than I've lost! I was speaking with a friend about his progress and he said, "I think about it everyday so that's a start right?". Actually it's not. I use my own results as proof that thinking about something isn't exactly a 'start' worth bragging about. Many of us think about poverty, homelessness, violence, and education, but don't do anything about it. We also think about improved sales results, more engaged classrooms, completing assignments on time, and social action. Thinking about something just isn't enough. As I watch my son trying to take his first steps, it's clear that he's tired of thinking about walking and spends every waking second trying to master it. I suppose he's tired of getting through his days on his hands and knees and realizes he too must walk to make it easier to get to where he's going. Our children teach us the most valuable lessons if we would just pause and listen to them. Children hardly ever resist starting something new and seldom ever accept defeat if rejected the first time.

My challenge to you this week is to go back to your roots and 'start' something without hesitation. Don't give yourself a clever excuse as to why tomorrow is better than today to start doing what you need to do. My son teaches me on a daily basis what it takes to accomplish a task. Lock onto your target, make every effort to achieve your goal, and don't allow yourself to stay seated when you stumble. Get back up and try again! You can of course continue to allow the 'start' to impede your progress, but at the risk of my 9 month old son asking you how the view is down there on your hands and knees!

Alonzo Kelly
President
Milwaukee Urban League Young Professionals

"By 20, know something. By 30, be something. By 40 have something. By 50 share something…."

"By 20, know something. By 30, be something. By 40 have something. By 50 share something…."
Bennie Fowler, Vice President for Global Quality at Ford Motor Co.

I found this quote over the weekend while reading the Detroit Free Press. It caused me to pause and think if I had actually met Mr. Fowler's blue print for a happy and productive life. It turned out to be a pretty funny reflection because by 20 I realized I didn't know as much as I had hoped, in my 30's I'm still discovering what I am capable of doing, I'm nervous for my 40's because everything I'll have will still be on loan at the bank, and my 50's, well, I try not to think that far ahead. I don't know if Mr. Fowler's advice is appropriate for everyone or not, but I do know that the fact he appeared to have a plan puts him well ahead of the game. It seems that the only thing which causes human beings to actually take themselves seriously is a true sense of urgency. We don't change our diet until we have a stroke or can't fit into our favorite clothes. We don't stop playing with a ball in the house until our parents reached for a belt, branch, shoe or other disciplinary weapon of choice. We don't change our attitude or mind set until we receive feedback that our attitude is precisely the reason we can't get ahead. We don't even change our behavior at home until we're at the brink of being alone. Why does it take us so long to take ourselves seriously? Most people have a person they go to when they need answers to life's most difficult questions. In the Star Wars episodes, Luke Skywalker and the Jedi had Yoda. Bo and Luke Duke had Uncle Jesse. For me, I have my 6 year old daughter Trinity. I asked her what motivates people to change their behavior and she said, "…daddy, I'm not sure. What does motivate mean?". And just like that, I had the answer. Its not that we don't know what we need to do that causes us to delay necessary action, but the fact that we honestly don’t know what motivation is. In my opinion, we confuse motivation with self preservation all the time. If we are standing in the middle of the road and a car is headed for us, its self preservation not true motivation that causes us to move.

My challenge to you this week is simple. Dust off your dictionary and look up the words 'motivate' and 'preserve'. Reflect on your professional journey and see which word applies to your pattern of behavior. Meditate on the opportunities that exist for you to alter your behavior and rediscover a life plan for yourself. There is no magic to the numbers that Mr. Fowler uses in his quote. We don't achieve instant wisdom during every decade of our lives. We do however risk the future of our children if we continue to demonstrate that life without plan and corresponding action will still turn out ok.

Alonzo Kelly
President
Milwaukee Urban League Young Professionals

Purpose

Purpose: 1. The object towards which one strives or for which something exists; an aim or a goal. 4. The matter at hand; the point at issue.
The American Heritage College Dictionary; Third Edition

This weekend my wife and I decided to go for a walk but were not sure exactly where to go. We settled on a stroll through the mall, which under most circumstances would have been painful for me, but I'm working on my patience so I agreed. It's amazing what your senses are able to take in when you're not really focused on anything. I'm sure the mall has always been under siege by teenagers with nothing else to do, and I'm sure I was one of them at some point, but wow have times changed. What I observed was eerily similar to a bowling ball slowly making its way down the lane hitting bumper pads along the way to avoid a gutter. Of course the ball eventually finds a pin, just like the kids found a deal, but neither would admit that it certainly helped to be guided along the way. These kids bounced around from store to store with no clear sense of direction or purpose. I decided to look up the word purpose in the dictionary and share two of its meanings with you. Majority of the youth I observed clearly had no goal in mind and definitely did not convey to me that there was any matter at hand worth attending to. Of course I immediately went to my own place of thought and wondered if my professional sphere is any different. I've observed on many occasions my peers in the classroom and in the workplace wandering aimlessly through the halls. Worse yet, I have friends to this day that are wandering aimlessly through life. I wondered if I had become a bumper pad for their journey and protected them from the occasionally painful but sometimes necessary gutter. How had my behavior unintentionally encouraged them to embrace a purposeless life? I guess when I point the finger at myself, I was certainly in no position to be making fun of the kids in the mall. Funny how things aren't so funny when you identify yourself as a source of the problem.

My challenge to you this week is simple. During the work day I would like for you to walk with a purpose. When you get up from your chair after reading this email, declare from that moment on that you will only remove your rear from the seat if you have a specific matter at hand to attend to. Walk tall, shoulders back, mind sharp, and eyes focused. Let the world around you know that aside from lunch or an occasional break, you are on a mission. Let your body language suggest that you are indeed progressing toward a goal and the matter at hand is of importance. Don't participate in aimless wandering or pointless strolls. This week it’s about the physical act of walking. Next week you may want to challenge your mind the same way. Aimless thinking is just as bad, if not worse, than aimless walking. Perhaps our frustration with kids in the mall isn't that they overtake the isles with their aimless strolls, but with the fact that it conflicts with when we take ours.

Alonzo M Kelly
President
Milwaukee Urban League Young Professionals

Imagination Without Learning

He who has imagination without learning, has wings and no feet.
~Joseph Joubert


Sometimes I wonder if our ancestors invented some of our greatest inventions by accident or through tireless effort and thought. Take the wheel for example. How did they know that by carving a jagged stone into a smooth oval, they could accomplish twice as much and travel twice as far? This weekend my wife made a comment about our daughter having such an incredible imagination. Without letting her know I was listening, I took note of my daughter's fantasy land. I concur that my daughter is quite the visionary. While playing with stuffed animals she made all the animals with wings walk and all the reptiles fly. I asked her about that and she told me that no one told the alligator he couldn't fly so he likes it better in the sky than in the water. I interpret Mr. Joubert's quote to mean that our imagination is only as good as our ability to put thought into action. I suppose this where we get some of our fancy clichés like 'where the rubber meets the road' or 'where our pen meets the paper'. What good is imagination if we aren't willing to risk the possible? I've been writing these weekly messages for well over a year now and after taking a quick scan of the weekly challenges, I discovered that in some ways too I am challenging you to use your imagination. The challenge isn't so much thinking about what you are capable of doing but actually doing it!

My challenge to you this week is to have a discussion about Mr. Joubert's quote. My interpretation of his message is just that; mine. What do his words mean to you? Having the conversation with a family member, colleague, or friend may provide a unique learning opportunity. Mindful meditation on his words may challenge you to deeply reflect on how we as leaders can take our ideas and strategically implement them to accomplish our team or company goals. You may want to discuss how our limited imagination gets in the way of progress (did you know there are 293 ways to make change for a dollar?). Or how those with imagination and fear are their own worse enemy (recall that it has only been a little over 500 years that we learned the Earth isn't flat!). Either way, how Alonzo interprets Joubert's message is irrelevant to how it may speak to you. I suppose it's not as important for me to know whether the wheel was invented by accident or on purpose. What's most important is that after the first attempts to make the idea a reality, he or she didn't quit.

Alonzo Kelly
President
Milwaukee Urban League Young Professionals

Are You Present?

If you were really present with your moments as they were unfolding, no matter what was happening, you would discover that each moment is unique and novel and therefore, momentous.

Excerpt from the book; Coming To Our Senses; Healing ourselves and the world through mindfulness by Jon Kabat-Zinn

This past weekend I sat in an auto repair shop for nearly 3 hours. I dreaded the thought of hearing what was wrong with my truck, how much it would cost, and admitting to myself that no matter what the mechanic said I would have to take his word for it. Knowledge is responsibility and I've purposely chosen not to be responsible for auto repairs. I suppose you could say that I've chosen ignorance over sensibility on this issue but I digress. I had options for dropping my vehicle off and just coming back later but I opted to sit there the entire time and take in all the repair shop had to offer. After I was handed my keys and headed for home, I was embarrassed to admit to myself that I actually enjoyed the experience. I was also ashamed at the truth of why I convinced myself I wouldn't enjoy the trip in the first place. My experience has been that auto repair shops are dirty, most of the employees smoke, and they forget they have oil on their hands when they grab your steering wheel. I felt sorry for them and wondered how they ended up with this particular life profession. Today my opinion has completely changed. Something happened to me during that experience that caused me to deeply reflect on my outlook on things. What a pleasure it is to get paid to do something you absolutely love. What a sense of pride they must feel to know that what they do literally keeps the world moving. Why do some of us have the opinion that if we aren't in a suit or carry a brief case that our work isn't as meaningful? Why can't I change the world by fixing one wheel at a time? I work for a great organization that does outstanding things for customers, employees and the community. I also believe that I could do a better job of championing how momentous this time in our life is and how wonderful the experience will be when we reflect on it many years from now.

My challenge to you this week is do something that you otherwise would avoid at all cost. Maybe its going to the mall and pausing rather than rushing to get in and out. Perhaps its standing in the longest checkout line at the grocery store. As painful as either of these options may sound, think for a moment about the experience that could possibly be awaiting you. There are many other ridiculous opinions I have about other professions that I need to set myself straight on. Truth is, I'm pretty exciting about facing my own biases and fears head on. Part of our leadership development includes the ability to gain incredible patience and keen peripheral vision. If we are constantly in a rush, we stand to miss out on not only meaningful data but absolutely necessary experiences.

Prevention is better than the cure.

Prevention is better than cure.
-Erasmus

There was a phrase that my mom would say at the end of some sentences that would instantly tell you I was in trouble. Anything she said that ended with, "…in the first place!", was a clear indication that I was learning something the hard way. These telling sentences started with something like, 'if you had only listened to me', or 'had you just done what I asked you to do', and my all time favorite, 'you wouldn't be in this mess'. So had I listened, done what she asked, or had the gift of foresight like she had, does this mean my childhood would have been painless? Of course not. I definitely could have avoided the sting of some growing pains however. Erasmus points out that preventing something from happening in the first place is better than trying to figure out how to fix it. When my mom was addressing my burn wound because I touched a hot pot on the stove, she was lecturing, "…this wouldn't have happened if you stayed out of the kitchen in the first place!". While she was driving me to the hospital to get stitches in my head, in her best comfort voice she was still yelling, "… we wouldn't be going to the doctor if you had stayed out of the garage like I asked you to in the first place!". And so the story goes, I was more interested in the cure than the prevention of pain.

My challenge to you this week is to become more curious about prevention than cure. As leaders we are constantly challenged to design alternative plans if our original ideas falls short. We spend incredible amounts of time and energy diagnosing what went wrong and less time discussing what went right. Imagine the strength of our leadership and influence if we were able to anticipate the needs of our customers and employees from the very beginning rather than after they've pointed out a disconnect. There will be plenty of people out there focused on the cure. Cures are important, no doubt about it. Pharmaceutical commercials are in the business of the cure. They have a pill for everything that’s wrong. The problem is I'm still holding my breath for the commercials that tell you how to prevent needing to take the pill in the first place! No surprise here, the commercials I'm waiting for, just like the leadership I'm working on, starts with my own accountability.

Alonzo Kelly
President
Milwaukee Urban League Young Professionals

Don't Get Left With Only Leftovers

Things may come to those who wait, but only the things left by those who hustle!
~ Abe Lincoln

If there is one weakness I have yet to overcome, it's patience. I can't stand it when people driving in the fast lane on the freeway do the speed limit. I get irritated with people who completely ignore the "15 items or less" sign in grocery stores. Be honest, how many fast food drive-thru windows have caused your blood pressure to reach seriously dangerous heights? So what are we to do with Abe Lincoln's words of not waiting for things to come to us but rather aggressively going after them? This one gives me pause because it requires that one know when to be patient and when to make your own reality. In the competitive world we live in today, it appears on the surface that only the ones who hustle come out ahead. They are the ones studying harder, working longer, and driving faster. After mindful meditation on the matter, it is slowly becoming a little clearer for me. What happens if I replace the words harder, longer and faster with smarter? With this reframe of the issue, I am comfortable with accepting that those who come out ahead study smarter, work smarter, and drive smarter. I believe that if I tried the latter, I would end up exactly where it was I was in a hurry to get to in the first place. If I tackle a complex issue one piece at a time, I wouldn't have to pull all night study sessions like in college. If I am better organized and improve my communication, I wouldn't have to consistently work 11 hour days. Finally, if I actually leave my house at a reasonable time, there is no place I can't get to without it being necessary to speed. Of course for a person with no patience, this is easier said than done. However, recognizing a solution to a problem makes it impossible for me to use an excuse to explain away a bad habit.

My challenge to you this week is to reflect on balance. What are those things that you seem to be hustling for, and where can adding the word smarter add value to your life. In the famous children's story, The Tortoise and The Hare, the tortoise proceeding along the path smarter and therefore won the race. Isn't it interesting that the lessons we teach our children are indeed the answers to our lives as we get older? I'm not sure the context of what prompted Abe Lincoln to give us these words of wisdom, but I can assure you he was in a hurry while delivering them. Sometimes the things left behind by those who hustle are a mess and leaders like you and I have no choice but to fix them. The more people you get to slow down and add some brain power to their will power, the more efficient and effective we become.

Alonzo Kelly
President
Milwaukee Urban League Young Professionals

Never Be Afraid To Try Something New

Never be afraid to try something new. Remember, amateurs built the ark, professionals built the Titanic.~ Unknown

On this day of celebration for the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and in anticipation of celebrations for Black History Month, let us reflect on why their actions and words are considered legendary. In the midst of the incredible history and inspiration that we will read and hear about regarding our diverse leaders over the next 5 weeks or so, the one consistent distinguishing trait they possessed is the ability to conquer fear. Dr. King was tired of being afraid to deliver a message of tolerance when the times called for retaliation. Rosa Parks didn't refuse to give up her seat on the bus because she wanted to spark a nation wide movement, she remained seated because she was tired of being afraid to give her body a break. For all that is great about our past great leaders, there is something tragic about the apology they have not received from ALL of us for not properly recognizing their efforts. We dishonor them when we complain about the banks and post offices being closed today without truly understanding why. We dishonor them by failing to do something as simple as grabbing a neighbor and helping them register to vote. Worst of all, we dishonor their memories by being afraid to step up and be leaders. For every drop of blood, sweat, and tears that have been shed on our behalf, today we run the risk of presenting ourselves as ungrateful and uappreciative. Until we grasp an understanding of why it is we celebrate what we celebrate, our fear of being knowledgeable keeps us in the grasp of ignorance.

My challenge to you this week is identify a fear you have and declare yourself no longer afraid! If we are to truly show our appreciation for those that are directly responsible for the liberties we have today, then we have to honor them by conquering our fears. As the 2008 season of diverse celebrations begins, let us not be afraid to gain an understanding of what and who it is we celebrate throughout the year, and our personal role in honoring those that have shown us the way. Lets us not be afraid to build an Ark in our community or for our teams because we aren't considered by the masses to be experts. Not all experts are right and not all visionaries are wrong.

Alonzo Kelly
President
Milwaukee Urban League Young Professionals

Life is change. Growth is optional. Choose wisely.

Life is change. Growth is optional. Choose wisely.
-Karen Kaiser Clark

I've been asked why none of my leadership thoughts focus on politics. The first reason is because I don't want my thoughts to be accidently confused with a Milwaukee Urban League Young Professional endorsement. The second reason is because these thoughts are a personal leadership journey I invite you to participate with me. But in the spirit of change, lets talk about it. Every candidate has the word 'change' in their campaign literature. All of them boast of being able to ingite it and sustain it. All of them declare that change is necessary and we will be the better for it. Neither the slogan nor the change speeches impress me. Ms. Clark's words echo loudly during this election season. No single candidate can claim to be the best to spark something that will naturally happen anyway. I'm more interested in growth since this is indeed a choice and more importantly what we need. All of us adapt to change whether it be a new house, new job, or new school. Since change is inevitable, why do politicians preach to it? Growth in this context is more of the mental, spiritual, and emotional state; not necessarily the physical. My mind, spirit, and soul will suffer if I'm allowed to believe that change is actually the choice I have to make rather than growth.

My challenge to you this week is to listen. Listen to yourself, your family, your friends, and I suppose your soon to be elected officials, for growth. Examine if you have sacrificed your own growth by erroneously believing that you have a choice in change. Yes leadership is about the ability to influence change but don't think for one second it wouldn't happen anyway. Perhaps the change will result in increasingly poor performance. As undersirable an outcome that may be, it is nonetheless a change. Spend some time this week listening. Has your circle of influence changed over the years but hasn't really grown? Does your professional team seem to want to change processes without demonstrating how growth will actually take place? If the answer is yes, then step up and be a leader. Begin to inject growth into the conversations. Your family, friends, and yes our country, will be the wiser for it. That's real leadership and that's what we need. Let's leave the politricks to everyone else.

Alonzo Kelly
President
Milwaukee Urban League Young Professionals

Walk With Purpose

"Life is not worth living without principles. It's not worth living without a backbone. If you don't have a backbone, you slither. You don't walk upright."

Excerpt from the book Supreme Discomfort: The Divided Soul of Clarence Thomas by K. Merida and M.A. Fletcher

I can recall when I was a child always adjusting my posture if my grandmother was around. She was very quick to pop me upside the head and demand that I sit up straight and pull my shoulders back. She would say that I looked silly with my back hunched and my shoulders slouched and that people wouldn't respect me presenting myself that way. When I reached my 30's, I assumed that I had out grown this type of strong hand lesson but as it turns out this was not the case. During my wedding reception, arguably one of the most grown up events of my life, my 5 foot 4 inch grandmother made her way to the front of the room, graciously slipped past the wedding party and 'pop' I was being told to sit up straight. Figures. What my mom has been teaching me for over 30 years has finally started to make sense. Good posture is about physical health and principle. I let the excitement of my wedding day cause me to forget that it was also the day that my principle was on display. I spent December 31st giving some thought to a New Years resolution. This year I'm strengthening my backbone. I will tighten up on my principles while minding my posture. Sometimes the most meaningful of lessons come from the most unlikely of sources. Clarence Thomas hit me right between the eyes with his quote about leadership.

My challenge to you this week is to mind your posture. Everything about the way you sit, stand, walk, and present yourself is a reflection of principle. Make a mindful effort to make your presentations to the public powerful. As leaders, we are always on display. I can't loan you my grandmother to sneak behind you for daily reminders but we can hold one another accountable. Make a declaration through your principles that your backbone is strong and you have no intentions of slithering. While those around you are still in the clouds on their New Years resolutions, make your statement early about what we can expect from you for the rest of the year.

Alonzo Kelly
President
Milwaukee Urban League Young Professionals