“Keep away from people who belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you too, can become great.” – Mark Twain
No one is ever too young or too old to need or be a mentor. Who can you mentor today? Who is someone great that inspires you?
“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.”
– Eleanor Roosevelt
What are your dreams? What solutions do you have to offer the world? Believe that you can make a difference.
“Stop pointing out problems and become part of the solution. Stop repeating the past and start creating the future. Stop playing it safe and start taking risks. Expand your horizons. Accumulate experiences. Enjoy the journey. Find every excuse you can to celebrate everything you can. Live like today is the first and last day of your life.”
– Chase the Lion
How can you make a positive difference where you are right now? In what areas of your life have you grown cynical, and how can you start to overcome that? If you knew you could not fail, what would you do? What are you currently thankful for?
“Men for the sake of getting a living forget to live.” – Margaret Fuller
Who/What are the most important people/things in your life? Don’t forget to live.
“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”
– Mark Twain
What are the things you keep putting off today to do tomorrow instead? What risks have you been avoiding?
“The tragedy of life does not lie in not reaching your goals, the tragedy lies in not having any goals to reach. It isn’t a calamity to die with dreams unfulfilled, but it is a calamity not to dream. It is not a disaster to be unable to capture your ideals, but it is a disaster to have no ideals to capture. It is not a disgrace not to reach the stars, but it is a disgrace to have no stars to reach.” – Dr. Benjamin Mays
Take a moment to sit down and write out some of your goals for the rest of this year. What do you want to accomplish?
Are you mentoring someone? Thinking about mentoring someone? Are you being mentored? The importance of mentoring is regularly discussed, but often, there is little practical advice about how to go about it. Here are some key principles to keep in mind during a mentoring relationship.
(The video below contains highlights of keynote address delivered by Kathy Coder and Valerie Faust to the PA Federation of Republican Women on May 19, 2012.)
One of our favorite coffee mugs at Inta-Great! Some great words of wisdom.
Too often organizations don’t realize that ethical failings are leadership problems–not just a lone employee’s shortcomings. Here’s a great article about the importance of leaders building an ethical organizational climate based on shared values and purpose written by Lynn Sharp Paine, “Managing for Organizational Integrity.”
“From the perspective of integrity, the task of ethics management is to define and give life to an organization’s guiding values, to create an environment that supports ethically sound behavior, and to instill a sense of shared accountability among employees.” – Lynn Sharp Paine
Inta-Great’s Founder and President, Kathy Coder, discusses the importance of leadership in government and why she decided to run for State Representative in Pennsylvania’s 16th District.
What is your primary reason for running?: I want to use my background and experience to make a difference in our State’s future. I desire to help create a sustainable flourishing state and region for the next generation. I am not looking for a “job” or to be a career politician. I think we need people in Harrisburg who know how to lead from a foundation of integrity and principle-centered decision-making. I would like to use my leadership, local government, and business experience to help be part of a team who can create positive change.
What will be your top priority?: Strong leaders understand their role is to serve the people they are leading; they also understand the importance of a compelling vision. For those reasons, I will serve the people by putting their needs ahead of politics, party, and self-serving agendas. I will also cast a vision of Pennsylvania as one of the most thriving states in the nation with reduced government size, spending, and taxes and increased job creation and economic development opportunities.
What’s the biggest problem facing the state?: The lack of leadership. A common definition of insanity is to keep doing what you’re doing and think you’re going to get different results. Year after year, we keep hearing about the same issues and nothing changes. Obviously, we need new thinking and people who have the courage, character, competence, and commitment to make change happen. We need to get the right people on the bus in the right seats and come together for the common good of our State—I think if we do that many of the problems will start being resolved. Also as leaders, we elected officials need to role model what we want others to do, and we need to open to more accountability. (For example: I am not taking the State pension and will report my expenses and receipts for the per diem allowances.)
Any final remarks?: The compelling lack of leadership is why I got involved with politics to begin with. Never in a million years would I have envisioned that I would be running for office. Four years ago, my business was thriving, and my life was comfortable. Then, I attended my first council meeting, and my life was turned upside down. I saw a lack of leadership and competence. It violated every good leadership practice I was ever taught! I was convicted that I had no right to complain, unless I was willing to get my hands dirty and get involved. Since then, I have been passionate about getting others educated and involved as well. I believe government can be better. I have spent over 20 years in the private sector learning from wise mentors and business leaders. I have translated these learnings into my public service. I understand the importance of applying principle-centered, servant-leadership practices in government. I realize that elected office is a stewardship and an honor.
If you wish to find out more information about Kathy Coder’s campaign, please visit: http://www.kathycoder.com/
Inta-Great 