Silent Nights

I don't know exactly how many people follow this blog regularly, but for anyone who does, it may have occured to you that I haven't posted exactly recently.  As we are in the midst of that time between Thanksgiving and Christmas, it might be simple to assume that I was busy with the typical holiday rush.  However, without trying to sound Scrooge-ish or defensive, for those who don't know, I'm actually Jewish.  For me, this has always meant that while I don't oppose gift giving at this or any time of the year, it's just never been a big part of my life.  I don't find myself ever going out of my way to find gifts for everyone I know.  I simply try and show I appreciate them all throughout the year, and not necessarily with a gift on the holidays.

But I say all this as to point out that in fact, I'm not as busy as one might imagine, and that should mean I could be busy with HOBY stuff.  However, that's just it -- right now, there isn't much "new."  Recruitment is continuing now that we are past the recruitment deadline, although it definitely slows down.  Team Alumni applications are coming in, and alumni are still assisting with recruitment.  Facilitation and program teams are getting their respective efforts moving.  But all in all, right now in Maryland seems to be more about staying on the path than pushing forward.

In one sense, while everyone needs a break, for HOBY Maryland, this actually disappoints me.  It is a reflection in my mind of where we still need to grow as an organization.  Why do we not have more alumni service activities at this time of year?  Why are we still working on recruitment when other sites may already be at 90 if not 100%?  Why must I find myself still bogged down in existing tasks instead of moving forward onto new ones?

All of these are reflections on the relative weaknesses of our volunteer network.  While I call these people my friends, and I know their good intentions, they like all individuals can get easily spread to thin by life's various commitments.   None of us can do it all, and often HOBY is something that gets put on the back burner for most individuals.

In our organization, finding adult volunteers can be one of our greatest struggles.  Finding those who can give the time for a 3 1/2 day event is only the first challenge.  Trying to get them to make the larger commitments that are slow, year-long journeys is much greater.  We appreciate, and try to take advantage of every offer we get, but ultimately, we still rely on the generosity of others with their time.  Maryland is not alone in this; I even see it frequently amongst committed volunteers I know from other states.  However, ultimately, it is times like now that it impacts us.  It impacts us in the additional programming we don't necessarily get to, and the opportunities that get passed.

It is not to be pessimistic, but it is to be realistic.  Such are the challenges we face if we are to grow, strengthen, and improve as an organization, for there is always room for improvement.

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Halfway Home

As we enter December, we're now about halfway through the HOBY calendar year:  6 months from the last seminar, 6 months to MLS 2011.   We also have just hit another halfway point:  We reached 50% of our recruitment goal of 201 students.  Team Alumni applications are out; facilitator applications will be coming soon. Program has started moving and kicking into full gear.

To think about it though, this is also in it's own way dangerous to our goals.  December is filled with a month of thoughts of holidays, giving, family, and community.  While these are things we hold dear in HOBY, it becomes easy to become "distracted" by our "real lives" and all the responsibilities we have this time of year, places to be, and things to do.  

My philosophy?  Try to make the HOBY message the holiday message and vice versa; bring the two together.  They are certainly not so mutually exclusive.  And in that sense, by doing one, we can accomplish hopefully both, for the improved fulfillment of both.  Because in my mind, it would not be wrong to say that most HOBY days are just as good as most holidays.

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The HOBY Spirit

Professionally, I had a fairly tough day at work today.  The reasons don't really matter.  What is relevant however in this case is about attitude.

I'm the type of person who tries to give 100% and then some to everything I do.  I've never really figured out how to do less.  Why would you bother with something if you're going to give it anything less than your best?

In my real job, this is sometimes difficult for me.  I am very committed to it, but I work with other professionals who I won't always feel are giving the same.  I don't question their commitment.  I don't question their heart.  I certainly don't question their character.  But I'd be lying if I told you I never questioned if they had the right attitude.

Attitude is so crucial in what it is any person does.  No matter how bad things are, you often have to muster up the inner strength, the fortitude to push through.  You can't simply give up.  You put on your best face, you take your knocks, get up, and "get back on the horse."  When you don't, you potentially let others down.  When you don't, you perhaps even serve as a bad example.

I think the thing I love about HOBY most is how rarely I see bad attitudes.  When my fellow volunteers are working, I could ask them for anything, and I know it's as good as done.  It doesn't matter what needs to be done -- how potentially monotonous, boring, gross, bizarre, or unusual the task is -- people know they are serving a larger purpose and they go out of their way with a smile on their face to help you make it happen.  People are invested in your success.

But, this in turn goes so much further.  Their good attitude makes things better for everyone.  Their enthusiasm and energy carries.  Their smiles and their heart shine for all to see.   It makes everyone around them want to give that much more.

And then, when all is said and done, there are the thank yous.  You'll never struggle to hear people who just want to thank you for the good work you've done.  People genuinely appreciate what you've given, and they make sure you know it.  People respect that you've given your best effort, and they want to make sure it doesn't go unnoticed.

Finding such energy and positivity in the people in your life can be a rare thing.  It is a beacon in what can often be the more difficult and trying days of life.  And it's not just the conference:  these people are there long beyond as friends.  Friends who share this common bond with you, that is known in the vaguest sense only as HOBY, but that is embodied in thoughts, words, and actions that form a bond that anyone would be lucky to find if even only once in their life.  Once that HOBY spirit has filled your soul, it's all you can do but to want a little more.

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The Strength in Discord

Last Thursday, Maryland's Corporate Board met for one of our quarterly meetings to discuss where we were at and where we were going.  While the major event in Maryland is the seminar, the Board functions to oversee all events, that they are meeting their responsibilities fiscally, and that they represent HOBY well.

While I don't want anyone to think that our meeting was filled with discord (it wasn't), what was perhaps most interesting to me is there were two disagreements during the evening that struck me in the same way that liberals and conservatives might argue in politics:  that there was discussion about what was in HOBY's best interest, a new approach, or a tried and true strategy.   In the simplest sense, what you know works is a good thing, but if you stick to it too long you become stagnant.  New strategies offer opportunities for even greater things, but they also come at potentially great risk or sacrifice.

In this particular case, the first issue was about our recruitment.  HOBY International has a program in place to allow potential alternate students to attend the seminar along with their primary selections.  Maryland has not typically participated in this program, but it was brought before the Board about the possibility because our participation would help increase our recruitment, outreach, and inherent financial incentives.  At the same time, it could decrease diversity in the seminar because of who could afford to participate, and it could change the seminar experience for all.  It also potentially puts greater strain to make sure there are adequate volunteers.

The second issue was about the money Team Alumni are asked to donate to participate at $180 to pay for their room and board.  There was a time where they were not asked for this money -- their place was paid for.  However, it was at great cost to the seminar.   The cost was brought on when HOBY Maryland was financially struggling.   However, now that we are not, are we potentially losing students who would be TA otherwise because they cannot afford the $180?

It wouldn't be appropriate for me in this forum to comment about the Board's decisions, and besides, that wasn't the point.  The point is that the discussion was good for all of us.  It reminded us -- reminded me -- of why things don't just happen.   Why I can't just make arbitrary decisions as LSC.  Why we have "checks and balances."  And it also reminded me that in the path we have chosen for each issue, what the other side is looking for in their concerns -- it gives us the opportunity to address those concerns as they are happening.

Leadership isn't always making everybody happy.  It's about doing something and trying to get a critical mass to follow you.  To work towards the goals you have set out.  They don't have to agree with what you're doing, or how you got there.  In fact, you may even have to push them outside of their comfort zone.  In this sense, together, only then might we achieve the true potential.

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Poise and Patience

In my professional life, I'm a special education teacher in a level 5 setting.  Without the lingo, it means I work in a  school exclusively for students with special needs.  My population happens to be emotionally disturbed students.

When you tell people that, they have this immediate reaction of, "Wow.  That must be really tough.  You must have enormous patience."  I'm not going to disagree with them that it takes lots of patience, but in reality, I see my job as fairly easy in most regards.  I teach small classes and a subject I love.  I know my kids well, and they know and respect me because I give it to them straight.  There is a very special and important student-teacher relationship that is formed over time with every one of them.

By contrast, for yesterday's alumni reunion, our alumni organized an event working with KEEN - Kids Enjoying Exercise Now.  These students were much more developmentally disabled -- youth across the age spectrum who in many cases had a mental age less than half their physical one.  Ask me about a challenging job, and this was it.  I worked with two young men over two different sessions.  One was age 20 and spent the better part of an hour easily overwhelmed by his surroundings, and at best, content to watch passing cars outside.  He barely spoke, and would repeat the same series of sounds over and over again.   The other was an 18 year old who behaved much like a 3 year old.  He enjoyed tossing a ball and being pulled on a scooter.  I never heard more than a dozen words in his vocabulary.   These were just two of the many disabled young people who came to KEEN yesterday to get some exercise and enjoy some physical and social interaction.

But to help them there were our HOBY alumni.   And while I won't claim it was our largest reunion ever, it was a wonderful insight into how special it can be to watch one person help another.  Not only did our alumni genuinely go out of their way to be helpful and good "coaches" to their "athletes," they did it with heart, poise, and patience.  As I watched our alumni perform in some cases under some very difficult circumstances, they did it with grace, and they showed why they were the leaders selected from their high schools.  They did it with a kind of patience that I can only sometimes wish to have in my day job.  And they did it wearing their HOBY t-shirts with pride, representing all the good that can come from just a little volunteerism.

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Application

With yesterday's release of Team Alumni applications, I thought I would make a comment or two about the process of becoming a TA and, perhaps even offer a few tips to the application.

As I've mentioned before, the process to join TA really began this summer:  who showed to the Summer Reunion and NPR event?  Who has helped plan the Fall Reunion coming up next week, and who will be there?  Who came to our program year kick off meeting in October?  Who is now helping with recruitment?  You don't have to be able to say "yes" or "I did" to all of these questions -- they're just pieces of the puzzle.  And we want to be able to say we have the complete puzzle when we're done.  Let me state it now for the record, and this is incredibly true:  there is no "formula" or point system for choosing Team Alumni.   The process has both subjective and objective components.  It's the only fair way.  We have to balance who is contributing with the skill sets each individual will bring.  We have to balance the time they have given to HOBY with the time they have given to their community because of HOBY.  I teach science and math for a living, and even I know you cannot simply just put a number to everything to evaluate which is greater.

So, what of the application?

One:  Honesty.  If you're checking off every box because you think you're going to impress us, you're not.   We've seen that before, and can tell who is trying to tout themselves, being cocky, or showing off.  Trust me, humility goes a long way.  Personally, I'd much rather have someone who has a firm grasp on what they know and what they don't know, than someone who thinks they know everything and can do anything.  I admire the person who says they can do anything -- but there is a difference between saying I can do anything right NOW, and being able to do anything once given instruction on how it needs to be done.

Two:  Professionalism.  I recognize we have high school students who are filling out the application, not professionals, but we hope and expect they will treat the application with the seriousness of a real job or college application.  That legible, not perfect mind you (trust me, mine own I recognize needs work) writing does count for something.  If you can't do that, than take the time to type it.  That you need to read the instructions carefully:   it says COUNTY not Country; rank your top 5, not give a 1 to 5 value for every possibility.  Little things add up.  Don't forget the Code of Conduct.  Don't forget your photo.  And most of all:

DON'T TURN IT IN LATE OR THINK WE'LL GIVE YOU AN EXTENSION

You've had two months to complete this.  That's more than enough time for an applications of this size, for a job you want, that requires so little writing.  Procrastination is your business, but when it affects others timelines, you shouldn't expect that they'll just grant you a free pass.

Three:  Be Yourself.  You were selected for HOBY because you're a great individual.  Let that person shine through.  Everyone will be coming to this team with something different.  In HOBY, about 80% of folks are extroverts, 20% introverts.  But that doesn't mean we don't want introverts even though they're rare (trust me, I'm one).  It takes that diversity to make sure our team run efficiently.  We need people who want to be in front of the crowd, and people who want to be working behind the scenes.  We need people who like to write, and people who would rather talk.  We need people who are creative and we need people who understand structure.

All that said, we'll take time over the following weeks to put together that diverse team -- and then the work really begins.

The selected individuals will have to keep working on recruitment and they'll have to raise $180 or more to pay for their expenses.  They'll need to come to meetings and training, and there will be a lot of hard work in between.

Yesterday, I reflected on my own HOBY experience and the fact that when I joined there was no application.   I created the first one to help create competition in becoming TA.  It was 5 pages of forms, with just a page or two of supplements.  I was only allowed to take 12 on my staff.  Today, the application is only 3 pages plus a signed code of conduct, but it's got 9 pages of supplements.  We'll allow for 25 individuals.   The point is still the same:  who wants to be here the most?  Who believes in the purpose of this organization so much that they want to give what they learned to others?

Who wants to continue the HOBY Ripple Effect?

The Team Alumni Application is available at http://www.hobymd.org/2011taapp.pdf

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In the beginning, and in the end

As a minor preview for the handful of you who actually read this, we're about to release our Team Alumni applications for the year. We also happen to be exactly 200 days from the Maryland Leadership Seminar.  When you put it like that, it's kind of scary actually.

Helping Tracy get the TA application ready though makes me reflect on my own journey to Seminar Chair, something I haven't yet talked much about here, and at this point, has been somewhat even lost in the time that has past.  I thought I might share with you all now.

If you ask me about my own seminar year, 1996, I don't remember as much as you think I would.  Talking with fellow alumni, I actually think I remember my own less than most people do.  I used to say that my ambassador year was the best ever, but it's funny how after you've done15 seminars, they all start to blend together.

I remember my facilitator (whose name and face I don't remember) was a volunteer who happened to be in the Army, and had to leave less than 24 hours into the seminar.  My group wound up being covered by two Junior Facilitators, Annie and Protik, alumni who worked with us, but have since moved on to other things.  My seminar was in Columbia, MD, at a hotel, and I remember as soon as I arrived there saying hello and thank you to one Ms. Carol Applegate, who unbeknownst to me was the chair of the whole event.  I remember going to the Bell Atlantic facility as a field trip and seeing video conferencing for the first time ever.  I remember Dolf Droge, a former presidential advisor, all practically 7 feet of him dressed in all black with pearl white hair shouting at me that I should read both sides, the Washington Post and the Washington Times. But, ask me about the friends I made, or exactly what I got that weekend, and I'd struggle to tell you.  A lot of it didn't hit me till afterwards.

A few weeks later, I wrote a thank you letter to Carol -- she still has it.  I told her about what I was doing in my school and that I was trying to spread the HOBY "ripple effect" like I was taught.  Months later, the applications for what was then called "Ambassador Staff" were released, or that is, you were told you needed to write Carol a letter at that time, if you wanted to join the staff.  I never did.

Low and behold though, sometime in April I got a phone call from Carol inviting me to staff.  She had saved my original letter and liked it.  She wanted me to join them.  I was kind of speechless -- I thought my opportunity had passed.

I never made it to the meetings -- I just showed up at the next year's seminar ready to contribute how ever I could.  One of the other TAs actually thought I was just another ambassador.  We didn't all have the red jackets TA is now known for, and there were only 8 of us for a seminar of about 250.  Only the WLC kids had them, and I wasn't one of those (much to many people's surprise still to this day).  We got blue jackets instead.  We worked all night long for what was then a four day seminar, out of a hotel room, getting little sleep, and loving every minute of it.

But I never exactly thought I would get here.

Such was my inauspicious start to being a part of the HOBY Maryland staff.  I stayed somewhat active the next few years when in 1999, that year's chair Jon Weinstein (who still volunteers with us a bit) wanted to help us get better at communication, so I built the site a new webpage.   And from there, well, it just became a progression -- junior facilitator -- facilitator -- Alumni Advisor -- Director of Team Alumni -- Vice Chair -- and now chair.

Last year, at the end of seminar, one young man, Hunter, a second year TA, said to the group he wanted my job one day.  I'll be honest, I hope he makes the opportunity for himself to take it.  Because if he does, then we've done our job:  "To inspire and develop our local Maryland community of youth and volunteers to a life dedicated to leadership, service and innovation."

I think back over a lot of these 15 years, and much of it passes in a blur.  Honestly, when I recall my seminar experiences now, I think more of memories with special people than I do of specific events.  And I admit, that seems a bit odd to me when you think about the fact that we work all year to plan for an event.  But the event is about the shared experience -- the hugs, the tears, the smiles, and the laughs.   The ambassadors will have their own experience this year, and who knows, one of them may go on to have a journey similar to mine.  And in the end, I hope they do -- because in the end, we'd be a better organization for another new set of hands and another warm heart.

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Re: Recruitment

That title has fortunately been flooding my inbox all week.

Admittedly, it was and is a bit of a gamble to try and put our alumni on the the task of recruitment for the seminar.  It has traditionally been a task handled by a recruitment director, and doled out to a team of volunteers.  However, the reality was that with no director, we couldn't just ignore the large task of recruitment, and we needed to find a way to make it possible.

At the same time, this seminar off season we have done a very positive job of engaging our alumni.  Between a successful summer reunion, and a big opportunity to be on the radio at NPR, our alumni were wanting to be engaged, and have stayed involved as they truly want to return to the seminar to be on Team Alumni. Throw these factors together, and we are currently looking at potentially our largest ever class of applicants to Team Alumni with more than 40 applications.

The direct result of that is that if these individuals wanted a place on Team Alumni, we were going to ask them to work for it.  They were going to have to distinguish themselves.  We only have 25 spots on TA, and that means some are going to have to stay home disappointed.  Being on TA is not just a free pass.

What we have done is I have taken on the task of breaking down the recruitment list.  At 364 schools and programs in the state of Maryland, that's an awfully big challenge.  But, I asked for help from those alumni, and they have responded in force.  Each is taking on at least 5 schools to recruit, and even some alumni who are to old to be on TA still volunteered to help.  Then, throw in a few adult volunteers who have longer lists, and we have put together quite the effort.

It is now a week from when I initially created and began to implement this challenge and we are off to a wonderful start.  But, now the truly hard work of recruitment begins.  Calling and emailing schools is not easy: people at the schools often have no idea what HOBY is, or how magnificent an opportunity it can be.  They don't know if it's worth the $150 it costs them, or if they have the money even if they believe in the program.  They become increasingly difficult to get a hold of, not returning messages, and even flat out ignoring your calls and requests.  Yet, all we want to do is making the lives of their young people better.  You would think it would be an easier sell.

Now all those volunteers must put in countless hours, phone calls, and emails to try and get just a few students to sign up.  And every day, all I can do is give them assistance and wait, as I watch the recruitment tally sheet, watching as each school comes in, one by one.

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From "Not Working" to Networking

I've mentioned briefly that in addition to my LSC duties, this year I'm working on HOBY International's Strategic Planning Committee (SPC) looking at putting in a new strategic plan beginning in 2011.  So first, a bit of very abbreviated background.

Since the late 90's I always felt like HOBY MD's own web presence was sparse.  In turn, I got involved more heavily with Maryland by working with that year's seminar chair to start creating a website.   As things have evolved, and as I have always been tech savvy, I have always felt like HOBY was behind the curve when it came to technology.  While I have not been able to necessarily influence International, I made sure I did my best to keep Maryland up with the times.  This has most recently included building a Facebook Fan Page and Twitter account.

At Training Institute this past summer, due to circumstances that don't need to be recounted, it became apparent to the powers that be at International that I had significant background in this arena.  Unbeknownst to me at that time the SPC was just being formed, and it was there that I was formally invited to join it.

My immediate response was to draft a list of possibilities in the technology and social media arena that HOBY could and in most cases should be pursuing.  Amongst these was the development of the International Facebook and Twitter presence.

I began to work behind the scenes attempting to get a hold of someone at Facebook.  Try it for yourself: it's extremely difficult.  There are no phone numbers you can call, no emails to write to.  Only forms that can potentially be filled out regarding concerns.  I tried this approach for more than two months with little headway.  At the same time I began working with International to try and figure out who would be the right people to work with on this project.

In a bit of serendipity, last night I should happen to have a private scheduled call with the head of the SPC. Almost at the same time that began, I got an email back from International tracking down my potential leads on assistance.  One person happened to work at Facebook.  No sooner did I email her than within two minutes got a response phone call, passionate to assist.  From more than 2 months to 2 minutes, immediately making an impact.  Imagine.

What is somewhat ironic about this situation is that a few of my HOBY friends already knew the alum working at Facebook, and knew she worked there.  However,  I did not know this, although I actually might have met her at Training Institute 2009.  Go figure.  In my mind it speaks to the need for what we are doing itself.  That we will need this technology to help us bridge these gaps between volunteers, alumni, and all around.

After an hour long discussion that was filled with good conversation, agreement, and positive messages, we were and are very clearly moving forward with momentum.  We are now in the midst of trying to link up all the various affiliate web presences, Facebook and otherwise.   It will be a unique undertaking for our volunteers, but hopefully will also be a huge leap forward.  It makes me very excited for the weeks and months ahead.

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Unpaid Hours

Including the recent meeting on Sunday, over the last two days I've spent between 15 and 16 hours on HOBY volunteer work.  Particularly for October, so early in the season, that's a fairly large chunk of time.

These are the moments that at the end of the year I have to remind myself sometimes that people thank me for.  That when they say their thank yous, I can be humble, and be sure my team gets praised as well, but the pat on the back is not a bad thing:  I have worked hard, even when others' projects had not necessarily yet begun, and people want to make sure that you know that work doesn't go unappreciated.

Most of my work these few days was meeting follow up:  writing the committee minutes, sending emails, etc.  But the largest part was organizing our new recruitment drive.  This year, we're asking every high school age alumnus who wants to be on Team Alumni to take on the challenge of helping us recruit.  For each person, they're only being asked five schools, but that can go a long way.  Already, about 20 have taken on the challenge, meaning that's 100 schools that will be called by alumni and encouraged to attend.  To put that in perspective, there are 364 potential schools or programs within the state of Maryland.  Our recruitment goal is 201, and last year we got 180.  Having the alumni contribute for the first time this year will be a big boost for us as I have not had any luck getting someone to take on the task of recruitment director.  It's meant the rest of us have had to split up that task.  But 100 is no small number and certainly nothing to scoff at.  It will have an enormous impact on our efforts if those alumni are successful.

My job as Seminar Chair is to direct others:  that's what the recruitment challenge is all about.   I direct the resources, push them in the right direction, and help the task get to goal.  But, it's the moments like this that I try to remember to also be a role model.  That I cannot ask my team to do what I am not willing to do myself.  That literally thousands of unpaid volunteer hours will be put in by my team and I this year towards accomplishing our task.  We will try to give everyone a "pat on the back," a thank you, and of course, a HOBY Hug.  It's a small token of thanks for all those hours.  But in the end, in order to get there, we must motivate and inspire them, so that the literal hours put in themselves feel like their own intrinsic reward.


I am frequently asked why I do HOBY.  My answer is always the same:  I'm trying to give back to HOBY what it gave to me those years ago when I was an ambassador in 1996.

I learned something a long time ago though:  I already gave that part back.  The "problem" now is that every time I give, HOBY in its intrinsic reward gives a little bit more back to me than I can give to it.  At this rate, I will never catch up.

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The First Committee Meeting

Today was the first seminar committee meeting of the year.  I have to say, I was a bit nervous before it ever began.

On the upside, I made sure we got word out early.  The invitation was sent essentially a month in advance. Reminders went out frequently.  And, I knew the alumni base was pumped for the coming year; we had engaged them frequently in the seminar off-season.

However, on the flipside, I got a couple emails and texts this morning of last minute cancellations.  There were one or two on the Facebook page as well.  Not to mention, Facebook, for all its wonders is not the most reliable event tool -- it doesn't send out direct reminders like Evite does.  You can practically guarantee the "maybes" won't show.  And even some of the yes's.   But what can you do?  Not much I suppose.

I prepared my meeting agenda knowing some of the key people I'd like to have there to speak wouldn't be able to make it.  I made my photocopies.  I made sure I had access to the building.  I bought snacks because, well, what's a meeting without snacks?  I don't know if I could have done much more.

All that said, when today had come and gone, we did a lot, got a lot accomplished, and had a pretty good showing.  I briefed the volunteers about the meeting with the Mount.  We rallied the alumni to participate in this year's recruitment challenge (which I'm actually really excited about). We talked about recent alumni events, volunteer opportunities, and the big things we have planned for the year.

We set the stage for an outstanding 2011.

Volunteer events, no matter how you slice them are tough.  Because everyone there is a volunteer, you'll never get the participation you hope for.  You appreciate every person that shows:  you just always wish there were a few more.  All we can do is push forward, show our best face, and keep working.  We take the support we get, and we fill in the gaps for the parts we don't.  It takes a big team to put together a 200 person event.  By the time May comes, and it'll be here before I know it, that team will be together.  I have full confidence it will.  It always does.  We just have to keep up the hard work.

Thanks again to everyone who came.  I was really glad to see your smiling faces and to know that you'll be joining me on this journey to HOBY MLS 2011.

For the minutes of today's meeting, visit:  http://www.facebook.com/notes/hugh-obrian-youth-maryland/2011-maryland-leadership-seminar-committee-meeting-minutes-24-october-2010/487510225249

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United We Share

Yesterday,  I was up in Pittsburgh for Regional Training.  I drove up the 4 1/2 hour drive Friday night with fellow volunteers and friends Brandon and Elaine in tow, only to know we'd be making the twisting drive back through the Appalachians the next evening.  Such is the sacrifice of the committed volunteer.

As a bit of background, our region of the country is considered "Region B."  B is one of four making up appropriately H, O, B, and Y.  B covers MD, DC, DE, PA, OH, IL, IN, and WV.  So, yes, while Pittsburgh is a bit of a schlep, it was somewhat central for the entire region.  It also happens to be in my supervisor, Vicki's backyard.  Hey -- she made the drive for my meeting with the Mount for me, and that worked out pretty well.

Regional training also serves as a scaled down version of the national Training Institute.   Topics are relevant to volunteer needs and customized to be the most applicable.  It's volunteers teaching other volunteers, and ultimately, often a lot of what becomes "best practices" sharing.  Vicki actually asked me to teach a few sessions as part of my attendance:  technology and budgeting.  No sweat.  I was happy to do it.  We covered those along with topics of operations, recruitment, the always obligatory risk management, and new programmatic changes for the year.

If you had asked me last week about the training and preparing for it, I'm not exactly sure what I would have told you:  that I wasn't exactly excited for driving all the way to Pittsburgh; that I had been to too many past trainings and I'm not sure I'd be learning anything at this one; that I was frustrated that more of my own volunteers couldn't attend or make the commitment.   Any and all of these would have been possibilities.

However, when all was said and done, I'm glad I went -- and not just because of my love of HOBY.  For one, the training, while I won't claim it taught me tons of new things, reminded me of some things that I should be doing, or could easily neglect.  Second, the enthusiasm of the volunteers of my region helped inspire me that there are a lot of people who are still putting in lots of good work.  And third, I even got a few solid leads for my work on the Strategic Planning Committee, and that was a very good thing.

But, you want to know what my favorite part was?

After the meeting, many of us went to dinner at a place one of the locals suggested:  a brewery that had been set up in an old catholic church building.  As we sat at dinner, we discussed the restaurant and the structure:  was it offensive?  sacrilegious?  simply humorous?  As someone Jewish, I was particularly interested in the thoughts of my colleagues who came from various Christian denominations.  We discussed for some time our thoughts.   We exchanged HOBY stories, both good and the kind you can only laugh at afterwards.  And, in the kinds of discussions you can only have with people you trust, talked about the good and bad, our thoughts of growth and yet cautiousness, between people and fellow volunteers who simply want what is best for our organization and its continued success.

My favorite part was the camaraderie.

Beyond leadership, beyond volunteerism, beyond service, HOBY is about friendship.  The kind of friendships where you meet someone for perhaps only a few days and yet you feel you've known these people your whole life.  That it does not matter how different your backgrounds are, you are likeminded individuals and you share a bond that anyone would consider themselves lucky to find.

In that vein, I'd like to throw one more shout out to my good HOBY friend and fellow volunteer Nick who now finds himself working hard to help rebuild New Orleans with the St. Bernard Project.  He's begun blogging his adventure and I look forward to following along with him from afar.  You too can follow him at http://nickinneworleans.blogspot.com/.   All of us in MD wish you only the best Nick.  And, by all means, be sure to wear a HOBY t-shirt along the way.  :)

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Say Thank You

Something we spend a fair amount of time on at HOBY, and I think in a way that is often new to our ambassadors is thank you notes.  The importance of a well-written, thoughtful, and particularly hand-written thank you note says a lot about how you felt about someone else's actions.  Particularly in this day and age of fast-paced, electronic life, taking the time to hand write a thank you note says, "Your actions meant a lot to me -- I don't know if I can repay you -- but I at least wanted to go out of my way to let you know how much I appreciated it."  At HOBY we try and thank everyone:  sponsors, volunteers, speakers.  It doesn't matter how they helped us -- the fact that they helped at all is worth recognizing.

After I had my meeting with Dr. Powell and Mount St. Mary's I made sure I wrote a hand-written thank you.  It didn't take me long, and it cost me all of a stamp to send.  But if nothing else, it helped me even recognize just how appreciative of their time time I truly was.

Who have you said thank you to?  Who have you perhaps forgotten to say thank you to?  Take a moment, brighten their day, and let them know just how much what they did meant to you.

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From Sea to Shining Sea

As I already discussed, yesterday was a pretty big day for us in HOBY Maryland.   But, it's only what happened afterward that reminded me about how big HOBY is as a commitment, and how many individuals it impacts.   I always worry if we are making a big enough impact; if our message is getting out there.  Well, suffice it to say, it's not for lack of trying.  Yesterday was a wonderful example of just how far the message spreads.  A sampling of my HOBY day, and how much our volunteers do:

• In my meeting at the Mount in Emmitsburg (just south of Gettysburg), they asked where we were from:  I came from Rockville near Washington, DC.  Carol came from Baltimore.  Vicki came from as far away as the Pittsburgh area.  That's a four hour drive.  We mentioned that the international office is actually in LA.
• One of the first responses I got to my good word about the meeting was from Tracy, my good friend and Director of Team Alumni.  Tracy spent the last few years living and going to school in Boston.  She's now living out of NYC.  We've talked about specifically that despite new work commitments that will be coming up, how much she plans to stay involved.
• The second message I got was from Nick.  Nick has lived in MD most of his life, but very shortly will be moving to New Orleans to work for AmeriCorps rebuilding the city.  He's so excited for the new direction in his life, and we're all really excited for him.
• My friend Jacquie made the very first public comment on this blog.  Jacquie for the last few years worked for the University of South Dakota, but has now moved to Oregon pursuing new opportunities.  She's someone who never went through HOBY and yet understands why it is we do what we do.  Jacquie also led this year's Training Institute, the national gathering for volunteers, just to give you a small glimpse of her commitment.  Jacquie is also up to some real good:  she just celebrated a birthday and has asked folks to donate to HOBY South Dakota as her present.  If you a have a moment and a dollar, it would be a good cause:  http://apps.facebook.com/causes/birthdays/434586?bws=sl
• One thing I did in response to my meeting was send a message to Amanda in Mississippi.  I met Amanda at the Training Institute this year.  Mississippi has a great program they've established where they work to give the most needy students scholarships so they can attend the HOBY program.   It's something I would love to be able to provide for Maryland, and something that I know a lot sites wish they could do.
• The message that truly brightened my day was all the way from Nate in Hawai'i.  Nate read the blog and told me that he was trying to arrange something similar for HOBY Hawai'i and the University of Hawai'i.  They have a meeting coming up themselves, and wanted to be best prepared.  I was more than happy to share my new experiences and resources with him.
• On Facebook, I could follow the highlights of what my HOBY friends were doing.  Ryan in Iowa joined the Iowa HOBY fanpage.   Teressa is starting her freshman year at college.  Dan has been traveling around the world, as many volunteers have this year.  Beth is in Ecuador for the year doing mission work.  When I start going down this road, there become almost too many to name.
• And lastly, it came back home as I got an always welcome phone call from Raadha as she was driving home from work.  Raadha has just started life in the "real world" after graduating college.  She's working 12 hour days, and yet she's still trying find time to help us by writing up a grant proposal.  That's commitment.

I say all of this as today also is HOBY International T-shirt day.  We ask all of our volunteers and alumni to wear their HOBY shirts to help spread the HOBY message.  You'd be amazed how many people will ask you about HOBY when you wear a shirt, and how many people will come up to you out of the blue and say, "I went to that!"  It's always a nice conversation from there out.

HOBY volunteers are everywhere, and they're doing some great things.  I'm incredibly proud to call these people my friends.

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The Harder You Work, The Luckier You Get

A former teacher and mentor of mine once told me, "The harder you work, the luckier you get."  I don't know if he came up with it himself, or was quoting someone else, but it's always stuck with me:  probably because I'm used to working hard.

Over the last few years, as I stepped into the LSC job, Carol, my Corporate Board President and my own former LSC when I was an ambassador, keeps telling me how much she has watched me grow as an individual.   It's a wonderful compliment, and I thank her for that.  As I've told others, she and HOBY helped give me something I still am trying to give back, and probably will never be able to repay.   But perhaps more inspiring, is I've continued to be able to see that growth in myself and my own character.

Let alone the work I've put into HOBY the last 14+ years, just the last few weeks I've been intently focused on my upcoming meeting with Mount St. Mary's University President Powell.   I put together documents to describe how we could better partner.  I got an alumnus to contribute her thoughts on both the HOBY program and now being a student at MSM.  And overall, without patting myself on the back too much, I put together an impressive package and set of materials to give to Dr. Powell and his team.  I could honestly say I put in my best effort, and was proud of what I put together.

Today, Carol, my national supervisor, Vicki, and I met with Dr. Powell and his key leaders at the Mount.  I wish I could tell you all the things we discussed.  I hesitate only because I don't want to jump the gun on all the ideas and opportunities that were discussed around the table.  However, suffice it to say I remain enormously excited.  The opportunity before both of us is only beginning to blossom.  We walked into the meeting both very much on the same page, and simply rattling through all the places we could help each other out.  As Vicki said, it really can be a "win-win."

It will likely be a few weeks before I know the details of what the Mount proposes to us, but no matter what they come back with, I will continue to be excited until then.  There is so much potential in this burgeoning relationship that we can only do truly "OUTSTANDING" things together.  And for whatever it's worth, may my old mentor continue be right:  that the harder we work, the luckier we get.

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The First Registration

And the envelope goes to...

Georgetown Prep

First of all, I'm very excited that registration has already begun.  It means the process is working, schools are getting the information, and we are working towards our goal.  However, as LSC, the question I must ask is -- what is it that Prep gets that perhaps other schools don't?  What about the HOBY message got them to buy in that they registered so quickly?  We didn't even get a chance to give them a phone call -- that's how much they bought in.  If I could just bottle up that thought and message and distribute it to the 350 schools across the state, my job would be easy.  I know my own love and passion for HOBY, but it's not that.  It's creating that love and passion in our participants so they go back to their schools and make it happen for each new class of sophomores.  It is the challenge we face each and every year.

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The Balance of Information

Late last week I had to participate in one of HOBY's regional conference calls.  As LSC, I'm practically obligated to be on every one of these calls I can.  I know the schedule in advance, and I try to block off the time so that there aren't items that interfere.  I won't say I make them 100%, but I do my best.

The conference calls are one thing though where it makes me question about where the balance of information lies with my volunteers.  It doesn't make sense to ask my entire team to be on these calls -- the agenda isn't relevant for most of them -- but occasionally I've suggested to my Corporate Board or my key volunteer positions, such as the Director of Recruitment per se, that they join in.  They never have.  On the call has typically only been myself and often Carol, our Corporate President.

Similarly, I look at the things I prepare for my volunteers either because I feel they are necessary, or simply because I want others to have the information should they wish, and I am always left to question how much they might be using that information.  Mind you, much of this I do because of my own love of technology as a medium, but the point is still the same -- do people use it?  The conference call is but one example.  I lump Facebook, Twitter, emails, and all the like right in there too.  I can put the information out there, but I cannot force people to use it.

The challenge is always to keep the flow of information interesting and relevant.  Not overwhelm people with too much (which in all likelihood I do), and craft the information in such a way that people want to pay attention to what you say.  The same is true in every facet of my job -- with my volunteers, ambassadors, parents, and schools alike.

However, despite my own recognition that I must strike some kind of a balance, I know in the end, I'll probably tend to lean such as in the direction of this blog.  To burden people potentially with too much information, and let them choose what they feel is most important, than worry that perhaps they have not gotten enough.

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Working with the University: Opportunity Knocks

For about the last 8 years, HOBY Maryland has been having our annual seminar at Mount St. Mary's University.  As any large event would, we sign a contract that makes sure we agree to pay for services that in the broadest sense fall under either usage of facilities or reimbursement for meals.  It's a simple agreement and certainly, every year we've honored it and intend to continue to do so.

However, one of the things that has always struck me, clearly with my own bias towards what HOBY accomplishes, is how the university (and this isn't just necessarily MSM, but any host site) treats us as just another group.  From my perspective, we bring 200 outstanding high school sophomores to their campus from all over the state representing diverse interests and backgrounds.  It seems like a prime opportunity for any university to pitch themselves and recruit freshmen from essentially the cream of the crop.  They have a captive audience.  And yet, as already mentioned, the university has always been content to simply let us go about our business, run our event, and have very little interest in being involved.

Well, that's perhaps about to change.

During the 2010 Career Lunch, by pure chance, the president of the university, Dr. Powell happened to come by and see one part of our program.  All I can imagine is that he saw the enthusiastic young people who were there, the leaders of various industries introducing themselves and engaging these young people, and he realized the opportunity for MSM he had in front of him.  Our Director of Operations happened to be outside and was engaged in a brief conversation with Dr. Powell.  One thing led to another and we now after 8 years have been able to set up a meeting for the near future.  It speaks to the power of the university president versus just Conference and Events coordinator who is paid to help us work with University.  (And with full disclosure, the old C&E director just left for another opportunity, so MSM just got a new one for this year.)

My hope is that in meeting with Dr. Powell we'll be able to truly open his eyes to the phenomenal opportunity the HOBY community presents to his university.  At the same time, I'm hoping he can ensure that the university is helping us feel accommodated, using it's resources to work with us in the most productive ways possible, and I won't lie -- help us get a better deal financially.  HOBY and the university are two entities that truly have an amazing chance to work in mutually beneficial way.  We just need to make sure we are attempting to continually meet each other at least half way.

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Recruitment

Recruitment is arguably one of the two biggest challenges HOBY faces as an organization (next to perhaps only fundraising).  It comes with it's own incentive based goals, and in many ways can set the structure for everything else we do.

For the last two years, and in all likelihood this year, our goal for recruitment has been to get 201 sophomores to the seminar in May.  Two years ago, we met this goal "unofficially" by at least getting that many students to sign up, but were disappointed when about 10 percent of those students didn't actually show.  Last year, the number who signed up was much closer to the number who showed, however, in some ways, this is arguably no better for us.

In every element we plan from dormitories on the campus, to facilitation groups, to busses for transportation the size of the group can have a dramatic impact.  It is no wonder that this is even true in fundraising:  for every student registered, we get a small piece of their registration fee, and there are financial incentives to add to that should we meet our recruitment goal.  Unfortunately however, we do not set our goal all by ourselves. It is determined in conjunction with HOBY International and in large part is actually set for us.

The challenges of the recruitment task can be many.  First, making phone calls, and to some degree even sending emails during the day is difficult.  Most of our volunteers have serious day jobs that prevent them from participating in such a task.  How are we to get a hold of the schools if we cannot call them during their working hours?  Second, it is surprising every year as we face either new school staffs, or simply existing ones, who have not yet latched onto the HOBY message and still are not enthusiastic about sending a student.  They complain about how no student is interested in signing up or that they are unsure what they are getting for their investment.  What they fail to realize is that in all likelihood, those members of the sophomore class have never heard of HOBY, and so they have no incentive to sign up, or write an essay, or attempt to get involved.  If the school plays no role in promoting HOBY as something positive for a student's future, what student would sign up blindly?  Every year I must convince schools to do this hard work as I cannot be in the school to do it myself.  These challenges speak nothing to the students and then families who then do sign up, only for us to make sure the registered participant completes their forms and does show up in May.

This year, we are currently without an official Director of Registration, and are certainly looking.  However, as much as anything, what is needed is a  few bodies to make just a few phone calls.  If every volunteer we work with during the year took on just 5 schools to call, this would mean we'd be working on calling around 300 schools.  It doesn't take much -- just a bit of commitment.

I'd love to have a few more people to help me with recruitment.   Imagine the difference you'd be making to get that one student to attend in May and the "life-changing" experience they would encounter.

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Call for Volunteers

As we begin each seminar year, one of the first challenges that is faced is the "Call for Volunteers."  It is not that there aren't a lot of people out there who aren't willing to help HOBY, its a matter of getting them to recognize they can contribute, and helping them find the best opportunity for their skill set combined with their interest.

Often, our young, particularly first-year, alumni are the most enthusiastic about helping out the seminar.  Unfortunately, their interest is counter-balanced by their lack of understanding about just how challenging a seminar is to put together.  On the other side, our veteran staff have a deep seated love for the organization, but are often hesitant to get overly involved because of their other commitments in their lives.  I understand this, and even sympathize, but I always hope they will recognize there are many small tasks they can contribute to.

Currently, we have three significant volunteer opportunities:  Recruitment, Career Lunch, and Treasurer.  It would be great to find individuals who are willing to take these on as the "Director" role.  But, I'm realistic.  Most people don't want that title, and frankly, I'm not asking anyone to take it on -- at least yet. :)  The reality is, I'd just like to find a few more people to contribute to these areas.  You don't have to the Director of Recruitment, you just have to be willing to make a handful of phone calls.  You don't have to be the Director of the Career Lunch -- you just have to recruit a few tables.  You don't have to... oh wait; you do have to be the Treasurer or not at all. :)

I'll be posting about these opportunities in the future but in the meantime, ask yourself how you might contribute.  Taking on one small task, and believe me, there are many, helps our organization out enormously. No matter what you are good at, or interested in, I promise you, we have a place for you.

You can sign up to help volunteer at:  https://reg.hoby.org/HOBYVolunteerApplication/

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Why a blog?

I've tried personal blogs before.  I never have found them extremely successful because the personal things I might want to write down were exactly that:  personal.  At the same time, you want people to read and give you feedback.  This is a difficult line to tow between both agendas.  I also have attempted at such times to write because it felt relevant and necessary, but this state of emotion only lasts for so long.  Continuing a blog beyond that often falls out of habit.

Instead, I look at what HOBY represents as an organization and within my own life, and I see this as an opportunity for insight and transparency.  There is nothing that I would necessarily hide, and yet, even long time volunteers with our organization are not necessarily aware of all the details that go into making the HOBY seminar happen each year.  It is time consuming and requires lots of energy.  Some years it feels like a miracle the event happens at all.  I hope to give people insight into the magic and hard work that is the Maryland Leadership Seminar.

Lastly, in a topic I'm sure I'll discuss more in future entries, this year I'm participating on HOBY International's Strategic Planning Committee.  In part, I was asked to this committee to look at technology and social networking.  I figure that I'll be better able to represent and discuss these issues if I'm using the technologies myself.  A blog is one more opportunity to explore.

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Welcome

Recently, a number of things have been happening in the HOBY world that represent change and progress for our organization. At the same time, we are seeing new challenges that are as strong as the old. I am beginning this blog to be a speaking point to the things our organization is dealing with. I will attempt to make updates as frequently as I can during the year, while also giving insights in to the process of putting together a successful seminar and what is happening with HOBY at an international level. You can hopefully expect a number of brief entries in the next few days, and then regular, periodic updates.

I do also want to give some credit to HOBY Washington in this first entry. They started their own blog recently by the LSC, and while I had been playing with the idea for a number of reasons I may discuss later, their blog was certainly inspiration to make sure I had one too.

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