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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