REFLECTIONS OF THE FUTURE(Lessons, Opinions, and

Thoughts)

PAY TRIBUTE TO THOSE WHO HAVE COME BEFORE US – ALWAYS REMEMBERING TO SAY “THANK YOU”.

BE GRATEFUL FOR THE FOUNDATION GIVEN TO US (IT IS A VALUABLE GIFT) – USE IT TO BUILD A STRONGER, MORE VIABLE NARFE. THIS WILL HONOR THE LEGACY.

(1)

EXPANDING OUR BOUNDARIES – BOTHWITHIN AND BEYOND THE FEDERATION

WITHIN THE FEDERATION – BUILD STRONG, VIABLE PARTNERSHIPS AMONG CHAPTERS.

BEYOND OUR BOUNDARIES - BUILD PARTNERSHIPS WITH OTHER FEDERATIONS, ESPECIALLY WITHIN REGION X, AND WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS WHICH HAVE SIMILAR PRIORITIES.

(2)

STRENGTHEN RELATIONSHIPS AMONG CHAPTERS, FEDERATIONS, REGIONS, AND NATIONAL BY BUILDING “TRUST”.

HOW DO WE DO THIS? FIRST, WE MUST WORK COLLABORATIVELY, NOT SEPARATELY.

(3)

RECOGNIZE THAT WE ARE ALL KEY STAKEHOLDERS IN DECISIONS MADE IN HOW WE DO BUSINESS.

RESPECT THE OPINIONS, THOUGHTS, AND VIEWS OF OTHERS. BUILD UNDERSTANDING AND AGREEMENT.

ENGAGE THIS VALUABLE RESOURCE DETERMINE HOW BEST TO INTEGRATE

THE DESIRES AND STRENGTHS OF THIS YOUNGER GENERATION WITH THOSE OF THE MORE ESTABLISHED OLDER GENERATION.

TO DO THIS, WE MUST FIRST RECOGNIZE AND HONOR THE ACHIEVEMENTS AND LIFE PASSAGES OF THOSE WHO PAVED THE WAY FOR US.

(4)

THEN IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF OUR LEADERS TO PROMOTE A SPIRIT OF COLLABORATION AND CONSENSUS BUILDING.

THE GOALS ARE PRIMARILY THE SAME FOR ALL GENERATIONS (PROTECTING AND ENHANCING OUR EARNED BENEFITS), THE PROCESS TO ACHIEVE THESE GOALS MAY BE VERY DIFFERENT.

THERE IS ALWAYS A “WIN-WIN” OUTCOME, IF WE ARE WILLING TO WORK TOWARD THAT END.

THERE IS NO ONE ANSWER TO RESOLVING THIS ISSUE.

SOMETIMES, IT IS SIMPLY NOT BECOMING TOO COMFORTABLE WITH OUR PARADIGM, BY ACCEPTING HOW NARFE CURRENTLY DOES BUSINESS.

(5)

SETTING ATTAINABLE GOALS. WHEN WE SET OURSELVES UP FOR SUCCESS INSTEAD OF FAILURE, THERE IS A WONDERFUL FEELING OF ACCOMPLISHMENT AND A DESIRE TO CONTINUE ON THE PATH TO SUCCESS.

ALWAYS DO BUSINESS WITH A VIEW OF FUTURE ON THE HORIZON.

THIS MEANS THAT WE MUST LOOK BEYOND THE “WHAT WE NEED TO DO”, TO ACHIEVE OUR GOALS.

IF WE ARE TO EXPERIENCE MEASURABLE SUCCESS, WE MUST “FOLLOW THROUGH” BY DETERMINING THE “WHO, WHAT, WHERE, AND WHEN”.

(6)

NO LONGER CAN WE IGNORE THE URGENT NEED TO PRIORITIZE OUR LIMITED RESOURCES. NO MORE LAUNDRY LISTS. LISTS ARE NOT ACTION PLANS.

WE MUST FOCUS ON AND PRIORITIZE THE ITEMS WHICH WILL ENHANCE OUR ABILITY TO SUCCEED AND ALLOW US TO MOVE FORWARD, NOT CONTINUE TO FALTER.

THIS IS NOT NEW TO ANY OF US, AND YET SOMETIMES THIS BECOMES A VERY DIFFECULT TASK.

IMPROVING OUR COMMUNICATION SKILLS REQUIRES CONSTANT OVERSIGHT OF OUR STRATEGIES.

REMEMBER, INFORMATION IS POWER. THE MORE WE SHARE, THE STRONGER WE WILL BE AND THE MORE INFLUENTIAL WE WILL BECOME.

(7)

WE CAN ONLY ACT UPON THE INFORMATION WE HAVE ACCESS TO.

IN THIS DAY AND AGE, WE HAVE MANY TOOLS WHICH MAKE COMMUNICATING COMPATIBLE WITH BUSY LIFE STYLES.

BECOME FAMILIAR WITH AND USE THE TOOLS AVAILABLE TO US.

THOSE WHO CHOOSE TO BECOME LEADERS MUST BE ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR ACTIONS, ALWAYS.

NO ONE SHOULD ACCEPT A LEADERSHIP POSITION WITHOUT BEING FULLY AWARE OF THE RESPONSIBILITY SHE/HE HAS AGREED TO ACCEPT ON BEHALF OF THE MEMBERSHIP.

(8)

LEADERS MUST ALWAYS BE AVAILABLE AND ACCESSIBLE TO ALL OF OUR MEMBERS.

WE, AS MEMBERS, MUST ALWAYS BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE OPENLY, ASK THE HARD QUESTIONS, DEBATE THE ANSWERS, AND COME AWAY WITH A FEELING OF SATISFICATION. HENCE, THE WIN-WIN OUTCOME.

IN AUGUST, ANOTHER NATIONAL CONVENTION WILL CONVENE IN GRAND RAPIDS, MI.

ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT EVENTS TO TAKE PLACE AT THIS CONVENTION, IS THE ELECTION OF NEW NATIONAL OFFICERS.

WITHOUT A DOUBT, IT IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ELECTIONS IN THE HISTORY OF OUR ORGANIZATION.

(9)

WE MUST BE EDUCATED AND KNOWLEDGABLE ABOUT THE QUALIFICATIONS, EXPERIENCE, AND COMMITMENT OF EACH CANDIDATE.

TWO VERY IMPORTANT QUESTIONS TO ASK THE CANDIDATES ARE:

(1) HOW DO YOU PROPOSE TO DO BUSINESS IN A DIFFERENT WAY, IN THE SHORT TERM, THAT WILL ALLOW OUR ORGANIZATION TO BE AS EFFECTIVE AS POSSIBLE, AS SOON AS POSSIBLE?”

AND (2) “WHAT DO YOU THINK OUR ORGANIZATION SHOULD LOOK LIKE IN TWO YEARS, FIVE YEARS, AND EVEN TEN YEARS, AND HOW DO YOU PROPOSE TO FULFILL YOUR VISION?”

THE ANSWERS TO THESE QUESTIONS SHOULD BE VERY IMPORTANT TO ALL OF US.

CHANGE IS INEVITABLE!

MAJOR CHANGE INITIATIVES MUST BE INTRODUCED BY NATIONAL.

SUCH AS A “REAL” STUDY OF FUNCTIONS AND ORGANIZATIONAL DESIGN TO DETERMINE VALUE AND EFFICIENCY.

(10)

OUR NEXT GENERATION OF LEADERS MUST BE WILLING TO EXPLORE “ALL” THE POSSIBILITIES WITH OPEN MINDS, AND CREATE THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT WILL VASTLY ENHANCE OUR ORGANIZATION.

WE MUST BEGIN TO AGGRESSIVELY BUILD THE RELATIONSHIPS AND PARTNERSHIPS SO VERY NECESSARY TO OUR EXISTANCE.

THERE ARE MANY OPPORTUNITIES TO ENHANCE, ENERGIZE, AND WORK COLLABORATIVELY IN MORE MEANINGFUL WAYS ACROSS THE ORGANIZATION. WE SIMPLY MUST BE AWARE.

EXPLORE ALTERNATIVES TO THE TRADITIONAL HEIRARACY THAT CURRENTLY EXISTS.

REACH OUT TO THOSE WILLING TO WORK – CAPTURE THE ENTHUSIASM AND CREATIVITY.

FEDERATIONS MUST WORK IN COLLABORATION, SHARING IDEAS AND INFORMATION. ESTABLISHING PARTNERSHIPS WHICH CAN TRANSLATE INTO COMMONPLACE NETWORKING CAPABILITIES.

A TINY SPARK WHICH HAS IGNITED DURING THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS IS THE CREATION OF “THE FEDERATION PRESIDENTS’ GOOGLE GROUP”.

THIS GROUP WAS CREATED BY CHARLIE PRATT AND INTRODUCED TO THE PRESIDENTS BY ANDY MORGEN, CA FEDERATION PRESIDENT AND MYSELF.

SO FAR, THERE ARE TWENTY MEMBERS, INCLUDING ONE REGIONAL VP.

ALL WHO HAVE JOINED ARE ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT THE ENDLESS POSSIBILITIES THIS GROUP MAY OFFER THE ORGANIZATION.

AN INVITATION WILL GO OUT TO THE NEW PRESIDENTS THIS SUMMER. IT IS ANTICIPATED THAT SEVERAL WILL CHOOSE TO JOIN US, AND WILL FIND THE EXCHANGE OF INFORMATION EXCITING AND VERY BENEFICIAL.

GROUPS LIKE THIS ONE MUST BE MORE READILY EMBRACED AND SANCTIONED BY OUR LEADERSHIP.

ON THE FOLLOWING TWO SLIDES, I OFFER A QUOTE FROM SOMEONE I GREATLY ADMIRE, AS I AM SURE MANY OF YOU DO AS WELL. I BELIEVE IT IS TRULY INSPIRATIONAL. . . .

“AS A LEADER . . . I HAVE ALWAYS ENDEAVORED TO LISTEN TO WHAT EACH AND EVERY PERSON IN A DISCUSSION HAD TO SAY BEFORE VENTURING MY OWN OPINION. OFTEN TIMES, MY OWN OPINION WILL SIMPLY REPRESENT A CONSENSUS OF WHAT I HEARD IN THE DISCUSSION. . . .

. . . .I ALWAYS REMEMBER THE AXIOM: A LEADER IS LIKE A SHEPHERD. HE STAYS BEHIND THE FLOCK, LETTING THE MOST NIMBLE GO OUT AHEAD, WHERE UPON THE OTHERS FOLLOW, NOT REALIZING THAT ALL ALONG, THEY ARE BEING DIRECTED FROM BEHIND.”

NELSON MANDALA

IT HAS BEEN AN AMAZING JOURNEY, THESE LAST FIVE YEARS, ESPECIALLY THE LAST TWO.

IT HAS BEEN AN HONOR AND PRIVILEGE TO SERVE THE FEDERATION, AND I HOPE IN SOME WAY, I HAVE MADE A DIFFERENCE IN HOW WE DO BUSINESS.

I THANK ALL OF YOU WHO HAVE SUPPORTED MY DESIRE TO MOVE OUR FEDERATION IN THE DIRECTION I SO STRONGLY BELIEVE WE SHOULD BE GOING.

MY MANY HEARTFELT THANKS TO ALL OF

YOU!!