Resolutions

I have lost and gained a lot of weight in my life.  (Luckily I have not found all of it back.)  So you can imagine the numerous fitness centers I have belonged to.  Recently a friend of mine asked if I would be interested in joining a gym and it made me start to think about all those past memberships.  One time in early February I showed up at one of these centers and there was no machine I could use, someone was using every machine in the place.  I could not believe it, so I asked the attendant why it was so full and she said, “Oh don’t worry, most of these people will be gone in 3 weeks.”  Puzzled, I asked why.  She responded that in about three weeks things would be back to normal because, “These are our ‘New Year’s Resolution’ people.”

Did you make any resolutions for this Pilot year?  Most New Year’s resolutions evaporate quickly.  However, the New Year’s Resolution or any resolution is the most important step.  If we never take the first step we will never have a second step.  When you repeat your resolution enough times to other club members, family, friends, co-workers, etc- a very interesting thing happens.  One day you will stomp your foot on the ground and say “I WILL DO IT!”  Just then you have made a decision! Now you have a decision to reach the goal. 

We all know that if you want to build a house you need a set of blue prints.  In Pilot we have Plans of Work for projects and fundraising.  How about Leadership Plans of Work?  We put in writing our resolutions and then we become committed to our resolutions.  No responsible person makes a commitment unless she has reason to believe she can fulfill that commitment, whether it is a commitment to marriage, to loose weight, to learn more about leadership or develop new leaders. 

Without a commitment, when difficulties arise your first thought is to bail out.  With a commitment your first response is “How do I solve this?” 

We are ending our second month of our Pilot year.  Have you committed to your Pilot New Year Resolutions or have you not even stomped your foot yet to make a decision? Have you written your leadership plan of work yet?  Did you put your leadership resolutions in writing and make a plan?  It’s not too late.  Write out your leadership resolutions, make a decision and commit to them.  Whether you choose to develop your own leadership skills or choose to find need leaders to join your club or develop leaders within your club, take action now. 

So make those resolutions today and expand them! 

Sherri Lynn Dunik

Plan with Attitude. Prepare with Aptitude. Participate with Servitude, Receive with Gratitude. And that should be enough to Separate you from the Multitudes.

Pilot International Leadership Coordinator

http://facebook.com/sldunik

Twitter @sherrilynndunik

August Leadership Audio Message

I posted a new leadership message to my podcast, Sherri Lynn Dunik's Podcast.
Please click the link below to view it. 

August Leadership Podcast

Courage

This past week we had a Community Day at Seven Springs for Emmaus.  As you may know Emmaus provides housing for persons with intellectual disabilities.  My husband Jon and I both work at Emmaus and so does my mother.  Emmaus is just an extension of our family.  At community day we had a very nice luncheon followed by a talent show.  After the talent show we all enjoyed activities within the resort, including the Alpine Slide. 

My mother has been afraid of heights her entire life.  But she is one of the most courageous women I know.  She got on the ski lift and rode it up the mountain to come down on the Alpine Slide.  How awesome of a role model is she?  She raised me to face all my fears growing up because she did not want me to hide behind my fears like she felt she had.  Yes, she held on tight with her eyes closed.  She crawled down that mountain going so slow there were 4 unhappy kids behind her.  But she did it! 

I watched our newest residents climb on their Alpine Slide carts and go down that mountain for the first time.  I watched one of our residents (who Jon has never heard speak) get up on stage and speak through the microphone for the talent show.  Our executive director wrote show tunes about Emmaus and sang them with courage in front of us all.  They all had courage to do what they did.    

Even I faced a few fears that day.  First I rode the chair lift.  Now, it was not that I was afraid of heights, but I had a tremendous fear that overcame me that my shoe would fall off.  Now you might be laughing right now, but I have an immense fear of bare feet.  As I held my legs perfectly straight I managed to keep my shoes on.  I also rode a hydro-bike with Jon.  I do not know how to swim or ride a bike.  I have a fear of both, but with Jon I wanted to face that fear.  And I even did it with my shoes off in a dress!      

The dictionary defines courage as the quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face difficulty, danger, pain, etc.  Every test you face as a leader begins with you.  Courage begins with an inward battle.  The test of courage is no different. 

It seems to me, reading about different leaders in our history, meeting leaders in life, and observing up coming leaders, they all have different traits.  But the one trait they all have is courage.  I have read and studied how they saw things, the vision they had and what they were going to do to get there.  Even the cowardly lion in the Wizard of Oz, though terrified, is ready to face danger.  It was on the way to Oz that he realized he already had the quality he thought he lacked. 

Most people live ordinary lives.  Just occasionally you meet someone who lives beyond the average - people who dare to not just dream but actually do.  Just like you and I.  We all can choose to live beyond the average if we dare.  I know we all have courage like the lion in the Wizard of Oz.

Most people have dreams.  But most do not have the courage to act upon their dreams.  How do you handle fear?  Are stretching experiences a regular part of your life?  Or have you retreated so far in your comfort zone that you don’t ever even feel fear? 

To improve your courage you simply have to face the music.  Go out and do something simply for the sake of growing in courage.  Rock climb, perform in a play, go white water rafting, it does not matter what you do as long as it causes you to face genuine fear.  Doing this will help you develop a spirit of courage in your life.  

The ironic thing is we all have fears; some people have the courage to take risks and those that don’t take chances worry about trivial things.  If you are going to overcome your fear and doubts anyway, you might as well make it count.  Remember, a courageous act often brings unexpected positive results.    

Sherri Lynn Dunik

Plan with Attitude. Prepare with Aptitude. Participate with Servitude, Receive with Gratitude. And that should be enough to Separate you from the Multitudes.

Pilot International Leadership Coordinator

http://facebook.com/sldunik

Twitter @sherrilynndunik

Leaving a Legacy

I had the lovely experience of spending one on one time with Melody Guy.  I am amazed always at the wondrous people that Pilot has brought in my life.  You may recall she mentioned she was coming to Pittsburgh to sing the National Anthem when she was performing for all of us Pilots in Dallas.  After her performance I spoke to her and we exchanged phone numbers.  Through text messages and facebook we got to know each other and she invited Jon and I to be with her on the field at PNC Park. 

She arrived on Thursday night and came straight from the airport to the Jaggerbush Bar and Grille, there she play for about 2 hours for friends and family.  On Friday she came to the Emmaus Community of Pittsburgh and played a few songs for the residents.  Watching her perform “Mistakes Like Me” for the residents was incredible.  I still get choked up when thinking about it.  Then Jon and I met up with her and Eli at PNC Park.  We walked this long path under the ballpark to a set of sets down where light shown down another set of steps we walked that placed us right next to the Pirate Dugout.  We walked across the Dugout to Home Plate.  We hung out on the field for about a half hour watching in awe as a crowd filled the 30,000+ seats around us.  Clint Hurdle came out to greet us.  At 6:58 the announcer asked everyone to please stand and he announced the National Anthem would be sung by Melody Guy.  There she was, in the 88 degree heat I had goose bumps.  She was on Home Plate, on the Jumbo Screen and her name across the stadium.  Cub Scouts stood at attention across the field from her.  It was so quiet!  As if the crowd hung on her every word.  It was amazing.  When she was done, players congratulated her, when we were at the food stands people congratulated her and even in our seats- someone got their picture with her.  I experienced our National Anthem in a way I never have before. 

Today I keep thinking about it- The National Anthem of the United States.  Written in 1814 but only made by congress the official national anthem in 1931. 

Eight Lines when sung has people of all diversity stands at attention for about one and a half minutes.  Eight Lines remind us of our patriotism for one and a half minutes.  Eight Lines bring widows to tears for one and a half minutes.  Eight Lines make children stand taller for one and a half minutes.  Eight Lines give ball players peace of mind and reflection for one and a half minutes.  Eight Lines brought wonderful new friends together with Melody, Eli, Jon and myself and have me reflecting on the experience longer than one and a half minutes. 

Do you think Francis Scott Key thought about diversity, friends, baseball when writing those lines?  I doubt it.  I doubt he ever thought he would create such a legacy. 

Do you ever think about your legacy?  I am sure if you have children and grandchildren you have.  If you are my age, I bet you have not thought about your legacy much.  How about your leadership legacy?  Do you know what that legacy would be? 

As leaders we create our legacy everyday.  Our ability as leaders will not be measured parks we build or what our club did as our tenure.  You and I will be judged by how well the people we invested in carried on after we are gone.  As baseball great Jackie Robinson observed, “A life isn’t significant except for its impact on other lives.”

Think about and answer these questions:  What was Mother Theresa’s legacy?  How does her work continue to impact others?  Why did her work continue after her death? 

If you desire to make an impact as a leader of the future generation, then I suggest that you become highly intentional about your legacy.  I believe every person leaves some kind of legacy-some positive, some negative. 

At your next meeting ask and discuss these questions with your club.  Why do we need a team of good leaders to succeed?  What does your club’s potential legacy look like?  Who is involved in building that legacy?  What priority have you placed on mentoring others?  Explain.  How would you go about choosing someone to replace yourself?  If you suddenly left your organization, what would the impact be?  What will you do to ensure the legacy and future success of your organization? 

People invest in what they believe in.  And if you are just half hearted about Pilot, it is unlikely you will invest in Pilot’s future.  Spend about an hour today brainstorming and recording your thoughts about why you do what you do. 

Some questions to get you started:  What does my club provide for the community?  Why is my club important?  I believe in Pilot’s mission statement because: ______.   The job that I think I would most enjoy would be ______.  I do what I do because _____.  When all is said and done, I want my impact to be: ______.

You may realize you are right where you need to be, and that you should be investing in the vision and future of Pilot.  Or you may see how your current position is just a stepping stone of your journey, but you can still invest by improving yourself and you try to strengthen Pilot.

A leader’s lasting value is measured by succession.  May you and I live and lead according to that standard.  

Sherri Lynn Dunik

Plan with Attitude. Prepare with Aptitude. Participate with Servitude, Receive with Gratitude. And that should be enough to Separate you from the Multitudes.

Pilot International Leadership Coordinator

http://facebook.com/sldunik

Twitter @sherrilynndunik