Ideas
start in the mind. Along the way, many get forgotten or rejected. But some ideas remain... growing stronger over the years until they
are realized.
For
me, this one started in 2011.
I'm at the Peace Corps office in Kiev
saying my goodbyes. After two years of serving in Konotop, Ukraine,
I'm flying back to America tomorrow.
“Jud,
we're hoping that you'll record your 21 tips talk before leaving,”
says Iryna, the PC training director.
My
talk of practical ideas for community integration had been well
received by Peace Corps Trainees. Iryna wants to use it in future
trainings. Of course, I'm flattered and soon find myself sitting
in front of the camera for my first ever video – 21 Tips for
Community Integration.
I
don't know it at the time but a new idea is forming.
Flash
forward and I'm back in the Peace Corps. This time I'm in Macedonia. Here I'm serving as an organizational development specialist
helping young community leaders with management and leadership
issues.
I
learn a lot. I develop short in-office trainings, bi-weekly
emails with “Leadership Tips”, and spend lots of hours coaching.
I
don't know it at the time, but I'm organizing a body of content.
Moving
into present time, I'm back in America again and missing my
relationships with community leaders. I'm wondering how I can keep
relationships and make new ones.
That's
when the idea for a YouTube Channel crystallizes.
On YouTube, I can open a space for sharing and encourage community leaders in their
work for positive social change.
I think to myself, “I can do
this.”
But
soon I discover that I can't
do it alone. While I
have inspiration and content, I don't
have knowledge of how
to make and post videos.
My
son, Matthew, starts my learning process. He helps me map out a
plan and shares some links for more learning. And just as importantly,
his support motivates me.
Nesko and Ratomir, colleagues from Macedonia,
help me solve technical problems. Other, like Sally, Bob, Fran and Barb, are a constant sources of support.
When I'm about to give up, I'll talk with one of them.
Once again, I learn that ideas don't easily become reality. This one
takes six years and six months.
Yet
here I am on July 4th announcing a new YouTube Channel.
It's a place where community leaders can discover new ideas and
adapt them into
their own leadership.
I'm
hoping that it will reach community leaders both in America and developing countries.
Maybe Peace Corps Volunteers and others
who work with community
leaders can pass-it-on.
I
won't be monetizing this project. It's
about helping others.
So if you can, why not help me pass-it-on.
Here's
a couple of ideas to get you started.
1. Subscribe yourself. Leadership for Social Change. When a channel has more subscribers, it shows up more
frequently on searches.
2. Post these links in your Social Media and tell people about Leadership for Social Change.
By passing-it-on, you open possibilities for reaching leaders who might benefit a lot. It's a "three degree of separation" thing.
By passing-it-on, you open possibilities for reaching leaders who might benefit a lot. It's a "three degree of separation" thing.
Thank you so much.
Like I say in one of the videos, “We're in this life together. And we are leaders who are working for a better world...one community at a time..”
Like I say in one of the videos, “We're in this life together. And we are leaders who are working for a better world...one community at a time..”
