[Being Chris]

Unlike Andrew and Katie, I had never attended a youth leadership event or worked as a youth camp counselor, so HOBY was a first for me (I have a feeling my lack of experience may have shown in my quiet nature and relative lack of “outgoing-ness”). In this sense, not only was I part of the adult staff, but I also considered myself an ambassador. I was learning what marks a good leader right along with all of the high school sophomores whom the program was focused on.

So, what exactly did I learn and what am I going to try to use in my day-to-day life as one of the leaders of a small nonprofit organization? Well…

I need to be able to speak my mind and stand in the limelight. My modus operandi has always been to place myself a little bit away from the action so that I can get my bearings before making any major decision (and major decisions, for me, include asking someone a question). This way of doing things certainly has its merits; I am very adept at listening and taking things in. However, there are times when action is necessary and I need to learn how to put myself out there and trust myself to act properly so that I will not regret it later. Self-confidence is one of the leadership qualities that I am going to actively try to develop.

I need to be able to acknowledge that one way of doing things is sometimes better than another. I tend to “go with the flow” on most things. I try to exhibit the Taoist principles of simply being a part of the natural Way of things, and I do not try to create many ripples. While a lot of the time this works out well, it also can create problems because I might appear disinterested at times. Also, on a personal level, it can feel as if I am letting the world around me move away from me without so much as a footprint in the sand to show that I was there.

I need to work on staying focused on the task at hand. My mind wanders – A LOT. Most of the time my mind is off thinking about the universe and physics and how things work and why things are the way they are and paradoxes and archetypes and truth and falsehood and a host of other lofty (and sometimes ethereal) concepts. However, too much of anything is not beneficial. Living inside my head has made me absent-minded, at least in the sense of losing things and forgetting events. In order to lead well, I need to keep my mind focused on what is right in front of me and worry about the fate of the universe on my own time!

I need the “serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference” (to quote St. Francis of Assisi), with a focus on the courage part.

So, from this member of Being And Doing, thank you to HOBY Ohio North for helping me realize my own potential, especially by asking me to put myself out there in our volunteerism panel discussion. I want everyone at that conference to know that, if I am able to make a difference in the world with Being And Doing, Inc., you have been an integral part in developing my knowledge of and ability for leadership.

So… I totally just read Andrew’s post about HOBY and I have to throw a shout-out to SCRABBLE, which was obviously the best group considering the fact that we are the game known and loved by all who are well-read. Angelo rules!!

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