REFLECTIONS OF THE FUTURE
(Lessons, Opinions, and Thoughts)
(1)


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.
(2)
EXPANDING OUR BOUNDARIES – BOTH
WITHIN 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.
(3)
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
STRENGTHEN RELATIONSHIPS AMONG
CHAPTERS, FEDERATIONS, REGIONS,
AND NATIONAL BY BUILDING “TRUST”.
HOW DO WE DO THIS? FIRST, WE MUST
WORK COLLABORATIVELY, NOT
SEPARATELY.


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.
(4)


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.


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.
(5)


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.


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.
(6)


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”.


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.
(7)



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.



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.
(8)


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.


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.
(9)



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.
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.
(10)



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.


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!!