I used to scoff a bit at the New Year’s resolutions. But no more…

Everybody needs a “restart.” It’s one of the things that made high school or college so great; every year, or ever Semester, you got a do-over. But once you get into working adulthood, the do-overs are a LOT less frequent, and while they can be invigorating they usually are a bit more dramatic (new job, moving, so on). So the very thing that’s great about sleep–the separation of days which results in the proverbial “it’s a new day” sentiments in the morning, is what’s even greater about the New Year on a more broadscale spectrum.

But, you contest, “most New Year resolutions are out the window within weeks or months!”

To which I reply, “so what!”

We will not achieve if we do not try. And our success takes daily work and discipline, but also a day of commitment–otherwise the subsequent days won’t just magically follow. And sometimes, just sometimes, that newfound commitment requires a “new day.” Not always, but it sure can be helpful. So, I’ve come to really appreciate the little gifts we’re given, like a new day, a new week, a new year, and in this case as well a new decade.

So here it is…A few of my commitments that I’m making for the year.

1. Get it shape. Really get in shape. For 16 months I have had this goal of working towards 15% bodyfat (or less) while also exercising and eating well. I’ve ebbed and flowed on this one. And patellar tendonitis this past fall kept me from running my marathons and I fell off my eating wagon. Well, no mas! Erica and I have committed to really make health a priority this year. With my work hours, sometimes relentless travel, as well as natural cravings (I just love food–it’s that simple) I struggle with this one. But enough of the excuses. You’re all busy too. So, we’re getting in shape. We’re changing how we eat. We’re cleaning out the cupboards of junk. And we’re going to fight as best we can the constant deluge of our sugar-crazed society. How are we doing it? South Beach Diet and a rigorous exercise program for 90-days to kick start us, followed by a moderate and sustainable program. And I’m committing to run one marathon this year, barring any more tendonitis. Which isn’t going to happen! Done.

2. Personal development. I used to sell Cutco knives. And I did pretty well. But apart from all the money I made, what I really earned was the benefit of hours and hours and hours of personal development. It was part of my daily personal life as well as our weekly sales meetings, sometimes I taught them and sometimes I listened. But I always learned something–and it’s a behavior that is easy to let fall by the wayside. This next year I’m not going to let myself work on personal development “when it’s convenient”, but instead I’m going to work on it in a consistent and disciplined way. How am I going to do this? Using Success Magazine and it’s website, Philosophers Notes, TED, among other resources–including a little bit of work on developing some Spanish speaking skills.

3. Philanthropy. Last January I spent a few weeks abroad doing work, which probably in my mind receives the least amount of attention for meaningful contributions this past year (I tend to think of my success based on the metrics and results, which is important but can also be misleading) yet in actuality it was probably some of the best work that I did this past year. This coming year, I want to and should do more. And it doesn’t need to involve traveling anywhere, I can do it right in my local community. I volunteer with the Hands On Children’s Museum in Olympia, where I want to spend more time. Also to help better promote and raise contributions for the great Univera Serve First program that helps provide nourishment to children everywhere. But there’s much more I’d like to contribute beyond this–financially and with my time.

There’s more, of course. I’m going to spend more time with the family. Be a better Dad. Develop more spiritually. Turn the phone off more. Improve my professional skills. Grow our business faster…

We all have our things we want to do. I believe one of the keys to keep committing, not give up, re-commit and re-commit, discipline, fail and get back up, and on and on. That’s part of the fun of a New Year. A redo, of sorts. And chance to make a (re)new commitment. I’m sure there will be some stumbles as I work towards my goals, and yours as well. But if we keep on pressing we will be far better off, than if we allowed ourselves the passivity and doubt that lies hiding in wait in our minds and bodies at times.

Happy New Year. Let’s make it a great start to an outstanding year!

Thanks to these Associates who took the time and shared their thoughts with us:

There’s probably no better way to get people out of their seats than to shoot t-shirts into the crowd!

We’ve got a great evening session featuring presentations by ECONET CEO Stuart Ochiltree, Univera favorite Dr. Taylor Hartman, and Comedian Michael Jr.

Here we are, the day before the big event. Lots happened today. All the preparation moments absolutely flew by, it’s like we’re on a locomotive and can’t slow it down. But it’s all good, starting with a fabulous Diamond leadership meeting earlier today, some exceptionally run workshops this afternoon, followed by a lot of fun and celebration this evening–INCLUDING the 70′s disco dance led by the Boogie Machine. What a fun start to this event, looking forward to tomorrow morning.

This is the charming welcome sign to the left of the entrance to the Mother House

Thanks for tuning in this past week for excerpts based on my recent Servant Leadership article “Lessons Learned from Mother Teresa.”

Funny as the way life goes, I had many great blogging ideas this week (seems to always be the case in the rare event that I’ve got a weeks worth of entries already considered). Thanks to all of you who have emailed me during the week about this series. I’ve added an audio clip at the end that summarizes a bit of my experience and a special memory from spending time with the “Missionaries of Charity.”

Here’s the PDF version of the full article (Lessons Learned from Mother Teresa), or here’s a link to the web-based article on the DSN website. 

Click here to read the full article.

And as a final sign off to this series, I’m including an audio clip from my last day at the Mother House. It just gives a glimpse into what it’s like there; after an early AM breakfast each day one of the Sisters leads the group in a Catholic Prayer (incidentally, I’m not Catholic–nor were many of the other volunteers).

Then, before sending us all off for the day, they sing two songs. Every single day, the exact same songs. 

The first is more like another prayer but with some voice behind it. The second is sung to all of the volunteers who are on their last day of service. 

Along side me each morning were newfound friends who were atheists, agnostics, protestants, buddhists, hindu’s, spiritualists, and many others beliefs. Yet, without exception, they all enjoyed this time together (though not all sang along). I’m not even sure I totally understand why so many people liked this–perhaps it was being and feeling part of community, even if some didn’t believe in the same God as did the Sisters. But it’s still a favorite memory for me as well. 

So before you continue–my word of caution: the song contains the word “Jesus.” A few times.  So if you don’t dig the word, or if it might offend you, just don’t press play.

There are really two reasons that draw me to post the clip: 

1. It was for many the volunteers a favorite moment of the day and it’s a condensed sound bite that gives a glimpse into the “Mother House” every morning at 7:30am.

2. It’s an example of how many people from different backgrounds can come together for a united purpose of service, and even sing and share together yet by still holding onto starkly different beliefs. 

The guy on the right was driving a motorcycle and slammed the breaks to insist on posing for a picture. One of the best parts of India is meeting the people and experiencing their joy and perspective.

The following post is part of my weeklong series “Lessons Learned from Mother Teresa” (read that post first). This excerpt is part three, the final component, of the Direct Selling News article from March. I’ll post the full article and link this weekend. 

“Do not wait for leaders; do it alone, person to person.”

                                                                                                -Mother Teresa

During my first and second visits, I had a near identical experience and awakening. I remember walking to the Home of the Sick and Dying, through a part of town called Kalighat (which is also home to a very popular Hindu temple).

This is the road to the Home of Sick/Dying, also to the Kali temple. Here there was much security (due to the bombings weeks before in Mumbai) coupled with vendors lining the streets as well as thousands of homeless.

As I was walked I saw thousands of people on the street. Thousands. Babies, literally newborn infants, sleeping on dirt streets with nothing.

Begging children who were blind, as a result of unspeakable horrors inflicted upon them intentionally by adults in an attempt to amplify their appeals for help.

Innumerable bodies that were frail and physically afflicted with — at best — malnourishment, and — at worst — deadly diseases without any source of healthcare assistance.

As I continued to walk, the sights and sounds became more stirring, and my soul became emotionally discouraged. I felt a sense of helplessness and hopelessness I’ve rarely experienced. In the past, I always felt in most situations that I had a sense of control or an impact-based solution. In this case, the further I walked, the more I saw, and the deeper the extent of the extreme poverty, I began to feel that there was absolutely nothing that I could meaningfully contribute.

This is one of my favorite pictures even though it's so simple. It's the entrance to the Home of Sick and Dying, which is an overwhelming sensory experience that I can't fully express--sights, sounds, smells, touch. It is overpowering. Yet calming. I can't explain it. And this is one of the first things you see as you walk in, and this image has so many metaphorical and literal connections to the Home and India that I love it (some of which would require a longer explanation)

Yet, when I walked through the doors of the Home of the Sick and Dying, I saw 65 men lying there — whose lives, at that moment, I could impact. I remember Mother Teresa saying “Just one, even if you can help just one…” It was with this memory of her voice, coupled with the experience, which led me to understand during my time with the Missionaries of Charity that you’ll make a difference by helping just one person.

This was a profound idea for me as I came home. Many problems around the world, in my country, and even in my local community are not easily fixable. But what I clearly realized is that there’s no reason why I can’t have an impact on that one person who is out there, that needs a voice, a friend, an ear, some time, or a meal.

And most likely, what they really need is love.

This is the hospice inside of the Home, it's both dreary and bright; dreadful and beautiful; dark and light. It's a world of complete contrasts, and I found my time there to actually be calming, rewarding, and deep--something I remember from my last trip a decade ago

There exists no rational reason why I, as a human being who has been given so much, can’t simply take another few steps to help that one person who needs it most – regardless of whether that circumstance exists in my company, field organization, church, family, or community. Or, simply, a random person in the path right in front of me.

What I learned about real, undying, and unyielding acts of service from Mother Teresa were shared with me by herself in the 90’s, and re-stated this most recent trip by Father Abello, a priest involved in her cause who to this day—after many decades—spends time with the volunteers on a regular basis.

She shared with me and a few of the volunteers the following observations.

“You’re welcome here for two reasons”, she began.

“One, is the witness you can share. You come from a place that those staying at the Home of the Sick and Dying view as heaven. And, they feel they’re living in hell. So when you come from your heaven, to invest time and love with them in their hell, they must ask themselves the question ‘why would someone do this for me?’, when the world views them as worthless. The person that asks that question dies a very different death than the person who never gets to ask themselves that question.”

She continued, thoughtfully. 

“Two, you are welcome here because of the change that you can become. You are going back home to a place that we all know is not heaven; in fact, your people suffer as much of the loneliness and hopelessness as anybody. If this will make you a better person, help you find purpose, then you will have benefited tremendously, and you will have received a gift as a result of your service.”

As I flew the long journey home from too short a stay in Kolkata, I realized the impact of Mother Teresa’s words.

Ultimately, there are two gifts—what we give and what we receive—which comprise some of the characteristics of Servant Leadership. Often, we describe it in seemingly sterile adjectives or simple nuances like “be nice to your spouse” or “tell the truth”, important yet basic fundamentals that hardly address “Servant Leadership.” During this last trip I learned from the Sisters at the Missionaries of Charity and other volunteers there’s a much deeper meaning to a spirit of Service.

The opportunity we have to take small steps can change the world. We make an impact by sharing compassion and love — particularly with those who need it the most, and often these are the very ones who can’t or won’t reciprocate. It is therefore beyond just virtuosity, some would say its vital, that we support and nurture a culture where the dignity and respect of every individual — regardless of rank, title, money, or stature — is viewed as sacred.

Servant Leadership, I learned, might be a lot of things. And at times we might be tempted to think of Servant Leadership as even a few great things. However, Mother Teresa best summarized what I learned about Servant Leadership:

“There are no great things, only small things done with great love.”

Daya Dan Entrance, one of Mother Teresa's Orphanages for kids with mental or physical disabilities (most have both)

“One of the greatest diseases is to be nobody to anybody.”

-Mother Teresa

The street outside the Daya Dan orphanage

There’s a lifestyle component to our industry that sometimes we feel that we need in order to sell “the opportunity.” There’s nothing wrong with lifestyle; nice homes, comfortable cars, and exotic trips are all part of our industry at various times. There’s a balance, of course, but even Mother Teresa said, “There must be a reason why some people can afford to live well. They must have worked for it. I only feel angry when I see waste.”

But sometimes in our industry and in life, we sometimes border on the worship of lifestyle—corporately, in the field, or personally. This actually serves as a distraction from some of life’s greatest sources of meaning — and ultimately can lead to one of the greatest afflictions that exist: loneliness.

In Kolkata, there were children who were content, happy, and fulfilled. The others, in contrast, were destitute, forgotten, and lonely.

This is my little buddy Mongol's younger sister, she's 12 years old and is undoubtedly one of the best kids I have ever met; so happy, so precious, and sweet.

I’d like to suggest it was food or some cool toys or something more tangible and “fixable” that brightened a child’s disposition, but that just wasn’t so. Those children who were most happy experienced a level of love and attention that made them feel they had value. Worth. Significance. Using Mother Teresa’s expression, they were enjoying “being something to someone.”

Rank advancements, new enrollments, compliance and retention are all vital things. Without them, none of us have a viable and successful business, and independent associates don’t have a meaningful source of income.

Yet, I think we are tempted to look at advancement as the next source of meaning or the step that will spark true contentment. For others the draw might be something material, it might be a title, it might be experiential; but regardless of what “it” is, one thing I was sharply reminded of is that “it” is not the ticket to happiness.

The following post is part of my weeklong series “Lessons Learned from Mother Teresa” (read that post first). This excerpt is part two of the Direct Selling News article from March.  

This is the truck ride on the way to Dispensary duty, with Sister Nathaniel among others. There are a lot of things that aren't well communicated in pictures, but the smell and soot of Kolkata is one of them.

“If you judge people, you have no time to love them.”         -Mother Teresa

When you arrive in Kolkata, despair, more than anything else, greets you. There are an inordinate number of people that live on the streets, and there is an exceptionally difficult amount of poverty to absorb.  From the vantage point of an outsider, poverty—whether in India, North America, or elsewhere makes it relatively easy to pontificate solutions, point fingers at problematic fulcrums, and even become embattled in a bitter debate about political partisanship while sitting safely on the sidelines. I was reminded that it’s much more difficult – emotionally and physically – to actually do something about it.

Each bag represents a months worth of provisions--oil, biscuits, and wheat

Similarly, in other matters of life it’s sometimes hard to listen without making a judgment. Whether it’s financial troubles people are having (“and you bought what!?!?!?”) or leadership problems (“why would you say THAT?”) or emotional baggage (“okay, tell me again what exactly was it that happened at ten years ago that you’re still so rankled about?”), to simply listen, and love someone, is an exceptionally difficult thing for most of us to do. For some, it’s a God-given gift. Yet, I think for most of us, it’s a developing skill that takes effort as we experience both the need and the blessing that can arise from compassion and grace. It also needs to be coupled with honest accountability. Often we’re better with the judgment side of the ledger rather than the grace side — until, that is, it comes to ourselves.

This is the male side of the "Home of the Sick and Dying", essentially a hospice for the sickest of the sick.

Perhaps the greatest impact I experienced from my time at the Home of the Sick and Dying was to see, firsthand, the many patients in the home — some of whom were there as a result of their own circumstances — to be able to live their final days experiencing love and compassion.

Regardless of their past, their poverty, or their personalities, there was no judgment, no critique, no “rehab” program to get them restarted and on a life of significance and meaning. Behind the scenes, never a word was said among the Sisters or volunteers about what it was that led them to this final destination. They were there. It was home, and that’s all that mattered.

In my professional and personal life, there’s an easy carryover of this particular theme. Many people in my life are “home,” and how they got to this place doesn’t really matter. 

Sister Nathaniel at the gate where some of the poor are trying to get in to our Dispensary for food and medicine, there were already nearly 1,000 served that day...And she let in a few more.

In January I took two weeks off to go to Kolkata, India to do some volunteer work and personal study at Mother Teresa’s organization called the “Sisters of Charity.”

About the time I was leaving, I was asked to write an article on Servant Leadership for the Direct Selling News publication. So the decision of what to write about, given the timing and the topic, was pretty easy.

However, the actual writing itself about acts of service, specifically Servant Leadership, is among the most difficult for me personally. In part, because I have so much to learn about it. And, also in part, because I realize I’m not particularly good at it.

So I’m approaching the topic with a lot of humility and acknowledgment there’s much I don’t know and I realize there are many things I don’t get right.

Directions to the Mother House (basically Sisters of Charity HQ--where they sleep, meet, base station, etc.).

I’ve got some great memories from that trip; today, at this very moment, it’s almost surreal that it happened. Such a world apart from where life is right now.

This week my blog theme will be based around the entire theme of Servant Leadership; I’ll be taking the core of the article I wrote and will break it into several smaller parts along with some pictures from the trip along the way. At the end of the week I’ll post the full article.

The article comprises the lessons I learned about Servant Leadership–or more simply just service and heart–from Mother Teresa and the Sisters of Charity. If word count for my article weren’t limited I could’ve written about dozens of lessons learned, some big and some small. But these three were the most profound to me–at least at the time of the writing.

So here it is: Part one of “Lessons Learned from Mother Teresa” from my Direct Selling News article published this past March.

I jumped head first into the Direct Selling industry in winter of 2005. In the years since then, I can’t think of another industry where more time and effort are invested in developing a corporate and field culture.

If that thought causes you to think of power suits, rushed lunch meetings, and the host of Dilbert cartoons you’ve enjoyed over the years, I wouldn’t blame you. After all, I had worked for some exceptional Fortune 500 companies prior to joining Univera. “Corporate culture” was embedded into my business vocabulary, but it wasn’t always in a flattering light.

It wasn’t until the last few years where I looked upon the word “culture” with such a positive tone. Our environment encourages a culture of respect, integrity, listening, and helping others – a term referred to as “Servant Leadership.” To be clear, as an organization and as individuals—particularly myself—we’re far from perfect. Yet I’ve loved the opportunity to work in an environment that shares this aspiration.

And it’s this very thing that I love about our industry—that culture is sustained by heart and driven by purpose.

Altruistic terms such as “Servant Leadership” that are adopted by the business world are often rooted in more selfless endeavors, and my awareness of and adherence to Univera’s credo is no different—thought I didn’t know it as “Servant Leadership” at the time.

Entrance to the Home of the Sick and Dying, often called Nirmal Hriday or Kalighat because it's right next to the famous Hindu temple named after Kali the goddess,which ironically is a goddess of destruction.

In the summer of 1996, I had the privilege of volunteering at one of Mother Teresa’s “Missionaries of Charity” homes in Kolkata, India. After a month of working with the poorest of the poor, I gained a perspective that changed me as much as any other event in my life — including the birth of my two daughters, the passing of a newborn son, and the experiences of living in Manhattan during 9/11 just blocks away from the World Trade Centers.

The reason for the impact is difficult to describe, but I would attribute it largely to the impact that a spirit of service can have on both a single individual—and an entire organization.

In the first two weeks of this new year, I was blessed with the opportunity to go back to Mother’s home in Kolkata and again take up the call to serve those most in need. This trip was initiated by a personal commitment I made to pursue some of my own dreams in different arenas of my life in 2009, this being one of the cultural ones.

During my time there, I started my mornings working at “Dya Dan”, a children’s orphanage for kids—often disposed of by their parents—with mental or physical disabilities. If you have kids, it’s an environment so “primitive” that you wouldn’t leave them there for weeks or even hours. Yet, for these kids and in their environment, it’s a home of laughter and joy. It’s paradise, relatively speaking

One Saturday we did dispensary work, where I went to a very poor village outside Kolkata with about a dozen others, mostly Sisters, to dispense food and medicine

My afternoons were filled by Mother Teresa’s first love; a home called “Nirmal Hriday” or more commonly referred to as “The Home of the Sick and Dying.” Fundamentally, it’s a very rudimentary hospice where people go to pass from this life to the next. It’s a home that has very little light; the walls speak with a muted echo, the facilities smells of a combination of infection and disinfectant—yet it’s also a home filled with great love and compassion.

So here, rather than trying to put a new spin on often-discussed topics such as corporate strategy, leadership development, and even our industry’s advantage in light of the current economic collapse, I hope instead to share some of the life and business lessons that I learned, or re-learned, during my most recent journey to this place many thousands of miles away…

Most of us went through the week with a combination of post-event elation and a little bit of fog. So while a somewhat low key week, it was also a bit of a decompression week that was filled with moments of laughter and peaks of enthusiasm when reliving the events of Convention. Again, a great event and thanks to every single person — inside and outside the Company — who helped to make it happen.

So the best way to get out of a sugar crash is to either, a) avoid it in the first place, or b) eat some more sugar.

Which led us to another back-to-back weekend activity. Yes, the weekend RIGHT AFTER Convention led to our Sunday activity which served as our annual “Serve First” work project!

Every July represents a service month for Univera; it’s really more a symbolic month in that what we hope and aspire to accomplish are works of service throughout the year, both to each other as well as within our community. And I know of many people who are involved in various volunteer capacities on a weekly or monthly basis throughout the year — which is fantastic.

What I love about Serve First is that numerous wonderful contributions to communities throughout North America spring up every year and every month. In fact, I’d love to hear what some of you are doing across Canada and the U.S. during the month or July.

So our (reminder: when I say “our” it is the collective field/company = together/team use of the word) annual Serve First project is with a local non-profit called “Left Foot Organics.” You can get more info about their mission on their Web site: www.leftfootorganics.com.

The day was an absolute blast, beautiful and sunny day with clear skies and a near-perfect temperature coupled with some fantastic company for about four hours. We really did have a great time working in the fields, gardening, pulling garlic, weeding, water fights (these were sporadic and largely initiated by Meredith Berkich’s son, though he then also recruited kids–including my own — to join in the mischievous fun) and various other activities which both served to help the Left Foot group catch up on some of their projects and gave each of us some great enjoyment. I was thrilled and honored that so many people came to this project from up in Seattle and down in the Portland area. Thanks to each of you who came and spent the day helping a local community project, as well as enjoying people on the team.

Next year’s event will be posted to a calendar or the NYCU sometime soon, but we expect it will be the third weekend in July. Finally, yes, of course I was joking about the best way to get over a sugar crash is to eat more sugar…not that I haven’t tried that in the past, though.