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The Twelve Principles of Personal
Leadership
Principle #1 –
The Right Visionary Goals
-One Leader’s Perspective
By Greg L. Thomas
Through the ages
many people have dreamed about making the world a better place. If you are like
this, you too may have wondered how you can help to change our world, especially when we see all the suffering and
misery in much of the globe. Perhaps you have felt that there is something you can do! You may have even wondered how you can lead this change? Most
people make the terrible mistake of thinking that money or material possessions
will magically give them the influence or power
needed to become a leader. You will begin to see that great leadership…the kind that can powerfully change the
world…begins on the inside inspired
by a deep desire to serve others, and then grows
to outwardly lead positive change.
Right
Visionary Goals
The title of this chapter is “The Right
Visionary Goals”. Let’s break down its meaning to understand it clearly. First,
a right goal is one of benefit to
ourselves and others. It is something we desire that is productive and fulfilling.
But, if a goal is a benefit to ourselves at the expense or manipulation of others, it is the wrong goal. We must
candidly ask ourselves what the motive
and real reason is for our goals. If these desires are genuine, ethical and
constructive, they are right goals.
If our desires are to hurt, control or harm others, they are wrong. Secondly,
our goals must be visionary because
it takes vision to have the steady perseverance needed to achieve our long-term
goals over time. Vision is a different
task than simply establishing our goals. Goals are the end-result of a path
that achieves something we deeply desire to accomplish. Whereas vision is the mental picture that prods or inspires us to get there. This vision is the inspirational snapshot of a future we hold dear, that
helps us overcome barriers or to continue when all appears to be lost. It
reminds us of why the goal is
important and worth struggling for!
It is said that within the human mind, perception is reality. Vision is what we
perceive and believe a better future can be like.
What is a goal? We can find out the
definition of a goal by opening a dictionary and reading its meaning. It will
tell us that a goal is an "aim" or an "objective." But a
goal is much more than just an aim or
objective! The reason is that when goals are properly developed, they become a
guiding force that motivates us
toward greater personal accomplishment. They can give us the ability to
accomplish new feats which may have never even existed before! They also have
the remarkable ability to change us
forever! Goals can become an essential
tool that provides direction to our lives. This happens when our goals become a
clear reflection of our values.
I'd like to quote to you a small part of an
article written by Ernest A. Fitzgerald from his little known inspiring book
entitled "Keeping Pace." Dr.
Fitzgerald is now deceased, but I first became aware of him in the 1980’s when
he wrote a series of lead articles in an airline magazine called PACE. In his
book he writes a short chapter entitled "The Happiest Place on Earth"
about a historical event that occurred during World War II.
Here is what he has to say about goals and
how they relate to our purpose.
"First,
happiness depends on something to hope for.
Dr. Karl Menninger in his book 'The Vital Balance' tells of visit to the
Buchenwald prison camp a few days after it was liberated during World War II.
Thousands had died in the brutal camps from beatings and starvation and
overwork. One group survived. It was a
group of doctors who got together and organized a medical society. They
prepared papers and presented them to one another. They treated sick prisoners
and made plans for improving health conditions. They even made medical
instruments including an X-ray machine. Said Menninger, "These doctors
suffered the same difficulties others faced but they survived, they were kept
alive by hope."
These doctors had a goal to survive the holocaust. Their goal was to continue to live prompted by serving and
caring for others. It was not just to
survive, but to be as productive as their situation would allow. People without
hope are people without any real goals!
Establishing proper goals is about reaching out as far as we presently
can and then visually stretching out
even a little farther to achieve something we desire. Goals motivate and
inspire us to transform our deepest hopes into reality. Proper goals can ignite
within us the inspiration to change ourselves and the world around us. Realize
that all of us have different personal
goals and objectives. For example...one
person’s highest goal may be having a fulfilling career. For another it may be
enjoying a happy marriage or raising a successful family. For certain folks it may be working in an
influential position in the government or business to make life better for
others. For another it may be the goal of creating their own company, or it may
be producing a great work of art or an important scientific discovery. We all
have different backgrounds, talents and personalities and therefore our goals
will be different.
First
Stumbling Block
But before we begin the actual process of
establishing our own goals, we need to discuss a few barriers or “stumbling
blocks” which can thwart our goal development. Let’s discover what some of
these stumbling blocks are. Number one, I strongly encourage
everyone to write down their goals. It’s incredible to me the number of people
who just won't do it! It is very much like pulling
teeth to get some very sincere folks to write down their own personal goals.
One reason for this is because many people find that writing down their goals
can be difficult or even intimidating!
We are naturally uncomfortable about
potentially exposing our deepest desires and thoughts on paper. Some hesitate to do this because of the fear that someone
else may ridicule their goals. And after all, our goals are the innermost dreams, aspirations, and hopes
within our hearts and our minds. We usually don't want other people knowing what's in the inner recess of our hearts,
including our deeply held hopes and ambitions. Maybe you are one fearful that
others may discover your goals, or that you will be criticized for having goals
others consider to be too ambitious! Don't allow that to happen. You don’t need
other folks approval if your goals
are wholesome and from the heart. It’s vitally important for you to write down
your goals! I personally recommend you
write them down and publicly put them on your desk or a wall at home.
Yet, the only person who really needs to see and review them is you! I
hope you have a deep and meaningful relationship with someone whom you love and
trust. Someone you are able to share
your heartfelt goals with without receiving criticism or discouragement. If you
feel like you are going to be embarrassed, then make every effort to keep them
confidential in a personal journal. But remember, it is most important to
establish these goals on paper.
Throughout history many people have criticized or ridiculed the goals and
dreams of motivated achievers. Some
individuals criticized the goals of Florence Nightingale, Robert Owen,
Frederick Douglass, Mahatma Gandhi and America's founding fathers. When
criticism happens, you are in "good company"! I believe it was Albert
Einstein who once said that great thinkers have often been assaulted by
mediocre minds. So don't become ashamed or intimidated by others. If you feel
it is necessary, keep the goals that you have written down private and
confidential.
You see, all of us have different desires
and aspirations and this is good! God gave all of us different strengths and personalities for a purpose. Our unique
goals have different levels of importance and value to each of us. In order for you to achieve your own
individual desires, you must understand this important step in establishing right visionary goals. Again, what is this
step? We must commit our personal
hopes and aspirations into printed goals...into
a written commitment. They must
become so important to us that their development
and achievement becomes a life changing personal
commitment. You see... our goals become reinforced and validated only when we write them down! It is no
accident that the most important
agreements within a society become considered covenants when committed to writing, like a marriage relationship,
land purchase, contracts or even a “last will and testament”. The very act of writing things down on paper
instills a deeper sense of permanence
and obligation.
Analogies
To Consider
Visionary goals are only those that we
empower by writing them down on paper. If you are honest with yourself, written
goals are the only kind of objectives
we believe are really important. All people have some rather shadowy
goals. Most just have goals that are vague or nebulous, the ..."I'd like
to do that someday" type. Those are goals that will never be achieved. Many people tell me that they have goals... I
tell them that an unwritten goal is only a dream, an undefined goal... only a
fantasy.
Allow me give you an analogy to explain why
it is important to write down our goals and have a plan to achieve them. It's the analogy of a farmer planting seed.
If a farmer wants to sow seed and have an abundant crop, he or she has to properly plant the seed. Without using
the proper planting method, they won't have the abundant, successful,
prosperous crop which they desire. On the other hand, what would happen if they
only meant to plant the seed someday?
Or what happens if they don’t prepare
the field for planting and simply take a handful of seed and throw it on the
hard ground? How much of a crop do you think they will reap? Sadly, they will both sow and reap a crop failure. The
same is true of our lives. We must have a visionary goal, prepare for the goal,
plan on how to achieve the goal and methodically grow it into a reality. When
you and I write down our goals...empowering them down on paper so that we can
read them, review them, and remember their importance...we properly plant the
mental "seeds" of commitment. And just like it’s important for the
farmer to plant his seed at the right depth in the soil, writing down our goals
visually plants them in the depth of
our minds! Then they can grow from
being a “someday dream” to a real achievement over a period of time.
If you were
building a home, you would want that home to be built to the highest standards
of quality. Assuming you wanted every wall and ceiling in that home to fit
together properly, you would expect it to be designed with the aid of a set of
architectural blueprints. These blueprints are the designer’s vision of what the real home will look
like. You wouldn't allow the builder to come in and say "Well, I think
we'll just throw up a wall over here. And yes... I think we'll just stop the
wall right here and start the ceiling!" If homes were constructed like
that, they would be disorganized, dysfunctional and risk collapse. Yet,
unfortunately most people plan and live their personal lives this way! Just as
it is important to design "blueprints" for the proper building of a
home, it is equally important that we design our future by committing our goals to paper. This in turn will build
our dreams into real accomplishments.
Being committed to visionary goals is the "blueprint" of your future.
They are what will give you direction, and a greater purpose. Writing
them down helps us to design our
desired future. They are what provide us with the motivation and intensity to
achieve the awesome potential we all possess.
Personal
Mission Statement
However, before you begin to write down even a single goal, there is
something far more important for you to create and put in writing, and that is
a personal mission statement! Why am
I delaying the discussion about our individual goals and turning toward a
discussion of your personal statement? We can’t get the “cart before the
horse”! Our goals must be aligned
with our personal mission statement. If they conflict or contradict one another
failure can be the result. As Steven Covey has said, goals are invented to make
your personal mission statement happen. Covey also uses the analogy of a ladder leaning against the
wall. The wall is our personal mission in life. The ladder represents our
individual goals to reach our mission. If the ladder is leaning against the wrong wall, it doesn’t matter how high
you climb! The most important thing we can do is first create our personal mission statement. Then we can invent our
individual life goals making sure they are aligned together. We want to make
sure the ladder is leaning against the right
wall!
If you have not already created your own personal mission statement, do it now before writing down your individual
visionary goals. What is a mission statement? It is a term borrowed from the business
world. Business today is complex and vulnerable. Any organization that wishes
to survive must have a clear “mission statement” and an unquenchable drive to
achieve it. A mission statement for a business describes the purpose of
the organization and outlines the types of activities to be performed for
constituents and customers. It should also mention what unique value or
services the organization offers as a byproduct of its work.
Our, lives are
also very complex in today’s modern world. To maximize our individual potential
and opportunities we must also have a “personal mission statement”. What is
yours? In a special way your personal
mission statement will define your purpose in this world along with the major
goals and values you seek to achieve. It is your own particular
“constitution” that reflects your unique
purpose and values! It will help to focus your energies and resources.
It will also provide a sense of orientation, and unify the fragments of your
life. If you haven’t done so until now, please do so now! If you already have a personal mission
statement, this may be a good time to review
it against the model outlined below.
Why should you
create or review your personal mission statement right now”? Here are some
important points to ponder…
1. It defines what I value. (Moral compass). This is a great aid, particularly during difficult times in
life when your ethics or standards are
under assault.
2. What do I stand for? (Belief system). This includes deeply held principles, including your degree
or level of spirituality.
3. What is my essential mission in life? If you have yet to articulate your own essential mission,
the process of creating your personal mission statement will prod you to ponder this essential question.
4. What are my responsibilities? Many leaders ultimately fail because they either forget
their personal responsibilities to others or falsely
believe they are “above”
the normal expectations required of others.
Here are some things to remember in its creation. It is yours only and not meant to please anyone else!
Personalize it for you. This is your special
assignment and unique creation. Take the time to ask yourself some heartfelt
questions and articulate some clear responses. Your personal mission statement
is supposed to be different than everyone else’s.
Make it as
short, or as long as you want. There
is not a “hard and fast” rule on its length, but if you want to frame it to
hang on a wall, it will need to be succinct to be readable in limited space. Be
patient and work on it
until it inspires you. The idea is for this document to
motivate
you when it is referred to in the future. It is a written reminder of who you
say you are, and what your life is all about.
It should
reflect not just the way you are today, but what you hope to become in a preferred
future! Remember that
leaders are visionaries who seek to improve themselves and the world they live
in. How would you like your world to become better and more fulfilling for
yourself and others?
What do you do with it when you are done? Don’t just file it away
somewhere or it will rarely remind you of what you value most in life. As the
old saying goes, “out of sight, out of mind”. It
should be written and made public at home! Take pride and ownership in this
document of your creation. It should provoke a humble self-analysis. Your personal mission statement will provide a
“benchmark” to evaluate your present
level of growth and development. This should not only include reflection on
what yet needs to be done, but on your achievements that have been
accomplished at this point in time. I encourage you to
review it at least once per week. A good suggestion is to do this as part of a weekly meditation. If you
are a spiritual person, perhaps the time you set aside for religious
meditations would be ideal. This is not a tool to discourage or belittle
yourself as to how little you have achieved. Remember a glass that is half
empty is also half full! Focus on what you have achieved and motivate
yourself by reviewing what you have done. Finally, your personal mission
statement should be
allowed to be re-written as we grow and change. In time we all change and
hopefully mature as we grow through life’s experiences. Expect to occasionally
make adjustments to your mission statement. However, don’t be like many of
today’s politicians who change their missions statements depending on
what today’s opinion polls tell them!
What are the vital steps to creating your own
personal mission statement? When sitting down to write your own mission
statement, remember that it should be composed of at least four basic parts. If your mission statement is too
short it will be ambiguous and have very little real meaning (some
organizations suffer from the same problem). On the other hand, if it is too long
it will lose its motivational impact and read like a journal. Four to five
paragraphs is a good readable length.
Here are the four basic parts we recommend be included as part of your document.
PART 1 – Your beliefs and
values.
PART 2 – Your personal family
goals…parent, spouse, child relationships
PART 3 – Your personal career
goals…why you work, your career’s purpose, skills needing to be developed
PART 4 – Your personal life
goals…education, spiritual development, extend talents, maintain health, serve
others, proper attitude, loving relationships, philanthropy, etc.
Here are some more details on what each of
these parts can include:
Your beliefs and values. What is your moral code? What values give guidance
to your daily life? Whether it is the “golden rule”, religious scriptures or another
source, this is where you should begin! In this opening paragraph of your
mission statement, strongly state your deeply held ethical principles
and moral code. If you haven’t thought intensely about this before, it could be the most revealing part of your mission statement!
Your personal family goals. This includes your relationship
with your parent(s), spouse, and children. If you want a happy and balanced
family life you also need to have these essential goals. Of course, input from
all family members will make these goals more attainable and fun to achieve!
How do you want to “coach” and encourage each member to become all they
can possibly be?
Your personal career goals including job fulfillment,
purpose, and skills. Why do you work? Is it to find personal fulfillment or simply to
generate income for other interests in life? Do you want to change your career
path? If so, how do you plan on making this change? Are there career skills you
want to enhance or acquire? At the end of your career, what do you want others
to say about your contribution in the workplace?
Your personal life goals including your education,
developing talents, maintaining health, philosophical attitude, loving
relationships, philanthropy, etc. This part includes some of the
most satisfying aspects of human life, and sadly most people put these off
until retirement or forever! How do you plan on maintaining a healthy body and
mind? Do you need more education to fulfill a lifelong personal goal? Do you
desire to “give back” to others for the blessings you have been granted? What
would you do for the rest of your life if money was not a limitation?
If you have never before created your own
personal mission statement, now it is time to sit down in a quiet environment
and write it. Don’t rush the process, let your creativity express what is in
your heart. Allow this document to be a vital extension of you! Take pride and ownership in what you write. If you get a
feeling of mental gridlock, step away for a few hours and come back to it
later. Work on it until the document reflects what you truly feel and believe.
Allow your personal mission statement to inspire you!
Once you have completed a personal mission
statement and are ready to write down your individual visionary goals in more
detail, be aware of some other stumbling blocks to achieving our goals.
Second Stumbling Block
The second stumbling block is that many
people establish goals that are just too
overwhelming. An improperly defined goal
can seem so large… we become discouraged
by looking at the enormity of it. If you have a single goal which is too large, one that seems like you're
"reaching for the moon," you are going to become de-motivated. It is normal
to lose all personal incentive and motivation to achieve a goal that appears impossible or unachievable.
Don't worry though; shortly I'm going to tell you how to make that seemingly impossible goal a reality.
Again the second stumbling block is fact that most people establish goals that
are too overwhelming. The answer to
how we can avoid this problem is revealed as part of the solution of the third
stumbling block.
Third
Stumbling Block
A third
stumbling block is that many people do not understand the importance of
creating both long-term goals and
short-term goals. They usually begin by “jotting down” a long-term life
achievement goal. Some individuals write down a massive vague goal without
thinking about how they are ever going to get there. The process of
accomplishing a major goal is a journey, not a conclusion. Many folks don't
understand the important interaction
between long-term goals and short-term goals and why it’s necessary to have
both! It’s not enough just to simply
create a list of your goals. If done improperly, you may convince yourself they
are unattainable. Larger goals can only be effective if you dissect your
long-term goals by creating a series of short-term goals.
I now want to discuss the importance of both long-term and short-term
goals. Earlier I used the analogy of how
writing down our goals was much like a farmer planting his seed. I'm reminded
of a story from a book which was very popular in the mid 1970's. The book was entitled "If You Don't Know
Where You Are Going You Will Probably End Up Somewhere Else" by David
Campbell. There was a section in his
book that I found quite thought provoking, and I am just going to paraphrase it. David Campbell relates the story of a man
whose friend had suddenly struck it rich. His friend’s father had bought some
stock investments everyone had forgotten about.
Then one morning a check for $85,000 was suddenly sitting in the
mailbox. In the story, the now envious best friend was thinking to himself,
“what could possibly happen to me to
bring such a wonderful event in my
life”? He thought a while and concluded
"well I haven't bought any old stock, and I haven't purchased any land
anywhere, and I don't have any paintings hidden up in the attic or anything
else of that nature." So he came to
an interesting conclusion. His
conclusion was, "If you want something like that to happen in your life, you've got to plant some seeds, and you better plant many of them, because you can never tell which ones will sprout."
Short-term
and Long-term Goals
That's an important story for us to
remember and think about as we begin
to develop our long and short-term goals. A farmer organizes his fields and
plants more seeds than will sprout to
ensure a good crop. He then proceeds to advance through several stages to get the most out of his
fields. He tills the land, fertilizes the soil, plants the seed, nurtures the
plants, maintains the equipment and then finally
cultivates the harvest. He knows that these steps are all important to reach
his goal of an abundant crop. Our goals also need to be planted, nurtured and
cultivated with a "step by step” approach.
A long-term goal is a one we establish for
ourselves that normally takes years and great effort to achieve. Sometimes 5
years, 10 years, 20 years, or perhaps even a lifetime. These long-term goals are the major
objectives that you want to achieve in your life. Now how do our short-term
goals interact with these major objectives? Short-term goals are the smaller
targets or "stepping stones" which we establish to achieve these long-term
objectives. Each short-term goal leads us toward the direction of our larger
goals because they are a smaller part (or piece) of a bigger goal!
Short-term goals are the "rungs of a
ladder" we climb to reach a long-term objective at the top of the ladder. These short-term goals are usually
established for a period from a few days to perhaps a few years. Our written
goal outline should be organized with a major heading followed by the
short-term goals that will achieve it. Here our major heading is our first long-term goal. So write down
something like "I desire to" ...whatever your goal of highest
priority is. This goal should be your highest
priority, and of greatest personal importance in your life. This will be your first long-term goal. This
goal should reflect the highest aspiration and objective you desire to achieve
in your life. Again... as I mentioned earlier, this goal
will be something different for each of us. Begin to think about it now and
start to commit it to writing! Envision why this goal is important to
you. Picture in your mind how it would feel
to have this goal completed and accomplished!
Let’s say you had a goal of losing 60
pounds of body weight, and you promptly established that goal as a highly important goal. When you review
that goal later on, you may to be incredibly discouraged! Sixty pounds is a lot of weight to lose! But, here's how you can do it. Establish a
long-term goal "to lose 60 pounds," and then begin to construct
short-term goals or small steps to help you achieve that long-term objective.
Suddenly the impossible becomes very achievable. Your goal becomes something
that you can literally and realistically do. The seemingly impossible becomes
reasonable. Here, your first short-term goal might be stated: “Begin to walk 1
mile per day, 4 days per week." Perhaps your second short-term goal would be: "During week 2 my goal is to
eliminate all processed sugars from my diet”. This is a goal outline that will work. As each short-term goal or
stepping stone is achieved, they actually motivate us to go on to the next step
and the next mountain. Achievement breeds success and further motivation! Here
is just a sample outline to dissect this major
goal by breaking it down into doable
short-term goals. This sample outline is only the first four weeks of what
could possibly be a 26 week (or more) program.
Goal – I desire to lose 60 pounds of weight because it will make
me feel better about myself and I will be healthier.
A. Week
1 – begin to walk 1 mile per day, 4 days per week.
B. Week
2 – eliminate all processed sugars from my diet. Use natural sugars or other sweeteners as a supplement.
C. Week
3 – begin to minimize the carbohydrates in my diet and eat more leafy
vegetables and salads.
D. Week
4 – begin to work out using resistance weights for 30 minutes, 4 days per week.
E. Etc.
Can you now see how realistic and
achievable these long-term goals become when we break them down into short-term goals? A similar outline can be created for
achieving a college degree, saving money for retirement, starting your own
business, hiking through a great mountain chain, or even writing a book! Set
long-term goals that are out of your grasp
but within your reach by using many
smaller steps.
I encourage you to write down your major
goals in order of priority. The first, should be the most important long-term
goal we have, and following this heading, the short-term goals or steps we will
take to accomplish it. Next, the second
most important long-term goal and the necessary short-term goals or steps to
achieve it. Do this for three of four major goals. I also want to encourage you
to stay focused. Don't distract yourself by making your goals too complex or
lengthy. It is not necessary to write a “thesis” to explain your hopes and
desires. A well thought out paragraph is fine. Make sure you focus in on what you really desire.
Obstacles
Are Inevitable
There are going to be many difficulties
that arise to hinder you from achieving your short-term goals. Of course we know that anything that blocks
us from fulfilling our short-term goals will impede us from achieving our
long-term goals. To stay focused, you are going to need to look at problems as
opportunities. As you face each problem or obstacle, be determined to go over
it, go under it, or if necessary to go through it! Realize it’s important to view these
problems, not as insurmountable obstacles... but as temporary barriers or road blocks. Greatness is the ability to learn to overcome personal adversity and
break through barriers. This is why
vision is so important. When you collide with obstacles or barriers to your
goals, there is the temptation to get discouraged and just quit. During these
difficult times, withdraw from the disappointment and get alone to mediate.
Remember why that goal is so important to you. Picture again in your
mind how it will feel to have this
goal completed and accomplished! Review your personal mission statement and
make sure you are truly committed to what your stated purpose and values are. Then you can chalk it up to
experience, and get back on the right
path toward your goal with renewed
dedication.
Life
is a Process of Change
Another subject we need to understand is
that our goals are going to change
throughout our lifetime. This maturing
process is normal and natural. Some of
the goals you have if you are 20 years old will not be the goals you will have at age 35. And some of the goals you have at age 35 are not going to be as important to you when
you are 50. And at 50 you may not
possess the same exact goals you will
have at age 65. Finally, some of the
goals you have at age 65 will not be as valuable
or worthwhile to you when you are 80 years old! Yes, some essential goals might
remain fixed throughout life, like some spiritual or family goals. But
we need to recognize that life is meant to be a maturing and changing process.
As you grow older
and our perceptions or circumstances change, you are going to find that
previous goals you once thought were very important, are not really all that
important any more. When this happens...seek to understand why, and reevaluate the importance of these
goals. We should occasionally read aloud
our goals to ourselves in a private
setting. They should have the same meaning and importance as they have
previously. However, every 6 months to a year it is a good idea to privately
sit down and reevaluate all the goals we previously established. Ask
yourself; is this goal still important to me? Am I focusing on the right goals or expending energies on a
goal that is no longer important? You will discover there are times when you
actually eliminate a goal which is
not really important anymore. At the same time, also review your accomplishments to encourage and
motivate yourself. Remember, these changes are healthy and normal due to life
experiences and maturity. Don't allow yourself to become discouraged at the need for change. Some of the issues and
material possessions that seem so
important to you now, will most likely change as you gracefully mature.
Remember that our goals must be aligned
with our personal mission statement. If they conflict or contradict one another
the result can be unhappiness or failure. Be sure your ladder is leaning against
the right wall! Next time we will discuss how to deal with the times when our
goals appear to be doomed! We will
also look into various insights we
need to understand in order to advance our own degree of personal leadership.
Comments
to: editor@leadingtoday.org
To see all Greg’s
articles click here.
About the author:
Greg
has over 25 years of sales and marketing experience within the electrical
manufacturing industry. Some of his positions have included being a National
Sales Manager, National Marketing Manager and Regional Sales Manager. He also has an extensive 35 years experience
in public speaking and has written articles for various publications. Greg has
a Master of Arts degree in Leadership from Bellevue University, where he has
served as an adjunct professor. He is the founder of weLEAD Incorporated, a
nonprofit organization chartered to promote personal and organizational
leadership. Greg's personal site is located at http://www.greglthomas.info