Promising Myself

As a member of the Optimist Club of Erie, I just attended the 92nd Optimist International Convention held July 8-10, 2010 in Denver, Colorado http://www.optimist.org/. Optimist International is an association of more than 2,900 Optimist Clubs around the world dedicated to "Bringing Out the Best in Kids." Adult volunteers join Optimist Clubs to conduct positive service projects in their communities aimed at providing a helping hand to youth.

My Optimist Club shares their positive message at each meeting which begins with our Creed

The Optimist Creed

Promise Yourself

To be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind.

To talk health, happiness and prosperity to every person you meet.

To make all your friends feel that there is something in them.

To look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true.

To think only of the best, to work only for the best, and to expect only the best.

To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your own.

To forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future

To wear a cheerful countenance at all times and give every living creature you meet a smile.

To give so much time to the improvement of yourself that you have no time to criticize others.

To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear, and too happy to permit the presence of trouble.


In one of the many educational sessions I attended, I had the privilege of listening to James Rankin, the author of the “Power of the Creed”. In one of the exercises Mr. Rankin requested the audience to say the Creed with one difference. He asked that the audience say the Creed aloud and change the wording to first person. Read the below aloud to hear what it sounded like.

I Promise Myself

I will be so strong that nothing can disturb my peace of mind.

I will talk health, happiness and prosperity to every person I meet.

I will make all my friends feel that there is something in them.

I will look at the sunny side of everything and make my optimism come true.

I will think only of the best, I will work only for the best, and I will expect only the best.

I will be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as I am about my own.

I will forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future.

I will wear a cheerful countenance at all times and I will give every living creature I meet a smile.

I will give so much time to the improvement of myself that I will have no time to criticize others.

I will be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear, and too happy to permit the presence of trouble.

WOW! It is amazing how a few changed words can enhance this positive message and make it an even more powerful statement. The first person of “I” gives the reader a greater commitment to really strive to live these ideals and work on implementing them in their daily life.
If you did read it out-loud, did you feel the difference?

I recite the Optimist Creed at least twice a day. Once when I rise and once before I fall asleep. It keeps me positive, focused and reminds me to be grateful for all that I have and what I can strive to be. Reciting the Optimist Creed helps me improve my outlook each day.
What are you promising yourself to improve?

My Annual Dose of Hope

For the past three of four years I have attended, learned and provided my time as a Facilitator for the Colorado Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership Program. I am also a Member at Large on their Board of Directors. Known as HOBY, this two and a half day conference revolves around teaching 15 and 16 year old sophomores who are going into their junior year of high school, “how to think, not what to think”. These Ambassadors, as they are referred to, are selected by their high school councilors to represent their school, yet more importantly there are selected for their current leadership activities or potential for leadership.

There were over 140 young people from all over Colorado that attended this years event. I was again fortunate to have brilliant Ambassadors, Alyssa, Ashton, Brenna, Jordy. Maggie, Raina, Ryan and Will, along with a vibrant, energetic and enthusiastic Assistant Facilitator, Louisa. Together these eight young women and men recharged my belief that the future will be in good hands as these Ambassadors take their learned skills, information and use their new network of HOBY friends back to their home schools to volunteer and make a difference in their communities.

Attending panel discussions on Business, Media, Volunteering, Education, the Environment and addressing personal prejudice, these HOBY Ambassadors interact, discuss and think about how leadership is critical to successfully addressing the problems and issues that face leaders. Learning development activities also create opportunities for team building and introspective thought.

In addition to creating new friendships, having fun and learning HOBY cheers, there is a challenge of following up this event with 100 hours of community service in any activities the Ambassadors feel they can contribute to. The whole program is maintained and financially supported with all volunteer help who contribute their time, energy and money to ensure continued opportunities for future leaders. Donations by local businesses and service clubs like the Kiwanis and the Optimist help with their financial investment in tomorrow.

This years closing keynote speaker was former Denver Bronco, media commentator and author, Reggie Rivers. Mr. Rivers connected with the HOBY Ambassadors by sharing his heartfelt message of attaining success and creating better behaviors to achieve one’s goals. Mr. Rivers humor, stories and wit were a fitting close to this years theme of Faces of Leadership.

You can contribute to HOBY and to the building of future leaders by donating at; http://www.hobycolorado.com/

A THANK YOU worth sharing

It was a cool, crisp, clear Monday morning along the front range of Colorado. I was flying from Denver to Sacramento, California on four-day business trip. My carrier of choice, has larger than life photographs of wild animals on their tail and has a reputation as the “hometown” airline with great commercials. In the era of low fares and no service, flying has become like riding on a crowed bus in some banana republic. Crowded and no fun.

As a frequent flyer, I appreciate the little things that occasional flyers do not. Boarding the plane first, so I can stow my carry-on luggage. Extended seating, giving me a few more inches of leg-room. Free TV to check the news when I am not reading a report or a book. Little, “creature comforts” that I look forward to as a premium, “summit” member. Because my carrier of choice does not fly everywhere I have to travel, I sometimes fly on others, like the –“un-friendly skies”. I hate those trips.

My flight was two hours of uneventful bliss. We were actually arriving a few minutes early on a clear, central California dawn. As we made our descent, one of the flight attendants handed me a business card. On the front, in contrasting dark and light gray hues was printed the words, Frontier Airlines. Handwritten in freshly penned, dark blue ink, was the following. “Thank you for flying on Frontier Airlines. We appreciate your business and we look forward to you flying with us again.”

There in my hand I held the first, heartfelt, handwritten “thank you” I had ever received form any airline in twenty-six years of flying. I could not make out the name clearly, yet it was signed by the person who wrote it. The plane made a picture, perfect landing and we taxied to the gate. I gathered my belongings and was about to disembark from the plane when I thanked the flight attendant for the note. She gave me a pleasant smile and said, “Oh I wish I had written it, the captain wrote it”. I was shocked. The cockpit door was open and the captain and co-pilot waved as I left.

WOW! The power of this small gesture has me writing here to you today. While others talk about service and what they do for their customers, Frontier Airlines actually walks the walk. What one thing do you or can you do for your customers to say, “Thank You"?

Facebook | Bradley Craig Beck

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What have you done for your customers lately?

I recently had the opportunity to invest in the education of a customer’s sales team. An industry audio conference was offered by one of the trade organizations my company belongs to. The topic was on new trends in the industry. I paid the $60 dollar fee to receive a call-in number to listen to the conference.

Then, it dawned on me. Why not share this presentation with one of my local distributors? I called the buyer and general manager and asked if they would be interested in learning about new industry trends in a audio conference presented by one of the leading authorities in the business. Best of all, it would be my dime. They accepted my offer and the next day we listened to the audio-conference together in their conference room. The customer chose one of their managers and four of their sales team to listen in. The audio conference lasted about 45 minutes with 15 minutes for Q and A.

The discussion after the audio conference was awesome. There was exciting conversation on how to grow the business and implement the information. The benefit for the sales team was they shared the information with their customers. This opportunity strengthened my relationship with these folks and I helped invest in their future success. A minor cost with a major benefit. I cannot wait until the next event to do this for another customer.

Unintended conquences

I keep receiving e-mails that close with the following statement at the bottom, please consider the environment before printing this e-mail or some variation thereof. They often have a nice silhouette of a single evergreen tree standing like a sentential over a rushing river, in a bold, hunter green hue. Nice reminder to be environmentally conscious, but I do not need to consider whether I should or should not print something. If we all stop printing out articles or e-mails, that could affect paper companies and more importantly, people who work for them? What would recyclers do? How many loggers would lose their jobs because demand dropped? What about the trucker and the sawmill workers? If those jobs dwindle, what happens to the towns these folks live in? The stores, the restaurants, the schools might close and local governments that depend on these workers tax revenue would dry up.

Simple, harmless ideas that we all see as helping, really do the exact opposite.
Another example is when someone dies, often there is a request by the family that reads, “in lieu of flowers”, send your donations to this organization or that. While good intentioned, in lieu of hurts the florist that will not get to help the bereaved family in their grief by creating a beautiful tribute to the deceased? The florist supplier will not get an order and the grower will not have his crop harvested because someone suggested, in lieu of?

In May of 2003 country singer June Carter Cash, the wife of country legend Johnny Cash, died. Her obituary read, “In lieu of donations, please send flowers”. How refreshing. How bold. I have been to funerals where there were no flowers. The service was stark, cold and uncharacteristic of the person lying in the box. Flowers help celebrate a person’s existence. Flowers remind the survivors of the temporary nature of our lives. Flowers add color, aroma and warmth to a sad life cycle event. Flowers also bring solace and comfort to those who remember the departed.

Therefore, I will embrace Ms. Cash’s idea and ask when I die, send me flowers. Lot’s of them. Heck, send them to me now, while I am vertical. Moreover, please do not remind me to consider the environment. It will be fine without my consideration. My new, personal e-mail closing states;

please help capitalism thrive. print this email.

Toastmaster Youth Leadership Program – a star of an opportunity

16 mm film was originally an amateur movie format. A moving picture is created by taking a series of still images and advancing them frame by frame at a consistent rate of speed to create the illusion of movement. Our eyes assist by creating a “persistence of vision” to help this optical trick work.

16 hours is the amount of time we have to work with a group of amateur speakers and help them develop their ability to express themselves in a learning opportunity known as the Youth Leadership Program. This eight week Toastmaster program is no illusion, yet like a film it is a process. The program has a mission to help young people communicate effectively using a tried and true Toastmasters structure.

As in the 16mm film, the Youth Leadership Program is built frame by frame on a series of sessions that introduce various skills to the fifteen young people from ages eight to fourteen that are participating in the program. Brad Beck, ACS, ALB, Karen Dittman, CC and Sandie Sorrells are the directors behind this program being presented in the Town of Erie, Colorado for the first time. “I was looking for a project to complete my Advanced Communicator Gold requirements,” says Brad Beck, “when fellow Toastmaster Tom Hobbs suggested I conduct a Youth Leadership Program. Tom visited our club, the Erie Expressors and made a pitch to our members. Tom promised to provided the materials if we promised to conduct the program.” When vision meets action, something is going to happen. It did. “Karen and Sandie agreed to co-coordinate the program with me and we started planning it as soon as Tom delivered the materials,” said Beck.

Over coffee and croissants at the Smiling Moose in Erie, we planned our production. The materials we received gave us guidance on how to conduct the program with a Coordinators Guide and a Participants Handbook. The skills taught and practiced in these manuals include learning about chairmanship, evaluation, organizing a speech, listening, gestures, vocal variety, impromptu and prepared speech presentation. (For Toastmasters this should sound familiar). “We wanted to punch things up a notch,” said Beck, “so we created a power point program for each two hour session to enhance the program and keep the participants attention. About every fifth slide we have a funny or silly picture which keeps the kids engaged and makes them anticipate the material.”

The three split the responsibilities. Karen recruited home schooled children in our community and secured a location for us to conduct the program. Sandie volunteered to be the snack master keeping drinks and goodies for our participants to stay energized. And, Brad posted flyers at the local community center, library and submitted press releases in the local newspaper. They all take turns presenting the material.

Our participants are halfway through the program and they have learned to overcome their nervousness when speaking before an audience. Other skills practiced are organization, presentation, sharing ideas in a logical and convincing way, listening carefully to others, offering advice with evaluations, participating in and leading group discussions. With four meetings completed we have witnessed an increase in the participants self confidence as they learn and have fun.

“I am fortunate to have the assistance of some dedicated individuals from our club,” says Beck. “Karen and Sandie enthusiastically accepted the challenge of bringing this program to life and making it a success.”

Like a film there is a lot of pre-production time spent prior to conducting each session, enhancing the materials. The end product however is well worth it. “If we can help these young people become tomorrow’s leaders by giving them the tools they can use to become better citizens and confident communicators we have spent our time well,” says Beck. Word has already spread around town about the program and we have a list started for another eight week session which we hope to do sometime in the spring. 16 hours is not a lot of time to invest in your community to create your own program. Our suggestion like the directors call is, “Action”