Learning to Discern Trends, Sense Opportunity and Tap into Potentialities

We live in a critical day that calls for more vibrationary leadership than visionary leadership. If you’ve seen the movie Click you may be able to discern how we need to go BEYOND vision and into a vibration mode of life. So much has been said and written about visionary leadership but few people understand vibrationary leadership. I’m calling for a new kind of leadership. I am calling for vibrationary leadership!

The difference between visionary and vibrationary leadership is that whereas visionary leadership guides and directs by the power of a compelling desire propelled by a glimpse of the future, vibrationary leadership discerns trends, senses opportunities and taps into potentialities. Understanding the heartbeat of the future is more powerful than any vision we could ever have. We learn this easily from the human body. Before thoughts are deposited in the mind, they are birthed in the heart. The heart is therefore the center of life. Out of it flows the issues of life. The seed of vision is always in the heart. That’s why a visionary has passion and fire in his soul. His heart is ablaze. Vibrationary leaders develop the ability to hear the silent beating of coming changes in society and thus strategically position themselves to make the very best of the moment.

If we are going to be precise in the 21st century, we must transition from visionary leadership to vibrationary leadership. Otherwise we shall have visions that will stall in the face of rapid societal changes. A New millenium requires a New strategy. Our organizations should be able to vibrate with the beating of society’s heart. Transitioning from vision to vibration is in essence shifting our focus from seeing to hearing. While it is essential that we be able to see what is happening in our environment, it is much more important that our ears be well tuned in order to hear the silent rumblings of change. This means that our ears should be close to society’s heart and needs. Sound is a series of vibrations moving as waves through air. Ringing a bell for example, sets off vibrations in the air. Detection of these vibrations or sound waves is called hearing. It is essential to understand how the ear works. Humans hear by bone conduction or primarily by detecting airborne sound waves, which are collected by the auricles. The auricles help locate the direction of sound. Then one turns to focus on the direction. Therefore hearing comes before seeing. This is very important.

This transition will require a change from structure to rhythm. We should be able to learn the unforced rhythm of guiding our organizations through transitionary moments. This will require a greater degree of sensitivity. Making the transition from visionary leadership to vibrationary leadership will require that we change from critical thinking to modulating. What we hear should be properly deciphered and transmitted to the masses. What are you hearing? Make the big transition – be a vibrationary leader!

Children Can Win

A couple of weeks ago I decided to volunteer with an organization that goes into schools and develops character in children. My contact with this organization came through volunteermatch. After visiting their website I was moved by what they are doing – going into classrooms and encouraging kids to live lives of character and integrity. What a great way to invest in the futures of kids who need a lot of encouragement and support!

 It is so easy to give up when we look at the state of kids in America. Early today I was driving up my street and saw a really young girl - in my opinion, she looked like she was between 15 and 17 years old. It’s not the seeing this girl out on the streets during school hours that surprised me the most. It’s the fact that she was carrying a baby and from the looks of it, this was her baby!

It’s sad that society is moving away from the ancient values that have built it. Our world today needs to get back to gaining moral compasses. Our kids need mentors and role models who will show them a better way of life. Let’s help children win.

The State of Children in Ohio

This is new data on the state of children in Ohio.

A child in Ohio is abused or neglected every 10 minutes
A child in Ohio is born into poverty every 21 minutes
A child in Ohio dies before his or her first birthday every 8 hours
A child or teen in Ohio is killed by gunfire every 4 days

Ohio Rankings*

Ohio ranks 8th among states in the percent of babies born to mothers who received early prenatal care.
Ohio ranks 21st among states in per pupil expenditures.
Ohio ranks 26th among states in the percent of children who are poor.
Ohio ranks 34th among states in percent of babies born at low birthweight.
Ohio ranks 36th among states in infant mortality.

[*1st represents the best state for children and 51st represents the worst state for children.]

Child Poverty in Ohio

Number of poor children 475,207
Percent of children who are poor 16.8%
Number of adults and children receiving cash assistance from Temporary
Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) 185,132
Maximum monthly TANF cash assistance for a family of three $373

Child Hunger in Ohio

Number of children who receive food stamps 336,660
Percent of eligible persons who receive food stamps 63%
Number of children in School Lunch Program 1,012,719
Number of women and children receiving WIC (Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children) 253,923

Early Childhood Development in Ohio

Percent of children under age six with all parents in the labor force 65.5%
Number of children served by Head Start 38,081
Number of children served by the Child Care and Development Block Grant 84,000
Average annual cost of child care for a four-year-old in a center $5,672

Child Welfare in Ohio

Number of children who were victims of abuse and neglect 50,141
Number of children in foster care 21,012
Number of children adopted from foster care 2,396
Number of grandparents raising their grandchildren 87,851

Education in Ohio

Amount spent per pupil in public school $7,065
Percent of fourth graders reading below grade level 66%
Percent of fourth graders below grade level in math 64%
Average class size in public elementary schools 22.8
Average class size in public secondary schools 23.9

Child Health in Ohio

Number of children without health insurance 270,000
Percent of children without health insurance 8.9%
Percent of two-year-olds who are not fully immunized 25.0%

Youth At Risk in Ohio

Percent of 16- to 19-year-olds who are not enrolled in school and are not high school graduates 8.3%
High school completion rate 87.7%
Percent of 16- to 19-year-olds who are unemployed 15.8%
Number of juveniles arrested 46,858
Number of children and teens in juvenile or adult correctional facilities 4,560
Number of children and teens killed by firearms: 85
50 homicides; 26 suicides; 6 accidents; and 3 undetermined

Source: Children’s Defense Fund

Forty-Nine Percent of U.S. Students Binge Drink

One would ask, “Why a new blog when there are so many out there?” There’s only one reason for this new blog: to galvanize a movement for empowering youth for a better life. I had been thinking about this blog for a while but sort of put it on the back-burner until I read the following report from Columbia University:

“Forty-nine percent of U.S. college students indulge each month in binge drinking or drug use, abusing them at rates far higher than in the general population, according to a report. About 1.8 million students met the medical criteria for substance abuse or dependence in 2005, 2 1/2 times the national level, as they sought to relieve stress, improve mood or enhance performance, said the report, released today by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University.

The risky behavior results in overdose deaths, academic failure, assaults, date rape and property damage on U.S. campuses, it said. The study blames university presidents, the National Collegiate Athletic Association, parents and high schools, and recommends that the NCAA bar alcohol advertising at its sporting events.

“We’re playing Russian roulette with the future leaders of our country,” the center’s president, Joseph Califano Jr., said in a phone interview yesterday. “In a time of fierce global competition, do we want to put our best and brightest students at risk?”

Source: BLOOMBERG March 15, 2007

These kind of statitics are alarming. More voices are needed to highlight what is happening and bring society’s eyes to a point of focus on the crisis. This is not only at the college level but also in High Schools. This blog will be highlighting these issues and pointing out what is being done and what can be done to empower our youth.