When Pam and I had visited California, we went to Disneyland in Anaheim, CA to enjoy a fun day experiencing all Disney had to offer. From rides to experiences to live music, Disneyland had it all.

I noticed the team at Disneyland did things right. One of those was the way their cast members recognized fans.

Photo by Travis Gergen

One experience Disneyland offered was a live marching band performance. These cast members rocked it out. They also showed the fans they mattered.

There, amongst the crowd watching the Disney marching band, were two young children. A boy and a girl… Both enjoying the music.

You could tell they enjoyed the band’s music because they were moving and shaking. They were experiencing the music!

The Disney marching band let these two young fans know that they mattered. They recognized the pair.  Read more...

I volunteer part of my time serving at our church’s youth group. I recently had an extremely sad conversation with one of our youth students.

Before our youth group started, I opened my Instagram app on my Samsung Galaxy S9. I saw one of the students had just started an Instagram Live session. I clicked and listened to her talk for a few minutes.

Photo by Etty Fidele

Then I did the youth leader thing. I asked her if she was coming to youth group tonight.

Her answer saddened me. She told me she didn’t like coming to youth group. There were no people her age that attended.

I protested. I told her there was. Her reply was heartbreaking.

I heard her say “Yes, Kelly and Bonnie (not their real names) go there. But they don’t show up regularly. If they’re not there, I am alone.”  Read more...

Do you ever look at your team and wonder “How can I encourage these people to be better team members? What will make them work harder, smarter, better? Why can’t I have great people on my team?”

Of course not. I never say that. Neither do you…

Photo by Marten Bjork

If we’re lying to ourselves.

It is easy to slip into the thoughts in the first paragraph of this article. We can easily look at those we lead and wonder why they’re not producing the results we (and they) desire.

The truth is that you, the leader, are not providing the example your team needs. I know, it may sound harsh for me to say this but it is something we all need to hear.

As a leader, you set the example. Your team is looking at you. What they’re seeing is what they’re emulating. They’re looking for a leader. Someone to show them the way.  Read more...

Philadelphia, the city of brotherly love, is one of the oldest cities in the country.  Its history is steeped into every inch of the town, from the well known Liberty Bell to Cira Green, a park tucked away on the top of a building.  If you’re going to Philly (Home of Rocky Balboa!) and have a craving for some incredible sites- here are three things that have to be on your bucket list.

We The Youth Mural

Keith Haring was a world-renowned artist, especially during the eighties and nineties.  His art almost always depicts the same human forms interacting with their environment or each other without having to draw faces.

In the late 80s, Haring worked with CityKids of New York and Brandywine Workshop in Philadelphia to create a bright and colorful mural that shows kids playing and enjoying the city despite being from different backgrounds and lives.  This mural is over twenty feet high and sixty feet long,   Read more...