INITIATE

I'm always harping on how incredibly terrific our KFA team is. I suppose that gets old, but they keep proving it, so I keep writing about it. And trust me, they do so many great things that if I told you about them every time, that's all I'd be writing about.

When he was president of the United States, Ronald Reagan had a desk motto in the Oval Office that read: 'It is amazing how much you can get done if you don't care who gets the credit.' Boom.

Those are words most of us should take to heart. They are words I believe our team has learned.

Sometimes in our team meetings, someone will speak an idea and it hits a responsive chord. This person may serve as the opening catalyst for change - a spontaneous initiator - who may be forgotten as the process continues its course - who may not be remembered or even thanked as the positive change begins to take form and shape and become reality.

But before it becomes reality, there is trouble. In a perfect model all the changes are laid out on a table orderly and nicely and sensibly and sequentially. Life, however, rarely works that neatly. Life is not naturally organized, though we make our best attempts to organize it.

Take a family vacation, for instance. "Family A" determines every detail two months before they ever get into the minivan. They schedule meals at restaurants, make hotel reservations, figure out toll budgeting and plan activities. The know just where they'll be when they'll be there. "Family B" gets in the car and drives south, deciding what they'll do as they go.

Which is better?

Neither is. Either plan is fine as long as there is a direction set at the beginning and an overall purpose for the trip.

The initiator of change in an organization must set the direction and start the group on the first mile. He/she doesn't have to decide every turn and twist to get from Point A to Point Z. That's why you have a team in the first place. Peter Drucker said: 'All beginning is difficult.'

Along the way there will be setbacks, roadblocks, detours, stops and stalls. If your team understands that, it will not only help them cope with the steps along the way but will also help expedite the changes.

Our team is achieving much of this right now - I think, without them even realizing they're doing it in such a healthy way. Shhh! Let's not tell them.

And be blessed.