Credit: Dan MacDonald

Every year I conduct admissions interviews for my alma mater. I love getting the chance to meet with high school seniors to talk with them about their accomplishments, and to get a sense for what their goals are for the future.

After each interview I come away amazed by the intellectual curiosity of these students. I am inspired by the way these teenagers are connected with their communities and are working hard to make a difference. I am humbled by their drive, their passion, and their ambition to make an impact on the world.

One of my recent interviews was with a young man who spends his “free time” in a lab at the University of Minnesota helping research possibilities around “tumor suppressor genes.” When I was in high school I thought breeding fruit flies to track eye color changes was a cool experiment. Targeted gene therapies were a little out of my scope. He was so enthusiastic telling me about the work he’s doing. It was a privilege to tap into the mind of someone who is so excited about learning.

It reminded me of an article I read about a 17-year-old girl in California who just won a $100,000 prize from a national science contest sponsored by Siemens. She’s been conducting research as an “after school project” that could lead to a cure for cancer. Angela Zhang created a nanoparticle that can seek out cancer cells and kill them, leaving healthy cells unharmed.

Then there is the story of Samantha Garvey, who was living in a homeless shelter when she got word that she made it to the finals of a national Intel science competition. She had spent two years studying the effects of the Asian short crab on the mussel population of a salt marsh in Long Island. Samantha and her family have since been able to find a home. Samantha is hoping to go to Yale or Brown next year.

These stories, and countless others, demonstrate a profound truth that we need to embrace in this country. Every single child has potential, and the opportunity cost of failing to nurture that potential is beyond measure.

We have no idea where the next Einstein is going to come from. We don’t know who our next Steve Jobs will be. There are so many children out there with potential to change the world but maybe they don’t have a home, or food, or books, or parents to read to them, or a teacher to inspire them.

We talk a lot in this country about leveraging resources and return on investment. It’s time we focus on our greatest untapped resource: children. If we can unleash the collective power of ALL of the young people around us, cancer and global warming and a host of other “unsolvable” problems don’t stand a chance.

So the questions is… how do we do it? How do we reach people who are falling through the cracks? Please submit your thoughts… maybe we can come up with some ideas of our own!

As I look around at issues we’re facing as a state, and as a country, its apparent even Santa would have a hard time straightening up the mess. Still, it can’t hurt to ask… so without further ado… here is what I hope Santa will deliver this Christmas:

1. An end to the gay marriage debate: Seriously, in this day and age can’t we just agree that people deserve equal rights no matter who they fall in love with? We seem to spend SO much time on this issue when there are so many other real problems we need to deal with. If you don’t like gay marriage, don’t marry someone who is gay. End of story.

2. Fewer flights out of Washington DC: When I hear a Rick Perry talk about how Congress should be a “part time job” and members should be required to spend more time in their districts, it makes my head hurt. If anything, Members of Congress should be required to spend MORE time in DC.

Not too long ago, members would bring their families to DC. They would spend quality time together, socializing outside of work.

Today members fly into the nation’s capital for a few days a week, and then take the earliest flight they can to get home “to their constituents.” They don’t know other members personally and definitely don’t know each others’ families.

Republicans and Democrats see either other as political labels, as opponents, as the enemy. How can you possibly collaborate and cooperate with someone you don’t know and don’t trust?

We need a sense of community in DC again. If you really have to fly home every few days to check the pulse of your constituents, you don’t know them well enough to begin with. They voted for you… now go and do the job they need you to do!

3. Come up with a Vikings Stadium plan (preferably in Minneapolis): Yes, I know… the Vikings are terrible this year. Yes, I know the state has serious budget issues (despite the rosier projections).

The fact is the Vikings are an important part of Minnesota. If we lose the team, it will be devastating to a lot of people. (see this story for ONE example: ) We will end up spending MORE to bring football back to our state.

Minnesota has always been able to find answers to difficult questions. This is another chance for us to show we can come together and get something done. Let’s do it! And then let’s move on and solve some even BIGGER issues!

4. The Wisdom to Invest in Children – As a state, and as a country, we can’t afford to forget that our most important legacy will be the future we leave for our children.
We don’t enhance future generations by cutting taxes for the rich.

Yes, I know it’s bad to leave huge debt for our kids, but if we simply cut our way to a balanced budget we won’t fulfill our promise as a country. We need to each put up our fair share to help our communities strive for greatness.

We need a collective mission, similar to our effort to launch the space program in the 1960s, but this time to plant a different kind of flag. How about a declaration that in the next ten years we will:

• Reduce the illiteracy rate to zero (You need to aim high! Kennedy didn’t call us to action to send a man NEAR the moon)
• Become number one in math/science
• Provide access to the best health care to ALL children
• Make sure NO child goes to bed hungry
• Give every child the opportunity for higher education/job training

Santa, I know I’m asking for a lot. But this is a season for dreaming. I know what we CAN be if we remember how to work together. Maybe a Christmas Miracle is just what we need to get us there.

Credit: freefoto.com

It’s the start of the last month of year filled with flux.  In 2011, tall trees of our society and economy continued to fall in the forest, while others swayed weakly in the wind. Change is in the hands of the people. In late June, I wrote about “unfortressing,” the concept that defines the change we are seeing in our country’s systems, industries, ways and expectations. We had just witnessed the Arab spring, were on the cusp of the Minnesota state government shutdown and Wisconsin was reeling from its own political turmoil.

Was this year’s change usual, perhaps fueled by the new powers of social media? It’s clear that people are in the midst of change and are the faces and voices of the new economic, generational, resource-limited realities. Political leaders like to talk about reform, but these realities call for tough decisions – the kinds that foil smooth re-elections. So, despite the work of Super Committees and Simpson-Bowles: The National Committee on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform,  gridlock persists at the federal and state levels about how to balance budgets while serving the public good.  Once the gridlock breaks, there will be change in the way government delivers its services.

One can trace this “chaos” stage back to 2007 with the burst of the housing bubble, or in 2008, when finance houses “Too Big to Fail” did, or were bailed out. Duct tape fixes of a few years ago aren’t strong enough to hold the bricks in place, as industry and banking adopt new ways of generating revenue, cutting expenses and serving customers. It’s a new day on both sides of the transaction, while overall industries like manufacturing struggle in a fully exposed shell of the old fortress.

Culturally, we’re quicker than ever to jump on institutions that have failed to uphold ethical, moral or legal rules that govern the rest of society. As financial empires verged on collapse, we viewed the devastatingly toxic sides of Bernie Madoff, Denny Hecker and Tom Petters to name a few. Three years later, as we focus on the high costs of higher ed and major gaps in workforce readiness, we learn college coaches turned blind eyes to sexual predators on their staffs.  Via Occupy Wall Street, fortresses clearly in the queue: college loans and higher education.

My year-end conclusion on “unfortressing” remains this: If leaders or communities have tended their houses through process or product improvement, ethical leadership and fiscal management focused on long term performance, they are by this very behavior removing a few old bricks and re-assessing the shape and durability of the structure.

During this time of change and chaos, we can be certain the diverse and proud American people are helping sort out the new criteria for success in our next economy.

In my work at Children’s Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota, I have had a chance to be part of an incredible partnership that is bringing these strengths together. Some of our state’s top musicians are lending their talents to support Children’s and the families they serve.

MN MUSIC 4 MN KIDS is a CD that features 17 Minnesota artists who donated songs to help raise money for Children’s Hospitals. It will be sold beginning November 13 at Creative Kidstuff stores and online. And it’s an example of how the gift of time and talent can make a significant impact on people’s lives.

I wasn’t sure what to expect when we first reached out to solicit music for the CD. Adam Levy (The Honeydogs, Bunny Clogs), signed on immediately offering to co-produce the CD with Lily Troia from Invisible Button Entertainment. He started reaching out to his friends and colleagues, and the names started rolling in:

• Cloud Cult
• Dessa
• Gabriel Douglas
• Farewell Milwaukee
• Dan Israel
• Mason Jennings
• Koo Koo Kanga Roo
• Mayda
• Lucy Michelle
• The Okee Dokee Brothers
• Phantom Tails
• Rogue Valley
• Roma Di Luna
• Sleep Study
• The Twilight Hours
• Toki Wright

More often than not when the artists heard the CD was for Children’s Hospitals they said, “Sign me up.”

It’s easy to become disillusioned by the discord that seems to dominate our culture these days. We use euphemisms like “self reliance” and “personal responsibility” as excuses to write off our responsibility to those in need. So it’s been particularly heartening to see this project come to life.

Some of the artists on the CD have had personal experiences at Children’s Hospital that made them want to help. Many of them did not. All they knew was that their efforts would help Children’s continue caring for children and families in need. That was all it took.

If you want to say thanks to these artists for stepping forward to help kids, please buy the CD and/or attend the CD launch party on November 13 at the Cedar.

http://www.thecedar.org/events/2011/11/13/mn-music-4-mn-kids

It’s a family friendly show from 2-4 that afternoon and many of the artists are going to perform.

You can learn more about the CD here: www.childrensmn.org/music

Watching the way these musicians jumped at the chance to help has reminded me of the importance of saying, “yes.” We all have talents… maybe not musical or creative… but we have strengths that we bring to the table. Maybe if we can find more ways to leverage our talents beyond ourselves, we can move our communities away from discord, and inject at least a little more harmony.

(Full Disclosure: In my day job I am the communications manager for Children’s Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota)

For most of us these incidents are a brief glimpse into a kind of hatred that we may know exists but we imagine to be at the extreme fringe of society. Unfortunately, there are many people in America, many of them just kids, for whom this vitriol and this kind of threatening behavior is an everyday reality.

It’s easy to feel helpless about bullying, not knowing how to make a difference. But a friend of mine is taking steps… a LOT of steps…. to try to bring about change.

Awen Briem will be running the Twin Cities Marathon this weekend to raise awareness about school bullying.

Awen grew up in Des Moines, IA, and she was subjected to bullying in school. She now lives in Minneapolis where she and her partner are raising a son. Not long ago she discovered that she is the only survivor out of her group of LGBT friends from high school. Suicide, hate crimes/homicide, and AIDS took them away one by one.

When she saw this pattern being repeated in Minneapolis schools, most notably in the Anoka-Hennepin school district, she decided she had to do something to break this cycle. So she laced up her shoes and started to run.

On Sunday a team of more than 130 supporters will line the Marathon route to cheer for Awen. We’ll all be wearing t-shirts that say, “We Support Safe Schools for ALL Youth,” and, “We’ve Got Your Back.”

The effort is being organized through a Facebook page called the “DaFeet Bullying Community”
(http://www.facebook.com/groups/108935699183851/). I encourage you to visit the page and learn more about Awen’s efforts.

When I think about this issue, I sometimes think the term “bully” can be a little misleading. We’re not talking about the big kid at camp who punched me in the eye because he just didn’t like me. What we’re seeing in many schools today is a systematic, repeated, and dangerous kind of behavior. Whether the harassment is based on race, sexual orientation, or other factors, relentless bullying can lead kids to isolation, depression, and even to suicide.

Awen hopes two things come from her run:

1. More adults will start to listen to kids, offering support and hope to students who work up the courage to reach out for help.
2. Minnesota will pass a strong statewide anti-bullying policy that is fully enforceable so every youth is safe at school.

Senator Scott Dibble put forward the Safe Schools Initiative last legislative session and it was defeated along party lines. Awen hopes a groundswell of support will convince more lawmakers that they have to act to keep young people safe.

So this Sunday, please watch for Awen at the Marathon. She’ll be sporting her blue “Safe Schools for ALL Youth” shirt and I’m sure she’ll appreciate some support.

Then take a minute and think about this issue, and how we got to this place as a country. How did we become a society that cheers death? Why do we tolerate hatred, prejudice, and discrimination? And how can we start to take our own steps toward changing our culture, to become a more welcoming place for everyone.

There is something, however, to the need for finding simple, elegant (perhaps even “sticky”) leadership concepts and lessons that we can all take with us into our workplaces and communities. Bookshelves are lined with a myriad of opinions, experiences, concepts and processes for the development and practice of leadership:  steward leadership, adaptive leadership, narcissistic leadership, collective or shared leadership, and the list goes on.

Here are just some of the concepts and experiences I’ve gleaned through the years and hold:

• Leadership is not a popularity contest.
• Positional authority is not the same as leadership.  People truly follow leaders if and when they feel inspired and respected.
• A practice of good leadership is knowing when you’re faced with an adaptive challenge or a technical challenge and not attempting to solve an adaptive problem with a technical solution.
• Leadership is more art than science.
• Good leaders offer up their gifts and talents to cultivate others to step forward and exercise their own leadership potential.
• Leaders are made, not born.

It’s no wonder that the issues of leadership are ever more present in our minds or topics of discussion.  Whether it’s the increasing complexity and uncertainty facing our communities and organizations or the increasing polarization among our political leadership, people are hungry for inspired leadership.  I contend the practice of leadership belongs with each of us wherever and whenever we feel impassioned to engage.  There is no superman (or superwoman) coming to our rescue, just like there is no perfect meal to be had on a stick.

Photo Credit - By CERTs

Nine months ago, the people of Minnesota received a gift when Don Shelby retired from his anchor post at WCCO television. Shelby spent more than three decades at WCCO and he had earned his place alongside his mentor Dave Moore as a legend of Minnesota broadcasting.

His retirement was a gift, not because I was glad to see him give up his anchor position. It was a gift because of what Shelby’s “retirement” has allowed him to do. Free from the ratings driven pressures of television news, Shelby seems to have been re-energized by new opportunities to do what he does best: journalism.

Among other activities, Shelby has become a regular contributor to MinnPost, focusing primarily on environmental issues and global warming. One look at the list of his columns reveals a man who is determined to make an impact on the world with his writing.  http://www.minnpost.com/donshelby/

Readers have enjoyed:

• A profile on outgoing Xcel CEO Dick Kelly who declares the “facts are in on global warming.” Shelby praises Kelly for being a leader in trying to reduce fossil fuel consumption

• A scathing look at the difference between weather and climate, and the ridiculousness of comments from folks like Rush Limbaugh who point to a heavy snowfall and ask, “Where’s your global warming now?”

• A column preaching the “gospel of waterless urinals”

And in one column that I consider to be a textbook example of what journalism SHOULD do, Shelby put Minnesota’s chief global warming denier, State Senator Michael Jungbauer, through the wringer. Presenting the clear contrast between Jungbauer’s words and the scientific facts, Shelby presented an airtight case for why we should stop wasting our collective energy on the global warming deniers so we can start figuring out solutions to the problem.

There are those who will dismiss Shelby’s post-WCCO work as another example of the “liberal media” out to promote a left-wing agenda. It’s this kind of narrow view that is threatening to erode our vital “third estate” to a state of journalistic impotence.

Contrary to popular belief, a journalist’s job is NOT to present ALL sides of a story. A journalist’s job is to dig for and to present the truth. If there isn’t any science to support the global warming denier position, that position doesn’t deserve a voice in the debate. Similarly, we don’t need to hear from Intelligent Design proponents in a story about dinosaurs. And we certainly don’t need to perpetuate the myth that “abstinence only education” is a good way to prevent teen pregnancy and STDs.

Shelby has always been a journalist first, and it’s nice to see him flexing his muscles through a new outlet, around a cause that is obviously close to his heart. Minnesota is lucky to have many good reporters, and well-respected media outlets, but we can’t rest on our laurels. Hopefully Shelby’s columns will help us remember how exhilarating, and how vital it is to have reporters who are free to seek and tell the truth. It’s time for us all to stop killing the messenger with claims of “bias,” and to start applauding journalists who live up to their important responsibility.

It’s hard to imagine anyone feeling good about the way this budget “negotiation” has played out.  We’ve endured the longest shutdown in history, and we will walk away without a sense for what Minnesota stands for and what our path for the future will be.

Gov. Dayton and Republican leaders seem to be continuing in the footsteps of Gov. Pawlenty, kicking budgetary problems down the road like an old tin can.  Minnesota is no longer the “State that Works.”  We’ve become a “State of Denial.”

At some point we need to stop whistling past the political graveyard.  So, in the spirit of trying to avoid another shutdown (which at this point seems inevitable), I am offering a few guiding principles to frame the debate.  If our lawmakers can stick to these simple rules, MAYBE we can have an honest discussion, and we can rediscover the spirit of innovation, compassion, and community that has made Minnesota such a special place to live.

Rules for a productive budget negotiation:

1.  Do your homework

The large number of freshmen legislators this session yielded a significant learning curve.  That was to be expected.  The problem was, many legislators seemed to operate on the assumption that they were there only to teach, not to learn.  The harsh reaction to the Carlson/Mondale compromise effort demonstrated an arrogance among the new guard, that felt it had nothing to learn from those who had fought these battles before.

Legislators need to look at our history as a state, to learn what has made us strong and where we have gone astray.  The strongest leaders are those who are confident enough to learn from the past and from others.

2.  Don’t be afraid of creativity

One of the stumbling blocks in this negotiation from the very beginning was that the Republicans painted themselves into an absolute:  no tax increases of any kind.  Yes, their constituents spoke loud and clear about fiscal responsibility, but that doesn’t excuse legislators from having to think in nuance, and it doesn’t mean they can’t get creative in the name of meaningful compromise.

The Republican Party has a long history in Minnesota of looking for creative, targeted ways to balance budgets using a combination of revenue and cuts.  It wasn’t until Gov. Pawlenty that revenue was taken off the table.  The Republicans need to get back to finding ways to stay true to their ideals, without locking themselves into a simple catch phrase like “no new taxes.”

3.  Stop the “rich people are overtaxed” myth

The argument against taxing the wealthy often hinges on the fact that the wealthiest five percent of the population pays 50-60 percent of the income taxes in the United States.  On its surface, the argument seems to make sense.

But it’s also true that the top five percent control the vast majority of the wealth in our country.  (By many estimates they control 70-80 percent of the wealth, leaving the other 95 percent of us fighting over 20-30 percent of the money).  In that light, shouldn’t they be asked to pay a similar proportion?

Contrary to popular belief, the wealthy in Minnesota are not disproportionately taxed.  In fact, some analysis shows they are under taxed (http://www.minnpost.com/stories/2010/08/06/20311/minnesotas_overall_tax_burden_is_increasingly_regressive).  Still, this myth is alive and well.

I’m still amazed and confused by the number of low and middle income people who fight the idea of tax increases on the rich (when many wealthy Minnesotans are open to the idea).  Honestly, the wealthy don’t need us to defend their interests.  And if you still believe in “trickle-down economics” you need to ask where the trickle down from the Bush tax cuts has been landing.

4.  Stop the “rich people will leave the state to avoid taxes” myth

Do we really think our wealthiest citizens will pack their bags and move away if they are asked to pay more taxes?

Minnesota has always been a relatively high-tax state.  Despite this, we have built a disproportionate number of Fortune 500 companies.  We have produced millionaires and billionaires who love the state, appreciate the quality of life here, and give back generously.

If income taxes were the deciding factor for where rich people decided to live, we wouldn’t hear so many radio ads begging people to move to South Dakota.  They’d already be there.

5.  Focus on the real problems

One of my issues with the proposed deal as it has been explained is Gov. Dayton’s insistence that social issues and proposals by the Republicans (abortion issues, voter ID, etc.) be dropped in exchange for a no new taxes “solution.”  This contingency makes no sense other than as a way to alleviate political headaches.  In essence, it rewards the Republicans for raising these sidebar issues in the first place when the focus should have been on the budget and nothing but the budget.

I can already imagine the attempts to line up even more “social ammo” for the next negotiation, under the theory that it can be used as political capital once again.  Let’s hope we can avoid these distractions and become laser focused on our economic future.

As much as the proposed agreement disappoints me, I still hope they get it done soon.  Sadly, I think it’s the best we can do this time around.  And if we start now, maybe we can be ready for real, visionary thinking next time… and a thoughtful solution that Minnesota and Minnesotans deserve.

That really caused me to stop and think about my own leadership journey.  It may seem ridiculous, but it’s true.  It’s happened to me on numerous occasions.   It’s as if we lose our identity if we happen to achieve leadership status at the same time.    I have been extremely blessed to have had leadership roles and opportunities.  I have worked very hard to become an expert in what I do.  But that article really resonated with me.

All too often I have experienced being invisible.  That the more we try to achieve as women of color, the more invisible we become.  Isn’t it interesting that while there are many who have been able to crash through that glass ceiling, there are still quite a few of us that fight this ongoing battle every day.    While we can’t all be Oprah Winfrey, as the article details, we must somehow figure out this journey that we are on and continue to move forward.

This commentary is by no means race-baiting or male bashing.  But I raise this question to consider, if I were in a decision making position, what or how can I do things differently?  I have personally felt like there are times that I have faded into the wall on this journey and still I rise.   I have felt that I must always work twice as hard to get noticed, but I refuse to waiver.  What is important to me is that I find value and passion in what I do.  I want to earn your respect, but I won’t stop my progress if I don’t get it.  As a woman of color, I have and will continue to pay my dues.  But I also hope that through my journey, the young sisters behind will become more visible.  That their peers and colleagues will begin to see them as the strong, individuals they are.  That when there are many, there is power in that.  We may speak of one voice, but each of us has a clear and distinct message that is unique to us.

Make no mistake; I cherish my sisters of all cultures and nationalities.  They bring me a sisterhood of mentoring and love.  But I do look forward to the day when society is able to see me and acknowledge me as an individual who has worked to achieve success.  And that society will keep their eyes open for others who may look like me, but are their own person.  I believe that, that day is on the horizon.  I have to.  Because without that hope, we fall in to the shadows reaching out from the abyss.  I am grateful for the Oprah Winfrey’s of the world who have paved the way.   Each of us has a role to play to ensure that our voices are not silent and can be heard in the biggest board rooms.  Ready or not….here we come!

~ Kari Davis is a guest contributor.

“Less congeniality, less interaction of members with one another” he said. “… The collegiality has diminished in the House, and along with it so has respect, bipartisanship and a sense of the greater public good.”

Members of Congress used to live in DC during session. They would go out for drinks together at the end of the day. They knew each other’s families. They understood that while they may represent different parties, at the end of the day they shared a common goal: improving the lives of the American people.

Today the atmosphere is different. Members fly home to their districts as early and often as possible. When they are in DC, they don’t interact much. Rules that eliminated political gifts actually had the unintended consequence of eliminating popular happy hours and cocktail parties that gave people a chance to interact socially.

There is no sense of community on Capitol Hill. And that isolation leads to mistrust.

Compare that to what we’ve seen in the Powderhorn Park neighborhood in the wake of a horrific sexual assault of a mother as she was cross-country skiing with her young son and daughter.

Rather than give into fear, anger, and mistrust (which would be perfectly understandable), the Powderhorn neighborhood pulled together in a show of unity and strength.

The tone was set by the mother herself in a remarkable letter that she wrote after the incident (http://ht.ly/3h5AK). In the letter, the mother expressed sympathy for her attackers, lamenting the failures that led them to this point in their lives and hoping there is a way for them to reconnect to their “essential goodness.”

She expressed a love for her neighborhood, and Powderhorn Park residents have rallied in the wake of the incident with a candlelight vigil and a re-commitment to “community.” This is a neighborhood that has been pioneering in its approach to conflict resolution, including a program focused on “restorative justice,” requiring people who commit crimes to meet face to face with their victims.

If a woman who has been sexually assaulted can look for the good in her attackers, and a neighborhood can find ways to bridge conflicts and encourage common good, why can’t lawmaker’s find common ground on the Bush Tax Cuts? And how can Congress bring back the collegiality and respect that Rep. Oberstar has seen disappear to an institution that can’t afford to give in to mistrust?

What lessons do YOU hope the new Congress will learn? And what needs to happen for those lessons sink in??