International Convention Learning

I find your request for input about what we as individuals learned at K.I. convention (in beautiful Nashville, Tennessee) that helped to make us better leaders, a very timely one. My particular 'learning' experience was not inside one of the many excellent seminar rooms. My leadership lessons were occurring while participating in, easedropping on the many conversations taking place with my fellow District members about the behind some scenes drama that was occurring.   I witnessed how quickly the positive energy of our gathering had switched from serving the children of the world to the negative energy fueled by gossip and inuendo.  What was painfully apparent to me was the need for our leaders to take the high road and use the overwhelmingly positive energy that occompanies  conventions to their benefit. A number of our leaders had fallen prey to the many associated pitfalls that sort of negativity brings.  As Kiwanians who've taken on leadership roles from time to time we much recognize that we all have these tendencies. When we see the negativity creeping in we must help one another step out of that mind set. Move away from that negativity and remember the grateful smiling faces of the many children it has been our pleasure to serve.    

Hello Fellow Kiwanians:

I attended this convention with my 14 year old twins. We had a great time and I purchased ticketed leadership seminar tickets for all of us. Leadership is involved in decisions each of us make when no one is watching!

I can tell you first hand that the gossip and tearing down of new ideas does not help Kiwanis. if the way we were doing things worked, we would not have more kids signing up than members to guide them. Times are changing and we need to go back from a lunch crowd that writes checks to a group that is involved in kids lives and set an example for our youth.

One thing has not changed, people respond to authenticity. The day i tell my kids one thing and do another i have lost them. The same is true in my role as a club advisor for school leadership clubs.

we have a unique opportunity to introduce this generation to personal and community leadership through service and unselfishness that is greatly needed in this country and world today. Let's build Kiwanis together, one member, one kid at a time.

I especially enjoyed the presentations by Kiwanians from countries other than the US. There is such a positive spirit of teamwork and a sense of being truly needed. When I heard about clubs that are building school and equipping medical clinics for the treatment of babies and children I was struck by the essential nature of club-building in developing countries.

I think of Kiwanis as a web that connects me (no six points of separation here!) to much of the world and compells me to want to help more.

I will admit that I think some of the activities of our club, such as reading to children, pales in comparison to helping people at a much greater level of need, but I do still see where my club fits into my community. Truly, we are so fortunate in the US; we are surrounded by amazing wealth.

I attended "Making the most of today's media to market your club" by Cate Indiano.  It was over 3 hours, but was by far the best forum ever attended at an International or District convention.  I also attended "What's up with Kiwanis next?" that presented some of the same ideas form Cate's but the two gave me an excellent view of where Kiwanis hopes to go in the future.  I also attended some other forums and lunches, but this convention I did something I've never done at  Kiwanis convention, I went to most all forums/lunches, etc., alone.  Normally I stick with my fellow club members, and we decide between us which forums/lunches we'll attend.  This gave me the opportunity to attend whatever I alone wanted to attend, including riding the bus to and from the convention, which enabled me to talk to some people I never would have talked to if I was with my fellow club members.  Obviously I also attended a few other forums, but none as good as the two mentioned.  I was not impressed with either of the shows at night, and that was what I had hoped to see - good shows.