Leadership Matters

Leadership Gold by John Maxwell

2008-09-24T15:24:00Z

The staff at Kiwanis International is going to read and discuss a leadership book this fall. The plan is to read a couple of chapters a week and discuss the personal leadership application. I would like to invite you to join us in this by reading with us and participating in a discussion on this website. We will post a weekly blog about the specific chapters and will ask you to join in on the conversation. This is new for us, but we would really like for you to consider joining us. You should be...(read more)

Disaster Relief

2008-09-14T14:56:00Z

Although Kiwanis is not a disaster relief organization, many Kiwanis members want to help when a disaster strikes. Some members feel very strongly that Kiwanis should be prepared to be one of the first responders and coordinate relief efforts, while others feel our best way to help is by supporting those organizations that are designed to do this. Our staff and board would be interested in hearing your thoughts on how Kiwanis International and the Kiwanis International Foundation should respond in...(read more)

Are the Youth Programs a Kiwanis club's best service project?

2008-08-27T21:07:00Z

My role at Kiwanis is to lead the team that supports Kiwanis Youth Programs which includes Key Club, Key Leader, Builders Club, Kiwanis Kids programs (K-Kids, Terrific Kids, Bring Up Grades) and our branded service programs (Kiwanis One Day, Young Children Priority One, Read Around the World). I believe that our youth programs are Kiwanis best service project. What do you think?...(read more)

Help Wanted: Volunteer Bloggers

2008-08-27T13:30:00Z

Are you getting ready to serve in a position in your local club or division? Would you be interested in facilitating an online discussion connecting leaders in similar positions to share ideas and ask questions? If so, post a comment or send me an e-mail at msperr@kiwanis.org . Different community groups include: club president, secretary, treasurer, president elect, vice president, membership, public relations, fundraising, service leadership chair or advisor, lt. governor, and district growth team...(read more)

Afraid to Grow?

2008-08-26T12:48:00Z

Having an opportunity to visit several Kiwanis district conventions in the past few weeks has reinforced my belief that we have some outstanding servant leaders who are making a difference in their local communities. Often, the Kiwanis service our clubs perform touches lives beyond what we could ever imagine. It's obvious Kiwanians have no fear of reaching out to help others who are in need. On the other hand, I've encountered many of our members who do have an admitted fear of growing. Inviting...(read more)

Attributes of Great Kiwanis Leaders

2008-08-06T13:47:00Z

I am working on a project that is focused on the attributes or characteristics of great Kiwanis leaders. I would be very interested in hearing your ideas about what words you would use to describe a great Kiwanis leader. Please post your thoughts here, or if you want to send a private e-mail to me, please send it to robparker@kiwanis.org ....(read more)

Key Club Energy

2008-07-12T03:37:00Z

Having spent the past couple of days with 1500 high school students here at the Key Club Convention, I could not be more encouraged about the future of our world. These amazing young people are passionate about serving others and they made me very proud to be a Kiwanis member. These young people are raising money and doing hands-on service that rival the work of our Kiwanis clubs workdwide. For those of you who are investing your time and resources in Key Club, thank you for all you do! Rob...(read more)

More Bloggers to be Added

2008-06-13T05:14:00Z

We are working to more fully develop this blog by opening this up for additional senior staff and volunteer leaders to blog. Having more than one primary voice on here should make for a more dynamic blog. New voices coming soon!...(read more)

Life-Changing Impact

2008-05-17T17:34:00Z

This morning I had a chance to hear a Lt. Governor in California share her personal story of contracting polio as a child and the life-changing impact of the March of Dimes. Their investment in her care and treatment as a child allowed her to not only survive, but to thrive. The point of her story is how important Kiwanis is to so many people in ways we will never truly understand. Your support of important organizations in your local communities really matters. Thank you to all of you who are leading...(read more)

Big Dreams Force New Ways of Thinking

2008-05-10T01:22:00Z

From the day Kiwanis International embraced the goal of growing to one million members by its 100 th Birthday in 2015, business as usual ended. This huge goal has impacted the kind of staff we hire, the volunteer leaders we attract, the way we spend our money, the strategies we develop, the creativity we employ, the flexibility we embrace, the trust we extend, the risks we are willing to take, and even the way we view ourselves. Without this outrageous goal we would still be talking about the past...(read more)

JUST DO IT

2008-05-09T00:46:00Z

I know there are people who go the doctor, get their regular physicals, take their prescribed medications and follow their advice. If you are one of them, good for you. For the rest of us, we need a push in the right direction from time to time. Today I finally took my doctors advice and had a very important cancer screening that he had been recommending. It wasn't that I was fearful or anything, I just did not seem to be able to find the time. (That's my story and I am sticking to it). Well...(read more)

Caller Identification

2008-04-25T22:04:00Z

Anyone who has Caller ID has probably experienced a time when they saw a name come up on their ID and they had an emotional reaction. Sometimes the reaction is positive,and other times maybe not. When certain people call, we may smile and be excited to get the call. There also may be other names that elicit totally different reactions. If you are leading, my question for you is "How do people react when they see your name on their Caller Identification." Do they smile because they know...(read more)

The Speed of Trust

2008-04-23T14:10:00Z

Steven Covey's book "The Speed of Trust" is a must-read for anyone who is in the business of leading others. Covey makes the strong case for trust as the key foundation on which all relationships are built. While this may seem obvious, Covey identifies some very practical things that you and I can do as leaders to build trust. If any of you have read this book and want to comment on it, would love to hear from you. Rob...(read more)

Kiwanis International April Board Meeting

2008-04-21T01:51:00Z

The KI Board was in Indianapolis this week for its April meeting. International President Dave Curry led the Trustees through some critical discussions about the future of Kiwanis. A number of amendments from our local clubs were reviewed, along with several that were developed by the KI Board. Higlights from this meeting will be shared here and in the next issue of the Kiwanis Insider. Rob...(read more)

The Game of Life

2008-04-13T02:54:00Z

I read a story about a young boy who loved to play monopoly. Every summer of his young life he spent with his grandmother, who lovingly and patiently played monopoly with him. For hours they would play, with the result always the same: Grandma would always win. She would buy all the valuable properties and collect more rent than the poor young boy could pay. At the end of each game, she would smile and say: “You did good honey, better luck next time.” Every summer for years this young boy dreamed...(read more)