The Council of Elders is still happening on our website. Here are a few suggestions made to date: Jim Cathcart likes the possibility of a combination of face-to-face and virtual meetings, and along with others, suggests the possibility of localized meetings focusing on precise skill sets. (Expect to hear more about that idea.) Dianne Gubin would like to see more exposure for Apprentice members on our website, loves her mastermind group and prefers one-on-one meetings because they reflect the importance of “connection” in our business. Jesus Nebot asks, “How can we all team up to be of service to each other and to the world?” And Hans Norden posts, “When we know who we are, we can contribute to the welfare of others…we get what we want for ourselves.” Stephen Frueh suggests break-outs at our Saturday meetings to discover the wisdom we have within our own chapter.

I encourage you all, go to the website, click on the Council, and type away with comments, discussion and contributions. Help make the resource of GLAC work even better for you.

Judith parker Harris
NSA/GLAC President 2007-2008

Would it need to get you jobs?

Introduce you to Speakers Bureaus?

Provide you with a peer network?

Bring you continuing education?

Challenge you? Comfort you? Improve you?

Would you prefer virtual meetings or face-to-face meetings?

Do you like symposiums or one-day bootcamps?

Would you like to be less social or more social?

I would like to invite each one of you reading this column to join with me in the continuous re-invention of our organization? That’s what it means to me to be relevant in today’s world. The organization or the person, for that matter, who stands still, simply gets left behind.

So, how can we move GLAC forward? I challenge you to join my “Council of Elders,” and put your wisdom behind that question.

Richard Branson, tycoon, visionary, knight and founder of Virgin Airlines, has assembled a Council of Elders, 12 internationally renowned statesmen and women whose goal is to stop wars, promote peace, stamp out diseases, and curb global warming. Branson chose the term “Elders” based on African villagers who look up to their Elders as the moral voice of the community. Privately funded to avoid being beholden to any political or special-interest party, it will be chaired by Archbishop Desmond Tutu.

You may ask, what’s our connection with Branson’s Council of Elders? When I read about Branson’s Council of Elders, I decided that’s what GLAC needs.

After all, as speakers, trainers, coaches and experts aren’t we all involved with these goals in some micro way. And, as we come together as a professional organization, aren’t we seeking to help each other do more, reach farther, make a lasting difference?

Perhaps these are lofty goals, but worthy as well. I think of Elders as our wise friends and colleagues and family members, who have been there and done that and who can help us find the next mountain to climb and simultaneously give us the tools to do it.

Now, while I hate to use “elder” and my name in the same sentence, I love the thought of having our esteemed Professional members be more active in the quest to make us the best we can be. To qualify as an Elder you must be a member, willing to share your wisdom and take action. No complainers-from-the-sidelines allowed. (I’m happy to hear from Apprentices as well, as you are Elders in the making.) Notice, age has nothing to do with it.

So, let’s make this an interactive column. Please leave your ideas and comments on the questions that I have put forth and feel free to raise other issues that are important to you.

DO IT NOW – JUST CLICK AND TYPE.

I would also like you to join me at our monthly Chapter Meetings for lunch to further this discussion. We will have a “Council of Elders” table designated.

I leave you with the words of Desmond Tutu describing the Council of Elder’s mission: “Together we will work to support courage where there is fear, foster agreement where there is conflict, and inspire hope where there is despair.” Is there any one of us in NSA/GLAC not involved with those goals? Now, let’s roll up our sleeves and help each other do even better.

Happy Holidays,

Judith Parker Harris