Last night we had two particular people come to talk to us in our Leadership class at Fresno State. One person was an executive director, and the other a member on the board of CCMRS. The executive director was a sweet, professional woman whom I grew to respect tremendously. Her method of leading the particular CBO she is involved in is very similar in the way I would approach leading as well. She is continually open minded to learn, improve, and understand from others around her whether they may be a part of the board or one of their clients. She said that she has learned so much more than if she wouldn’t have simply listened or observed those around her, in becoming a more successful and wise executive director. It reminded me of a quote, “The mind is like a parachute, it doesn’t work unless it’s open”. A quote that I have grown to appreciate and understand more as I grow and experience life day after day. I believe this type of thinking really opens up more doors and helps us reach higher levels of opportunity than we could have ever wished to have done on our own.
The other person who was with her is a member on CCMRS’ board. He was very inspiring in the things that he passed along to us. He mentioned that this organization he is a part of stands firm on the belief that “we can do more together than we can alone”, he believes that the board is very committed in keeping the mission, and had immersed themselves deep enough into the organization that they not only are a part of the board, but they are living out the mission they have created throughout most, if not all areas of life. His greatest advise he shared with us, was that we should study, learn, and research the organization that we are interested in getting involved in. We should know what we are getting into from the get get, so we can fully commit, follow, and live according to the standards in which the organization strives for and stands for. If you cannot fully commit to the organization’s mission statement, then you would in the end only slow down the true desires of why that organization was created in the first place!