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Fulton Keeps Rising By John Sarvay | June 12, 2013

It's been two years since Peter Fraser and I teamed up to tackle a neighborhood building initiative with Virginia LISC. Our six months of working shoulder-to-shoulder with the residents of the Greater Fulton community in Richmond's East End was humbling, educational and fulfilling. I continue to stay curious about the Fulton community, and am always excited when I hear more evidence of continued progress -- a real testiment to the residents, and the team at LISC.

This morning, I attended the City of Richmond's 2nd Annual Business Recognition Breakfast. There were plenty of familiar faces in the room, and some truly fantastic businesses receiving recognition for their success. I have to say that the single best moment of the morning was to learn about Dhakar Dental, which opened a dental office last fall in the medically underserved Fulton community. Dr. Dhakar and his team not only employee six local residents, but they already boast almost 500 patients. There was not a dental office within walking distance for the 5,000 families in Fulton until Dhakar Dental opened.

And that's what makes the work of community building and change so fulfilling.

 

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Basketball Illuminates the Individual v Team Leadership Rift By John Sarvay | June 12, 2013

I first learned about the importance of self-awareness, supporting the success of others, and the fine balance between individual leadership and team performance from a guy named Guy. A Texan, Guy Clumpner pushed all of my buttons initially -- perhaps he was telling me more about myself than I wanted to hear at the time -- but the work he, and others, had done transforming team cultures in San Antonio was illuminating. Guy works for the original Caterpillar equipment dealer, Holt Caterpillar, a family-owned business. The family also owns the San Antonion Spurs.

Both teams -- Holt Caterpillar and the Spurs -- have spent an inordinate amount of time and energy focusing on the leadership lessons of Ken Blanchard and the importance of values-based leadership. This morning, NPR sports commentator Frank DeFord talked about what makes the Spurs so simultaneously exceptional and forgettable.

"In basketball, as in life, we may dutifully celebrate the aggregate, but we're always spellbound by the exceptional," says Frank Deford.

The Spurs have won four titles, and may be on their way to a fifth. They've become the fourth most successful franchise through exceptional teamwork and solid understated performances. I suspect their exposure to effective team and leadership practices has been as important as their ball-handling.

 

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Seven Brainstorming Lessons By Carlee Smith | June 10, 2013

Just last week Caroline and I were tasked with creating a video for the Summer of Self-Discovery series.  Creating this video was one experience full of many insightful takeaways, some lessons more profound than others.

As we jumped into the task, there may or may not have been looks of uncertainty passed between us as we wondered what kind of video we would be able create in one day.  These looks quickly turned to looks of excitement as we started brainstorming and thinking of idea after idea.    

We dreamed.  We sketched.  We scoured the office for props. 

Lesson #1: Two brains are better than one

Lesson #2: No idea is a completely bad idea

Our incredibly brilliant idea of taping ourselves writing on the whiteboard, full of high fives and amazing shots of the back of our heads quickly came to a halt when we realized there were no dry erase markers to be found. 

Lesson #3: Always have dry erase markers on hand

Never fear, Caroline and I changed course, found a large roll of white paper, and went to work on our new vision.  Since our materials were now a bit more permanent than dry erase markers, we knew we had to be a one-take wonder. 

We went to work.   As we wrote out our message, added flair with glitter, and laughed at the process, our excitement for the idea began to fade.  We looked at each other and both felt that this was not working.  The vision of how our idea would play out was not playing out the way we imagined.  Our great idea was less than great.  {If 1E was full of sound effects, we would have heard a nice  “womp womp” in the background}

Lesson #4: Sometimes you can’t see the beauty through the mess

Lesson #5: Glitter makes everything better, even when it gets cut from the video.

We tried a few other takes and finally Caroline uttered the words I had been dreading: “Carlee, you’re going to have to be on camera.”

Well, what’s an intern to do except take one for the team. What felt like 4 very awkward takes later, Caroline released me. 

I left Caroline with tons of footage.  This footage may have been very questionable, but it was footage nonetheless.

Fast forward to Sunday night.  I see the video, and it’s amazing.  

I had no idea the magic that Caroline had up her sleeve. She managed to take a mess of disjointed, possibly unusable footage and turned it into an amazing video.  And as amazed as I am at her editing skills, I am also thankful my scenes made the cutting room floor.  (I’ll pay you later, Caroline)

Lesson #4: Trust the process

Lesson # 5: Sometimes the mess IS the beauty. It’s there you will find the happy accidents.

In the end, I think it’s safe to say that we both learned that risks can pay off.  And my final lesson:  if all else fails, laugh at the blooper reel.

 

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Dive Into A Summer of (Self) Discovery! By John Sarvay | June 2, 2013

 

 

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A Time To Play By Carlee Smith | June 1, 2013

Before I walked into 1E to begin my internship with Floricane, and even before I walked the hollowed grounds of Vanderbilt’s Peabody College as a graduate student, I walked the colorful halls of a children’s hospital.  I was given the privilege and honor of working with patients and volunteers.  In my department in the children’s hospital, we lived in a world that played.  

Yes, I was paid to play. 

We played to build relationships with patients.  We played with toy medical equipment to help patients learn about the new things they would see and experience.  We played to help kids express themselves.  We played to help reduce the stress of the hospital. 

And sometimes we played to, well, play. 

A catch phrase we often used was “Play is the language of children.” 

So imagine my surprise and delight when this familiar language reappeared at Floricane.

In graduate school, we rarely talk about play, and I surely didn’t expect it in my internship.  But sure enough, when talking with John about my goals for the summer, he invited me to “play in this space.” 

This may have been the first time, but I doubt will be the last time, I hear this language used.  I don’t have to look much further than the brightly colored walls, the Legos sitting as desk ornaments, the chalkboard painted flower vases, or sharpies or colored pencils galore to know that this is environment that supports play. 

What a great opportunity I’ve been given to learn, explore, take risks, and try new things all in this safe and positive space. 

Play may be the language of children, but I think while I explore this new world of Floricane, I’m going to speak that language too.

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