A New Day has Dawned ...

About 30 seconds into Barack Obama's inauguration speech, I knew that I wasn't going to make it through without crying. (Good thing I was surrounded by my close friends, in front of whom I've already embarassed myself on numerous occasions.)

When he called upon Americans to heed the call of our country, I could feel it welling up within me. When he committed us to the course that lay ahead with the strength and perseverance of our ancestors, I lost it. By the time he was done, I had a newfound determination ... which has led me here.

No matter which side of the political spectrum we sit on, the one thing on which we all can agree is that Obama has redefined the concept of "community organizing." His campaign embraced young people on the Web, led them away from their self-aggrandizing MySpace pages, and rallied them to get involved in the greater cause. His message was fresh, simple and inspiring: "Yes, We Can." When was the last time we heard a message for "We", instead of "Me"?

The momentum of this message continues even today. His campaign database just won’t quit – in fact, it’s evolving into a grassroots tool that will inform, hype, and rally the troops for our generation’s New Deal. And no one across the aisle is immune, not since he found Colin Powell wandering the Republican outlands and recruited him to serve the cause.

Meanwhile, five thousand different groups have sprung up across the nation to serve this New Deal, and these groups have several goals: civic engagement through community service projects, organizing the grassroots electorate, and legislative reform. You can find one in your community - just go to http://www.usaservice.org and enter your zip.

Look in your own neighborhood. These groups are pushing Obama's agenda that you heard so clearly yesterday. They are headed down the long and winding road towards rebuilding the infrastructure of America with the intention of pulling us out of the recession. They are going to need a lot of training to accomplish their goals, but how much the Federal government can supply is yet to be seen. Certainly, while they will learn the "why" from Obama's inspiration, they will need content to teach them "how."

And that is what has led me here. Too long I have sat on my couch; too much information have I hoarded. It is time to express goodwill and share my ideas, to provoke conversation and serve my country with my experiences. Here I will post my materials on leadership, training, and human development freely for all to enjoy - with the caveat that you use them in service to the greater cause.

Here you will find "Thought Leadership," and for those of you who participate, you can become Leaders in your own right. I welcome your comments, your rants, and even your criticism.

For those of you in the field of human development, I intend to employ my strength - creating activities that reinforce behavioral learning objectives. So if you have a need, bring it forward and let it be heard. Most likely, you are not the only one with that specific need.

I will leave you with this Parting Quote of the Day, one from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in honor of his legacy. "If you want to be important -- wonderful. If you want to be recognized -- wonderful. If you want to be great -- wonderful. But, recognize that he who is greatest among you shall be your servant. That's a new definition of greatness."