Ken Carter, “Average is Just Not Good Enough, Period.”

Jeff and I saw Coach Carter when it came out back in 2005. We thought it was a great movie. Inspirational! When we found out he was coming to the University of St Thomas to speak, we were really excited! I put it right on our calendars and starting inviting people.

 

If you've not seen the movie, here is a brief clip:


What would be your impression of this coach? He seems strict. He doesn't pussy-foot around. He speaks the truth. He stresses team unity. He cares about these kids.

This was not the man who showed up at St Thomas. Jeff and I were so disappointed in this speaker. Perhaps he's been doing this circuit too long. He was a goofball! It was almost like it was it was doing a stand-up comedian routine instead of a motivational speaker. He didn't seem prepared. He was repetitive. This guy loved to hear himself speak. He spoke for about an hour fifteen, and then had another 45 min of q&a (where he never really answered any questions...and there were some good questions).

There were about 4-5 guys in the audience that he continually harassed. The first couple times he smacked them on the chest, it was a little funny. BUT it continued throughout the entire speech. His big thing was that it was OK because he has personality. What kind of a message is that? He insulted them on several occasions. But  it's ok....he's got personality. I couldn't believe it!

A couple friends of ours from church came with us to this event. We were embarrassed that this was the first time we'd ever really hung out with them, and it turned out to be such a disappointment to us.

While the overall experience was unsatisfactory, he did make us laugh. He is funny. Just at times it was very inappropriate.

While many of his statements were contradictory, we did like many of his one-liners. Here are a few that struck a chord with us:

• There is a difference between being broke and being poor. Being broke is when you don't have enough money; being poor is a state of mind.
• Do more than you're paid for as an investment in your future.
• Don't get paid by the hour, get paid for the value you bring to the hour.
• What you think is what you become.
• What you do a lot, you will do well; what you do well, you will do a lot.
• Success is only 6" away - the distance from one ear to the other.
• Knowledge is not power, using it is.
• If you write something down, it is 10x more likely to happen.
• You have to improve yourself 1% each day. In 100 days, you'll be 100% better.
• Every night write down your greatest accomplishment. Then when you're having a bad day, read over that journal for some validation. It will turn your day around.
• You  need to be a good follower before you can be a great leader.
• Haters are just misdirected fans.
• What is the world going to be like if you don't reach your full potential? 
• A goal is a great idea with a deadline.
• Successful people will go from one failure to the next enthusiastically.
• As we let our light shine, we inspire others to do so.
• Spring follows winter every year.
• You will never accomplish anything great when you're comfortable.

In and of themselves, these lines could be motivational.

During the lecture, I had a pretty good time, actually. I was laughing. hard. Then it went on and on and on. The jokes weren't as funny any more.

After it was over, and we were talking about our experience, we realized just how mediocre it was.

Ethics and Law of Rule in African Leadership: Case of the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Tonight, Jeff and I had an opportunity to go and listen to Dr. Oscar Kashala, 2006 & 2011 Presidential Candidate, Democratic Republic of the Congo and National President, Union for the Rebuilding of the Congo.

It was fascinating!

I was really struck by the humility of this man. To him, those going into leadership must do it to serve the people. When asked, during the Q&A portion, how he intended to win the election when he was not in the country, his response was that his campaign was based on the people and the party in place. He is very well educated, holding an M.D., Ph.D., and D.Sc; He is an internationally recognized cancer specialist. Dr. Kashala is also a faculty member at several universities in DRC and in the US, one of which is Harvard University. On top of all that, he holds an executive position at an American pharmaceutical company. All of this is evidence leading to the assumption that he is humble, because of his willingness to leave all that he has accomplished in the U.S. to return to DRC (a very dangerous country - especially for a presidential candidate!). He seemed to really care about making changes in his country.

I was also struck by how human he seemed. After expressing gratitude to be at the University of St Thomas speaking and thanking many who helped make his lecture possible, he paused to say he needed to consult with his Communications Director because he did not have his speech at the lectern with him. This got a laugh from the audience. Throughout his speech, there were a few quips here and there that provoked subtle laughter from the audience. I thought it really helped to keep me focused.

Here are a few, sparse notes that Jeff attempted to take while listening to the lecture. I, of course, didn't bring anything to take notes with or on, but many of the same things struck me as well.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is very rich in resources.
It has the highest infant/maternal mortality rate in Africa.
87.3% unemployment rate
99% of the population lives in poverty, on less than $1/day.
Many families do what is known as "eating by rotation." (Ex. In a family of four, the parents eat one day, child one the next day, child two the next, then back to the parents).
Africa's colonial past has been devastating, leaving a power vacuum.
DRC is lagging behind Africa in development.

Ethics is a moral compass guiding one to what is right and wrong (can vary).

Rule of law enables obligation, rights, etc.
It allows for arbitration.
It is a standard of how to behave and punishment for failure.
It is necessary for an efficient society.
It is critical - no individual should be exempt.
It is crucial for economic development.

Leadership is the ability to compel all people to do what you believe is right.
It cannot be isolated from the people.

A major problem for post-colonial countries has been that the leadership that rose up against their suppressors was that of a particular caliber. When fighting for freedom, a different type of leader is needed from one who can operate a country. It is a different skill set. This has been problematic for many countries in Africa.

Service in government, at any level, is a privilege - and should be treated so.

What can't people with money affect change for good and take a leadership role for the community??

Good leaders must have some level of intelligence; the current president of DRC was educated only to the 4th grade level!

DRC is selling all its resource rights - mineral, water, forest, etc.

Congolese people are traumatized; rape is rampant; families are murdered.

Overall, Jeff and I truly enjoyed this experience and hope to take advantage of more lecture opportunities in the future. We also hope to somewhat follow the future of DRC. Dr. Kashala seemed to make a lot of sense to us, and we will be curious to see if he is able to get elected and affect the change necessary to end corruption and better his country!