I have had the great opportunity to witness an attitude change for an entire organization, and it all started with some caring teenagers who:

Saw need for change
Volunteered to invest time for change
Sought out help
Studied other organizations for insight
Helped evaluate present situation
Asked their leadership to communicate established ‘core values’
Realized that if change were to happen it had to begin with them
Spent time deciding what leadership characteristics they had to model
Begin to set in motion a plan for change
Implemented change that was based on ‘servant leadership’ and ‘leading by example.’

Here are some core facts that helped them get ‘change’ started:

They cared about the organization
They wanted to make the organization the best it could be
They were willing to invest time
They wanted to see results
They wanted to set a foundation for future success.

What can we learn?

Leadership often comes from the workforce
Leaders need to be open to ideas of those they lead
Bottom up leadership ideas need to be encouraged
If you have made a commitment to an organization, strive to make it the best it can be
If you are committed to the organization, be willing to accept change

The group of students that initiated the change mentioned above are members of the Centennial High School Marching Band Leadership Team. When they started there was no team, just students who cared. They have made a tremendous impact on the organization in one year and I can’t wait to see what legacy they will get to witness when they come back as alumni.

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