Diary of a Chapter Leader

Nancy,

I'm very glad to hear about this. You have my best wishes that you have a well-attended VOV meeting that can affect people, and help make changes for the good in their lives.

Namaste,
Kris

Joe,
Since I do not know you I take what you say at face value, I would recommend you do the same with me, until you actually know me.

I observe you use complex language structure vice direct language structure.

I do not provide re-interpretations of anything. I offer my own understanding as an individual.

I am not taught to act any certain way by the SGI, as some might inject. That is biased thinking on others part. I study and I learn. I have a brain

I am not sure what duality you speak of. I see many local leaders with an agenda vice a desire to help others. Individual responsibility. Hold the individuals accountable for their own actions instead of blaming SGI for how each person acts within the SGI. I do.

People deserve to be respected where they are at ease and comfortable. Talking about your chapter/district/area serves no purpose other than gossip. You can say otherwise, but talking about someone instead of talking to someone is just gossip, and mean spirited.

Human revolution lies in respecting others. Perhaps respecting others more than self may be an activity that some must work on more and not less. Becoming a leader is the opportunity to accomplish this. Big ego vice little ego. Self vice others.

My experience is that those that disrespect themselves are the first to disrespect others.

Patrick

Patrick, fair enough.
It wasn't BS or patronizing when I said that your answer was intelligent or that I agreed with you. I firmly believe that this is a faith based organization and that the leadership, or people of responsibility, have the responsibility to act accordingly. But I've been dialoging with some of those individuals you mentioned and there is a disturbing inconsistency from what you are saying and the meaning you have imbued into it, with which I agree, and what I can only label a convenient re-interpretation of the very same issues. There is a duality being super imposed where none should exists.

Joe,
I am not good at trick questions, I am honest and I speak honestly and directly.

Actual proof of continuing faith to encourage others. answer.

Leaders are not exempt from continuing faith.

Just because the activity does not take place at a community center does not mean 'actions as a human being' are not still esential to individual behavior.

Nichiren says, "the purpose of Shakyamuni Buddha, Lord of Teachings, advent, lies in his behavior as a human being."

How we act and treat others is a reflection of our individual faith.

The activity VOV is a faith-based activity for all not just members, but members and leaders alike.

My VOV experience is that the group wanting to have a VOV activity must find an outside sponsor. In Las Vegas, we went to the local Community College, CCSN.

The SGI is still the visible organization at the VOV activity.

Patrick

Patrick,
"Definition of an SGI leader. One whom leads others to the Gohonzon.
How do you separate that from the organization?
The SGI is about empowering each individual equally, and not making distinctions. faith-based."

That's an intelligent answer.

"answer..The SGI is a faith-based organization, including the leadership."

I couldn't agree with you more. So would you say that your actions as a leader, in a faith-based organization which exists to promulgate faith-based tenets, should be to foster that same faith when representing that organization in a sponsored activity?

Joe,
Spelling is not my strong suite.

Definition of an SGI leader. One whom leads others to the Gohonzon.

How do you separate that from the organization?

The SGI is about empowering each individual equally, and not making distinctions. faith-based.

I am not against Nancy supporting VOV. What I am against is Nancy using VOV for her own agenda, and not remaing all inclusive.

The membership deserves better than that.

I hope I answered your question Joe.

answer..The SGI is a faith-based organization, including the leadership.

Nancy, I never stated whom should be in charge but you stated whom will not be in charge, the MD Area leader. Just stating the obvious.

BTW, your friend that posted that you are a great project manager is quite telling, as well.

Nancy says, "as most of you know, we SGI member don't know anything about anything except what we've been fed by SGI"

Opinoion and a poor one at that. Easy to say everyone is ignorant but not very nice to others.

Maybe a more correct statement is Nancy only knows what the SGI told her.

Nancy you do not need to speak for me or the rest of the SGI with regards to what the membership knows.

Patrick

Nancy,
Don't give up. That's why you're here.

Patrick,
Trick question (at least I told you);
Can you separate the faith aspect from the organizational matters as a leader in the District/Chapter/Area arena?

It's spelled McCloskey by the way.

Byrd,
That study things sounds like a great idea. I would have attended that and would have loved to be involved in the original activity. As anyone who has been a member of SGI knows, SGI is different. If a group of people wished to put on VOV, they would go out into the community and try to find people who have connections or talents that would help make the event a success. In SGI, any number of things could happen. It is easy in SGI to get forget the point.

During that first meeting, there were so many things that got confused. If we are going to encourage inner-faith dialog, then we have to listen and shut up. And, as most of you know, we SGI member don't know anything about anything except what we've been fed by SGI. And we really don't even understand that. I don't think inner-faith dialog is going to happen.

Next time you have a great idea Byrd, let us know. We, the FWP community will help you!

Nancy

I have reread my blog. I can not find any place where I said I should run this thing. I feel I can bring this point up because I am not the one to run this. In fact, I now think a member in our district is the right choice. She has passion for this.

The problem with allowing/insisting that the highest MD leader be in charge of everything in the area means most of it won't get done. The faith leader is that, the FAITH leader.

Let's look at this differently. Here is a man who has a family, full time job and is area leader. If we allow/insist that he be personally in charge of every aspect of the SGI area, how can others grow? How can the organization grow? It can only accomplish what this one man has the time, energy and passion to accomplish.

Ah, never mind, I know I can't change your mind.

Nancy

My initial point, based on the blog is the activity lacks any real unity, or mutual respect between partners, based on what nancy wrote in her Blog.

Unity is what is needed in faith-based activities within the SGI and not the greatest project manager.

Based on Nichiren Buddhism every person already has everything they need to be a success at everything they choose, so success is not based on the person whom can run a rodeo, but whom has the biggest heart. A true leader can encourqage everyone to work together and achieve the goal for VOV.

Joe,
SUA is not the SGI, but a private liberal arts university, established by Daisaku Ikeda in response to Josei Toda's wishes. I guess Universities hire employees to do the daily work, and not ask the SGI to do their work for them. Just an observation.

The SGI is a volunteer organization, that does have some paid employees.

The District/Chapter/Area environment is faith-based alone and nothing more, as established by Josei Toda, The Second President of the Soka Gakkai.

Patrick

Interesting dialogue.
The person in charge of managing the fund raising for Soka University is not a member. She's employed. At least, that's what she told me.

Mike the comment was not oriented towards you.

Namcy, claims to be better than the MD leader; making distinctions.

The SGI is not about project management, but is a faith-based organization.

Working outside of faith is something else and not the SGI.

Nancy, wants to be large and in charge of everyone else that is her agenda.

Nancy knows other do not, is what I hear her saying.

Regarding leaders, professional associations are nor a requirement for leadership, unless you want a tiered system.

I guess you make distinctions along with Nancy, believing you are better than others too.

The SGI is not about academic success; I have plenty of that. No it is about something else, as Nichiren says, "it is the heart that is most important" and not the head!

Regarding leadership, I have been a istrict leader for many years, in various regions of the country.

I do not care how much education you have you or no one is better than anyone else and all equally have the ability to be the Project manager or the leader as we say in the SGI.

IN SGI speak, we do not project manage anything the SGI is about faith-based activities.

I know many senior leaders that your analogy does not apply to, McClosky, Buck, Johnson, just to name a few corporate leaders in America, and many others I am sure.

Patrick

Patrick challenges;
"BTW, what are your qualifications regarding community programs since you know more than your leaders do about VOV?"

First, the leaders involved know nothing about community programs, at least none that is evident.

As it turns out, Nancy has extensive project experience working with the local JC's org in her city, as a volunteer project manager for the local airshow, as a volunteer project coordinator for the local Rodeo, not to mention as a business owner of her own business. No, not Amway. I believe she owns a print shop.

In fact, I also believe that she is not volunteering to help coordinate and run the VOV because is coincides with previous commitments.

In my experience Patrick, the higher the leader is in SGI, the LESS professional experience they've actually had. Many leaders in the past, specifically in NSA, had low-level jobs as laborers, mechanics and receptionists. Those with professional careers tended to not have the bandwidth to devote to NSA activities. In other words, they had a life.

I know there are exceptions to this generalization, one WD in San Jose is an exec in IBM in some department or another. Her wealth of real-world experience is painfully evident when viewed side-by-side the "faith" leaders.

What lever leadership to you hold Patrick? Just out of curiosity...

I had an interesting experience a few years ago when I wanted to start up an area-wide study activity. I had a plan that individuals, groups, chapters, discticts, would be able to take responsibility for different topics and we could have a sort of "study fair" at the community center, with discussion groups on the different topics (for example, "What's on the Gohonzon?" or "How Buddhism Traveled from East to West"). I thought this was going to be a fabulous activity(and indeed, it could have been). I was told by the line in no uncertain terms that I had to let the youth division run the show, and in all honesty, they did not know what they were doing. It was an odd situation, having to defer to people who did not have any experience because "President Ikeda wants to youth to take the lead". At the end, we ended up with two leader/speakers and a panel. No study fair, no small group discussions. Heck,, couldn't even get lunches for people to buy or picnic tables, and we had over 700 attendees. No budget, I was told, but I never got to see the budget.

Anyway, Nancy - you do have a mission, here. Maybe some speakers for your local schools discussing the signs of domestic or other violence, community resources, whatever. I know you can definitely change some lives, here. Maybe even save some lives. Just don't let your dream get vetoed by people who don't have your investment. That's my two cents, anyway.

Take care. I'm very encouraged, Your friend, Wahzoh

Hello, Patrick -

Two things (below). You wrote:

"I belong to the Engineering community. this is about the SGI.

The SGI is a faith-based organization.

if you want to hijack the SGI's ideas you are welcome to, but at least give credit to the SGI for their efforts and their materials."

First, if the analogy irritates you, I apologize. It seemed apropos to me, and wasn't intended to irritate anyone but to illustrate what seemed to me to be a generic human trait, common to most if not all human organizations.

Was the comment about hijacking the SGI's ideas aimed at me? If so, I don't understand. I wasn't trying to utilize the SGI's ideas, efforts or materials, and I 'm not quite sure where you got the idea that I was. I was just reminded of issues I once faced as an NSA/SGI member/leader that seemed to parallel Nancy's problem, and chose to cooment regarding same. If your comment was aimed elsewhere, then please disregard this.

Namaste, Engyo Mike Barrett

I belong to the Engineering community. this is about the SGI.

The SGI is a faith-based organization.

if you want to hijack the SGI's ideas you are welcome to, but at least give credit to the SGI for their efforts and their materials.

I asked about your background Nancy in community activism, because being a Chapter leader is no more qualified than a MD Area Leader.

VOV does not require a project manager, it requires people willing to work hard. I have worked on VOV before and your comments suggest you have an agenda different than the SGI's, Nancy.

Patrick

Nancy -

I hope that your VOV meeting is a success.

Regarding Patrick's comments, this is an issue which plagues my industry. Just because someone is a good engineer does not mean they make a good manager. Unfortunately, my industry doesn't choose managers on the basis of managerial skills, but on their engineering skills. I don't know why, and it often causes significant problems within engineering firms. See almost any Dilbert comic for examples.

Since I imagine this happens elsewhere as well, I guess it's human nature. For some, being PC within the group culture is a much larger measure of the success of an endeavor than it is for others. I guess there are varying opinions/expectations of what constitutes a truly successful VOV meeting (or any other activity), and these varying expectations are where the stress levels begin to rise. It was certainly true during my time as an NSA/SGI member/leader in Houston.

Namaste, Engyo Mike Barrett

Nancy says.."The project manage can't be a faith leader."

Based on your above statement, then this is not an SGI event, nor a faith-based event and not an SGI activity. Yet Victory Over Violence is an SGI activity. Please make up your mind.

BTW, what are your qualifications regarding community programs since you know more than your leaders do about VOV?

Patrick

That is so cool, Nancy! WHat is your group planning to do? Are you going to sponsor speakers, or do school outreach, or what?

I am very stoked to hear about this, and look forward to reading more. Best, Wahzoh