For those that need a quick update on the facts of the situation, here is a link the News Tribune article referring to the suit and the editorial from the Tribune on the same subject.

Here is where the situation stands today from the perspective of the Rescue Mission. (Sound Transit may characterize the situation differently, as would be expected)

1.  Impacts on the Building – Both Sound Transit and the Rescue Mission have hired  engineers to study the potential impacts the train will have on the services of the Rescue Mission.  Sound Transit engineers have recommended mitigation on a limited number of rooms on the north side of our building (the side directly parallel the tracks), while feedback from our engineers suggests that there will be impacts on our learning center, office/conference spaces, and dormitory.  Therefore we have requested that they extend their mitigation to include the additional habitable spaces in our learning center and offices, as well as the shelter dormitory.  This is essentially a restatement of our previous position, that every inhabited space that is in line with sound of the train be mitigated due to the proximity of the train line, and the 24/7 usage of the building, but augmented with documentation from the engineering study.

Sound Transit has now taken this data and is preparing a response.

2.  Property settlement

Sound Transit’s original offer for the property settlement was based upon an assessment of the property.  To confirm the value of the assessment we hired an appraiser to evaluate their proposal.  There was a gap between the two professional opinions which was significant, with Sound Transits offer only a third of what our appraiser recommended.  We forwarded this review to Sound Transit, which has thus far rejected the review.

Summary: Our desire is to see a swift resolution of these matters so that the impacts of delay on Sound Transit will be minimized.  Nevertheless, it is my responsibility to ensure that the Rescue Mission, both as a private property owner and a advocate for the vulnerable population that we serve on behalf of the community, is not harmed by the railroad extension.  There is no doubt we will be impacted.  It is our position that we can only respond to the offers that have been made thus far, which we have done with the augmentation of the aforementioned review of appraisal and engineering report.  Until counter offer that is fundamentally different from the first offer which was we deemed insufficient is made, we’re a an impasse.  If the impasse remains, unfortuntely it will have to be settled by a jury in a court of law.

Thank you so much to the many people who have been encouraging and are concerned about how the work of the Rescue Mission will be impacted by the train.

Questions: Write any questions you may have and I’ll try to answer them as best I can.

David Curry

I’m using this opportunity experiment with how we can use computer tablets, in this case the Ipad, to help us build a more effective Learning community for homeless kids and parents. Hopefully along the way we’ll discovery some ways we can be more efficient teachers as well. This isn’t our first experiment Read here some of the other innovations we are making.

Here’ the experiment:

We’ve purchased eight Ipads and distributed them to various teachers/councilors through the Rescue Mission with one charge: Experiment! I want them to try stuff, use it for reading projects, use it for presentations, find ways to use it to spark the imagination of your students.

At the opening of the Adams St. Campus, the Ipad’s go to the students and we evaluate how we move forward.

No reason, NO REASON AT ALL, that homeless students should get anything but the best possible teaching and the most creative of teachers. Let’s experiment!!! As they say, “if you know how it’s gonna turn out, it’s not an experiment”.

DC

Do you become a great public speaker by spending 30 hours crafting a speech? No. You become a great public speaker by giving lots and lots of speeches. So it in every area of leadership, just as in any sport. The more you see of a particular set of decisions, crisis points, the more you will become skilled in handling them.

Here’s how you do this:

1. Recognize the areas of leadership in which you have a talent.

2. Put yourself in situations where you can use this talent, practicing your leadership in this role

3. Analyze how you handled that particular leadership skill/decision

4. As soon as possible, jump right back in and try again with the knowledge you’ve gained.

If you’ve ever had an interaction with someone who was withholding, timid, self-conscious and slow to speak their mind you know how frustrating it can be. Conversely, any conversation with someone who is comfortable with themselves, lively with their interest in the world, and authentic is a pleasure.

Sadly, these kinds of reactions are all too rare. In fact, you’ll be disappointed if you spend your time waiting for others to bring their best self to any interaction.

That’s not to say this lesson needs to be lost. It should serve as a reminder to you and me to always bring your best self to any interaction, whether that is a meeting, one on one conversation, or listening to your kids at the dinner table. Focus is a great gift that you give to others, and they sense when you are withholding it. Be Authentic, Be engaging, Be Focused, and you’ll find every conversation takes on extra enjoyment.

DC

Not long ago I listened to NPR show that made me want to be a multiplier rather than a diminisher. A multiplier is someone who brings out the very best, the genius, in someone else.  In contrast, a diminisher is someone who seems to manage in a way that makes people want to do only the bare minimum.  Sounds easy, but is it?

Here’s the challenge: the NPR piece is a short but valuable piece of information, especially as we are all stretched to achieve more than our job description calls for, and to get more from others who work with us.  I encourage all Rescue Mission staff and followers to engage and to take the 5 minutes to either read or listen to this and respond.

Because this audio is so provoking, this is an opportunity for all staff to have a dialogue regarding this concept and share what you’ve learned. If it has taught you anything, post it on the blog.  It is a risk to put yourself out there but it is also a way to become a multiplier.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=128401148

Here are a few questions to get us started.
When you feel like you’ve been around a Multiplier, what kinds of things has she/he done that has brought out the best in you?
What happens in a group when they are unleashed by a Multiplier?
What are some ways you are practicing “Multiplication”?
What if, according to the org chart, you don’t manage anyone, does this idea still apply?

Let the conversation continue…

Elis Taylor

That’s why each summer we schedule a series of coffee events around Pierce County for Rescue Mission supporters to gather and get to know me and each other.  It’s brief, no more than an hour, and fun.

Here’s the Schedule for the week.  If you’re in the area drop on in, even for  a few minutes to say “HI”.

Monday July 12th: Bonney Lake Starbucks (next to Walmart) at 1PM  Sumner Starbucks (main & valley) 2:30pm

Tuesday July 13th: Lakewood Starbucks (100 St)  1pm, Black Bear Yogurt (Steilacoom Blvd) 2pm

Wednesday July 14th: Puyallup, Downtown Forza 1pm, Starbucks at Canyon Crossings 2:30pm

Thursday July 15th: Gig Harbor. Starbucks North (near Target and Home Depot) 1pm and Cutters Point Uptown at 2:30pm

Friday July 16th: University Place Forza at 11am, Mandolin Cafe on 12th in Tacoma at 1pm and Cutters Point UWT at 2:30pm.

I look forward to meeting with you and getting to know you better.

David Curry

Tom Peters makes this point brilliantly in this short 2 min video:

But it’s also missing something…fun. Having kids around makes you messy, but it adds the most valuable of things…LIFE. Bring the boys back, Let’s get the place dirty again.

So it is at work, especially in high traffic facilities such as the Rescue Mission campuses. WE strive hard to keep them immaculately clean and it’s a standard we won’t budge on, yet never find yourself wishing that “if only these people weren’t here we could keep this place REALLY clean. No, the only reason we want our buildings empty is when we have successfully housed all the homeless and helped them get back on their feet. Until then, let’s fill the place up, overflow it and keep on cleaning.

David Curry

Here’s some highlights of last night’s board meeting:

1.  The board has been working all year on refining our back-office structure so that we can say with confidence that each part of our organization meets the highest professional standard.  With this in mind, the board has been re-working and adopting the bylaws or the organization (those rules and standards which guide us over the long haul) and adopting some board policies (those guidelines which govern the proper management and oversight of the board and organization).  The new polices and bylaws were adopted last night.

2.  The board adopted a new budget for 2010/11. Our budget this year is quite conservative in this uncertain financial environment, but moves us forward on several key points: Innovation -this year we will be implementing streaming technology which will allow us to share our teachers between our various campuses, thus saving resources and doing more good.  Excellence in facilities -we are continuing to improve our facilities so that they inspirational, clean and organized.  Support for the staff -this budget will allow us to continue to work on our goals of providing health care and improved pay for the front lines staff.

3.   Discussion of Sound Transit mitigation negotiations.  The board was briefed on the ongoing lawsuit Sound Transit is pursuing against the Rescue Mission.  I won’t bore you with a recitation of the facts here but here’s a link to my past blog on Sound Transit v. Rescue Mission.

Once Again, thanks to our board of Directors for volunteering their time and talents to give guidance, oversight and insight to me and the Rescue Mission.

David Curry

Rather than look towards setting down rules that can be enforced only through vigilent monitoriing, I like to work on just a couple of key principles.

1.  Encourage and measure greatness in the job and don’t worry too much about micromanaging people.  Inevitably people will have to use the phone, internet, and other tools for personal tasks during the day and largely this is understood.  The problem arises when people begin to take advantage of these devices to divert from doing their jobs and instead overwhelming use them to do ANYTHING other than their job.  If you measure performance, then some of the details take care of themselves.  If you start counting phone calls and time on Facebook, you’ve got a long day ahead of you and you had better commit to blocking it entirely or being ever-present with your employees.  If however, you measure the outcomes of the job-setting a high standard of excellence and performance, then many of the smaller details will take care of themselves.  You will find that focusing on standards of excellence and performance will help you identify those who are wisely using their time and being productive.

2.  Hire great people. So much of these type of issues is tied up with the maturity of those you choose to join your organization.  If you have to address these issues, and sometimes you will, then you are probably dealing with someone who has other issues as well.  When you hire great people you no longer have to be the babysitter or policeman.  Instead, you can focus on your tasks and job as a leader and just encourage them in their growth.  Conversely, if you hire people you can afford, or someone who is a quick fix for filling the position, watch out.  You’ll be spending most of your time monitoring their behaviors and before long you’ll feel like a first rate private detective.

David Curry