Elevate U - Al Duncan - The Black Collegian Magazine

Al's Blog -- Duncan Nuggets™

2009-11-25T08:15:00.007-05:00

A ton of people have been asking me why I haven't been blogging and the answer is...

I have.

Subscribe to Duncan Nuggets™ if you want to stay up to date with my latest articles and commentary.

Thanks!

Words of Wisdom 18: Service to Many

2008-12-10T10:20:00.001-05:00

What will you do today to be a better servant?

“Service to many is the prerequisite of greatness.”
-Al “The Inspiration” Duncan

Words of Wisdom 7: Identity Theft

2008-12-03T06:28:00.000-05:00

Do you have a bank account? Where? Regardless of where you bank the real question is do you have identity theft protection?

Be sure to sign up for some form of identity theft protection with your bank, credit card provider, or some company that specializes in identity theft plans.

Related Articles:
4 Keys For Smart Credit Card Use
African Americans and Identity Theft
Pervs, Politicos and Prey:
Protect Your Credit Rating – It Can Impact Your Future!

Words of Wisdom 35: Leadership

2008-11-26T06:48:00.000-05:00

One crucial key to becoming an exceptional leader is to make sure your people are inspired more by the mission than your individual greatness.

Related Articles:
A Lesson on Leadership from Jackie Robinson
Tips for Developing Leadership Style
Perfecting Your Leadership Qualities

Words of Wisdom 12: Money Smarts

2008-11-19T16:31:00.001-05:00

When comes to credit cards and loans be sure to check the facts about the annual percentage rate (APR) before signing on the dotted line. Is fixed or variable? Under what circumstances can it be raised?

Related Articles:
4 Keys for Smart Credit Card Use
College Debt 101
Avoid the Credit Card Trap

Words of Wisdom 74: Emotional Mastery

2008-11-12T06:54:00.001-05:00

It takes 3-5 seconds for the chemicals that produce emotions to flood your system. So the age-old aphorism about counting to ten before you respond has an equal amount of science and common sense behind it.

Related Articles:
Taming the Beast: 9 Keys for Master Your Anger
With Friends Like These
Emotions and Your Health: Anger
What is your EQ? (Emotional Intelligence Quotient)

Invest in Real Estate?

2008-11-12T00:09:00.002-05:00

Q: What's up Al? I need some advice... I'm livin here at school and I just recently rented a house... my old land lord currently wants to sell my old house for about 78k. I was thinking if I bought the house then rented it out it would be a way to get a income... what do u think?

A: Owning rental property is a good and profitable idea. Here a few things to consider:

1. Make sure you do a thorough title search or get a title search company to do it. If there is a lien on the house when you buy it then you will end up paying for the lien or even worse, you could lose the house and any money you've put into it. There's NOTHING you can do about that. Ouch. Liens take precedence over anything else.

2. If you end up buying the house make sure you get a FIXED APR, not an adjustable one.

3. How long can you afford to pay the mortgage yourself if you have trouble finding a tenant?I've seen a few people get jammed up dealing with this. It took longer to rent their property than they thought it would. They messed up their credit and almost lost the house because in addition to their normal mortgage, they had to pay the mortgage on the rental property.

Knowing that shouldn't scare you, just prepare you.

4. If your tenant(s) call you about repairs will you be able to make them or do you have the money to pay someone to do it?

5. Be careful with shady individuals and certain types of college students. They've been known to tear a place up! Get some references before you rent to them and do a credit check.

Reflect on those five things for awhile because a rental property could give you plenty of headaches and financial worries. But who knows? If you do this right you could graduate debt free or close to it, especially if you end up investing in more than one property. Let me know if you have any more questions.

How do you retire with an extra million dollars?

Words of Wisdom 6: Identity Theft

2008-11-06T15:24:00.000-05:00

When is the last time you checked your credit report? Have you ever checked it? Here's a tip:

Be sure to check your credit report at least once a year. Get a free credit report from www.annualcreditreport.com

Inside the Mind of Celeste Francine Jackson

2008-11-03T08:45:00.009-05:00

“Tolerance leads to cooperation; cooperation leads to unity, and unity leads to progress.”

–Celeste F. Jackson

A couple of years ago I was having a great time conducting a seminar on personalities and thinking styles. During this interactive seminar I used a few of the students as examples. Out of those students, one young lady in particular stood out and the end of the seminar we started talking.

In order to find out if I was really on my game, she challenged me to identify her thinking style. (That’s what I love about Millenials—they are open to new ideas and very skeptical at the same time so you better be on point when dealing with them.)

She gave me a big smile to signal her approval as I identified the correct thinking quadrant for her and then she told me her name: Celeste Jackson.

An outstanding student with an insatiable desire for knowledge and a strong sense of altruism, Celeste has an inspiring story that could never be captured on her impressive resume. Losing both of ones parents is something that would completely derail many people. But in spite of experiencing extreme personal tragedy at such an early age, she continues to excel.

She attends Duke University. She serves on Duke’s board for the Center for Race Relations and is in the school’s marching band. Celeste has been volunteering with America Reads and she recently participated in humanitarian endeavors over the summer in Uganda as a part of the DukeEngage program.

As part of DukeEngage she tutored primary school students in English and she worked in an HIV/AIDS clinic. There is no doubt that Celeste is a strong example of the power of resilience, determination, and the willingness to serve.

But don’t take my word for it, find out for yourself as you take a stroll inside the mind of Celeste Francine Jackson.

Note: This interview took place Feb. ‘08

IF AT FIRST YOU DON’T SUCCEED…

Explain to me how you ended up at Duke because when I originally looked at your resume it said you were attending Ursinus College [one of the top 50 liberal arts colleges in the U.S.].

When I initially applied to Duke I didn’t get in. But I did get into the University of Virginia. When I went to visit I didn’t like all that much and I didn’t get a lot of financial aid. Since I was from out of state—I’m from Pennsylvania—it ended up being like $40,000 per year. It wasn’t worth that much money to invest into something I didn’t love.

So, I went to Ursinus College where I got a Towers Scholarship which is an academic scholarship for the four years I would’ve been there which covered more than half of the tuition. But it was stepping stone in the process. I re-applied to Duke and got accepted the second time around. And I got a good financial aid package from them so, it worked out really well.

And you’re headed to London next year—The London School of Economics?

Yes. I just got in recently so, I’m very excited about that.

Congratulations! Are you going into economics?

Actually, I’ll be studying government. I want to be a politician. I want to get into the whole Washington, D.C. scene.

You can really learn a lot from people if

you take the time to understand
their diversity.

THE POWER OF DIVERSITY

Why is diversity so important for success in today’s world and how can we do a better job of helping people to embrace it?

I think diversity is so important because we’re in a diverse society and there’s no way to get around it. You can try to live in a bubble, but the people that you’re doing business with—the people that you’re seeing and interacting with on a daily basis are diverse. Everybody has different things to offer.

You can really learn a lot from people if you take the time to understand their diversity because as Americans most of us are immigrants or were brought here by force or we came here to escape some personal or national conflict. And with these differences comes so many points on which we can learn from each other.

People say—and I agree with them—that we are living in a hegemonic system with the United States being at the top. But it’s slowly beginning to change. So, you’re going to see in the next 25 years that countries like China are going to come and begin to be more dominant and as Americans we’re going to have to be able to embrace that. We’ve got to be able to work with people who come from different cultures.

TOLERANCE IS THE KEY

We need to be tolerant. Tolerance doesn’t mean that we have to totally accept, tolerance means that we can respect someone or something that’s different from what we are or different from what we believe. Tolerance leads to cooperation; cooperation leads to unity and unity leads to progress.

In order to make change happen you have to be able to unite people. You have to have people who are willing to work with you. You have to unite them behind a cause and then you can begin working for the betterment of people. But if you don’t have tolerance, people aren’t going to work together and we won’t be able to progress as a country or a community.

Even now, we see that the African-American and Latino communities are fighting it out and having problems in California and here in Durham, North Carolina because people aren’t focusing enough on trying to find that common ground. They don’t necessarily have to like each other but find that common ground and tolerate each other.

The problem isn’t the two cultures; the problem is the environment in which they are living. You have people fighting for scarce resources instead of working together. In a broader sense, if we [the U.S.] cannot work with other countries we are going to have a lot problems keeping our standard of living.

I don’t see education as an obligation.
I see it as a privilege.

CONFUSED ABOUT KNOWLEDGE

I know that you have pretty much been an academic all-star throughout your scholastic career. What are some things that students can do to become better academically?

I think the biggest problem is the way in which we think about education. Understanding the way in which we think about education is fundamental to how each individual will progress academically.

For instance, some students feel like education is an obligation they have to fulfill rather than having a real desire for the acquisition of knowledge. Many students are confused. They don’t know what they want to do so they just follow suit. Their parents tell them, “go to college because you have to” or “finish this because you have to” rather than the students wanting to.

The problem with thinking this way is that you’re going to do the bare minimum to get by. You’re never going to expand your academic drive and I would argue that you will never realize your full potential.

I don’t see education as an obligation. I see it as a privilege. I would say that this has been one of my motivations in life. I am privileged to have the opportunity to come to Duke to acquire knowledge and to understand life from many different perspectives. This privilege, this opportunity has given me the pathway to greater things.

If we can get students to change the way in which they think about education then they can change the way they approach academics.

The biggest questions that I’ve had about

life have been answered by
understanding and
learning from the
people I’m
helping.

BORN TO GIVE BACK

I believe that regardless of your career and passion, giving back should be a part of it. What makes community service and volunteerism so important?

I’ve been doing it since I was a little girl. My mom was a social worker. She worked in Trenton, New Jersey which is a pretty rough area. And there’s always a lot of improvement needed. My dad was a psychologist in New York. He worked for the Children’s Village. So, with my mother and my father we were always out there helping people. We were always doing something.

When I went out with them it made me realize how fortunate I was to have to parents who loved me and to be able to go to a school that I really loved. There are just so many opportunities that I have been given and because I’ve had so much I have so much more to share; so much more to give back.

Even if you don’t have a lot you will be surprised that the little you have is a lot more than someone else has and somebody is really going to appreciate it. I think that the biggest questions that I’ve had about life have been answered by understanding and learning from the people I’m helping.

Everybody has a story to tell and those stories are valuable lessons because you can learn from other people’s mistakes. You can learn from other people’s greatness. You can understand everything about life by understanding people and working with them.

I don’t just volunteer because I think it’s something that I have to do. This is something that is very much a part of who I am. I’ve been given so much in life. I’ve had people who helped me so much that it’s the only thing I can think of. I have to give back. I always ask myself, “What more could I do?”

I don’t feel whole if I’m not out there trying to help someone out because if it wasn’t for the help of other people I would not be where I am today. And I always remember that.

I realized that if I don’t make changes
in my life—if I don’t continue to
make goals then I’m
not going to get
anywhere.

WHEN TRAGEDY STRIKES

When many people look at your life they see a high achieving, self-motivated, well-spoken young woman who has traveled the world. Your mom was a social worker and your dad was a psychologist. So, people they think that your world is all honky-dory and they don’t realize the challenges you’ve dealt with. Tell me about a challenging experience.

My dad died when I was nine years old. I have three other sisters so there are four of us. At the time one was in college, one was in middle school, and I and my younger sister were in elementary school.

So, it was very difficult for my mom because she had to get two jobs and she worked all the time. She couldn’t spend too much time with us. First, we went to an after school program and then, when we were in middle school, we would just walk home. We learned to be independent very quickly. And we learned that if we had to rely on someone it would have to be ourselves. Our mother couldn’t do it all.

I remember I wanted to leave my school and go to prep school and I talked to my mom about it. She couldn’t afford it. She had four children and there were no favorites in the family. I couldn’t go to that school if my sisters couldn’t go. But once I got accepted into the two schools that I had applied to, my mom got a third job to make it happen for us.

That’s something that I have always appreciated. Watching her work so hard made me work harder because she sacrificed so much for me and my sisters. She’s a social worker and that kind of work is stressful. You don’t get paid as much as you should but, social workers do a lot really important work.

We didn’t get everything we wanted. We got books instead of video games. We weren’t allowed to watch TV all the time. We did go on vacation to Mexico because that was something that my father had loved for us to do and to my mother that was very important.

When I was sixteen my mother got cancer and she passed away as well. That was probably the most difficult thing because my mother and I were very close. She really helped me academically. She was the one who would always say, “It’s okay. If you don’t get the grade you want, it’s okay. You’ll be alright.”

So, then it was kind of like I was on my own. Once my mom died I realized that if I don’t make changes in my life—if I don’t continue to make goals then I’m not going to get anywhere because there’s nobody else out there that can help me at this point.

NEVER ALONE

I went to the Pennington School in Pennington, New Jersey. When my mother died they took buses of students to the funeral. There was a sense of community. I still talk to people that lived there that helped me.

Codington also gave me a lot of financial aid which is also something very interesting because the head master made sure that I was able to stay. He made sure that there was money for me to stay at that school. People like Ms. Rossi, my Hall Parent, came together and really helped me out.

So, I can’t say that all of my successes were accomplished on my own. But I can say that the motivation for those successes came from within—knowing that if I wanted something I could get help but, to actually do it would be on me.

I GOT ALL MY SISTERS AND ME

Growing up my parents always told me that your best friends are your sisters. That has been so true. We argued about small things like what to do and where to go next after my mom died but my sisters have really come through for me. My sisters and I have become very close.

If you always motivate yourself
towards something then the
world is your oyster.

SO MUCH MORE TO LEARN

Before I let you go, sum up your philosophy about success in 1-3 sentences.

Well, here are two of my favorite quotes. The first one is by Descartes:

“I would also like it to be known that the little that I have learned up until now is almost nothing in comparison to what I do not know and what I have not given up the hope of coming to know.”

I feel like I embody that quote 100%. It’s saying that there is so much that you can learn, there is so much out there that you don’t know. If you always motivate yourself towards something then the world is your oyster.

The second quote is by Bo Jackson—the athlete, “Set your goals high and don’t stop ‘til you get there. “

You always want be optimistic—realistic, but optimistic. The process of going through the journey is what counts.

Well, I don’t where your journey will take you but if it’s running for public office you’ve got my vote! Thanks for giving us a few minutes of your time.

Thank you very much. I enjoyed it. I would also, like to thank the Verrico’s. We’ve been living with them for about three years.

______________________________________

Hey! Would you like to be featured in Elevate U and possibly on the homepage of The Black Collegian Magazine?

I'm looking for successful student leaders, athletes, artists, and entrepreneurs to interview for a segment of Elevate U called Inside the Mind. If you are interested then email your BRIEF bio, resume, and photo to Al The Inspiration Duncan

Related Articles:
Inside the Mind of Ulysses S. Burley III
Inside the Mind of Alicia English

Inside the Mind of Anthony L. Harris

My Global Study Experience in Dubai

Words of Wisdom 23: Productivity

2008-10-29T08:35:00.001-05:00

People always ask me a question: "Al, where do you find the time?"

They want to know how I am able to have over 100 speaking engagements per year, write dozens of articles, maintain two blogs and two websites, run two businesses (currently starting a third), serve on two boards, chair a steering committee, volunteer for over hundred hours per year, mentor students one on one, and make time for my family. The answer is simple: I don't try to find time; I make time. For example:

By spending 1 less hour per day surfing the web or watching TV, you will have an extra 28-31hrs. every month to work on achieving your goals. That's 336-372 hours per year!

A State of Mind Called Time Pt. I
Prioritizing and Time Management
Struggling After Blowing Deadlines
Study Skills for a Successful Semester

Words of Wisdom 97: Conflict Resolution

2008-10-22T12:08:00.000-05:00

When it comes to conflict and disagreement, what’s more important to you: Proving that you are right and justified or resolving the conflict?

“The relentless pursuit of self-justification makes conflict resolution extremely elusive.”
-Al “The Inspiration” Duncan

Inside the Mind of Dr. Sherle Boone

2008-10-17T14:53:00.019-05:00

"You can live a good life and still be committed to the well-being of other people.”
–Dr. Sherle Boone

It has been said that “You judge a man by the company he keeps.” It’s equally true that you judge a man by the impact he makes on the lives of others. The positive impact of Dr. Sherle Boone, activist scholar and founder of The W.E.B. DuBois Scholars Institute, will be felt for many generations to come.

Since 1988, Dr. Boone and the faculty at the institute have served 1200 African-American and Latino high school students from predominantly urban districts. The institute is held during the summer at Princeton University and over its twenty-year history, has a staggering 98% college graduation rate. In fact, for the past four years, 100% of the alumni have graduated from college. Compare that to a 51% national average for students completing college.

As the nation’s leading youth empowerment advocate, I’ve worked with hundreds of schools, universities, and youth organizations. Few demonstrate the level of achievement and excellence exhibited at the DuBois Scholars Institute. Dr. Boone is well aware of this and as such, when talking about the students and the faculty he spoke with admiration and respect.

During our 45 minute conversation—which was supposed to be a 10-15 minute interview—I found myself constantly smiling because it’s refreshing to talk to someone who truly cares about our community and our young people.

Mentored by the great Rev. Dr. Samuel DeWitt Proctor, Dr. Boone has been a professor for 33 years. As director of the mayor’s Education Task Force, he served as a senior advisor to Mayor Kenneth Gibson, the first black mayor of Newark, NJ.

Dr. Boone has even worked as a community organizer. (In spite of Gov. Sarah Palin’s recent derogatory comments about community organizers, they are to be lauded and appreciated for the noble work they do.)

Dr. Boone’s new book, “Meanings Beneath the Skin: The Evolutions of African-Americans”, is expected to be published later this year. In the mean time, enjoy some of the highlights from our conversation as you take a peek inside the mind of Dr. Sherle Boone.

“Complex problems are not solved by a single brilliant mind;
complex problems are solved by brilliant minds
working together.”

A WINNING ATTITUDE AND HIGH STANDARDS

Congratulations on your 20th anniversary.

Thank you.

Describe the students in the Institute.

Well, the students in the institute are different. We have a very different population from the general population in that our students are selected because they have demonstrated what we consider to be a winning attitude characterized by very high levels of academic achievement. They have also demonstrated a sustained interest in involvement in leadership roles in their communities as well as within their schools.

In addition to that, the overall GPA is a 3.1 in top tier institutions. This year we have two African-American males going to Stanford. Currently we have six of our graduates at Princeton. We’ve had a Rhodes Scholar, a Fulbright Scholar, and more than 30 members of Phi Beta Kappa. We have at least one MD and there maybe more. We have several who are practicing law. And since 1996 more than one third of our students have come from Newark [New Jersey] and other urban communities.

THREE GREAT MINDS, ONE GREAT CURRICULUM

Are the same techniques and principles that you used when you established the institute still effective with today’s students?

Absolutely. They are very similar, but we have refined what we do. We started off with very high academic standards. For example, since we began back in 1988, all of the students that have enrolled in DuBois have been given college level instruction.

Three of the major minds of the previous century provided the conceptual frame work that allowed for me to structure the curriculum and make judgments about the selection process. Those individuals are: W.E.B. DuBois and his ideas concerning the Talented Tenth.

Next, is Jean Piaget, the Swiss psychologist who offered us a theory on the development of thinking and thought. One of the things that he proposed is that by the time a child reaches what we consider to be adolescence he or she has all the cognitive equipment needed to think as an adult. With that being said, children as early 14 years old should have the ability to receive college level instruction and do college level work.

Finally, there is Erik Erikson’s theory of self-development. Our curriculum requires courses that lend themselves to the kids gaining a deeper understanding of self. For example, all kids are required to take African-American History and Cultural Practices. The thinking behind that was guided by the writings of Erik Erikson.

During the years of adolescence, kids have a lot of questions concerning “who am I?” and they struggle with identity issues so we try to help bring some closure to that. So, what’s unique about the institute is that it brings together these three major theories in ways that compliment each other. This is perhaps the only project of its kind. Our success record is astounding to say the least.

“We have been managing poverty, but not
eliminating poverty.”

THE END OF POVERTY

Is the mission of the institute to promote high achievement?

Actually, that’s not the mission it’s the by-product. Our mission is to produce a cadre of leaders in the African-American and Latino communities. This is based upon DuBois’ notion that the most effective leadership will come from your best and brightest minds. So, we’re developing a cadre of leaders that will engage in the process of trying to eliminate poverty and racism in our society.

Since the Great Society programs that Lyndon Johnson put in place, there has never been a major effort to really eliminate poverty. We have been managing poverty but not eliminating poverty. Poverty is obviously a serious issue among people of African-American descent. For the most part, the problem has been ignored to such a degree that is has become increasingly more complex to understand and unravel the complexities of poverty. So, you cannot make distinctions between the causes and the effect.

Just as we need brilliant minds to solve medical problems such as age and cancer, we need brilliant minds working together to help us unravel and eliminate poverty in our society. What we are trying to do is develop a cohort of brilliant minds and instill in them a sense of duty to give back to our people.

We want to help them recognize that complex problems are not solved by a single brilliant mind; complex problems are solved by brilliant minds working together in such a way that they are intrigued by the complexities of the task and will sustain their interest in the task as a result of these complexities.

COMMUNITY BEFORE SELF

The level of leadership you are talking about requires an extraordinary amount of self-discipline and it comes with a great deal of responsibility. How is the DuBois Scholars Institute able to motivate and inspire young people to accept that challenge?

Well, a part of what we try to do, starting at an early age, is instill in them that it is your duty. You don’t have a choice. Add that to the fact that they have to take a course called Ethics and Self-Development. One of the aims of this course is to help them to recognize that self-interest—and you could make the case that we are all guided by some sort of self-interest—does not have to be in competition with collective interest. Self-interest and collective interest can compliment each other.

If you can impact other people’s lives you can almost guarantee that you’re going to be okay. So, what we try to do is help kids define success in terms of the impact of their God given talents on the lives of other people. And of course, we employ on our team, faculty and staff who personify that philosophy. We want the kids to see that you can live a good life and still be committed to the well-being of other people.

So, by tying their desires for achievement, financial success, recognition, or whatever they maybe striving to accomplish, to the ideals of community uplift and enrichment the DuBois Scholars Institute is producing leaders that are not only concerned with personal gain, but are also looking out for our community.

Precisely! And actually, it’s the type of leader that puts the community first and puts himself second.

One of my personal philosophies is: “Service is the prerequisite of greatness.”

Absolutely! You hit the nail on the head.

“It’s just as important to know what you
know as it is to know what
you don’t know.”

BEING AN EFFECTIVE PROFESSOR

What separates effective professors from ineffective professors?

That’s a tough question because often you don’t know if you’ve been effective. It’s hard to determine because when students evaluate faculty members they really evaluate how well they liked the person. They aren’t necessarily evaluating the professor on the basis of the content and the challenge that the professor brings forward. Quite frankly, sometimes there’s an inverse correlation between the effectiveness of the professor and the ratings of the professor. That may be more often the case than not.

An effective professor in my judgment is one that can help to students to recognize and appreciate what they don’t know and arouse students’ motivation to search in order to get to know the unknown. Thus, effective professors instill in students the desire to ask questions and to seek out the answers to those questions as opposed to just sucking up information and regurgitating it.

In the DuBois Scholars Institute we tell the students that what distinguishes a scholar is the desire to know what he doesn’t know and the understanding that the more he gets to know the more he realizes what he doesn’t know.

So as a professor your goal is to be sure that your students not only know the information but that they embody and apply the information.

Precisely! And recognize the limits of what they’re learning. It’s just as important to know what you know as it is to know what you don’t know. So, you have to be able to recognize the limits of any conclusion that you come to. Recognize that rarely do we bring truth to the table. We bring theory more than we bring truth so we have to understand that what we know is really our understanding of the truthfulness of the information we have.

“Rarely do we bring truth to the table.
We bring theory more than
we bring truth.”

LISTEN MORE, READ MORE

Let’s talk about cross-generational communication for a second because that can be very challenging. What are some things that people can do to communicate more effectively with people 25 and younger?

First and foremost, improve your listening skills. We spend far more time talking than listening. We have to train our minds to listen. When I say ‘listen’ I don’t just mean hearing. I mean understanding and thinking about what you are hearing and trying to ensure that you put what you hear and understand in the proper context.

Most of us, as we grow older, don’t listen enough. We also don’t read the right things enough. That narrows the communication between us and kids because we’re not reading and we’re not listening. We tend to become more closed minded because we become less confident in ourselves as we get older if we are not continuing to grow.

In my capacity as a professor I have no choice but to listen. But I think that in general, older adults don’t spend enough time listening to youth. They watch them but they don’t listen.

And let me add something else. Have a willingness to allow people to make mistakes. Giving a second chance, being able allow people to make errors and be comfortable making mistakes and having a willingness to help them work through it. To put it another way, “Keeping hope alive.”

Ha! That’s your Jesse Jackson moment, huh?

Yeah!

“Adults don’t spend enough time listening
to youth. They watch them,
but they don’t listen.”

A GENUINE INTEREST

If you had to choose just one skill as the most important skill for communicating with young people what would it be?

I think it’s honesty and feeling that they can trust you. That may be even more significant than effective listening—being able to trust what a person is saying and knowing he has a genuine interest in you. Most people believe that we are all motivated by self-interest and that carries with it an element of distrust. So, I think that piece is the central piece.

Actually, you couldn’t even have effective listening skills unless you have a genuine interest in someone.

That’s right.

EYE ON THE FUTURE

Where will the institute be in the next twenty years?

Well, it certainly won’t be under my leadership!

Actually, that’s a hard question because things change. A lot of things have changed since DuBois was founded. One of the things that has changed is the meaning and the significance of the concept of race. When we first started out back in 1988 it was clear that the greatest divide in our society was race. The divisiveness between African-Americans was secondary to the divide between us and other ethnic groups.

That has changed a lot over the past decade. In fact, quicker then I had even anticipated to be honest. In my judgment, the greatest crisis that faces us now as African-Americans is classism within our own race.

The divide between the professional class and the “unskilled” class is greater now than it has ever been before. Such that you can really live next door to an urban community and never visit it and never have any interfacing with the black people who are living in an urban setting.

That’s dangerous. That’s scary because their plights and our plights are still connected as a collective. We have to come up with ways in which we can potentially close this gap and insure that we do not become disintegrated as a consequence of becoming much more Americanized.

The institute has to be sensitive to these changes in society and continue to work toward maintaining a sense of community among African-American people as we are allowed to become more American. That is to say that as our Nationalism rises and we become more Americanized we can’t loose sight of our ethnicity. That’s the challenge that faces the institute as I see it twenty years from now.

FOCUS YOUR ENERGY ON YOUR STRENGTHS

Sum up your philosophy about motivating and communicating with young people in 1-3 sentences.

Here’s something that guides my thinking and it guided the building of the DuBois Scholars Institute. One of the things that seems so obvious and yet it escapes us is that we need to focus our energies on our strengths. That’s not to say that you ignore the things that are weak within your structure, but the foundation has to be strong.

Thus, when it comes to dealing with our youth we need to spend less time talking about what’s wrong with them and more time talking about what’s right with them. Let’s work with the things that we know they are good at. If I can strengthen the things that you are already good at then that’s going to reduce the significance of the things that you’re not so good at. Do you follow me?

Wholeheartedly. In fact, there’s a book called “Now Discover Your Strengths" that I frequently recommend to people. “Hone your strengths and manage your weaknesses.”

You naturally motivate kids when you work on things that they are good at and when you make them feel good about themselves. They will automatically gravitate to you when you deal with things that they are good at.

I agree with that. I think that sometimes we press our young people so much about what they’re doing wrong that they loose sight of what they are doing right. Dr. Boone thank for a few minutes of your time. Your answers were very insightful and thought provoking.

Thank you!

“When it comes to dealing with our youth
we need to spend less time talking
about what’s wrong with them
and more time talking about
what’s right with them.”

Words of Wisdom 31: Productivity

2008-10-15T11:56:00.013-05:00

“Plan tomorrow’s actions today.”
- Al "The Inspiration" Duncan

Before you go to sleep every night plan (in writing) the ACTIONS you will take tomorrow. This increases your focus and productivity because it keeps you from thinking about what you’re supposed to be doing and actually doing what you’re supposed to be doing.

Related Articles:
Prioritizing and Time Management
Struggling After Blowing Deadlines
Study Skills for a Successful Semester
Seize the Opportunity

Words of Wisdom 5: Identity Theft

2008-10-08T12:18:00.006-05:00

What do you do with all of those unwanted credit card offers? Shred, burn, or destroy all unwanted documents with your personal info on them. Especially credit card offers that you do not accept. Cancel ALL unused credit cards. To stop receiving all offers (including the good ones) call 1-888-5-Opt-Out.

Related Articles:
4 Keys For Smart Credit Card Use
African Americans and Identity Theft
Pervs, Politicos and Prey:
Protect Your Credit Rating – It Can Impact Your Future!

Words of Wisdom 17: Fulfillment

2008-10-01T12:08:00.004-05:00

One of the keys to greatness is finding a way to do something you love to do, not just something that's "safe" to do. Many people have experienced a high level of achievement but are stuck in professions they hate.

What kind of sense does that make?

None.

"High achievement without fulfillment is a broken way of life."

-Al "The Inspiration" Duncan

Words of Wisdom 21: Failure

2008-09-24T12:08:00.003-05:00

No matter what happens or what mistakes you make--be it a bad grade, a bad interview, a bad relationship, bad credit, or just plain old bad decisions--always remember...

“Failure is only permanent if you quit.”

-Al “The Inspiration” Duncan

How do you retire with an extra million dollars?

2008-09-18T09:19:00.005-05:00

Q: "You did a money management session today at Georgia State University…do you have any books you would recommend to[young people] for money management and investing? Lastly, what was the calculation that you did to figure out the millionaire question, in case I wanted to retire earlier? Thank you.”

A: I had a great time at Georgia State. Here's a Millionaire Formula: Starting at age 22 (or earlier) invest $3000/yr. in a Roth IRA (Individual Retirement Account) for 43 years (up to age 65) at 8% interest and you'll retire with an extra million dollars.

There are other accounts or investments you could use if the interest rate is good but a Roth IRA is supposed to be good for people in your age group because you’ll probably be in a higher tax bracket when you retire than you are in now. With a Roth IRA you don't get taxed at 65 when you take out the money. (WARNING: Talk to your bank or a financial adviser.)

Here are several good books on money management for young people:

The Money Book for the Young, Fabulous & Broke by Suze Orman

The Wall Street Journal Guide to Understanding Money and Investing by Kenneth Morris

Please Send Money. A Financial Survival Guide for Young Adults on Their Own by Dara Duguay

Financial Lovemaking 101: Merging Assets with Your Partner in Ways that Feel Good by Dr. Boyce Watkins (for mature audiences only!)

Related Articles:

4 Keys for Smart Credit Card Use

College Debt 101

Secrets to Becoming a Successful Campus CEO

Protect Your Credit Rating – It Can Impact Your Future!

Words of Wisdom 27: Flexibility

2008-09-03T07:15:00.001-05:00

Learn to be more flexible and adaptable under stress and pressure. The more you can be flexible and adapt to the situation the more power you will have in the situation. According to the Harvard Business School adaptability rates as one valuable skills a leader can have.

"The crocodile lives in the water
and yet he breathes air."

Denkyem – the 'crocodile' represents adaptability

Job Outlook for 2008 Graduates

On-Campus Interviewing: Strategies For Success

Perfecting Your Leadership Qualities

Tips for Developing a Leadership Style

Words of Wisdom 15: Money Smarts

2008-08-22T08:27:00.002-05:00

Do you know the highest credit score a person can have? Do you know the five determining factors for your credit score?

Your credit score can range from 300 (poor) to 850 (excellent). 35% is determined by your credit history, 30% Debt, 15% length of credit history, 10% new credit, 10% type of credit used.

Related Articles:

4 Keys for Smart Credit Card Use

Avoid the Credit Card Trap

College Debt 101

Words of Wisdom 25: Money Smarts

2008-08-12T09:55:00.005-05:00

This is how most people think: I'll trade some time for some dollars. Every time I do a task, project, or something similar I get paid for it.

This is how entrepreneurial minded people think: How can I do something once and keep getting paid for it even if I NEVER do it again?

That's called residual income. Residual income, doing something once but getting paid for it over and over, is one of the secrets of financial freedom.

Examples: royalties from writing a book, making a film, recording an audio program or song, or building an ecommerce website.

Related Articles:

Secrets to Becoming a Successful Campus CEO

Inside the Business Mind of Russell Simmons Creating a Business Legacy

Farrah Gray – From the Projects to Self-Made Millionaire

Words of Wisdom 4: Identity Theft

2008-08-05T09:09:00.003-05:00

Have you ever purchased something online? Here's tip to make sure that when you're buying a product online nobody's stealing your identity.

When shopping on line check to make sure that the page is secure before giving out your personal info. Look for https (instead of http) at the beginning of the URL in the address bar.

Related Articles:

African Americans and Identity Theft

Pervs, Politicos and Prey:

Protect Your Credit Rating – It Can Impact Your Future!

Words of Wisdom 28: Networking

2008-08-01T05:19:00.003-05:00

One of the most powerful questions you can ask a person when networking is- What would make a person/company an ideal client/customer for you?

Related Articles:

10 Powerful Networking Questions

Network Your Way Into a Job

The Basics of Networking

Networking Really Works

Women Find Nontraditional Ways to Network for Advancement

A State of Mind Called Time Pt. III

2008-05-09T18:20:00.007-05:00

“In all our deeds, the proper value and respect for time determines success or failure.”–El Hajj El Malik El Shabazz (Malcolm X)

Have you ever met somebody that’s always late for class, work, and everything else, but has the nerve to be mad because he or she didn’t get to leave on time?

Please tell me that’s not you. Are you one of those people that likes to be “fashionably late”?

I know this violates proper nightclub etiquette but…

In the real world, consistently being late is deplorable. It’s irritating or infuriating for the person that’s waiting on you and it’s detrimental to your reputation.

When was the last time you went to a meeting, graduation, concert, or conference that actually started on time? If your answer is: “recently”, I’m jealous.

Of course things happen, but for most people and organizations the “things” that cause them to consistently start and show up late or waste time are the result of disrespect.

Just look at the incidents involving several of the major airlines recently. Literally millions of people—unfortunately I was one of them—were stuck on runways and thousands of flights were canceled because of egregious errors in judgment and flat out disrespect for passengers’ time.

WARNING: Respect Time…or else.

If Father Time could talk he would be outraged. He’s had his civil rights violated more than anybody. If he had legs, people would be getting their butts kicked on a regular basis.

What causes people to engage in the gross misappropriation of precious moments in one instance, while pleading for “just five more minutes” in another?

It’s ALL mental. It has nothing to do with your planner, Trio, or Blackberry. I know people with all types of time management gizmos and they still waste time or show up late.

The way you treat Time is a state of mind that manifests in the form of a habit. Habits are the physical manifestation of your thinking—conscious or non-conscious.

Instead of changing their thought patterns people play ridiculous head games trying to trick themselves into being on time.

Here are some popular ways that people, including myself, have tried to cover up their disrespect for Time.

1. Set your clock or watch 5-10 minutes early.

I used to do this religiously. A lot of people do. So, I know somebody is going to swear up and down that this works. Here’s a clue:

It doesn’t.

If you don’t respect Time this little game won’t change a thing because it’s actually an excuse to be late in disguise.

You know what happens.

One day you’re running late and you realize that you really have an “extra” ten minutes because your clock or watch is fast. Or maybe you wake up and sucker punch the snooze button; after all, the alarm really went off ten minutes early, didn’t it?

So instead of being twenty minutes late you’re only going to be ten minutes late and ten minutes isn’t that bad, is it?

Garbage.

Note: The thing that really messed me up was the creation of cell phones. Does anybody know how to set a cell phone 10 minutes early?

2. Underestimation and the Idiot Driver Excuse

This is when you know it’s going to take an hour to do something or travel somewhere, but you end up convincing yourself that you can do it in thirty minutes.

Just because it took you thirty minutes during non-rush hour traffic does not mean that’s how long it takes. Of course, this has nothing to do with your disrespect for time. It’s all because of the stupid, idiot driver that was in front of you, right?

Garbage.

3. They don’t start (or leave) on time anyway.

People constantly show up late, meetings rarely start or end on time, and on-time flight departures and arrivals are endangered species.

But none of that is a viable excuse for you to disrespect Time.

You should respect Time even when they don’t respect Time because Time and Opportunity are blood brothers. Mistreat one and the other will make you pay…dearly.

Some of my most profitable business deals and quite a few a good relationships are the result of me being early when everyone else was late.

4. I work better under pressure.

Garbage.

That statement is the master procrastinator’s most powerful—or should I say weakest—excuse. I hear it from people all the time and I love it because then I get to respond with:

“Oh yeah? Well, why don’t you put some pressure on yourself to do what you need to do and get where you need to go in more timely fashion?”

The look on their faces: priceless.

Pressure can be the result of procrastination or the moment. Successfully dealing with the pressure of an important moment will help you grow. It will elevate you to a new plateau and strengthen your self-confidence.

Pressure that results from procrastination, however, perpetuates your disrespect for time and keeps you in a rut.

This type of pressure is an excuse for your inability to focus on the task at hand. People try to use “the last minute” as a tool for focusing because they have yet to develop the willpower to focus on their own.

Think about that.

5. It’s Up to God.

I grew up in the church. I love me some Jesus. But I hate these kinds of excuses:

“If God wanted me to be on time, I would have been.”

“It’s out of my hands now.”

And what about this one? “Sorry I’m late y’all…but the Devil is a liar.” (A woman really did say that at a meeting I recently attended!)

That’s just more garbage.

Have you ever heard of a little thing called free will? You should use it to make sure you do whatever you have to do to be on time and to stop wasting time.

The Million Dollar Question: What should you do if you or someone you know is consistently disrespecting Time?

Unfortunately, I don’t have any self-development voodoo that you can sprinkle on someone to make him treat time in a respectful manner. It requires something that people seem to be short on these days—self-discipline.

The only way to develop self-discipline is with resolve and consistency. If you are consistently resolved to respect Time eventually your self-discipline in the area of time mastery will improve.

One of my mentors gave me some guidelines that are very useful:

To be early is to be on time, to be on time is to be late, and to be late is unacceptable. Disrespecting Time is guaranteed to cost you opportunities and relationships.

My philosophy about time is simple:

If you disrespect me, I MIGHT forgive you. If you disrespect my family or my time, we’re done. End of story.

Related Articles:
A State of Mind Called Time Pt. I
A State of Mind Called Time Pt. II
Seize the Opportunity
(Procrastination)
Time for action
What comes first, action or motivation?

Words of Wisdom 11: Self-Sabotage

2008-04-11T11:05:00.005-05:00

Most of the obstacles people face in life are self-imposed. So remember...

“You are guaranteed to win once you defeat the enemy within because…It’s ALL mental!” -Al “The Inspiration” Duncan

Seven Habits of Highly Effective Employees

Self-Assessment: Finding Out Who You Are Before Deciding What You ...

With Friends Like These...

2008-04-09T07:21:00.005-05:00

"Emotion can be the enemy. If you give in to your emotion, you lose yourself. You must be at one with your emotions because the body always follows the mind." -Bruce Lee

Emotions are the guardians of your well-being. They are your friends and their primary objective is to ensure survival. They are arguably the most powerful force governing our behavior.

There is an old adage, however, that rings true when it comes to emotions. “With friends like these, who needs enemies?”

It is a scientific fact that if left untamed, our basic emotions (anger, joy, disgust, surprise, distress, and fear) would cause you to kill first and ask questions later. Or run first and ask questions later.

On an equally detrimental, but sometimes lighter note, emotions will have you shouting, crying, or jumping to conclusions first and asking questions later. Believe it or not all of this is done in the name of survival.

In the heat of the moment your body initially responds to a psychological attack (i.e. insults) in the same manner it would a physical threat. Think about that.

If emotions are supposed to be our friends, then why do they frequently leave us in a barrel of trouble? The answer is simple.

We are designed for survival, not diplomacy.

The emotional brain, also known as the limbic system, was rolling along for millions and millions of years doing what it does best: keeping us out of harms way. Then along comes the neocortex, the logical brain, to complicate things.

Now a person knows that if he or she can’t do physical harm, an insulting remark will often do the trick. Although it’s not a physical attack, your emotional brain still recognizes the bad intentions and responds accordingly.

If you aren’t careful, all of a sudden your friends could become your enemies. It takes 3-5 seconds for the chemicals that produce emotions to flood your system producing what is often referred to as an emotional hijacking.

In a life and death situation that calls for immediate action and there is little time for thinking, an emotional hijacking might save your life.

But at the office an emotional hijacking might cost you your job. In a negotiation it might cost you the deal. In an argument it might cost you a relationship.

Therefore the age-old advice about counting to ten before you respond has an equal amount of science and common sense behind it. It gives you a chance to use your logical brain.

So when you feel a tidal wave of emotions flooding your system, hit the pause button and access your neocortex. Joshua Freeman, a leading expert on developing Emotional Intelligence, calls it the “six second pause.”

I’ve found that, for me it’s even better to take the four extra seconds and go for the full ten count just to be sure. Because it can be so costly, impulsive behavior is nothing to play with.

When I was growing up my mom used to always say to me, “Al, don’t let your friends get you in trouble.”

Mom, you never told me that you were talking about my emotions.

Related Articles:

Taming the Beast: 9 Keys for Mastering Your Anger

What's Your "EQ" (Emotional Intelligence Quotient)?

The Dirty Dozen: Career Paralyzers You Should Avoid

Words of Wisdom 22: Goal Getting

2008-04-06T09:40:00.003-05:00

There's a BIG difference between goal setting and goal getting. Here's a tip to make sure you're practicing the latter and not only the former.

Break large goals into small, easily achieved steps. This will create a pattern of success and provide you with you milestones to celebrate.

Seize the Opportunity

(Procrastination)
Time for action
What comes first, action or motivation?

Top Ten Quotes: Maya Angelou

2008-03-22T10:28:00.005-05:00

(In honor of Women’s History Month)

A legendary poet, one of the great voices of contemporary literature, civil rights activist, author of twelve best-selling books including I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, actress, playwright, producer, director, historian, educator, outstanding orator, and Grammy Award winner, Dr. Maya Angelou is the quintessential Renaissance woman.

The recipient of more than 60 honorary doctorate degrees, Dr. Angelou has captivated and inspired millions of people across the globe. There is no doubt that world could never get enough of Dr. Maya Angelou.

Here are my favorite quotes by this extraordinary woman.

10. A bird doesn't sing because it has an answer, it sings because it has a song.

9. I can be changed by what happens to me, but I refuse to be reduced by it.

8. I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.

7. You can only become truly accomplished at something you love. Don't make money your goal. Instead, pursue the things you love doing, and then do them so well that people can't take their eyes off you.

6. If you have only one smile in you, give it to the people you love. Don't be surly at home, then go out in the street and start grinning 'Good morning' at total strangers.

5. There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside of you.

4. Prejudice is a burden that confuses the past, threatens the future and renders the present inaccessible.

3. Nothing will work unless you do.

2. If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude.

1. You may write me down in history

With your bitter, twisted lies,

You may trod me in the very dirt

But still, like dust, I'll rise.

Honorable mention:

History, despite its wrenching pain, cannot be unlived, but if faced with courage, need not be lived again.

We may encounter many defeats but we must not be defeated.

One isn't necessarily born with courage, but one is born with potential. Without courage, we cannot practice any other virtue with consistency. We can't be kind, true, merciful, generous, or honest.

Achievement brings its own anticlimax.

Children's talent to endure stems from their ignorance of alternatives.

Courage is the most important of all the virtues, because without courage you can't practice any other virtue consistently.

I believe the most important single thing, beyond discipline and creativity, is daring to dare.

Love recognizes no barriers. It jumps hurdles, leaps fences, penetrates walls to arrive at it destination full of hope.

Related Articles:

Top Ten Quotes: Mother Teresa

Commentary: 'I Am Woman, Hear Me Roar'

Women's History Month Profile 2008

Women's History Month: March 2007

Words of Wisdom 29: Networking

2008-03-22T10:16:00.004-05:00

It’s more important to ask someone for his/her contact info then it is to give them yours. Always get the other person’s info because you’ll have a chance to initiate further contact.

Related Articles:

10 Powerful Networking Questions

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The Basics of Networking

Networking Really Works

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A Quick Lesson on Leadership VI

2008-03-22T09:59:00.004-05:00

Someone emailed this to me. It's funny and insightful. Enjoy!

Lesson 6:

A little bird was flying south for the winter. It was so cold the bird froze and fell to the ground into a large field. While he was lying there a cow came by and crap on him. As the frozen bird lay there in the pile of cow dung, he began to realize how warm he was. The dung was actually thawing him out!

He lay there all warm and happy, and soon began to sing for joy. A passing cat heard the bird singing and came to investigate. Following the sound, the cat discovered d the bird under the pile of cow dung, and promptly dug him out and ate him.

Morals of the story:

(1) Not everyone who craps on you is your enemy.

(2) Not everyone who gets you out of crap is your friend.

(3) And when you're in deep crap, it's best to keep your mouth shut!

Related Articles:

A Quick Lesson on Leadership V

Perfecting Your Leadership Qualities

Global Leadership For African-American Collegians

Tips for Developing a Leadership Style

Top Ten Quotes: Mother Teresa

2008-03-20T19:06:00.012-05:00

(In honor of Women’s History Month)

Nobel Peace Prize winner and world renowned humanitarian, Mother Teresa was one of the most outstanding examples of altruism and servant leadership in the history of the human race. She provided the world with a treasure trove of wisdom. Here are my ten favorite gems from Mother Teresa.

10. Everybody today seems to be in such a terrible rush, anxious for greater developments and greater riches and so on, so that children have very little time for their parents, parents have very little time for each other, and in the home begins the disruption of peace of the world.

9. The hunger for love is much more difficult to remove than the hunger for bread.

8. Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless.

7. Be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies.

6. I do not pray for success, I ask for faithfulness.

5. Do not wait for leaders; do it alone, person to person.

4. One of the greatest diseases is to be nobody to anybody.

3. If I look at the mass, I will never act. If I look at the one, I will.

2. I know God will not give me anything I can't handle. I just wish that He didn't trust me so much.

1. We have done so much, for so long, with so little, we are now qualified to do anything with nothing.

Honorable mention:

It is easy to love the people far away. It is not always easy to love those close to us.

I am a little pencil in the hand of a writing God who is sending a love letter to the world.

Good works are links that form a chain of love.

If you judge people, you have no time to love them.

Do not think that love, in order to be genuine, has to be extraordinary. What we need is to love without getting tired.

Related Articles:

Commentary: 'I Am Woman, Hear Me Roar'

Women's History Month Profile 2008

Women's History Month: March 2007

Soft Skills - Why all the fuss?

2008-03-19T18:36:00.006-05:00

Q: "Al, what are soft skills and why all the fuss about them?"

A: Soft skills are intrapersonal and interpersonal skills that determine a person's ability to excel or at least fit in a particular social structure, such as a project team, a company or even a jazz quartet. These skills include competencies in areas such as Emotional Intelligence, communication, leadership ability, etiquette, conflict resolution, decision making, self-motivation, self-discipline, persuasion, etc.

The reason for all the fuss is simple. Experts ranging from psychologists to business and spiritual leaders, such as Donald Trump and the Dalai Lama, agree that one or more of the soft skills have the greatest impact on your level of success.

Of course you still need to be able to demonstrate a certain level of expertise in your field, but this is the Information Age. A lot people have- or have access to- hard skills knowledge.

Do a lot of people have that certain je ne sais quoi that inspires and motivates the people around them? Do a lot of people have the ability to communicate clearly and effectively? Are a lot of people good at managing their emotions? Try answering that in rush hour traffic or after standing in the customer service line at Wal-Mart for 45 minutes!

Companies use all kinds of assessment tests like MBTI (Myers-Briggs Type Indicator) and MSCEIT (Mayer, Salovey, Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test) so that they can get an idea of what your personality is and what soft skills you possess.

A good friend of mine recently applied for a job as a consultant with the Gallup Organization. When she completed the online application and submitted her resume she was prompted to take an assessment test. Based on her assessment test (not her resume) she was turned down for the position via an automated response! The response said that Gallup would keep her results on file and if any positions opened up that fit her profile she would be notified.

Another thing that makes soft skills so "sexy" is that they present a chance to level the playing field. It has been said that your IQ (Intelligence Quotient) is fixed from birth. But your EQ (Emotional Intelligence Quotient), your IPQ (Influence and Persuasion Quotient), your MQ (Motivation Quotient), and any other type of "Q" that you want to invent can be improved.

The most interesting thing about soft skills is this. Although it might be the latest term on the street, it's nothing new. A great book on soft skills, How To Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie, was published in 1936.

The Book of Proverbs 29:20 states "Do you see a man who is hasty in his words? There is more hope for a fool than for him." It was written and then compiled sometime between the tenth and sixth centuries B.C. It's loaded with soft skills tips.

And the Ancient Egyptians wrote "Be skilled in speech so that you will succeed. The tongue of a man is his sword and effective speech is stronger than all fighting".

So as you can see all the fuss over soft skills is nothing new.

Related Articles:

How Sharp Are Your "Soft" Skills? - People Skills in Real Demand

How To Get A Job By Graduation

Ernst & Young Profile

A Quick Lesson on Leadership V

2008-03-17T07:49:00.005-05:00

Someone emailed this to me. It's funny and insightful. Enjoy!

Lesson 5:

A turkey was chatting with a bull. "I would love to be able to get to the top of that tree," said the turkey, "but I haven't got the energy."

"Well, why don't you nibble on some of my droppings?" replied the bull. They're packed with nutrients."

The turkey pecked at a lump of dung, and found it actually gave him enough strength to reach the lowest branch of the tree. The next day, after eating some more dung, he reached the second branch. Finally after a fourth night, the turkey was proudly perched at the top of the tree.

He was promptly spotted by a farmer, who shot him out of the tree.

Moral of the story:

B.S. might get you to the top, but it won't keep you there.

Related Articles:

A Quick Lesson on Leadership IV

Perfecting Your Leadership Qualities

Global Leadership For African-American Collegians

Tips for Developing a Leadership Style

Words of Wisdom 3: Identity Theft

2008-03-16T07:45:00.005-05:00

What's in your wallet right now?

If you're like most college students the answer is: no money!

But there might be something in your wallet, purse, or pockets worth more than money--your identity. Here's a tip for protecting it from identity thieves.

NEVER keep your social security card number, passwords, or account numbers in your purse or wallet.

Related Articles:

African Americans and Identity Theft

Pervs, Politicos and Prey:

Protect Your Credit Rating – It Can Impact Your Future!

A Quick Lesson on Leadership IV

2008-03-15T14:12:00.007-05:00

Someone emailed this to me. It's funny and insightful. Enjoy!

Lesson 4:

An eagle was sitting on a tree resting, doing nothing. A small rabbit saw the eagle and asked him, "Can I also sit like you and do nothing?"

The eagle answered: "Sure, why not."

So, the rabbit sat on the ground below the eagle and rested. All of a sudden, a fox appeared, jumped on the rabbit and ate it.

Moral of the story:

To be sitting and doing nothing, you must be sitting very, very high up.

Related Articles:

A Quick Lesson on Leadership III

Perfecting Your Leadership Qualities

Global Leadership For African-American Collegians

Tips for Developing a Leadership Style

Words of Wisdom 90: What's on Your Mind?

2008-03-14T17:27:00.006-05:00

Mind your mind. Studies have indicated that negative predictions about an experience are far more likely to come true then positive predictions. Think about that.

The Million Dollar Question: When you say (or think) that something negative is going to happen and it does, did you predict the future or did you create the future?

Related Articles:

Six Ways to Turn Setbacks into Comebacks

Problems: It's All in the View

When Things Go Wrong, Try, Try, Again

A Poverty of Ambition

2008-03-11T16:22:00.021-05:00

“Focusing your life solely on making a buck shows a certain poverty of ambition. It asks too little of yourself.”
–Barack Obama, Knox College Commencement Address 2005

Even after hearing the phrase “dream big” 3,297,391 times (or more) over the course of their life, most people still don’t get it.

“Don’t rock the boat.”

“Better safe than sorry.”

“A bird in the hand beats two in the bush.”

These timeless maxims are sage advice. When taken to the extreme, however, they create a certain poverty of ambition.

Of course, something tangible that is actually working or in your “hand”, is better than a wish or pipe dream. But here’s the real question: Are those birds in the bush actually attainable? If you had a rock-solid plan and the wherewithal to execute it, is it possible for you to get those two birds? Is it probable?

“I’m going to get a degree in engineering or accounting.” If you love either of those two great professions then by all means…go for it. But choosing a profession because it’s the proverbial bird in the hand is the epitome of a poverty of ambition.

A choice like that is why too many people wake up sick to their stomachs about going to work. They wake up with a bad case of would’ve-could’ve-should’ve syndrome.

I would’ve been a great writer…

I could’ve started my own company or non-profit organization…

I should’ve never married this guy. He’s not a bird in the hand; he’s a bird brain in the hand!

Could you have the business, the family, and the philanthropy? Yes. People do it all the time, but not enough people. According to the 2007 Just Start™ survey conducted by Intuit, Inc. (NASDAQ: INTU) 72% of Americans aspire to start their own business. That’s almost three out of four people, but how many actually do it?

There are over 300 million people living in the U.S. An estimated 23 million of them are entrepreneurs. That’s around 7%. So, less than one in ten people actually have enough ambition to make it happen. And that’s after years of record breaking entrepreneurial growth.

Whether it’s starting a business (for profit or non-profit), looking for a promotion, or making a living doing something that you REALLY love to do, there seems to be a paucity of calculated risk-takers.

So, what’s fueling this poverty of ambition? This lack of go-getters boils down to complacency and fear of the unknown.

“Aim for the moon. If you miss, you may hit a star.”

–W. Clement Stone

COMPLACENCY

Complacency is the ugly side of success. It’s a momentum killer and a dream slayer.

“Why can’t you just be satisfied with what you already have?”

“That’s good enough.”

Garbage.

I’ve got two words for you to live by:

Get better.

Everyday you want to work on getting better—better health, better relationships, better finances, better marketing, being a better servant to a worthwhile cause, and the list goes on. (I guess the 1.6 billion dollars people spend on cosmetic surgery per year is proof that there’s no poverty of ambition when it comes to being better looking!)

Greatness and complacency cannot exist in the same mind.

Think about that. What if Mother Teresa or Gandhi had a poverty of ambition?

What if Cesar Estrada Chavez, Dolores Huerta, Harriet Tubman, or Frederick Douglass had a poverty of ambition?

Scary thought, isn’t it. A poverty of ambition can change the world in ways I don’t even want to imagine. To be complacent is to stop striving and to stop striving is to waste to your most precious gift—life.

“I have learned over the years that once one’s mind is made up, this diminishes fear; knowing what must be done does away with fear.”

–Rosa Parks

FEAR OF THE UNKNOWN

I was stunned.

I looked at the students in disbelief and thought to myself, “They must not know what a CEO is.”

“How many of you all know what the CEO of a company does?”, I asked them.

A lot of them raised their hands and someone yelled, “A CEO is the boss.”

“They are the leaders”, another student added.

My next question was: “Do you all know that sometimes the CEO is also the person who owns—maybe even started—the company?”

There was a wave of nodding heads as a chorus of yeses filled the air.

“Do you all understand that the CEO makes the most money?”

More head nodding and more yeses.

By then I was flabbergasted. These were some of the best students I know—students of the historic Butler Street YMCA’s Multicultural Achievers Program of which I’m am the Steering Committee Chair and the Life Skills Coach. The students were in the middle of a project that involved creating a company. As a part of the project, they were applying and interviewing for positions in the company. Out of a few dozen high school students not one of them had applied to be the CEO.

When I started to investigate why no one wanted to be CEO I got all kinds of answers.

They didn’t know what to expect. (Fear of the unknown.) They didn’t know if it would be too much work for them to handle or if it would be too much responsibility. (Fear of success.)

If anything went wrong they would be the first ones blamed and the first ones fired. (Fear of failure.) They were worried about what might happen. (Fear of success or failure: the unknown.)

They were afraid of the unknown and it was killing their ambition.

Why?

For many people fear of the unknown is a debilitating phenomenon that fuels a poverty of ambition. Here are five questions, however, to help you deal with fear of the unknown:

What could happen as a result of doing (whatever the action or decision maybe)?
What probably won’t happen as a result of doing ______?
What could happen as a result of not doing _______?
What probably won’t happen as a result of not doing _______?
How will I deal with each of the four answers from those questions?

If you don’t know the answers to those questions then do some more research, get some more guidance or advice, and make the best educated answer you can.(The students couldn’t answer those questions at first, so the Program Director and I asked the CEO of the Butler Street YMCA to come in and talk to them.)

It’s that simple and, at times, that hard. But the unknown and your fear will be minimized—not necessarily gone, but minimized by answering these questions.

Let’s get back to those birds in the bush…

Here’s the interesting thing. None of this means that you have to necessarily let go of the bird in your hand. While you are looking at the two birds in the bush and squeezing that bird in your hand to death, here’s a something to ask yourself.

The Million Dollar Question: Who ever said you couldn’t have all three?

And no…that’s not being greedy. That’s called abundance.

Stop asking too little of yourself.

Lose the poverty of ambition.

Get the know-how, a good plan, and put them to use because you deserve a life of abundance, don’t you? A life overflowing with achievement and fulfillment is waiting for you if you will simply…

Get better.

Setting Goals

Self-Exploration: Taking Stock of Who You Are to Make Better ...

How To Make Yourself More Marketable

Words of Wisdom 9: Communication

2008-03-07T06:58:00.004-05:00

"Be skilled in speech so that you will succeed. The tongue of a man is his sword and effective speech is stronger than all fighting." -Kheti

According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers the number one skill across the board that employers are looking for is the ability to communicate effectively.

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A Quick Lesson on Leadership III

2008-03-07T00:33:00.005-05:00

Someone emailed this to me. It's funny and insightful. Enjoy!

Lesson 3:

A sales rep, an administration clerk, and the manager are walking to lunch when they find an antique oil lamp. They rub it and a Genie comes out.

The Genie says, "I'll give each of you just one wish."
"Me first! Me first!" says the admin. clerk. "I want to be in the Bahamas, driving a speedboat, without a care in the world."

Puff! She's gone.

"Me next! Me next!" says the sales rep. "I want to be in Hawaii , relaxing on the beach with my personal masseuse, an endless supply of Pina Coladas and the love of my life."

Puff! He's gone.

"OK, you're up," the Genie says to the manager.

The manager says, "I want those two back in the office after lunch."

Moral of the story:

Always let your boss have the first say.

Related Articles:

A Quick Lesson on Leadership II

Perfecting Your Leadership Qualities

Global Leadership For African-American Collegians

Tips for Developing a Leadership Style

A Lesson On Mastering the Lesson

2008-03-05T22:47:00.010-05:00

"If there is no struggle, there is no progress." -Frederick Douglass

Do you find that you struggle with the same things over and over again? If so, you haven't mastered the lesson in the struggle.

You probably already know that in life, lessons repeat themselves until you...

Master the lesson.

Shakespeare wrote, "Pain pays the price of each precious thing." And there's an old spiritual that says, "If you cain't bear no crosses, you cain't wear no crown."

Of course you and I know that struggles produce varying amounts of discomfort and that the end result is growth, but that doesn't make it any easier, does it?

Struggle can be an extreme test of your emotional intelligence and your diligence. Struggle can make a person feel helpless and dis-empowered, so the key is to make sure that it's a beneficial struggle.

You might be wondering, "What in the world is a beneficial struggle?'" It's a struggle in which you...

Master the lesson.

In exercise and training there is a principle called the Overload Principle. In a nutshell, it states that- within reason, the body will adapt to the stresses placed upon it. (i.e weight lifting) Because the mind-body is one system, this principle also applies to the mind if you...

Master the lesson.

When I was growing up, the elders didn't call it the Overload Principle. They simply said, "If it doesn't kill ya, it'll make ya stronger!" That phrase should end with- if you...

Master the lesson.

Change, challenge, and adversity produce lessons. Learning each lesson is like mental weight lifting or aerobics for the mind. Mastering the lesson gives you self-confidence and the fortitude necessary for future struggles.

Going through the same old struggles time and time again is frustrating. It diminishes a person's sense of self-efficacy, autonomy, and competence. In other words it makes a person think, "There ain't nothin' I can do about this."

Find the lesson in the struggle and focus on it. The lesson won't necessarily make the struggle any easier, but it will keep the struggle from being pointless and repetitive.

When you master the lesson, you discover the purpose. With purpose comes a sense of direction and an increased sense of self-empowerment.

So, think about the lesson. Learn the lesson.

Master the lesson.

"If there is no struggle, there is no progress. Those who profess to favor freedom, and yet deprecate agitation, are men who want crops without plowing ground. They want rain without thunder and lightening. They want the ocean without the awful roar of its many waters.
This struggle may be a moral one; or it may be both moral and physical; but it must be a struggle. Power concedes nothing without a demand." -Frederick Douglass

Feelings of Failure with Change of Direction

Career Mistakes To Avoid

Words of Wisdom 24: Mistakes

2008-03-05T22:20:00.002-05:00

"Smart people learn from their mistakes; wise people learn from the mistakes of others." -Unknown

A Quick Lesson on Leadership II

2008-03-05T21:50:00.004-05:00

Someone emailed this to me. It's funny and insightful. Enjoy!

Lesson 2:

A priest offered a nun a lift. She got in and crossed her legs, forcing her gown to reveal a leg. The priest nearly had an accident. After controlling the car, he stealthily slid his hand up her leg.

The nun said, "Father, remember Psalm 129?" The priest removed his hand. But, changing gears, he let his hand slide up her leg again. The nun once again said, "Father, remember Psalm 129?" The priest apologized "Sorry sister but the flesh is weak."

Arriving at the convent, the nun sighed heavily and went on her way. Upon his arrival at the church, the priest rushed to look up Psalm 129. It said, "Go forth and seek, further up, you will find glory."

Moral of the story:

If you are not well informed in your job, opportunities for advancement will pass right by you.

Related Articles:

A Quick Lesson on Leadership I

Perfecting Your Leadership Qualities

Global Leadership For African-American Collegians

Tips for Developing a Leadership Style

A Quick Lesson on Leadership I

2008-03-05T15:51:00.008-05:00

Someone emailed this to me. It's funny and insightful. Enjoy!

Lesson 1:

A man is getting into the shower just as his wife is finishing her shower, when the doorbell rings. The wife quickly wraps herself in a towel and runs downstairs. When she opens the door, there stands Bob, the next-door neighbor.

Before she says a word, Bob says, "I'll give you $800 to drop that towel." After thinking for a moment, the woman drops her towel and stands naked in front of Bob. After a few seconds, Bob hands her $800 and leaves. The woman wraps up in the towel and goes upstairs.

When she gets to the bathroom, her husband asks, "Who was that?" "It was Bob the next door neighbor," she replies. "Great!" the husband says, "did he say anything about the $800 he owes me?"

Moral of the Story:

If you share critical information pertaining to credit and risk with your shareholders in time, you may be in a position to prevent avoidable exposure.

Related Articles:

Perfecting Your Leadership Qualities

Global Leadership For African-American Collegians

Tips for Developing a Leadership Style

Inside the Mind of Anthony L. Harris

2008-02-18T16:32:00.011-05:00

It is rare to find a student that is as committed to the success of his fellow students as he is to his own success. Most students are boggled down with taking care of the academic and personal challenges that matter most—their own. Anthony L. Harris, however, is an entirely different story.

From his days as a freshman at the University of Louisville in ’01-‘02 to receiving his master’s degree in education in May of ’08, two things consistently remain on Harris’ mind: student success and student retention.

Through program development or the daunting task of being a founding member, Harris has played a crucial role in the success of organizations such as Under Graduate Students Helping to Recruit (USHR), Collegiate 100 (a division of 100 Black Men of America), Think College Now, the Graduate Association for Professionals in Student Affairs (GAPSA), and the Student African-American Brotherhood (SAAB).

I’ll let the man himself tell you more about what’s going on inside the mind of Anthony L. Harris.

Al “The Inspiration” Duncan: One of the things that jumped out at me when I looked at some of your career goals is your desire to serve as Dean of Students at a major four-year public college or university. How did you become so passionate about student success?

Anthony L. Harris: It was because of the people that I had contact with throughout my undergraduate experience and in high school as well. A lot of the professors that I had within my major were very hands on. Even the administrators I came in contact with had a student-first focus.

AD: What do you mean by “hands on”?

AH: They gave me a lot of guidance and mentorship—explaining what to do and not to do. They took a lot of time out of their schedules and became a resource for me.

AD: So their actions made you want to be in a position to do the same for other students?

AH: Yes. As an undergraduate, I was the resident assistant and I worked with the admissions office. One day as I was talking to one of my mentors she suggested that I might want to look at college personnel as a career. So I thought about it and I looked at it and I realized that’s where my passion is. I was always surrounded by younger students that were interested in learning from me. I was like the big brother.

AD: Big Brother Ant, huh?

AH: Right.

"...even though my family—my mother, my aunts, my grandparents, my cousins—told me how important education was, when I got to the university I had to find people who had the same mindset."

AD: So, let’s fast forward to five years from today. Let’s say that you are the Dean of Students at an institution. Give me an example of some of the initiatives that you would put in place to improve student success and retention.

AH: Well, I think that it’s very important to meet students where they are. That’s what we do in SAAB – the Student African-American Brotherhood. It was founded by Dr. Tyrone Bledsoe and his goal is to reach the student that is not really involved on campus. So getting those African-American or Latino brothers, or whoever, involved with something is important because when they have some ownership in the university they are more likely to persist and keep on going until they reach their goals.

AD: True.

AH: So it’s about having good programs, not just the “crayon box” activities, events, and organizations.

AD: Did you call them? “Crayon box” activities?

AH: Right. The crayon box—the basic, typical activities that every college and university has.

AD: That’s pretty funny. So, you want to provide them with some different and refreshing things.

AH: Right!

AD: You just mentioned SAAB—The Student African-American Brotherhood. Is the purpose of that organization to improve African-American male student retention?

AH: Yes. That’s exactly what the purpose of SAAB is.

AD: Well, speaking of young brothers, what is going on with young African-American males today? We are constantly bombarded with negative reports and statistics via the media, but I know plenty of young brothers like you who are making it happen. What I would like to know is: how can we produce more young men like you?

AH: I think it primarily has a lot to do with the statistics that they’re using. For instance, you always hear that there are more African-American males in the prison system than in the classroom…in higher education. But whole reality is you have to look at the age range they usually use: 18-51. Within that age group there are more males in the prison system but if you only look at the college age males then it’s better than what they put out there.

AD: Hmmm…

AH: Young males are not really being sought out. Like, I’m not Greek [in a fraternity], but I have a lot of friends who are Greek and I think the Greek system is great. But it’s not for everyone and on most campuses if you’re not Greek you’re not really involved. You know? The Greek members are the ones who are typically the leaders. But with my experiences there were not a lot of Black Greek organizations consistently on campus so there were a lot of opportunities for others to take leadership roles.

AD: Oh. I understand what you mean. You’re saying that there needs to be more types of organizations that are reaching young African-American males and providing them with leadership opportunities because those that aren’t interested in Greek life are falling between the cracks.

AH: Right, right!

"It comes down to dedication and support. You have to be willing to do the work and you have to have people around who are really willing to do the work."

AD: Did you help start SAAB?

AH: I helped bring it to my campus. One of the new faculty members who graduated from the program and his mentor asked around 11 black males on campus to help get it started at the University of Louisville and I was one of them. Lawrence was part of that as well.

AD: Lawrence Watkins, founder of Great Black Speakers?

AH: Yes. So, all of us spearheaded the efforts to get more black males involved on campus. SAAB has been there since the fall of ’05. It’s a collective effort. There’s a leader, but everyone has an important role. It’s a place where students can come voice their concerns, share their frustrations, and actually do something on campus. It’s a support group and it has different components. We promote community service, health and wellness, economics…it’s black males holding each other in a positive light and showing support for one another.

AD: That sounds like it’s a powerful program. Weren’t you also one of the founding members of USHR—Undergraduate Students Helping to Recruit?

AH: Yes.

AD: Is that another mentoring program?

AH: Yes.

AD: Well, obviously you’re serious about mentoring. Why is it so important for someone to have a mentor?

AH: A lot of times, first-time college students don’t have that guide, that person to look at who can show them what they need to do. USHR, for example, is a program designed to mentor to high school seniors. We want to help them before they even get to college so that when they get there they’ll have a familiar face—a big brother or big sister—to go to. They can say “hey, I’m taking these classes. What do you suggest?” And then we can help them with their transition period.

AD: What about the personal impact mentoring has had on you?

AH: Mentoring for me was…well…I was the first person in my family to go to college.

AD: So, you were a first generation to college student.

AH: Yes. So, for me even though my family—my mother, my aunts, my grandparents, my cousins—told me how important education was, when I got to the university I had to find people who had the same mindset.

AD: How did you do that? Because that’s one of the most important things—finding people who have the same mindset as you. Finding people who want to be successful like you is paramount to success, but so many students end up in the wrong crowd. So, how do you find people that are success-minded like you?

AH: It was some trial and error, but luckily for me I had a good network of people that I came from high school with. And we all stayed connected for the most part. You know, as time goes by people move on, but when I got on campus the people I connected with in admissions nurtured and supported me. They saw what I was capable of but it was still some trial and error.

AD: But obviously you didn’t give up. You kept looking until you found the right people.

AH: Right.

"I was always surrounded by younger students that were interested in learning from me. I was like the big brother."

AD: Let’s back track a little bit and talk some more about you becoming the Dean of Students. I believe that’s going to happen for you. One question I get from a lot of students is “What should I do when I’m having trouble with a professor?” So, as the Dean of Students if a student came to you and they were having a problem with a professor how would you handle it?

AH: The first thing I would ask them is whether or not they talked to the professor. A lot of times students come to faculty members or administrators because they don’t know how to talk to professors. They don’t know how to bridge that gap, but they have to at least try to talk to that professor or maybe someone in the department. You have to address the issue. There a so many times when the professor doesn’t even know that there’s a problem to begin with.

AD: That’s true. A student has to make sure that the professor is aware of the problem. Is it safe to say that even if a professor seems a little bit intimidating nine times out of ten he or she really does want to help?

AH: Yes, for the most part. Some professors aren’t “people” people, but there’s normally an avenue that you can take to talk that person. And you have to before you come to an administrator. If you try and things aren’t working out then you come to an administrator, the department head, or dean. You have to give the professor a chance to take care of it.

AD: That’s the truth. Earlier we talked about how you were instrumental in helping to start two organizations on campus. Many students are looking to be leaders or pioneers and start organizations. What are some important keys for starting a student organization?

AH: It comes down to dedication and support. You have to be willing to do the work and you have to have people around who are really willing to do the work. Starting an organization is not the easiest thing in the world to do. There’s a lot of paperwork and steps to go through so you have to have people that are really in it to win it and are determined to get stuff accomplished. Two or three people are not enough because most universities require more than three people to start an organization on campus. Without enough people you’ll just start an organization one year and the next year it’s gone. You need people that are there for the long haul.

AD: Anthony, I want to thank you for a few minutes of your time and for the valuable insight. It’s easy to tell that student success is of the utmost importance to you. You’ll make a great Dean of Students.

AH: Thank you. I have had a great time!

______________________________________

Hey Students! Would you like to be featured in Elevate U and on the homepage of The Black Collegian Magazine?

I'm looking for successful student leaders and student entrepreneurs to interview for a segment of Elevate U called Inside the Mind. If you are interested then email your BRIEF bio, resume, and photo to Al @ Al The Inspiration Duncan

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No Brothers Left Behind

Inside the Mind of Ulysses W. Burley III

Top Ten Quotes: Frederick Douglass

2008-02-14T10:52:00.007-05:00

Today--right in the middle of Black History month where it belongs--is the unofficial, but widely accepted, birthday one of my most influential role models: Frederick Douglass. I’ve read all three of his autobiographies, several biographies, and his complete speeches and writings.

With all of that Freddy D (hey…don’t be offended…that’s how we do it in the Hip-Hop generation) floating around in my head, it’s easy to understand why I’m always quoting him.

Do you quote Frederick Douglass? What’s your favorite Frederick Douglass quote? Here are my top ten.

10. No man can put a chain about the ankle of his fellowman without at last finding the other end fastened about his own neck.

9. He was whipped oftener who was whipped easiest.

8. Man’s greatness consists in his ability to do and the proper application of his power to things needed to be done.

7. Men may not get all they pay [work] for in this world, but they must certainly pay [work] for all they get.

6. I prayed for twenty years but received no answer until I prayed with my legs.

5. Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never has and it never will.

4. If there is no struggle, there is no progress. Those who profess to favor freedom, and deprecate agitation, are men who want crops without plowing up the ground, they want rain without thunder and lightning.

3. It’s easier to build strong children than to repair broken men.

2. I didn't know I was a slave until I found out I couldn't do the things I wanted.

1. One and God make a majority.

Honorable mention:

A little learning, indeed, may be a dangerous thing, but the want of learning is a calamity to any people.

I prefer to be true to myself, even at the hazard of incurring the ridicule of others, rather than to be false, and to incur my own abhorrence.

We have to do with the past only as we can make it useful to the present and the future.

A man who would not labor to gain his rights, is a man who would not, if he had them, prize and defend them.

Only as we rise do we encounter opposition.

What are your favorite Frederick Douglass quotes? Please let me know in the comments.

Super Hero - Frederick Douglass

African-American History 101: African Background Questions

Words of Wisdom 26: Attitude

2008-02-09T09:25:00.001-05:00

Beware of the attitudes of the people you associate with the most because attitudes are contagious. (I know it's common sense but...common sense and what you commonly do are quite often two entirely different things!)

Top Ten Quotes: Martin Luther King Jr.

2008-01-24T23:22:00.002-05:00

I've spoken at quite a few MLK celebrations this week and I’ve also seen several tributes on TV. So, I’ve heard plenty of people quoting (and misquoting) Dr. King. In fact I would argue that he’s one of the most quoted people in history.

Do you quote Dr. King? What’s your favorite Dr. King quote? Here are my top ten.

10. Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.

9. Peace is not merely a distant goal that we seek, but a means by which we arrive at that goal.

8. Take the first step in faith. You don't have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.

7. Human salvation lies in the hands of the creatively maladjusted.

6. “Whatever your life's work is, do it well. A man should do his job so well that the living, the dead, and the unborn could do it no better.”

5. If a man hasn't discovered something that he will die for, he isn't fit to live.

4. Rarely do we find men who willingly engage in hard, solid thinking. There is an almost universal quest for easy answers and half-baked solutions. Nothing pains some people more than having to think.

3. The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.

2. In the End, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.

1. Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.

Honorable Mention:

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

The quality, not the longevity, of one's life is what is important.

The time is always right to do what is right.

What are your favorite Dr. King quotes? Please let me know in the comments.

On Going Tributes to Martin Luther King, Jr.

Matin Luther King, Jr.'s Message -- Move Beyond Racism

Inside the Mind of Alicia English

2008-01-23T22:39:00.001-05:00

I spend a lot of time challenging young people; challenging them to grow; challenging them to elevate their thinking. Recently, a young lady turned the tables on me.

I was just beginning a session on the power of networking when Alicia English—a senior marketing major at Alabama A&M University and President of Phi Beta Lambda Business Fraternity, Inc.—walked in. All of the students were paired up and were preparing to play my networking game.

As the students began to play I introduced myself to Alicia and told her what the other students were doing. She was eager to play but she didn’t have a partner. So what does she do? She walks right up to the front of the room and says, “I’m your partner, Mr. Duncan. Let’s see how well you do at your own game.”

What nerve. But of course, a brother had to represent. So I accepted. Alicia has excellent networking skills. She was great at the game. What about me?

We’ll talk about that in a second. So, let’s find out what’s inside the mind of this powerful young lady.

Al “The Inspiration” Duncan: We had a funny first meeting, huh?

Alicia English: Yeah, that was fun! I had a lot of fun. I walked out of the room and when I came back I didn’t have anybody so I picked you. And you tried to get out of it.

AD: I was teaching.

AE: Yeah, but you can’t ask us to play if you can’t. You can’t teach us to do something that you can’t do. You have to test your own knowledge.

AD: True. That’s why I stepped up. And I wasn’t perfect, but I beat all the students! I know my stuff.

AE: (Laughter)

AD: One of the first things I noticed about you is how energetic you are and when I asked you about doing this interview you emailed me back and said, “You know what Al, I would love to do it but I’m going to be real busy. This is my senior year. I’m trying to stay as busy as possible. So I’m not sure if I’ll have time.”

AE: Yes, sir, I remember.

AD: So, obviously you love to stay busy, which I find to interesting because so many young people that I meet are trying to get out of work and here you are looking for more ways to pack your schedule. Why? Why is that? Why is it so important for you to stay busy and active?

AE: Well, one thing that Monster’s DLP [Diversity Leadership Program] opened my eyes to is that it’s really competitive out there. The competition is stiff. And I feel like I’m already ten steps behind everybody else. I just did my first summer internship this year.

AD: As a rising senior?!

AE: Yeah, just this past summer.

"Well, I’m just the type that believes that you have to think about somebody else before you think about yourself. It doesn’t make sense to put somebody down just for you to get ahead."

AD: Why?

AE: I was an athlete when I first came to college. For my first two years I spent all of my time, all of my summer in the weight room or on the volleyball court. I really didn’t get a chance to go to conferences and things like that my freshman and sophomore year. My mind was still on sports. So, for my last two years I said I’m going to give that up and I’m going to focus on my career. I’m going to focus and do whatever it takes to reach my career objectives.

AD: Hmmm…

AE: And so I feel like I’m already ten steps behind everybody else. By now it seems like everybody has about three or four internships underneath their belt. Everybody has a lot of experience and so that’s why I’m energetic. I’m a sponge and I stay busy because I feel like while I’m sleeping or just watching TV, somebody else is researching companies…

AD: Right!

AE: …or they’re researching something and they could be going after the same position. Somebody is always trying to take your spot! Somebody is always trying to be the next fresh face in the workforce; trying to be the next big thing.

AD: Right.

AE: So I have the constant mindset that while it’s good to relax every now and then, I need to stay busy with school, work, and learning different techniques and going to conferences on how I can make myself better.

AD: What’s interesting is that you may feel like you’re a little behind in terms of internships but you’re way ahead as far as attitude is concerned. You have great work ethic and that’s priceless.

AE: Thank you.

AD: You’re welcome. You treat life like you would one of your games – you might be behind, but it ain’t over ‘til it’s over. So, how did you develop that attitude? Have you always been like that?

AE: A lot of my attitude developed from sports. Just like you said, never give up. Keep going ‘til the whistle blows; even after the whistle blows. You never know what an extra inch or an extra tidbit—a little more push—might do to get you ahead. So, I’m working on the weekends because you never know how much that extra little bit could get you ahead. It could set you apart.

AD: True.

AE: And a lot of my attitude comes from my organization [Phi Beta Lambda]. We teach you not to count yourself out. You have something that they [employers] want. You just have to make it known.

AD: So these days, for you, it’s time to get down to business.

AE: Yes, sir.

AD: Well, speaking of business, your organization is literally all about business. You’re the president of Phi Beta Lambda which is a business fraternity, right?

AE: Yes, sir. It’s a nationally known fraternity that comes out of FBLA which is short for Future Business Leaders of America.

AD: That’s a high school program, right?

AE: Yes. FBLA was first and then they created college and professional versions. That’s where Phi Beta Lambda comes in.

AD: What’s the difference between a business fraternity and a social fraternity?

AE: Basically, a social fraternity or sorority is gender specific, you know male or female, but you have people with all types of majors. My fraternity is strictly for business majors or minors. It’s strictly for enhancing yourself as business leader. We promote workshops and conferences. We give you the techniques you need to become an effective business leader.

AD: What would make a student a good fit for a business fraternity such as Phi Beta Lambda?

AE: Well, from campus to campus each chapter sets its own criteria. In our chapter you have to be a sophomore or above with thirty-one credit hours. We use this standard because we don’t want freshman to join too soon without knowing what they’re getting into. Normally by junior year you know what path you’re going to be on.

AD: True.

AE: You have to have a 2.5 [GPA] or above. After all, academics are important. Even if you don’t have all of the characteristics yet, you have to show some potential for becoming an effective business leader. We’re going to give you the tools. Just show us some passion and dedication about being a business leader. We don’t discriminate. If you’re not sure or don’t know what marketing is, if you don’t know what it’s like in the workplace or don’t know how to dress, then we want to teach you.

"I’ve encountered a lot of my old colleagues and once they graduate they go into the workplace and feel like society owes them something. They owe them this job; they owe them respect. When the reality is nobody owes them anything."

AD: So you want to help people to grow.

AE: Yeah. We want people who have a lot of growing to do. Or even if you’re someone who already knows a lot as long as you’re still willing to grow and be an asset to the organization then we want you to join. Don’t just join to get a t-shirt or just for the name.

AD: So don’t just join to be in the cool club.

AE: Yes, sir. We want people who will represent the organization well. You know, in a business fraternity my brothers and sisters and I all work together and have taken the same classes that new members will be taking and we pass along books and a lot of good info about the classes. And you know books are expensive these days!

AD: True! It sounds like your fraternity takes full advantage of the power of networking.

AE: Oh, yeah.

AD: And it also sounds like you all get your members prepared to handle a lot of the challenges that people will face when they enter the business world. So what are some of the challenges you expect to face? Especially as an African-American woman in the world of business, what do expect to see when you get out there?

AE: From the jump, I expect to have to deal with some of the stereotypical black-woman-black-college-student-you-didn’t-get-a-good-education type of mindsets but that won’t stop me. For some reason, and I don’t know why, too many students graduating from black colleges think that people owe them something. I’ve encountered a lot of my old colleagues and once they graduate they go into the workplace and feel like society owes them something. They owe them this job; they owe them respect. When the reality is nobody owes them anything.

AD: Amen, sista. Amen.

AE: It’s every man for himself.

AD: Or woman.

AE: Yeah. And on top of facing the stereotypical attitudes, I’m also facing an even bigger hurdle because I’m going into sports. I want to go into major league baseball. I want to go into a field where there aren’t a lot of African-Americans or women in general. I love baseball. When I was young my family took me to a lot of the games and what bothers me is that we’ll wear the hats and jerseys but when it comes to going to the games nobody’s there to support our athletes. So, I want to work in major league baseball to bring a different type of marketing and awareness to the African-American community in terms of supporting our athletes.

AD: That’s a big challenge and of course you can handle it.

AE: Yes, sir.

AD: Well, since you’re in the mood for challenges let’s step into another world where women face a lot of challenges: Hip-Hop. There’s a lot of controversy around the way women are portrayed in a lot of Hip-Hop. Is it just business or is there more to it?

AE: Everything is business regardless of what it is. People are out to make money. They’re going to do anything to make money. However, in my opinion if you have to make money by downgrading or disrespecting somebody else that totally goes against my morals and beliefs. You wouldn’t put you mother or daughter…you wouldn’t put anybody in your family on that kind of stage so why would put other women out there?

AD: I hope not. But that’s not true for everybody.

AE: Well, I’m just the type that believes that you have to think about somebody else before you think about yourself. It doesn’t make sense to put somebody down just for you to get ahead. In the end you’re not really getting anywhere.

AD: True. In the words of James Baldwin: “Whoever debases others is debasing himself.”

AE: Yeah, so it’s business, it’s Hip-Hop and they’re making money but you know on the other hand, it’s not what you’re called it’s what you answer to. You have to set the standards of what you’re going to accept for yourself. Yeah...wrong is wrong but everybody doesn’t think like me.

AD: Yeah, and everybody doesn’t have that positive attitude like you. In fact, as we wrap things up, give me one or two things that anybody could do to develop that kind of attitude; that determined, never-give-up-never-quit type of attitude.

AE: A person said something one day that really hit home with me. “You were born an original so don’t live like a copy.” When I heard that it made so much sense to me.

AD: I noticed that’s how you sign your emails.

AE: I’ve heard it two ways actually. I’ve also heard it in Romans 12:2 which basically says don’t go with the flow. Don’t fall into the customs of this world but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.

AD: Woo! That’s what I’m talking about! On that note I’m going to say that you are definitely an original and thanks for giving us a few minutes of your time. We’ll be looking for great things from you in the very near future.

AE: Thank you so much! I had a lot of fun with this interview.

“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” Romans 12:2

Congratulations Alicia!

Since I conducted this interview with Alicia back in Oct. 2007 she has started working for the Huntsville Stars—a minor league baseball team in Huntsville, Alabama—as an Account Executive. Her job is to ensure that groups and new clients have an outstanding experience at the stadium. She is well on her way to achieving her career goals.

___________________________________

Hey Students! Would you like to be featured in Elevate U and on the homepage of The Black Collegian Magazine?

Getting in the Game -- Pursuing a Career in Sports

Hip-Hop Students Learn to Study to the Beat

Dr. Rani Whitfield "The Hip-Hop Doc"

Words of Wisdom 30: Health and Wellness

2008-01-16T11:20:00.000-05:00

Have you been feeling tired recently? Well, it might not be because of all of the work you have to do. Did you know that lack of water -- which causes your brain to become dehydrated -- is the number one cause of daytime fatigue? Drink more water. Seriously.

Related Articles:
Road Map To Wellness (highly recommended)
Kitchen Blockers to Your Health
Wellness Means Work

Inside the Mind Of Ulysses W. Burley III

2008-01-13T08:21:00.001-05:00

As I was going through the hundreds of email from students in my inbox I noticed one from Ulysses W. Burley III. His bio and curriculum vitae were so nice I had to read them twice! His incredible passion and work ethic were clearly evident as I read his amazing and truly inspiring story.

Ulysses is a medical doctoral candidate at Northwestern and Rush Universities of Chicago. He attended Morehouse College as a Packard Science Scholar (a full scholarship) and is the recipient of numerous awards and honors. He has at least a dozen medical terms on his C.V. that I have no idea how to pronounce. Ha!

Ulysses has accrued over seven years of cancer research experience, contributing to a compliment of research projects with two major first author publications as well as two co-authorships and guess what? He’s only 24 years old.

‘Nuff said. Let’s find out what else is inside the mind of Ulysses W. Burley III.

Al “The Inspiration” Duncan: After reading over all of the info that you sent me, I’ve got to ask: How did you become so passionate about cancer research and awareness?

Ulysses W. Burley III: It was kind of a gift and a curse. When I was eight years old my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. The doctors gave her six months to live. At the time I knew I wanted to be a doctor—an orthopedic doctor. You know, when you’re eight years old you don’t really know what that means.

AD: Right.

UWB: So, being a doctor was always of interest but it became a reality when my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. Through the grace of God she definitely lived longer than six months. She went on to live for two more years.

AD: Hmmm…That is a blessing.

UWB: We lost her when I was ten. I had a strong father; a strong support group around me to take care of my sister and me. It really brought to life the saying “it takes a village to raise a child” because that is indeed what I had surrounding me.

Even at the age of ten it became apparent to me what I was going to have to do to intervene as far as cancer goes. Eventually, I went on to apply to a specialty high school for the health profession in Houston. Being accepted was a blessing because a lot of students don’t have access to schools like that. But Houston does pretty well in terms of specialty high schools.

I was exposed to the clinic, the hospital, and we had rotations. We even came dressed appropriately in lab coats and scrubs. So I was exposed to the science and medical field—my future—very, very early.

AD: So, although you always dreamed of becoming a doctor, it was your mother’s passing that gave you that laser beam focus on reaching your goal.

UWB: Definitely. I have my blinders on.

AD: Did you lose your Grandmother to cancer as well?

UWB: I did and this was my mother’s mother, but I didn’t lose her until later on. She passed when I was a freshman in college.

AD: Aw, man.

UWB: Yeah. And that was a lot more recent. Cancer is definitely a disease that runs rampant through out my family. My grandfather—my mother’s father—he was diagnosed with prostate cancer and his sister is a breast cancer survivor. I’ve developed a mentality of: I gotta get it before it gets me. Or hey, I’ve gotta get it before it gets my younger sister. That’s been the driving force behind everything I’ve been able to accomplish.

AD: Man, I have a tremendous amount of respect for you. That’s a lot of weight for a young guy to carry on his shoulders.

UWB: I think so and it made me grow up fast; it made me a little heavy hearted. My attitude changed about things. I was a more serious person.

AD: Well, dag, bruh. Did you still have a chance to enjoy your childhood?

UWB: Oh, definitely, definitely. I was able to balance well but, you know, when it came down to academics and school and things of that nature, there were no games.

AD: Okay. So, no time to play, huh?

UWB: No games.

"See, there are a lot of smart people, brother. It’s hard work that’s going to get you over the hump."

AD: What I’ve noticed is, especially in my line of work, so many people have a little bump in the road. And they experience some hardships, trials, and tribulations and use those things as excuses just to lie down; excuses not to do anything in life. But you took this whole thing that happened to you and shaped it into the perfect example of turning tragedy into triumph. What were some of things you did to get through the hurt and pain?

UWB: The night my mother passed—a Sunday morning around 1 or 2AM—I was at my grandparents’ house. My grandfather woke me up and he was crying. I knew what that meant.

My Reverend at the time came to the house, gathered the family around, and said a long prayer. Man, I tell you, when he was done I just felt this sense of relief. I felt like everything was going to be okay. It really helped me to deal with what was happening to me. God touched me right away. He put me in a place of understanding.

AD: Hmmm…

UWB: I also had a wonderful support group. My father was always right there. I kind of have a unique familial situation where my parents’ best friends took us in and did things for us that maybe my father couldn’t do as single parent. They became a second set of parents—surrogate parents. To this day I still call them my folks. And when I say my folks I’m talking about a number of different people, because there were a number of different people who had an equal hand in my growth and development; keeping me on the right road and keeping me positive and focused.

AD: I always wish that more young people had a support group like that. The Reverend dropped a nice prayer on you that night to start you off in the right direction and that reminds me of what my grandmother always said—prayer changes things.

UWB: Yes indeed.

AD: Preston Edwards, Sr.—Founder, CEO, and publisher of the Black Collegian Magazine has recently published a book called “You have Cancer” chronicling the story of how he and three of his friends battled cancer at the same time. The main goal of the book is to promote cancer awareness. Why is there such a lack of cancer awareness among people—especially in the African-American community? It seems like the only time we really care about cancer is when somebody is dying.

UWB: Exactly. It’s really an enigma because cancer is indiscriminate. It affects everybody, but it does affect black people twice as much as anybody else.

AD: Hmmm…

UWB: So the question I ask myself is: “why is this and what are we doing to intervene?” I believe that if you want to change something you need to become a part of it.

AD: Right.

UWB: There aren’t enough African-Americans going into research period, let alone cancer research. 35% of African-Americans who enter into college enter with the intention to major in science and math. After that it’s pretty much equal with other ethnicities except for Asians. It’s 50% for them. But only 13% of African-Americans end up graduating with science and math degrees. Only 3% of us are going to pursue graduate degrees in science and mathematics.

AD: What happens between entering college and receiving a graduate degree?

"I was able to balance well but, you know, when it came down to academics and school and things of that nature, there were no games."

UWB: Well, it’s not the most lucrative career.

AD: What about MD’s?

UWB: I’m talking about the researchers. The things a lot of the doctors bring to patients start off in a scientific research laboratory. Well, a lot of research is dictated by government funding and government funding determines your salary.

For instance, prostate cancer is one of the most funded cancers around. Why? Because Congress is made up of old white men and prostate cancer predominantly affects old white guys. So they pass legislation to fund prostate cancer research. As a matter of fact, this is the first year in the history of cancer research that funding was cut.

AD: George Dub-ya at it again, huh?

UWB: Exactly. But you know, eight of the presidential candidates have survived cancer or had it strike someone in their family. Senator Barak Obama’s mother died of ovarian cancer. McCain survived melanoma, which is a skin cancer. Huckabee’s wife was diagnosed with spinal cancer when she was 19. Hilary Clinton’s mother-in-law died of breast cancer. And more recently there was John Edwards’ wife who was diagnosed with breast cancer and it spread through her bones. Bill Richards said that if he’s elected he’s going to appoint a Cancer Czar as part of his cabinet.

AD: Well, obviously cancer is a major issue in the election just like it’s a major part of your life. Speaking of which, one of the first things I noticed about you is that you are a shining example of positivity in the face of negativity. There’s a lot of concern about the plight of young African-American males. How did you manage to become such a great example at a young age?

UWB: It’s just like you said, “Turning tragedy into triumph”; making the best out of any situation. I wouldn’t call myself an optimist but I am a realist. I fully believe in my capabilities and I know that God gave me the ability to work hard. Just today, I was speaking to a white woman at church. We were meeting for the first time. She’s in divinity school and I told her that I’m in medical school. She said, “Wow. You must really be smart.” I said, “Well, I just work really hard.” She kind of gave me a puzzled look like, “okay.”

AD: (Chukle)

UWB: See, there are a lot of smart people, brother. It’s hard work that’s going to get you over the hump.

AD: That’s right! Work ethic is THE difference.

UWB: That is instilled in me. I have a lot of people behind me. I have a lot of people rooting for me. For me, anything less than great and I would be doing a disservice to all of the people who helped me through my hard times.

"God touched me right away. He put me in a place of understanding."

AD: You are living proof that in spite of all the hurdles young black men are facing, with the right help and guidance, they can shine like anybody else. And as we get ready to wrap this up what one message would like to leave with us?

UWB: Lately, I’ve been a strong advocate of doing what makes you happy. So, I urge collegians and people everywhere to find what makes you happy and do it. I am so passionate about what I do that a lot of these research projects have been volunteer work. I feel like I’ll be in a place to be successful financially and to take care of my family by doing what I love because I do it so well that people will be excited to pay me to do it.

AD: You’re a man after my own heart. I’ve had a few different mentors tell me to find something that you love to do so much that you would do it for free, but you do it so well that people will pay you top dollar.

UWB: Yeah, and the reason I’m saying this is because they call us the “we want everything now” generation.

AD: Delayed gratification is a lost art.

UWB: Yeah. I’ve got buddies of mine that graduated and are making big money on Wall Street, but they aren’t happy. They hate to wake up every day and they hate what they do. I’m just thankful that God revealed my purpose to me early in life and like I said I’ve got my blinders on.

AD: It’s been a blessing to sit down and talk to you for a few minutes, Ulysses.

UWB: Brother, I appreciate you giving me a chance to get my voice out there.

_______________________________________________________

Hey Students! Would you like to be featured in Elevate U and on the homepage of The Black Collegian Magazine?

Raising Cancer Awareness
American Cancer Society Launches Nationwide Awareness Campaign...
Six Ways to Turn Setbacks Into Comebacks
A Lesson on Failure from Alfred H. Duncan, Sr.

A State of Mind Called Time Pt. II

2008-01-12T23:44:00.001-05:00

“There's time enough, but none to spare.”
-Charles W. Chesnutt

How much is your time worth? If someone wanted an hour of your time how much would it cost him? How about a month of your time? A year?

Since your time is worth so much, it’s time to think about your time in a different manner. (By the way if the number you came up with was your yearly salary, it’s time to think BIGGER.)

Stop spending your time; start investing your time.

This isn’t another tired speech about not wasting time. You know whether or not you waste your time. You know you can’t get that time back. This is about carefully taking into consideration what the possible Return On Investment could be or the losses you could incur for the time that you are using.

If you were to invest $500 dollars in a commodity—let’s say it was gold—you would be expecting to receive a good ROI, right?

It’s supposed to work the same way with your time but far too many people just haphazardly spend (waste) their time (and money) on anything or with anyone. And that’s a serious problem.

Million Dollar Question: What do you get in return for MOST of your time?

Think of the last five things you’ve done. (Can you even remember?)

What was the ROI? Knowledge? Peace of mind? Money?

Proper relaxation? (Watching I Love New York II doesn’t count as proper relaxation!)

For most people the answer is usually nothing or “I don’t know”.

That’s just plain old pitiful. Pi-tee-ful.

Here’s an expression that I hate: Free time. (Not to be confused with time freedom.) Since when has time been free? Do you believe that “time is money”? Really?

I do. Time is most definitely money. That’s one of the reasons why so many people are broke or bankrupt. They espouse that principle but they aren’t faithful to it. How about you?

I don’t think of it as spending my time reading or working. I don’t think of it as spending time with my family or spending time having fun. It’s an investment of my time in the commodities of achievement and fulfillment. Think about that.

People frequently ask me: "Al, where do you find the time?"

They want to know how I am able to speak over 100 times a year all across the country, write dozens of articles, maintain a blog and a website, run two businesses, serve on two boards, chair a steering committee, invest hundreds of volunteer hours per year, and still have plenty of time for my family and chillaxation.

The answer is simple: I don't try to find time; I make time. I don’t spend time; I invest time—wisely.

By spending one less hour per day surfing the web or watching TV, you will have an extra 28-31 hours per month to invest in achieving your goals.

By the way it’s not really about the words “spend” and “invest”. Who cares which word you use? This isn’t about semantics; it’s about your state of mind.

Remember the...

Million Dollar Question: What do you get in return for MOST of your time?

Here’s the bottom line:

Every so often during the day ask yourself “Is there something else that I could be investing my time in that will produce a better ROI?” More than likely, the answer will be “yes”, so make time to do it. It’s time to invest your time and reap the rewards.

A State of Mind Called Time Pt. I

Seize the Opportunity

(Procrastination)
Time for action
What comes first, action or motivation?

Words of Wisdom 2: Money Smarts

2008-01-11T22:47:00.001-05:00

One of the things college students spend the most money on is food. So here's a quick and simple tip that will help keep the food you eat from eating your cash.

NEVER go shopping when you’re hungry! Also, make a shopping list and stick to it.

Related Articles:
4 Keys for Smart Credit Card Use
College Debt 101

Words of Wisdom 1: Goal Getting

2007-12-24T10:27:00.000-05:00

Here's something to help you out with your new year's resolutions or any goal.

According to research, you are 80x’s more likely to achieve your goals if they are written down. Put it in writing.

Seize the Opportunity

(Procrastination)
Time for action
What comes first, action or motivation?

Public Speaking Tips Pt. 2

2007-09-27T19:31:00.001-05:00

continued from part 1

Be Brief

Recently, I was the keynote speaker at a welcome back dinner for the African-American Cultural Center at the University of Connecticut.

I was supposed to deliver a 90 minute talk but the students were so engaged and had me so fired up that before we realized it, an hour and 45 minutes had gone by!

You might be thinking, “Al, an hour and 45 minutes is not brief. That’s a long time.”

Actually, it depends on the context. That’s the interesting thing about time; two hours can seem like ten minutes or ten minutes can seem like two hours.

Have you ever been stuck listening to a lack-luster speaker? Have you ever been trapped in a mind-numbing lecture or boring conversation? Ten minutes of this torture is excruciatingly painful, right?

The point is: brevity is a matter of perception.

As far as the students were concerned, I was brief because they were enjoying themselves and time flew by. No one realized how long it had been until it was over.

If you’re good, there comes a time when the audience has had enough but they still want more. That’s when a master elocutionist takes a seat. You’ve given them enough to respect and remember you; you’ve been considerate enough for them to appreciate and admire you.

If you’re not sure whether or not time is flying by, then it’s probably better to finish early.

Keep in mind that it’s best to apply the Be Brief Philosophy in moderation. If you’re supposed to speak for 30 minutes and you sit down after 5 minutes, that’s not brevity, that’s robbery. (Unless you were boring, then that’s called mercy.)

Closing the show in a magnificent manner is an invaluable skill for any speaker. You have to know when to…

Be Done

I have seen many speakers have the audience wrapped around their little finger only to let things unravel minutes later because they didn’t know how or when to finish.

The close is the most important part of any type of speech. It has to be clear, concise and memorable. It could be a powerful quote or profound thought; a poignant story or a persuasive call to action.

The only thing that should follow your close is silence (from a jury) or applause (from an audience).

There are peak moments in every speech and you should close on one of them. Have you ever been in a conversation and suddenly realized that it was time for it to end but you weren’t sure how to get out of it?

Once I was delivering a keynote address to 4000 people. After about an hour, I told a thought-provoking, touching story about my father and forgiveness. It would’ve have been a great place close but I just kept yapping away. Eventually I lost them. Although, I was able to rally and end on a good note, I could have ended on a great note.

“Begin with the end in mind.”
Stephen Covey, author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

After I finish brainstorming ideas for a seminar or keynote, the first thing I do is come up with my close—a story, quote, thought-provoking question, or call to action.

I make an outline, but I don’t write out word for word what I’m going to say. (It’s perfectly fine to write out your speech. It’s just not my style.) So, when I’m up in front of the room 95% of what’s delivered is extemporaneous.

My opening and closing, however, are well-thought out and rehearsed. If there’s a Q&A session, I conduct it before my close because when my close comes out of my mouth, I’m done. Period.

As I stated earlier, covering this topic could take an entire semester, but adhering to the three B’s will greatly enhance your public speaking skills.

Be good, be brief, and be done!

Recommended Reading:
How to Develop Self-Confidence and Influence People By Public Speaking
Dale Carnegie

Public Speaking Tips Pt. 1

2007-09-26T08:39:00.001-05:00

Q: As a motivational speaker and thought leader, do you have any suggestions or experience that you want to share? I understand that practice makes perfect. Do you have specific tips for improving public speaking?

It could take an entire semester to answer this question. Are you talking about a motivational talk, an attorney’s closing argument, or a political or oratorical type of speech? There are different nuances and tricks of the trade for each. Here’s my advice, however, regardless of the type of speech:

Be good, be brief, and be done!

Be Good

The true sign of a Master is the ability to make everyone in the audience feel like you were talking directly to them.

This is based on relevancy, subject mastery, and eye contact.

RELEVANCY

Initially your audience may not believe or understand that what you have to say is relevant to them. You have to show them the relevancy; help them to understand why and how your topic is relevant.

Provide them with stories or examples that directly relate to them. Be empathetic by showing them that even if you haven’t had the exact same experiences, you have had similar ones.

You the power of relevancy on your side, you will have a stronger hold on the minds and hearts of your audience.

SUBJECT MASTERY

You should know more about your topic than you have time to talk about. For a one-hour keynote I come prepared with three hours of information on my topic. For a half-day seminar I show up with 1½ days worth of material. I want people to know that what they just received from me was the tip of the iceberg.

Also, if you happen to loose your train of thought or completely forget something, it’s easier to recover when you have a ton of information in your arsenal.

The best speakers seldom worry about perfection because they spend more time working on credibility and expertise—the fruits of subject mastery.

The Million-Dollar Question: Which do you think an audience would prefer: a clueless speaker that delivers a perfect speech or an expert speaker that delivers a good speech?

EYE CONTACT

Research shows that around 70% eye contact is optimal during a typical conversation in the U.S. In public speaking that percentage needs to be raised to 95%-100% because the audience is focused on you.

Of course, gawking at people is a no-no. Your goal is to make meaningful eye contact (translation: more than a split-second glance) with as many members of your audience as possible. It’s best to look at an audience member, complete your thought then move on to someone else.

Two final things about being good:

First, take a public speaking class or join a Toastmasters club.

Second, DO NOT tell jokes. Tell humorous stories and use witty phrases. I would rather watch grass grow than be subjected to the torture of listening to a boring speaker.

Unless it’s a eulogy or some other serious or somber speech, the audience wants to laugh. Laughter increases blood flow to the brain and keeps your audience from turning into a room full of zombies.

No matter how good you are, you still need to...

Continued in part 2

Inside the Mind of Wendy Wilson

2007-09-15T23:35:00.001-05:00

Wendy Wilson is the Director of Minority Advising and the ACE Fellowship Program Coordinator at Darton College in Albany, GA. We first met when I was speaking at Darton. Very quickly it became obvious that we had something in common—we were both determined to help people be successful. She and the students loved me, so she decided to book me for another engagement right on the spot. We’ve been friends ever since.

For the past several months I’ve been working on a series called 5 Qualities of Good Women that Could Make a Man Better. So, when I was talking to Wendy recently, I refused to pass up the opportunity to take a peek inside of her mind.

Al "The Inspiration" Duncan: Think of some of your good female students. What are some of the qualities they embody that can help all students out?

Wendy Wilson: I think they understand that education is not only on an academic level. Not so much on a classroom-teacher-student exchange. That it’s much broader and they understand that the best education that they will ever receive starts with them. They tend to be very engaged with folks outside of the classroom; understanding the overall importance of networking and being major contributors in the community.

AD: Can you sum up their philosophy about their education in one word?

WW: Accountability.

AD: What about your top male students?

WW: Let me see…how do I word this? With many male students they don’t get it right off the bat. My better male students are typically non-traditional students. They’ve experienced the world and realize that they can accomplish more and that the educational pursuit is something that no one can take away from them. So, [my top male students] tend to be older before they grasp the importance of their education.

AD: So is it simply a matter of maturity?

WW: Certainly.

"And just raise your standards or in some cases just develop some."

AD: Think of a great woman that you admire. Who comes to mind?

WW: Dorothy Height.

AD: Give me 3 qualities about Dorothy Height that could make, not only a man better, but the average woman better as well.

WW: Okay. Certainly I would have to say endurance. She reflected that throughout her many years; remaining committed to the cause. And she also strikes me as a very patient woman. How many did you want me to give you?

AD: Three. If you can think of one more that would be great. If not, those two are powerful.

WW: Certainly, she has high intellect.

AD: How could the average man develop more endurance?

WW: In regards to advice to men, I would say to become more centered and focused. And establish some goals. Certainly my concern right now, particularly with young African-American men, is that they need to look beyond their immediate world because sometimes their immediate circles are so low…

AD: Hmmm…

WW: …that they don’t know that there are other things they can seek and attain that will enrich and develop their lives. And so, just stop living in the world of immediacy, get centered, grounded, and from there begin to plan your life.

AD: Stop living in the world of immediacy, huh?

WW: Yes. And just raise your standards or in some cases just develop some. (laughter)

AD: (Laughter) I definitely consider you to be a good woman; a great woman. So, give me a defining characteristic about yourself.

WW: Oh, wow…hmmm…I would have to say that I’m constantly seeking growth and knowledge.

AD: How would some one cultivate that quality? How does one develop the discipline necessary to seek growth and knowledge?

WW: I think you have to get to a state where you’re seeking understanding of self.

AD: Can you expound on that?

WW: Come to peace with who you are at whatever juncture it is in life, plan accordingly, and strive to do better. Don’t berate or belittle yourself because you feel like you should be at another stage. Just come to an understanding of what circumstances brought you to that stage in life and embrace it for what it is. Then the journey begins in terms of the creator and you moving beyond that moment.

AD: Thanks for the wisdom, Wen. It’s been a pleasure as always.

WW: It certainly has been. Any time, Al, any time.

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5 Qualities of Good Women that Could Make a Man Better

Understanding The Fear Of Success

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Hey Students! Would you like to be featured in Elevate U and on the homepage of The Black Collegian Magazine?

Constant Elevation: 7 Questions to Keep You on Point

2007-09-11T09:08:00.000-05:00

Q: Mr. Duncan, how do you stay on point? How do you make sure that if you’re on the road to success nobody can pull you off?

One of the harshest realties is:

How your life turns out is all on you. No excuses.

People and the environment have a significant impact on your development, but for the most part you have control over where you go and the people that play a major role in your life--especially your friends and peers. You have complete control over your attitude about what happens to you.

Here are a set of questions that I ask myself at least once a month to make sure that I have the right attitude and stay in a state of constant elevation. Answering them in writing will help bring clarity and keep you focused.

1. With whom am I spending most of my time?

2. How are they influencing my behavior?

3. How are they influencing my thinking?

4. How are they influencing what I say?

5. How are they influencing my health? Are they stressing me out? Are they abusive in any way?

6. What do they have me becoming?

The Million-Dollar Question: Are all of these things helping me to elevate myself?

If the answer to the million-dollar question is “no” then it’s time to change the people with whom you spend most of your time. I know that’s not easy, but who ever said elevation was easy?

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In Plastic We Trust: 4 Keys for Smart Credit Card Use Pt. 4

2007-09-02T08:23:00.000-05:00

(continued from part 3)

4. Balance

Make more than the minimum payment and avoid maxing out your card(s).

The best thing you can do with your credit card(s) is pay off the balance every month. Paying off the balance in full will make your charges less costly in the long run and will help to nullify the APR. Also, this keeps your card free for any emergencies.

If you can’t afford to pay off the balance every month at the very least make more than the minimum payment.

The worst thing you can do—next to missing a payment—is to haphazardly max out your card(s). In addition to possibly causing tremendous financial strain, maxing out your credit will automatically damage your credit rating because you are using more than 50% of the available balance.

So, even if you have a low interest rate and can actually afford the payments, maxing out your card is a no-no.

Did you know…

…that over 50% of all college students max out their cards?

Statistics from several different surveys and reports estimate that the average amount of credit card debt per student is around $2100 to $3000? One out of every five 18-20 year olds has $3000-$7000 in credit card debt.

This means that there are many full-time students bogged down with full-time debt and a part-time job. In fact, some have no job.

At the end of a seminar that I was teaching at Spelman, a young lady came up to me asking for advice on how to manage her credit card debt, which had gotten way out of hand. I was suggesting some steps for her to take when she stopped me in mid-sentence to say: “But see the thing is, Mr. Duncan, I don’t have a job.”

Do you think I was surprised?

Do you think I was flabbergasted?

I wasn’t. Almost every time I speak at a college or university—if the topic is money—at least one student approaches me with a scenario like that young lady’s.

In spite of all of the staggering statistics, credit cards aren’t bad; people use them badly.

Credit cards are tools and just like any other tool the result produced depends on who wields the tool. Adhering to these 4 Keys for Smart Credit Card Use will help you to utilize your tool wisely.

1. Awareness

2. Delayed Gratification and Impulse Control

3. Research and Choose Wisely

4. Balance

Sources:

Undergraduate Students and Credit Cards in 2004:An Analysis of Usage Rates and Trends
The Nellie May Foundation

Variables Influencing Credit Card Balances of Students at a Midwestern University
Lucretia Mattson, Kathleen Sahlhoff, Judith Blackstone, Blaine Peden, and Abraham Y. Nahm

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"Maxed Out" Explores Phenomenon of Debt In America
Is the United States Heading For a Crash. Experts warn of huge ...

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-Charles W. Chesnutt