The importance of "Why?"

Elevator Speech

So, after two decades of working/living among very low-income persons, here are the main points of my "elevator speech" on what I've learned:

1.  Consult the experts on poverty---that would be the so-called "poor" themselves. People closest to a problem usually know most about it, or at least the most important things about it.

2.  Stay to your mission--refine, but never abandon.

3.  Make respect your "default" setting.

4.  Partner for collective impact--give credit to everyone except your organization.

5.  Don't sweat failure--embrace risk.

What's essential

"The essential thing 'in heaven and earth' is that there should be a long obedience in the same direction; there thereby results, and has always resulted in the long run, something which has made life worth living."

Friedrich Nietzsche

Values

CitySquare attempts to operate from a strong foundation defined by four very clear value propositions.  We are beginning to weave these priorities into all that we do and wherever we engage others.

Here they are without commentary:

Community:  WE over me.

Faith:  The power that's ours.

Justice:  Focus of our fight!

Stewardship:  Commitment to accountability.