This is about leaders from the heart. Not leaders by title, but leaders at all depths of staff, leaders closest to the
resident. This is about all staff who tune into the bigger environment, who listen to critics, who listen to elders, who search
for information and knowledge.
This is about leaders throughout the organization who practice what Rosabeth Moss Kanter, the change theorist, calls "shake
up thinking, kaleidoscope thinking". These leaders challenge assumptions, see new patterns in life's events, change the patterns
with the same pieces of life's events, and see something others did not see with the same pieces.
This is about leaders who stop saying, "We can't do that, we don't do that, we always do it this way," and instead say, "Why
can't we? How can we? We can do that."
This is about leaders committed to high involvement, to communication, to creating a learning climate, to conflict resolution,
to teams, to teams, to teams. The Bigfork story must include LaVrene Norton. We developed the vision, core values, commitment
to co-workers, applied the Eden Principles, incorporated the principles from "Managing from the Heart." But it took the guidance,
counsel, teaching, training, patience and challenging of LaVrene to turn our vision and dreams of a "different way" into Northern
Pines Communities. Her ability, honesty and sensitivity earned the trust and respect of everyone in our home.
This is about leaders with heart, courage, conviction, patience, humility and forgiveness. Jon Shafer, the Minnesota Eden
Associate Coordinator, speaks of the "magic words of love, kindness, gentleness, forgiveness, patience, tolerance and joy".
This is about a resident and toddler, in the living room, squeezing the bike horn used by the residents in place of a call
light, the joy of the toddler who laughed gleefully, and the joy of the resident who said, "I laugh until I cry." This is
about the smiles, contentment and peace the two shared after the laughter.
So look inside your heart and find a way. Dr. Thomas says, "With courage, all is possible. Without courage, you hurt a lot
of people."
