"Do we have a leadership crisis in this country today?"
According to the JFK School of Government at Harvard and US News and World Report, more than 70% of Americans would say: YES.
83% of Americans, however, realize that it is important for the United States to be a strong global leader today. There is a troubling gap between the need for good leaders and the presence of such leaders.
Published in the National Leadership Index 2006, Harvard and US News partnered to take the pulse of the nation regarding their impression of leadership in the United States. Their poll included a random sampling of over 1,000 Americans from across the country.
Interestingly, Americans have the most confidence in the leadership of the military and medical sectors, while they have the lowest confidence in the press, executive branch, Congress, and business leaders. You can check out the entire index by clicking here.
Today, more than ever, the American Leaders Organization is necessary for the success and future of our nation. By sharing our stories, both good and bad, we will be able to learn from one another and establish the best kind of leadership--that which is galvanized by experience and education. This is our most important call to duty--to learn and lead with one another.
In order to do that, however, we must know each other. Send us your comments, articles, videos, and thoughts on who you are, what you are doing, and what leadership means to you. Let us establish this leadership dialogue, and let us get our nation back on the track of positive, moral, confident leadership.
Thursday, August 30, 2007
America's Leadership Crisis
Monday, August 27, 2007
Making Democracy Count
"Democracy is the reoccurent suspicion that when properly informed, more than half of the people are right more than half of the time."--Stephen E. Frantzich, Citizen Democracy: Political Activists in a Cynical Age
More than 200 years ago, our founding fathers based this nation on a radical policy--that all human beings were entitled to "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." Since the creation of the Declaration of Independence, the United States has been one of the most free nations in the world, and has emerged as a global superpower that is expected to give, at times, moral and humanitarian aid.
The freedom of action that we enjoy, however, also brings with it a freedom of inaction or even negative action. The United States exhibits a paltry ranking (#139) among global democracies in regards to voter turnout; crime in the US remains some of the worst among "First World" nations; our average primary and secondary school students score lower than their international counterparts; and there are more homeless people in the United States at any given moment than the entire population of Finland, Laos, or Uruguay.
President Kennedy once said that "our problems are man made; therefore, they can be solved by man." The people of the world, and the United States specifically, can do so much for these issues, but without dedication, imagination, patience, and endurance, the majority of folks won't even make the attempt. "You can't fight city hall" is a sentiment shared by many that detests people like Professor Stephen Frantzich in his outstanding book Citizen Democracy: Political Activists in a Cynical Age.
Here at the American Leaders Organization, we're in the business of doing things different--with dedication, imagination, patience, and endurance. So we'll pose a seemingly impossible question, and invite you to answer based on your own experiences--
How do you make people interested in changing the world (for the better)? And then, how do you get them to act?
If you've ever put together a drive for a cause you cared deeply about at your university of organization, let us know what you did and how you got people involved. How do you involve people who don't necessarily have a claim staked in your cause (i.e. people with homes helping the homeless)?
Most people who are active in changing society have become active because of a personal tragedy, such as the loss of a loved one. In his book, Professor Frantzich spells out how today's Americans become active in politics and community. However, is it healthy for a society only to change after experiencing tragedy after tragedy?
Comment on this post by clicking below, and tell us your thoughts. Let's start a dialogue that will transcend all nations and all generations.
The Homeless
"Without a rich heart, wealth is an ugly beggar." -Ralph Waldo Emerson
It has been said that the American job force is "dog-eat-dog", that only the strong survive, and that those who can't perform in society should just get out of the way. In this Darwinian view of our nation, individuals are likening themselves more to Visigoths than Americans.
According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Association, "Over a five-year period, about 2–3 percent of the U.S. population (5–8 million people) will experience at least one night of homelessness." A related study found that the average age of a homeless person was 9 years old.
And while it is true that we who are fortunate enough work hard for our paychecks and deserve them, it should not be such a derogatory notion to help those less fortunate. Compassion, my friends, is not a socialist quality.
Many of us believe that blindly throwing money at a charity, grumbling the whole way there like Whoopi Goldberg in "Ghost", is a cause for sainthood. It is a great thing, for sure, but our efforts can take a more personable level--walking your old clothes to Bob down the street, who sleeps on a bench; inviting him in for a hot meal once in a while or finding him shelter when bad weather strikes; getting to know Bob, in whatever capacity your life allows, so that you can help to find him a job, a home, and a purpose.
The grand majority of homeless people aren't homeless because they are criminals or substance abusers; rather, homeless people are those who had to sell their home to pay for the hospital bills of a sick family member, or who lost their jobs when their business closed up and moved away, or whose families no longer care enough to support them. We cannot see this, of course, because our stereotype is that every homeless man or woman is a criminal lurking, ready to strike. This is certainly a false pretense.
Yet, by helping people who are homeless, aren't we cleaning up our streets and making America a better place for everyone to live? By taking that small amount of time out of our "busy" lives to help the society that we live in and rely on, we are improving the lives of millions.
To find out how you can get involved, visit the "Homeless" page of DoSomething.org. More importantly, get to know your community and the American society as a whole. You'll find that giving a helping hand is sometimes more effective (and rewarding) than writing a simple, unemotional check.
If you've been involved, or want to be involved, in drives and causes that help the homeless epidemic in America, E-mail us or comment on this post! How can we help reduce and eliminate this problem, together?
This is the American way.
Saturday, August 25, 2007
Carolina Service Council
Today, the spotlight's on the Carolina Service Council, based at the University of South Carolina in Columbia, SC.
The CSC is a student-run organization that organizes the many positive community service drives in the Columbia community. Rather than having a bunch of different stand-alone service drives, the CSC provides a common forum for them to plan and publicize their mission and goals.
Here are some of the areas that the CSC is working on (click on the links for more information):
-MLK Day of Service: On the third Monday every January, Americans across the country celebrate the national holiday honoring the life and work of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr in a day of community service, interracial cooperation, and youth anti-violence initiatives.
-Service Saturdays: Once a month, the Service Saturday Program provides up to 200 Carolina students with the opportunity to spend a half day of service in the Columbia community. (In 2006-2007, they had over 1,360 participants who donated an estimated 6,800 hours of volunteer service.)
-Day for Dillon: An eye opening trip to one of the poorest counties in the United States. Dillon, SC, made infamous by the documentary The Corridor of Shame and highlighted by the TV program 60 Minutes, is a rural county in the northeastern part of South Carolina. On one special Saturday in the spring semester Community Service Programs takes a group of students to help create change, where the change is needed most.
-Alternative Breaks: Each service trip is a unique opportunity to create a positive change, meet new friends and make lasting memories.
-America Reads/Hope Worldwide: America Reads and Hope Worldwide are both tutoring opportunities that can be done as a volunteer position or a paid position if you have a work study award.
-Non-Profit Protege Program: Participants will have the opportunity to walk in the shoes of an administrator/CEO of a Columbia area non-profit. Participants will have opportunities to attend board meetings; experience staff and committee meetings; visit with potential financial donors; and witness the action packed world of being a non-profit leader.
-BIG man little MAN: Male college students to work with local youth in the Boys and Girls Club of the Midlands, the Boy Scouts of America (Indian Rivers Council) Columbia Inner City Scouting Program, and the Big Brother Big Sister Program of Greater Columbia.
-Carolina Cares: A university-wide holiday drive that sponsors drives such as Stocking Stuffers, Adopt-A-Family, and the USC Tree Lighting Ceremony.
CSC also provides resources for community service organizations to access necessary documents, advertise around the area, and contact like-minded not-for-profit agencies across the country.
Serving as the hub for nearly every kind of social drive in the Columbia area, the Carolina Service Council and University of South Carolina embody some of the best community and student leadership in the United States. If you like what they do, have questions, or have ideas on how your two schools could work together, contact them at csc@gwm.sc.edu.
We want to hear from you! Tell us how you are related to the Carolina Service Council at your own school. How can we, as a nation, adopt the principles and actions set forth by the CSC? E-mail us or comment!
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Looking for Leadership in America
Sometimes the best leaders in our lives are the ones who sit beside us in class, or thumb through the library aisle on the other side of the shelf, or even room with us.
Leadership is not an extravagant, ceremonial event. Think about how you lead in your life on a daily basis--whether it is your campus, your classroom, your local hang-out or your room. What can we do to improve?
Consider the following from PBS NewsHour essayist Richard Rodriguez:
"Potentially great leaders fade into obscurity because they do not preside over calamity. But pity the powerful who are tested by history -- and fail."
"All of us can name people who are powerful in America. But who can name leaders from among their ranks? Whether in Washington or at the state capitol, whether on Wall Street or in some church hierarchy, there is power, not leadership."
"My concern here is with the disconnection between power and leadership in America."
You can find the rest of the essay here http://www.pbs.org/newshour/essays/july-dec05/rodriguez_11-14.html.
Share your stories. Believe it or not, when people in Fort Collins, Colorado learn how people in Santa Barbara, California lead every day, they become better leaders themselves. When people in Manhattan share stories with people in Mobile, we are that much greater. We all matter, and we all have a stake in each other's futures.
If we are going to improve this nation, we need everyone's help.
Monday, August 20, 2007
Colorado State University
We know your university is great. Comment us and tell us who you are, where you are, and the things that make your university or organization stand out! You could be featured in the blog.
Saturday, August 18, 2007
Braveheart - William Wallace
E-mail us at AmericanLeaders@gmail.com or comment on this post, and tell us about the difficulties YOU have had at your own campuses or organizations. What difficult situations have you overcome? What things got the best of you?
By sharing your stories with your contemporaries across the country, you become an integral part of their lives by teaching them through your own mistakes and successes.
We are leaders who choose to learn and lead from each other.
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Putting the "Meat" Back in Leadership
By Tim Ernst, Student Body Vice President, University of North Carolina-Charlotte
I've attended many, many lectures, seminars, and meetings on leadership. I often find that many of these exercises don't contain a lot of "meat".
For example, we'll sit there and discuss what leadership means to us. When we do this I don't feel that it is improving my leadership abilities.
One of the things that I believe has improved my leadership skills the most is listening to the Manager Tools podcast ( http://www.manager-tools.com/). I know what you're thinking. You're probably already skeptical, but you're going to have to trust me on this one.
Essentially, it is two people with tons of experience that let us in on the best way to conduct yourself as a leader. They talk about everything from how to answer questions in a meeting to how to receive feedback. One thing that makes the Manager Tools podcast different is that it contains lots of 'meat.' They tell you exactly what should be done and why.
If you do nothing else, just listen to one of their broadcasts!
Thanks to Tim from UNC-Charlotte for this great insight!
Got anything you'd like to post? Send it our way! We'd love to help you share your ideas and concerns! Let Tim know what you think--leave a comment.
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
How can we help you?
The American Leaders Organization exists to help YOU--the student, the organization, the government, the team.
E-mail us at AmericanLeaders@gmail.com, or post a comment on this site. Tell us what you are doing, right now, to improve the world around you.
If you're doing something, then let us know!!!
If not, let us know how we can help you. What interests you? How can we help you to be a better leader, or help your campus to improve? Even if you don't care, just leave a comment on this post!
Visit www.dosomething.org for a list of different ways you can get involved in your community.
Need help with a drive or cause at your campus? Contact us! We can set you up with leaders across the country who are just like you--saving you time and stress!
Monday, August 13, 2007
Going to Gettysburg?
The following is a brief editorial by ALO director Roger L. Misso.
I had the great pleasure of visiting one of my friends over the weekend in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. If you haven't been to Gettysburg lately--GO!! Its beauty and scenery transcend its solemn history, and certainly beats sitting around in today's cities or modern suburbia.
And, if you're in Gettysburg, go visit The Lion Potter, located at 855 Taneytown Road. A husband and wife (and indeed, family) potter team hand crafts thousands of absolutely beautiful (and useful) pieces. During the summer and fall months, The Lion Potter sells some of the best produce in all of Pennsylvania--from a myriad variety of tomatoes to knock-your-socks-off peaches.
And, to top it all off, both David and Junko Young (the team) are some of the most amazing individuals you will meet. Both well-versed and well-traveled, a stop at The Lion Potter will expose you to more than just pottery--their business and demeanor represent all that is good with not only America, but our shared world.
So if you're in Gettysburg and you're hungry, or in need of some of the best pottery you will ever find, or you just want to meet some outstanding people, visit The Lion Potter at 855 Taneytown Road! You'll be glad that you did!
Friday, August 10, 2007
Never, Ever Give Up
No matter who you are, or where you are in life, you can change the world.
Thanks to Uriel (urielg01 on YouTube) for putting this together!
A tribute to Abraham Lincoln and the Gettysburg Address
(And, according to these guys, the first rePUNKlican president, too.)
Huh!
Wednesday, August 8, 2007
US Public Service Academy
Today we highlight a bold new initiative--the United States Public Service Academy. Reminiscent of drives such as President Kennedy's "Peace Corps," the Academy is to be this generation's contribution to serving America. It has been introduced to the Senate and House as S.960 and H.R. 1671, respectively, in March 2007.
Hailed as "America's first national civilian university," the USPSA will mirror the structure of US service academies such as West Point, the Naval Academy, and the Air Force Academy. Students of the PSA will study within their major field, while also taking classes in public service-oriented fields such as leadership, communication, and history. On top of a rigorous curriculum, one unique characteristic of the Academy is its requirement that each student spend at least 6 weeks studying abroad.
Upon graduation, students will be committed to serve five years of public service. What kind of service? Some of the most noble of all: "Academy graduates will spend five years serving their nation by working as teachers, park rangers, police officers, border agents, and other critical public service jobs at the local, state, national and even international levels."
From their website:
"The mission of the U.S. Public Service Academy is to educate, develop, and inspire civilian leaders who have the character, intellect, and experience necessary to serve the nation honorably and effectively, and who are committed to devoting their lives to public service."
"Why do we need to do this now?
We need to build a Public Service Academy for several reasons:
1) First, recent events have inspired a younger generation and imbued many young people with a sense of civic engagement not seen in decades. Unfortunately, many of these students are priced out of public service careers because they rack up so much debt while in school.
2) Second, we face a critical and growing shortage of public servants – as baby boomers retire, we will need more teachers, more cops, more air traffic controllers, more everything.
3) Finally, we currently have no national undergraduate institution dedicated to developing civilian leaders and meeting our nation’s critical needs. We offer our young people outstanding, federally-funded opportunities to go to college and serve their country in the military, but none to serve as a civilian."
Plans are being made to construct the Academy in a very logical place for public servants--Washington DC.
We look forward to working with those at the Public Service Academy, on the long road to understanding and improving leadership in America!
Check them out--and tell them the American Leaders Organization sent you!!
Monday, August 6, 2007
Why We Need Leaders
The following is an editorial by ALO Director, Roger L. Misso.
Every morning the sun rises and falls, and men and women across the world are working to make a living for themselves--and for us. Most of the components of this HP Pavilion laptop computer I'm typing on were made somewhere in Southeast Asia; assembled and shipped to the United States; sold by Sears or Wal-Mart or even TigerDirect. And here it is in my lap--the handiwork of literally dozens of individuals (and machines).
But we don't see our laptops or any of our material objects that way. We expect to have laptop computers, and we expect HP and Dell to produce them so that they perform flawlessly--and when they don't, we get rid of them and singularly boycott that particular laptop supplier.
So it is with the notion of leadership. People destined to be great leaders are born, they go to grade school, then they go through college, and eventually graduate studies and on to a career. Their lives have been "assembled" by dozens, if not hundreds or thousands, of individuals along the way with the intention of helping to grow and produce an outstanding citizen of the world.
The purposes of the American Leaders Organization are a profound way to make those leaders--because they are going to be you and I. Why should we wait to solve the problems of our time? Why should we sit idly by, hanging on for the ride? Leadership does not start with a new job, or a new position, or a new election. Leadership starts within us. It is and must be a pledge to ourselves, that we are going to take our place in the world and make it the best that we can.
And it doesn't matter what our place is--whether you are a farmer, a beautician, a grocery store clerk, an assembly line worker, or a US Senator, your job is vitally important to your well-being, your family, and it directly impacts the well-being of the United States of America.
So here we are. What better way to lead the nation than to promote a citizenry fluent in their own confident leadership capabilities? It is not the dream of this organization to change the world--it is our dream to make the world a better place for us all to live.
It is not our purpose to change the world--a grandiose notion that will surely breed a naive sort of failure. Rather, it is our purpose to bring people together--to talk, to read, to write, to listen, to debate, to laugh, to live. Where one organization and one people cannot change the world, a nation of people can. And we're not talking about wars or revolutions--we're talking about the promise of peace, the promise of democracy, and the notion that, as a free people, no force on Earth--not even terrorism--can bring us down.
Like our laptops, people expect good leaders--not perfect ones--but leaders who will be reliable, who will be durable, and who will make their lives better. We're not just talking about leaders in government, either--our jobs, schools, clubs, and families need this kind of leadership, as well.
So today, we venture down the path of knowledge, history, camaraderie, and dialogue towards a better world.
And here we are, back at the keyboard.
Saturday, August 4, 2007
Ranking the Presidents
Much has been done over the years to answer the question--"Who are the best and worst presidents of all time?" Here is our list below, with an explanation link to follow. Comment and tell us what you think! What does your "Top 42" look like?
"Legendary"
1) Franklin Roosevelt 2) Abraham Lincoln 3) George Washington
"Outstanding"
4) Thomas Jefferson 5) Dwight Eisenhower 6) Theodore Roosevelt
7) Woodrow Wilson 8) Harry Truman 9) John Kennedy
"Above Average"
10) John Adams 11) James Monroe 12) William McKinley
13) James Polk 14) James Madison 15) Ronald Reagan
16) Bill Clinton 17) Lyndon Johnson 18) John Quincy Adams
"Average"
19) Gerald Ford 20) Grover Cleveland 21) George H.W. Bush
22) William Howard Taft 23) Richard Nixon
"Below Average"
24) Andrew Jackson 25) Rutherford Hayes 26) Calvin Coolidge 27) Jimmy Carter
28) Martin Van Buren 29) Ulysses Grant 30) Chester Arthur 31) Zachary Taylor
32) Benjamin Harrison
"Regrettable"
33) George W. Bush 34) Herbert Hoover 35) John Tyler 36) Franklin Pierce
37) James Garfield 38) Warren Harding 39) James Buchanan
40) William Henry Harrison 41) Andrew Johnson 42) Millard Fillmore
Want our jusification for all this?
We used the following ratings in our studies: Vision, Integrity, Domestic Policy, Foreign Policy, Speaking Ability, Team-Building, Intelligence, Political Skill, Wall Street Journal Public Opinion Poll 2005, and Wikipedia Poll 2006.
(We'll upload our database soon!)
Here are some links where you can study more about presidential popularity:
American Presidents
The Center for the Study of the Presidency
Hauenstein Center for Presidential Studies--Grand Valley State University
Wall Street Journal Survery on Presidents
Presidents USA
Historical Rankings of United States Presidents
Quotes from our Top 10 Presidents
"Let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself." F. Roosevelt
"Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal." A. Lincoln
"To be prepared for war is one of the most effectual means of preserving peace." G. Washington
"History does not long entrust the care of freedom to the weak or the timid." D. Eisenhower
"When angry, count ten, before you speak; if very angry, an hundred." T. Jefferson
"Speak softly and carry a big stick." T. Roosevelt
"You cannot become thorough Americans if you think of yourselves in groups. America does not consist of groups. A man who thinks of himself as belonging to a particular national group in America has not yet become an American." W. Wilson
"My fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country." J. Kennedy
"The buck stops here." H. Truman
"A free, virtuous, and enlightened people must know full well the great principles and causes upon which their happiness depends." J. Monroe
Friday, August 3, 2007
Our Goals: The American Leaders Organization
Here are some of the preliminary goals of our organization. If you visit this site, please leave a comment or contact us to let us know that you've been here! This small gesture will help us build the organization and accomplish these goals:
1) To increase leadership dialogue and awareness by providing a forum and linking together all leadership conferences, departments, and entities on our website. Once a conference is over, the ALO allows the dialogue to continue by giving students and professionals an avenue to carry on conversation through our message boards and blog.
2) Maintain a blog and other scholarly articles/postings, to serve as a resource for students to learn more about leadership. We will regularly interview leaders in government, entertainment, and sports to provide a link between student leaders and "professional leaders." Our blog postings will include articles from students and professionals across the nation, in a true collaborative effort.
3) Use our leadership to help those disaffected in society. The ALO will put together drives to deliver computers, books, and training to disaffected youth in the Baltimore & Annapolis areas, while encouraging our affiliated members to do the same across the country.
4) Increase voter turnout in the 18-24 year-old demographic by 25% in the next 8 years. Extending our "get-out-the-vote" drives to military servicemembers, the less fortunate in society, and other members who either do not vote or cannot vote for whatever reason, we hope to mobilize the youngest voting demographic of Americans like never before.
5) Help individuals think of leadership in new and innovative ways--to help students "think outside the box." We do this through a variety of avenues--currently, students at the US Naval Academy and Georgetown University are collaborating on a video project whose theme asks "What is Leadership?" Students go out to the streets to ask ordinary people the answer to that question, as well as high-level government officials and celebrities. The end result will be an awesome film about a very relevant topic, that we hope will appeal to a wide range of individuals.
Leadership Profile: Admiral Mike Mullen
In a short time, the military leadership at the highest levels in the United States will change--Admiral Mike Mullen will take the reigns from General Peter Pace as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Having previously served on the Joint Chiefs as Chief of Naval Operations--the highest rank for a naval officer--Admiral Mullen is no stranger to responsibility and pressure.
His career started at the US Naval Academy, where he graduated in 1968 (some of his classmates include Oliver North and Senator Jim Webb). After serving in various roles as a surface warfare officer, Mullen assumed command of the gasoline tanker USS Noxubee, the guided missile destroyer USS Goldsborough, and the guided missile cruiser USS Yorktown.
After assuming the rank of Admiral, Mullen took command in some high-visibility billets, including Allied Joint Forces Command Naples, and command of US Naval Forces Europe. He currently serves as the Chief of Naval Operations, awaiting confirmation from the Senate to become the next Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the president's top military advisor. Admiral Mullen has been serving in the active duty Navy for over 39 years.
What serves Admiral Mullen best is his calm demeanor and level-headedness. After being grilled constantly, for over three hours, by the Senate Armed Services Committee, Mullen kept his cool and delivered honest, thoughtful, and candid answers. He was commended for this virtue by nearly every Senator on the committee, regardless of party affiliation.
Recently speaking before the Senate Armed Services Committee, Mullen remarked, "Whatever our tasking may be in the future, we are obliged to the American people to defend them and their interests, to make sure we are ready in every way, across every military mission, to do their bidding. We must be able to win both wars and the peace that follows."
Few men ever get to serve in as prestigious a role as Admiral Mullen; yet there can hardly be a better man for the job.
Mullen on Leadership:
"Today the Navy grants me yet another great opportunity, and I intend to make good on my obligation in return. Listen. Learn. And lead. Those will be my watchwords these next four years — a challenge to myself and to all of you."
Thursday, August 2, 2007
Ohio Northern University
This week's shout-out goes to Ohio Northern University in Ada, Ohio.
The Student Senate, led by President Trevor Eagle and Vice-President Todd Sega, are an incredibly active organization on campus and beyond. Their website is refreshingly vibrant and user-friendly. Their "Suggestions" page is a forum for students to address concerns about their lives--what makes this feature unique is that the student leadership responds to these suggestions by posting what action is being taken on the suggestion, or what has already been done.
Check them out!
Ohio Northern University
Think your school's "got what it takes?" E-mail us or comment on this post to tell us about your university or organization, and we'll feature you on the blog!
Wednesday, August 1, 2007
Have YOU been to Iraq? Senators weigh in...
See "TheHill.com" article.
Considered by some to be one of the most dangerous nations in the world, 76 United States Senators have visited Iraq since the dawning of combat operations there. Topping the list is Sen. Jack Reed (D, RI), who has made the trip 10 times.
Criticized by some as "watered-down experiences," these visits by US politicians are a great example of "knowing your people," despite the obvious security requirements they entail. While US troops are toughing it out on the ground, Senators are quick to ensure that they at least know what their military brethren are experiencing--even if it is through heavy levels of armored guards and protection.
No matter who you lead, or how "high up" you are, never miss an opportunity to get to know the feelings, conditions, and circumstances of your people at every level. Not only were you once in their shoes, as well, but when your team feels like you're "in the fight" with them, productivity and morale are shared by all.
