Tag Archives: Latino Townhall

#Leading a Thriving #Organization


tree

Organizational executives, managers and leaders have good intentions to create thriving organizations that reflect their vision and mission for successful outcomes in the marketplace. Over the years, I have had the privilege to work for many organizations in various capacities; as an employee, a middle manager, a pastor, an executive, as a coach and marketing consultant. In other words, I have seen the internal dynamics of how organizations are managed and led; some thrive whiles others struggle to survive. To accomplish this monumental task of building a thriving organization it will take an organization to understand and embrace the four pillars of a thriving organization, which are simply strategy, synergy, structure and systems. Let’s start with the first critical layer of strategy.

1. Strategy

The original meaning of the world strategy reveals the “art of the General”, which implies the General’s broad grasp of the craft of warfare based upon years of acquired acumen and intuition from experiences on the battlefield. We can break down this art form into to three layers: hindsight, insight and foresight. Likewise, those in positions of mid to higher management in an organization have years of accumulated knowledge and wisdom derived through their education, exposure to people and events within an organization, and past experiences on the job. The accumulated wisdom of these employees is critical for tapping into new strategic methods for success.

Strategy is the sum of two parts: it’s your acumen and your approach. Strategy is melding what you already know and how you will go about executing what you know. Strategy, however, fails on many accounts. The most critical one is the lack of collaborative imagination that keeps many organizations operating in the dark at mediocre levels. King Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, understood the power of collaborative imagination. His wisdom was and is today second to none; the biblical narrative notes a person like Solomon will never be matched again, so listen carefully! King Solomon provides our culture today with a great Tweet tucked away in Proverbs 24:6:

“Surely you need guidance to wage war, and victory is won through many advisers.”

Can you imagine tapping into the combined acumen, intuition and experience of many advisors? So why don’t you take an assessment of the creative members on your team and begin to tap into their combined wisdom for strategic advantages and advances in the marketplace. The wisdom is all around you… are you listening?

2. Synergy

One lazy afternoon, on my day off, I went to the afternoon matinee to see the movie Pitch Perfect. It simply amazed me on many levels! It wasn’t the humor, although I had a load of laughs. It wasn’t the brilliant singing that caught my attention although it was American Idol on Steroids. The main message for me was how a singing team formed and fermented into greatness. Let me see if I can sum up the important snippets of the movie that helped me see how teams form to create dynamic energy and synergy:

1. Pride was present at first since the old guard did not want to give up their place or stature on the team. So they resist anyone trying to introduce new ideas, which will improve the team’s performance.

2. Then there is friction between the old guard and the newcomers since the new ideas being offered are better than the old ones. It’s takes some time for the old guard to realize their methods have become obsolete.

3. Thirdly, the old guard finally accepts reality and realizes it needs to adapt and change. They are now willing to make some accommodations to make the team better.

4. And finally, the team comes together to implement the new ideas. There’s a dynamic shift in team culture and performance.

Synergy is hard to create but when it is present it is dynamic and energizing. When a team creates synergy it begins to release that corporate magic many organizations long for. How do we know when synergy is present? It is evident when optimum energy is released and dynamic synergy is increased.

3. Structure

Every organization is structured in a unique way. Some structures are more rigid than others, such as the military and Law Enforcement agencies, while other organizations tend to adopt a more fluid and flexible approach. “By structure, we mean the framework around which the group is organized, the underpinnings which keep the coalition functioning. It’s the operating manual that tells members how the organization is put together and how it works. More specifically, structure describes how members are accepted, how leadership is chosen, and how decisions are made.”[i]

The structure solely depends on what your organization wants to accomplish. For instance, let’s take two examples from nature to make my point. An eagle and a duck are structured quite differently from one another since they have different purposes to perform. One is meant to fly in high altitudes, and to dive at fast speeds to catch unsuspecting prey by surprise. Eagles like to be alone most of the time; they are the kings of the air. While a duck is given webbed feet to navigate through the water, and tightly knit feathers to keep them warm in cold climates. Ducks like to fly in teams, and work together to fly long distances.

Each bird has a particular function to play and purpose to fulfill. These distinguishing features provide you and I insight into the roles they perform in their respected environments.

Let’s take another example from nature. What about a tree? An Oak tree has a firm base extending to the general body. It is immovable and strong. Then as the branches move out they thin out and become more flexible, bending by the wind, even with the subtle breeze. Structures in organizations should have a stabilizing structure but should also allow flexibility is some areas of the organization to accommodate quick changes.

4. Systems

Systems are like highways that connect motorists to interchanges, intersections and bridges, which provide a proper flow of traffic so that people can get to places in an efficient manner within a specified time frame. Let me provide you a personal example:

I remember a time when our church fed thousands of inner city people on a Saturday afternoon. At the time, our church had an extraordinary cook on staff that was once Donald Trump’s private Chef (and you know Mr. Trump is a pretty picky guy). Anyway, when it came time to feed the multitudes, I just happened to walk into the kitchen area where I overheard the Chef say, “This is how we are going to take the food out to feed the folks.” To shorten my story, he had adopted a system with six steps before the people could even receive their food on the table. I thought to myself, “This process or system is going to take forever. We can do better?” So immediately, I took the Chef aside and advised him of a more efficient way. After I made it sound like it was his idea, he adopted the new system. The result of this simple change in the flow of food delivery was that everyone was happy, from the volunteers who had to serve the food, to the Chef himself, and the multitudes receiving our compassionate services for the day. All it took was a simple change to the “system”, which provided more efficient outcomes.

Systems should be made simple, but most people make them more complicated than they should be. The Chef in this situation had extraordinary skills but he lacked the basic skills of how to deliver his product efficiently.

What area above is the weakest in your organization? Which one is the strength of your organization?

[i] An Organizational Structure: An Overview. http://ctb.ku.edu/en/tablecontents/sub_section_main_1092.aspx, accessed on 4/7/2013.

Default Leadership: The Presumptuous Leader


 presumption

The “presumptuous leader” sounds like an oxymoron. Well, it actually is one! Leaders who are presumptions think of themselves a little higher than they actually are and think they know more than others. Allow me a short illustration:

I was recently promoted to a new position and took hold of my new branch which had a lot of potential for growth and profit. However, after a quick appraisal of the store’s metrics I soon discovered the store also had some areas that required immediate attention and improvement – most noticeably its leadership presence. This particular branch had been on the decline for some months with the present management who was feeling the pressure from top brass concerning some alarming numbers. During my first few days in the office, my objective was to get to know my team members by simply interacting with them and observing how they worked with each other, but most importantly how they perceived me as their new leader. On the onset I detected some resistance from the store manager, the second in command. At first he was a little distant, cold and “short” with me. One time, during a brief interview, he must have presumed we were done with the conversation, so he got up and walked away. I sat on my seat stunned thinking, “Does this guy have any social skills?” Over a period of two weeks, I knew I had a lot more to work on than getting the store to operate at peak performance. I needed to groom my store manager with the right leadership skills for personal, team and corporate success. Throughout my interactions with the store manager I soon found three default characteristics of a presumptuous leader:

1. Previous work experience does not add up to competent leadership

After spending some time with my store manager, I noticed how he would keep bringing up his previous employment experience, “In my previous job I supervised fifty employees.” And the time I asked him to do the schedule he made a point to say, “It’s easy, doing a schedule for four people is nothing compared to what I used to do.” My first thought, “Wow, I have a great leader working with me. We are going to turn this store around quicker than I first anticipated.” Soon enough, within a matter of days, I noticed the incompetence surface. He lacked the basic skills of supervision, delegating responsibility and holding his direct reports accountable for their work performance. My initial thought was, “Now, how did this guy get to a position where he supervised fifty people?” It just didn’t add up.

2. Layered expectations is a form of controlling others not leading them

There’s nothing more I dislike than someone saying, “They are not allowed to do that!”, or something similar, “The previous boss would only let me do that.” After a few comments like these I had to put a stop to that kind of managerial thinking. In a learning environment managers must relinquish some control and trust others to learn and do the job. After all, we must advance not only the agenda of the organization but also employees to their next level of operation. So I asked myself, “Where did he get this learning?” After some brief dialogue, it was the previous General Manager who would not allow certain people to do some basic things, such as count the cash drawer upon opening or closing the store. My style of training is a “cross-trainer” approach where everyone gets to participate and learn a new aspect of the operation. This happens gradually when someone is willing and ready to learn the next new thing. A working environment must be empowering not controlling others based upon one’s position or title.

3. Leading from behind is not authentic leadership

After a week or so I noticed the store manager was not leading his direct reports properly. So I asked him, “How do you lead your team?” He responded, “Oh, they already know what to do. I just let them do it.” I then asked, “How do you know they are accomplishing tasks on time and being effective in their jobs?” He just stared at me. His style of leadership was laissez-faire, from a French term meaning laid-back leadership. When I questioned his style of leadership he simply replied, “I’ve always done it that way.” Presumption – yes or no? As a leader, you have to engage your direct reports with vision and responsibility, and responsibility with accountability, and timed tasks that are measured by effective performance and results.

What did I learn in the first two weeks of this encounter? First, I learned that the more someone is “experienced” the harder they are to train, because “they just seem to know so much” more than you. Employees who brag about their previous work experience must embrace new learning experiences. Second, bringing correction to a leader who seems to “know it all” is difficult to do but it’s a must. A leader must have the courage to have transparent and regular discussions. What kind of discussions? The one’s where you tell your direct report to “push the refresh button” and to start all over by learning how to lead effectively.

Latino Townhall’s Top 25 Quotes of 2011


These are Latino Townhall’s Top 25 Quotes of 2011, which are provided to inspire you to stimulate your thinking, and help you through times of difficulty. I have provided my name at the end of each quote in case you want to copy and paste on social media sites. Thank you for your support in 2011:

Fear is the sure beginning of failure, eventually leading to one’s demise. –Joel Garcia (January 2011)

Every Christian should aspire to a leadership role because the Spirit of God within them is constantly moving and creating change, and this is what leaders do. –Joel Garcia (April 2011)

Leading with love is the most excellent way. –Joel Garcia (April 2011)

To overcome incompetence do not stand-alone rather deepen your pool of knowledge by standing alongside others. –Joel Garcia (April 2011)

Listening provides the context you need to ask the right questions. –Joel Garcia (May 2011)

Your personal gifts prophesy to your future. –Joel Garcia (June 2011)

Hope is the assurance of a release date from your wilderness journey. –Joel Garcia (July 2011)

Leaders who reinvent themselves see things in a whole new way, therefore, driving needed change in their environment. –Joel Garcia (Aug. 2011)

A comprehensive Christian worldview must instill belief, power and the ability to transform culture. –Joel Garcia (Aug. 2011)

If you keep hope alive, you stay alive. –Joel Garcia (Aug. 2011)

A gospel with power adds wonder. –Joel Garcia (Aug. 2011)

Ideas have a better chance of life in a community. –Joel Garcia (Aug. 2011)

Complaints measure your ineffectiveness, while solutions measure your effectiveness. -Joel Garcia (Aug. 2011)

Creativity rebounds during moments of rest and solitude. –Joel Garcia (Sept. 2011)

Every action you take sets in motion something greater; transformation begins with enough of the right actions. –Joel Garcia (Aug. 2011)

When a man loses his moral compass, he lands in desolate places. –Joel Garcia (Sept. 2011)

There’s no transformation without a struggle. –Joel Garcia (Sept. 2011)

The gift of change is loss; if we don’t learn to let go we’ll never change. –Joel Garcia (Sept. 2011)

Servant leaders inspire others to be and do their best by their lifestyle. –Joel Garcia (Oct. 2011)

Tension and misunderstanding go together; get understanding and watch tension gradually release itself. –Joel Garcia (Oct. 2011)

You can’t “cherry pick” your character, it’s cultivated through time, choice and action. -Joel Garcia (Oct. 2011)

The primary objective of parenting is making a child beautiful on the inside. –Joel Garcia (Nov. 2011)

Wisdom triumphs over experience. –Joel Garcia (November 28, 2011)

Submission doesn’t come when you ask for it; it happens when you’ve work for it. –Joel Garcia (November 28, 2011)

Ten Strategies for Empowering #Latino Youth


It’s time for Latino/Hispanics to set aside their “cultural lens” and see life through a different one. The one I am referring to is the “success lens”. I, for one, am personally exhausted hearing the same ‘ol lingo from family, friends and casual conversations at networking events, “That’s how Latinos do it!”, or “A si somos!”, meaning that there’s a settled way of doing things in our culture. This is cultural pride, and that’s the central core of this issue… cultural pride keeps our community stuck in a cycle of mediocrity. It’s time to put off the old, and put on new thinking.

So what do young Latinos need to know to succeed? I was contemplating this question for awhile on a Saturday afternoon as I watched a game of college football. The following strategic tools emerged before me to empower Latino youth:

1. Seek to be Spiritual
Spirituality should be your top priority since it’s key to awakening your inner person. Many Latinos are stuck in a lifeless religion; we must move away from that mold and seek the truth within. 

2. Learn to Master the English language
Learn to write effectively and communicate well. Don’t be shy to take classes that challenge your verbal development such as speech class, debate, and rhetoric. Speech class in college helped me overcome my fears in speaking in front of others. I’m so thankful for that class.

3. Find your Passion and Life Mission
You must ponder and answer these questions: Why am I here? What was I created to do? Develop a life mission statement, something that will guide you and direct your decision making. Here’s a glimpse at mine:

I was created to help others find their niche and passion in life; to develop them to display their fullest potential.

My life mission statement is simple yet tells people that I love personal development and helping others find their place in life. Second, your passion is what energizes you to do what you do best each day. When you’re passionate, it’s like there is no difference in days; a Monday is like a Friday because you love what you do. Combined, your “mission” and “passion” are powerful tools for personal engagement, and engaging others.

4. Discover and Cultivate Innate Gifts and Abilities
You must ask yourself: What are my personal strengths? The Gallup Organization conducted a 25 year study and discovered 34 innate strengths most common in people. The test will reveal your top 5 signature themes. You can take an Online test to discover and develop your personal gifts.

Go to this link: http://www.strengthsfinder.com/home.aspx . Yes, there is a small cost but its worth the investment.

5. Find Good Mentors
A mentor is a catalyst for change in a young person’s life. So find a mentor(s) who will help you think critically, and teach you “how” to think, not “what” to think and believe. Usually, youth pastors make good mentors.

6. Build Your Relational Network Early
A network can be your school, church and place of employment. Make friends horizontally (your peers and co-workers), and vertically (your teachers, coaches, employers, etc.) When you graduate from High School keep a list of teachers and administrators who made a difference in your life, and stay in touch with them. You’ll never know if you’ll need them in the future to provide you with a reference or open a door. Don’t forget to foster new relationships while managing old ones. Relationships are key to your success!

7. Develop Your Character
Character is developed over a lifetime of choices, so start early in life; speak well of others, learn to love others, and respect them even if you disagree with them. Ask others, like your mentors, to speak into your life, provide critical feedback for change and to periodically check your blind spots.

8. Learn and Practice Generosity
Learn to give your time, talent and personal treasures away to others. Freely you have received, freely give. A generous person never has to worry about the lack of supply. What you sow you shall reap. Generosity is basically living with an opened hand.

9. Never Stop Learning
Some people develop pride and think they “know it all”. Therefore, be a life time learner, read books, leadership journals, magazines, listen to audio tapes of great leaders. Don’t settle for mediocrity but strive for personal excellence. Learn from others, even if they are younger than you. Build a personal culture of a learner. 

10. Seek to be Affluent and Influential
When you seek to become affluent (possessing wealth) and influential (impacting others), you won’t have to count on government to take care of you, and you will be able teach others to be self-sufficient. Don’t allow others to make you think wealth is “wicked” or that the “wealthy” are greedy. Those who point to “greed” are full of envy themselves, don’t listen to them. Class warfare causes unnecessary divisions.

Wealth is a biblical concept. God meant for you to have money. Godly people like Abraham, King David, King Solomon and countless others were wealthy individuals. God meant for you to have wealth and be influential. However, don’t let the love of money control your life. You must control your desire for the love and pursuit of money since “the love of money of the root of evil.” But building personal wealth is critical to your viability. 

Can you add your wisdom to this list?

The Integrity Wheel


We should all seek wholeness and emotional health through the proper channels of course. For some of us, the process to become “whole” and “healthy” is discovered through spirituality, counseling or other areas dealing with the inner self, which brings about personal healing, growth and maturity within. In other words, you and I should strive to become a better version of self where all of our parts (spirit, soul and body) function at greater levels of personal performance. I choose the “circle” to exhibit this model since a circle is symbolic of something that is perfect and whole.

The Integrity Wheel is an idea or concept I developed a few years ago to assess one’s personal integrity in four areas, where you and I live and function on a daily basis:

1. Our Private Life
2. Our Personal Life
3. Our Professional Life
4. Our Public Persona

Each level has at least three areas to probe and evaluate (Go to link: Integrity Wheel). For instance, your personal life consists of many things. In my opinion, the most important areas is your marriage and family life, the way you view and practice financial planning, and your transparency (truthfulness, honesty, and openness) within the relationships that are most important in life.

Assessment Questions:

1. Private Life
a). What is your source of truth? Bible, Pagan Philosophy, other texts. Is your truth dynamic or static?

b). Is character important to you? If so, how do you go about cultivating character? Do you have mentors, who you allow to speak into your life? Are you constantly seeking self-improvement or just live day by day?

c). When searching the web, have you ever put your browser on “private settings” to view sexually illicit material? Is keeping your thoughts pure and unsullied important to you? What do you with a lustful thought?

2. Personal Life
a). How healthy is your marriage? Communication, Intimacy, Resolving Conflict, Openness, etc.

b). Is spending time with your children a priority? Daily, Weekly, Monthly, Annual Vacations. The common cliche’ is “Love is spelled T.I.M.E.?” This infers that time spent with your kids is loving them. I differ, you can spend time with your kids and have a true connection with them. How do you spell LOVE?

c). How do you view debt, and financial planning? What’s your view of wealth? 

3. Professional Life
a). How close are you with other employees, direct reports, even your supervisor at work? Are you relationships improving? Do you avoid opportunities to grow in your relationships?

b). Is speaking out for just causes and doing things right important to you at work? Do you cut corners to get work accomplished? 

c). Is there a secret relationship developing in your life at work (emotional affair, flirtatious relationshp, etc.) Does your wife know about the “opposite sex” relationships in your workplace?

4. Public Persona
a). How involved are you with your community; neighbors, civic organizations, etc.? What do these people say about you behind your back?

b). Reputation: How do you build one? How important is having one out in public life?

c). What’s your involvement in your “house of worship”? Would people in this setting vouch for your reputation?

Take a few moments to reassess your integrity. The quality of your life just may depend on this assessment.

___________
The Integrity Wheel, all rights reserved (c)2008 by Joel Garcia, Founder and President of Latino Townhall, Inc.

The Anatomy of an “A” Team


An “A” Team is a concept many of us should be familiar with by now since it has been used many times in sporting analogies, staff meetings and other cultural settings. As a matter of fact, the recent Hollywood movie bearing the same title has illuminated the theme once again. One thing is for sure, when someone speaks about an “A” Team, they are talking about the “best of the best” working together on a single team. An “A” Team must have more than the obvious working for them, such as possessing great talent, having a high degree of discipline, and more importantly working together in unity.

On my drive home one evening, the letter “A” came to the forefront of my mind. I did not know “why” at the moment but I began to examine its construction very closely; studying its shape, angles and connection points. Soon three distinct features emerged before me. First and foremost, the letter “A” has two anchor points acting as the foundation. Second, the letter “A” has a horizontal beam in the middle supporting both sides. Finally, the letter “A” is connected at the top culminating at a fine point. Each part contributes to the shape, look and feel of the letter “A”. After this brief revelation three essential features working for it:

  • An “A” Team is solidly anchored upon at least two enduring principles (Convictions).

  • An “A” Team has a strong support system (Community).

  • An “A” Team is connected from top to bottom (Communication).

Let me elaborate on each point more clearly. (Note: I will use the words team and organization interchangeably):

1. An “A” Team is solidly anchored upon at least two enduring principles

First, allow me to define an “anchor point”. An anchor point is a foundational and enduring principle that your team is founded upon or known for; values, virtues, and creeds that grounds the team firmly. Anchor points should give us “purpose” and “meaning” for existing; the things that really matter at the end of the day. Anchor points bind a team together. Your team would not exist without anchor points. If you were to choose two anchor points that define your team, what would they be? Here’s an anchor list I created for you to work with, you may have more thoughts:

- Integrity: truth and transparency.
- Branding: image and value.
- Organizational: service reliability and product integrity.
- Work ethic: working hard with a sense of pride.
- Compassion: creating a family culture; nurturing and caring for each other.
- Trust: building a culture of interdependence, honesty and openness.

If your team members were asked to list two things about your organization, what would they come up with? Would all them pretty much say the same thing or would it pretty much look like a laundry list of complaints? What two anchor points make your team or organization sustainable through stressful events and great challenge?

2. An “A” Team has a strong support system

An “A” Team has a strong support system by adopting mentoring programs where everyone is seen as a key player, producer and emerging leader. A strong support system is based on “trust”, nothing more – nothing less. Team members with strong support systems intact – respect, honor and support one another. An “A” Team built around a supportive environment provides training and mentoring, speaks the truth with grace; they look after each other, and they hold each other accountable. Teams with strong support systems are stronger, better, possess high morale, and produce excellence throughout the organization. Is there room to say more?

3. An “A” Team is connected from top to bottom

A team that is disconnected experiences much conflict but so do teams who are highly connected. Conflict is inevitable and common, especially when talented people are expected to play or work together on the same team. So what’s the remedy? A team must build strong ties from top to bottom by creating and maintaining strong communication systems. Communication helps with the flow of work, production and removes ambiguity. A team who cannot communicate is a team doomed to fail. Effective communication:
- Brings clarity to vision and mission.
- Challenges teams members to conform to a code of excellence.
- Confronts weakness and mediocrity.

All communication starts at the top, however, even those at the top must be able to hear what’s happening at the ground floor, meaning those who are actually putting “feet” and “might” into producing results. Those working the “shop” floor per say must hear frequently from the top brass, as well as provide vital information by providing constructive feedback. How does this happen? Each team member must purposefully, systematically and creatively communicate. There are times when you need to meet with your executive team, and that’s fine, but not at the expense of neglecting others! A team leader must remember to also gather the middle managers; hear them out and inject your wisdom into their daily strategy. Finally and most critically, you must gather the whole team from top to bottom to share vision and remind each player of the mission and purpose of the organization. It would behoove team leaders to take a walk at least once a week to visit and chat with team members; to watch them in their arena of action, and to appreciate and honor them in front of others. A team that communicates effectively and feels connected to the “top” is a team that feels invincible.

What other dynamics are involved with “A” Teams?

Latino Education: The Leadership Challenge of the Next Decade


It’s common knowledge by now; the Hispanic population is rapidly increasing in the Southwest region of the United States. Within in the next decade many states will join the state of New Mexico, the first state to boast a majority Hispanic population. We are beyond counting numbers, what’s emerging before us is evident to all. The Latino population is quickly overtaking many school districts, which are inept to deal with specific issues plaguing Hispanics, especially among the children of immigrants. If our educational system is ineffective in delivering education to this group, what will happen within the next decade when the Hispanic population is projected to overtake the system? Giselle Fernandez’ recent Huffington Post article dubbed The Latino Education Imperative opens our eyes to this dilemma:

The stats say it all and cast the same frightening projection: By 2020, Latinos are expected to represent close to 25 percent of the country’s 18-to-29-year-old population. In ten years, nearly ten million Latinos will be 15 to 24 years of age, accounting for nearly a quarter of the total US college-age population.”

These facts are cause for great concern among us. So what are Latino community leaders doing about it? Facing the facts is not easy, especially for many school districts where the student population is shifting to reflect more of a diverse demographic, more so than a decade ago. What educators design and deliver within the next decade will decide America’s future for the next fifty years. So what quality of life and culture will our children inhabit? Will Latinos be an undereducated and dependent class or an enlightened and competitive one in the ever-changing global markets?

The educational system cries out for more money to improve education. This has been the cry for the past 30 years plus, and we’ve seen no national measurable results to justify more. We can no longer wait for problems to arise then counter them with ineffective measures. We must take a proactive, and at times an unpopular stance, to effect change and correct the current system. Therefore, we don’t need managers of old systems, what we desperately need is more innovative leaders to advocate, experiment and introduce new systems of learning. A starting point is drawn from California’s Monterey County whose Hispanic student population is listed at 73%, while Soledad Union School District Hispanic population lists at 94%. Most school districts similar to Monterey’s are quickly making changes to their educational delivery systems to meet this growing trend by adapting their curriculum and hiring more bi-lingual teachers to talk to and orient parents to how their child’s educational system works.

What role should Latinos and others play in our educational system? At this point a desperate one! We need to summon not just the educational leaders together but leaders from the various genres of culture. We need the faith and business communities to step up, and collaborate to create innovative strategies for new educational systems. I’ve always been an advocate for creating learning centers in faith-based organizations who employ educated staff with a minimum of a bachelor’s degree. Many immigrants and their children attend church faithfully each week. Why not create learning and tutoring centers at these locations? Immigrants have tremendous respect and trust in their faith leaders, and would follow their vision of education. A connection and dialogue with the faith community wouldn’t hurt education but perhaps add wisdom to the current strategy. In addition, business establishments can also add to learning by inspiring their best employees to give their time and talent to local educational centers to mentor, inspire and tutor marginal students. The business community can also create learning centers with an internship program to teach workforce principles. In my experience, Hispanics are more prone to “hands-on” learning; therefore, an interactive approach to learning can enhance their learning experience. Education in the future must seek community oriented solutions rather than the centralized-status-quo mindset that currently exists.

What are your solutions to the emerging Latino educational crises in America?

Latino Townhall’s Top 25 Quotes of 2010


Most people are not afraid of change but what the process of change reveals about them. –Joel Garcia (January 9th2010)

The life you live is the truth you follow. –Joel Garcia (January 15th 2010)

The greatest challenge for creating change is talking people out of doubt. –Joel Garcia (January 30th 2010)

Giving up is okay because one realizes a limitation; the key now is to ask someone for help. –Joel Garcia (February 7th 2010)

Capacity is the space we create within ourselves to hold and sustain something greater. –Joel Garcia (February 8th 2010)

A significant gaffe leaders make is to be long on vision and short on relationship. –Joel Garcia (February 10th 2010)

The process reveals our character to show us what is required to make it to the other side. –Joel Garcia (February 24th 2010)

Optimism is an attitude that shows up around springtime. –Joel Garcia (March 13th 2010)

You can handle the present challenges when you commit yourself to the future. –Joel Garcia (May 1st 2010)

Love lights up every room. –Joel Garcia (May 8th, 2010)

Before you set out to change the world, you’ve got to change one little universe; your mind. –Joel Garcia (May 14, 2010)

A mentor is a catalyst for change in a young person’s life. –Joel Garcia (June 11, 2010)

Courage is faith bottled up in a crazy person. –Joel Garcia (June 18, 2010)

Legacy is when your life continues to speak and influence after you. –Joel Garcia (June 22, 2010)

Friday is just another day like Monday but with the feeling that you have a two-day free pass. –Joel Garcia (June 25, 2010)

You cannot possess a place or a position you have not prepared for. –Joel Garcia (August 11, 2010)

Fun makes the day go faster. –Joel Garcia (August 13, 2010)

Personal growth is incomplete without addressing the spiritual dimension. –Joel Garcia (August 13, 2010)

We live in an age where you can no longer explain it – you’ve got to be it. –Joel Garcia (August 15, 2010)

Failure is a teacher to help you realize you missed something or someone along your journey. –Joel Garcia (November 3, 2010)

Vision without heart is just a fantasy. –Joel Garcia (November 7, 2010)

Your daily job is to perfect your craft and character until time and opportunity call you forth. –Joel Garcia (November 9, 2010)

Critical times call for creative minds. –Joel Garcia (November 20, 2010)

Innovation is the human drive to reveal the divine imprint within. –Joel Garcia (December 23, 2010)

There’s no change unless one presses the boundary of personal limits. –Joel Garcia (December 28, 2010)