On Wednesday nights, I volunteer at a place called the Hope Center. The Hope Center is a place where inner city kids go to learn more about developing good character, and to help improve their reading/writing skills that the inner-city schools seem to be failing them at teaching.
One of the most important things about working with inner-city youth is that there is very little stability in their lives...parents may go in and out of their lives, they may move regularly, change schools regularly, etc. One of the biggest things that you can do when working with them to build a relationship with them, is show up. Making the effort to show up, and be consistant, is an important part of building the trust and relationship.
I think our society has spent too little time emphasizing showing up -- being a consistant presence for clients, for your coworkers, for bosses, etc. It's important to just be there.
There is a guy running for City Council in the 4th District of Kansas City, Ezekiel Amador. Ezekiel shows up at everything...neighborhood crime meetings, the neighborhood homes tour, a fundraising activity in our neighborhood park. Many people in the neighborhood like him primarily because he keeps showing up. If anyone is going to take that type of interest in the neighborhood, they're willing to vote for him.
I'm not necessarily endorsing him for the Council seat (in fact, I also very much like one of his opponents) - but I think he is a great example of the power of showing up. Showing up builds trust---with inner city kids, with neighborhoods and in the workplace.
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