- “We are not superheroes, but we all share a common bond in serving something greater than ourselves. It is a brotherhood that ties us together, and that bond is what allows us to willingly walk into harm’s way together.” No Easy Day: The Firsthand Account of the Mission That Killed Osama Bin Laden (Owen, Mark Maurer, Kevin) Kindle Location 60-62
- “The ancient moralist Aesop used to illustrate the concept by holding up a stick and asking for a volunteer among his listeners who thought he could break it. Of course the volunteer was able to break the stick easily. Then Aesop would put two sticks of the same size together and would ask the same volunteer to break them both at the same time. It was more difficult, but usually it could be done without too much trouble. The process was repeated, with another stick being added to the bundle each time, until the volunteer was unable to break the bundle of sticks. The moral to Aesop’s illustration was simple: individually we are weak, but together we are strong.” Counseling with Our Councils M. Russell Ballard, Page 10-11
- “Let me show you how we work. Planning can be done above the line or below the line. Above the line planning is about the why of it all. Below the line planning is about the how of it all. The world is full of experts who can tell you how. But they tend to assume they already know what you want to accomplish. They tend to assume that what you want to accomplish is what they are prepared and paid to provide. They tend to assume that one client is much like another and that the tools, plans, techniques and boilerplate that works well for one client can be quickly repurposed for use with another. In reality, you are unique. Getting to know you and what you wish to accomplish and why you wish to get that accomplished is my strong point. I know the tools, techniques and planning process, and when I do not have expert knowledge in particular area I operate as a talent scout to find the relevant experts. But my strength is in getting to know you, and in helping you articulate the outcomes you want to achieve for yourself, those you love, and for the community, if you have aspirations in that direction. Most planners spend 80 percent or more of their time below the line. I spend 80 percent or more of my time above the line. They aspire to be experts in tools and plans. I aspire to be an expert in you and what you wish to accomplish.” A CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK FOR PLANNING WITH PHILANTHROPIC TOOLS. Phil Cubeta, CLU, ChFC, MSFS, CAP, The Sallie B. and William B. Wallace Chair in Philanthropy at The American College
- “Management guru Stephen Covey tells this old Japanese tale about a samurai warrior and his three sons: The samurai wanted to teach his sons about the power of teamwork. So he gave each of them an arrow and asked them to break it. No problem. Each son did it easily. Then the samurai gave them a bundle of three arrows bound together and asked them to repeat the process. But none of them could. “That’s your lesson,” the samurai said. “If you three stick together, you will never be defeated.” Eleven Rings: The Soul of Success. Phil Jackson and Hugh Delehanty. Kindle Loc.309-13