The TPC team sat down with Senator David Luechtefeld of the 58th District in Illinois, and discussed giving back, leadership and team chemistry. Senator Luechtefeld, the TPC team says thank you for your support!*The Question and Answer dialogue is meant to help the reader understand how giving back impacts the community, and also their view on leadership and team chemistry. The Q & A content is presented in a conversation format, and not presented in a formal format to hold the integrity of the conversation. These topics are key messages from TPC, and the TPC team partnered with Senator Luechtefeld to learn from a leader of the community. Key points from the conversation are in bold.
Q/Reid:
How does giving back impact the 58th District?
A/Senator Luechtefeld:
Giving back a lot of times can be a personal thing. An individual gives back to a community or people who have helped them. As far as the 58th District is concerned, personally, one of the things I get the most fun out of is trying to help people who have problems. Sometimes we can do that and sometimes we can't. But, it does give us the opportunity, and we spend a lot of time trying to help people. I often think what does giving back mean? There is no question when you do that, you feel good about it. I often look at people who do give a lot back and think about why they do that? I think they do that because it makes them feel good. Did you ever think about giving back can be a little selfish at times? I often think of a person like Mother Teresa and think why she did it? You know she did it to a certain extent for herself, because she felt good about giving back. So, from my standpoint giving back to the 58th District, it makes people personally feel good about themselves and in the process you're able to help other people.
Q/Reid:
For the folks who grew up in the 58th District, but now live elsewhere: What would be the value that they could bring to the 58th District if they decide to give back?
A/Senator Luechtefeld:
That's a tough one. It isn't what they can give back to the 58th District it's about what they can do where they live now. You look at life and ask what did I learn? People who grew up here, grew up in really good families who tried to do the right things. They got up every morning and went to work and tried to do the right things. And the best thing they can do is do that for their own families and for others around them today, set good examples. I think people who move out of the district do not have the where-with-all to give back to the district. But, they do have the ability to give back where they live and provide the communities where they live with the values they learned when they were young, hard work and good families. Those values that are part of this region and where they grew up, they need to try and carry that out where they live now. I think we're kind of losing those family values as a nation, and think that has to be something that motivates us as a nation to go back to those solid values. You can't legislate that, and you can't make a law that forces it.
They often say education is broken, and I don't believe in all that what is happening is the families are broken where there are bad parents. When you combine good parents with good teachers, you will have good education every time. Now, how do you fix parents? I think you would agree the number of dysfunctional families have increased dramatically, it's almost an acceptable thing today; those kids get screwed up and it's not necessarily their fault. And then when those kids raise families, they won't know how to raise the family and be a good parent. I see more and more of it and it is scary, it truly is scary. Sometimes it is being too good to their kids, and not having their kids work for anything. And, kids need to learn how to work hard and discipline and those sorts of things.
In Springfield, I get in trouble sometimes when the people say we need to spend more money on education and it will be fixed. And, no it won't be fixed as long as families are dysfunctional and the parents continue to send their kids to school who have no discipline and don't care to learn and never learned to work hard. You can't do much with them, you're going to have problems. So, how do you fix that? Often legislatures think we can fix that with money. No, it won't be fixed as long as you have dysfunctional families, you will have dysfunctional education. Columbia has great families and a great education system. A kid that goes to Columbia can just about do anything in life if they put their mind to it and wants to work hard at it.
Q/Reid:
Some find it more beneficial to donate resources, while others find it more beneficial to donate service for giving back. What is the value from resources such as equipment, books, clothes, money, food, etc. have on the 58th District? And, what is the value from service such as Kiwanis Club, Jaycees, Lions Club, donating blood, Boy Scouts, volunteer coaching, etc. have on the 58th District?
A/Senator Luechtefeld:
Obviously, some people do not have the where-with-all to give the physical things, and maybe don't have the money to do that. But, do have time and energy and that is the way they give back. The other way of course if someone who has the resources and can donate to a cause. Personally, I think you get the most satisfaction from the service part of it rather than from just donating money or goods. It's easy to just give the money, but you get much more satisfaction from the service part of it. Both are extremely important. You can't get along with just one, you have to have both of them. For example, maybe someone that left the community who wants to help and can donate but can't come back and give service, but can give his money or resources.
Tie-in Q/Reid:
When you say satisfaction can you explain more?
A/Senator Luechtefeld:
Because you live it and see the results. When you give back with services for example the Lions Club working with the blind you actually see the results. I think when someone donates money who no longer lives in his hometown but decides to give a resource; it's important when the service team follow through and shows the person who donated money, here's what your money did, and actually those efforts probably motivates that person to give more.
Q/Reid:
A lot of folks get a lot of enjoyment from giving back but aren't sure how to get involved, what advice do you have for people who want to find a fit with the right charity project, but aren't sure how to get started in the 58th District?
A/Senator Luechtefeld:
If they really want to get involved, then they need to. It's easy to say, but you simply go and do it. Go speak with the people, find out the different organizations, and you take that step. It's easy to say I want to help, then go and do it. Don't look for excuses, sometimes that's an excuse that you like to help, but not sure where to start. You can do things like go to schools or go to any organizations. Go directly to the problem, let's go to groups trying to fix that problem. Let's do what we can to help. You have to get active. But, you have to take that next step. I just don't want to give people that excuse, well I would of done something but I didn't know. No, you actively get involved don't use it as an excuse.
Q/Reid:
How do you define leadership and team chemistry?
A/Leadership/Senator Luechtefeld:
Leadership is something that is earned. People will follow you if you earn your respect. And, you can earn their respect by doing things. Talk doesn't get it. Some people do it in different ways, we see quiet leaders who simply went and did it and people followed. People who are good leaders usually have the ability to gain people's confidence. And, when people have confidence in you they will follow you. You can gain that confidence by what you do. You have to become active. Some do it quietly and others do it loud. There is nothing wrong with a leader who is the rah-rah guy. It's impossible to be a good leader, if you don't show results of what you do. When you think of leadership, you think who did I follow, who did I really follow? We all follow those people who we respect, and who shows us a way to be successful. And, who practices what they preach. And, many times it's simply hard work.
Reid shared a quote about Larry Bird and leadership:
“Leadership is getting players to believe in you. If you tell a teammate you're ready to play as tough as you're able to, you'd better go out there and do it. Players will see right through a phony. And they can tell when you're not giving it all you've got. Leadership is diving for a loose ball, getting the crowd involved, getting other players involved. It's being able to take it as well as dish it out. That's the only way you're going to get respect from the players.” - Larry Bird
Leadership/Senator Luechtefeld:
You see leaders who just go out there and do it. Leaders are consistent with results and are willing to work at it. They build confidence in you, and if you follow them, you believe you're going to a good place.
Q/Team Chemistry/Reid:
How do you define team chemistry?
A/Team Chemistry/Senator Luechtefeld:
You know this is one of the hardest things. Sometimes you work very hard to put together a good team and no matter what you do it just doesn't work. I think team chemistry has different parts. It has followers and it has leaders. It has doers and people willing to follow the doers. Good team chemistry has people who like and respect each other.
Tie-in Q/Reid:
How do you get teammates get to like each other?
A/Senator Luechtefeld:
That's a tough question, and I don't have a good answer for you, because I had teams that didn't have good team chemistry and no matter what I did, it didn't do anything. Usually, what breaks down team chemistry is jealously. Team chemistry especially at the high school age, you usually have good team chemistry when you have parents who are not jealous of each other. Parents usually set the stage for that. Many times it starts with the parents being jealous of the other. Let's say for example not wanting the other parents kid be successful. And that somehow gets passed along to the kid. No, don't throw him the ball, he shoots too much.
Good team chemistry you have people who are willing to sacrifice themselves for the benefit of the team. It's easier to get kids to do this than to have their parents buy into it. Let's say you're a parent and you have a kid who is not a good shooter, if you insist that he shoot and not throw Johnny the ball who is a good shooter, you have a problem. You happen to be Johnny and you have the ball, you know what, you should have the ball, you should shoot more than the others. Is that selfishness? No, that's how team's work. The kids who can't, have to accept that and get it to those who can.
Especially in a team sport, and a sport that is a little different I find is baseball. Baseball is a team sport, but really is not necessarily a team sport. If you think about it, I don't have to give up something to help you succeed in baseball. We can all be good hitters, and we will all get the same amount of times at the plate. And it isn't like I throw you the ball and you can shoot for us, it doesn't work that way. In basketball, you may play the whole game and not shoot at all and still be a good part of the team. In baseball that can't be, you're going to have to come to the plate just like everyone else. You don't have to have that good of team chemistry in baseball if you think about, you don't have to have someone give up something to let another person succeed. You need much more team chemistry in basketball, football, or hockey where certain people will not get to do the glamorous stuff. I've found that the teams I've had the best team chemistry were teams that liked each other, and were together off the floor, and kids were not jealous of each other. And, a lot of times I find that jealously starts with the parents.
Tie-in Q/Reid:
I've found a lot of team chemistry happens with instincts, can you share how you feel about instincts and team chemistry?
A/Senator Luechtefeld:
Some kids just have the instincts. Let's say you and I take piano lessons, you know one of us will turn out a lot better than the other even though we both work at it the same amount of time. Why? One of us has a better feel for it, up here, for music. It's an instinctive thing. Basketball has a lot of that in it. There are instincts that some kids have that others don't, not only on offense but also on defense. It's the ability to see what's going to happen before it happens.
Tie-in Q/Reid:
Do you think that ties into team chemistry?
A/Senator Luechtefeld:
No question about it, if you have all that it makes a difference. Just because a kid can't play defense doesn't mean he doesn't want to, he may not have good instincts. Why is it a kid isn't a good passer? He only sees the open man after his mother in the stands sees the open man, and by that time it's too late his teammate is no longer open. Some kids when you get into any sport just understand what's going on better than others, and they seem to see things happening before they happen. It's just a blessing for them.
Q/Reid:
Some find it useful to read books or follow a mentor to improve leadership or team chemistry. What do you recommend?
A/Senator Luechtefeld:
Only answer to that is talk to people who have been through it whether in sports, business, or community service. One thing to always keep in mind with team chemistry, it's hard to have a lot of team chemistry in anything, if you have a lot of selfish people.
Thank you for your support,
- TPC Team
