WHAT LEADERS ARE SAYING ABOUT THIS BOOK
“I am gratefully impressed by your proficient book on Dr. Chad Audi’s leadership style. It actually sets forth excellent principles which can be emulated.” —Bishop P. A. Brooks First Assistant Presiding Bishop of 6.5 million member Church of God in Christ, Inc. “At Reading Works, we enjoy working with Dr. Audi because he makes sure every action has purpose. No resource or opportunity is wasted yet he encourages creative solutions to challenges, which is why his work at DRMM continues to realize such success.” —Paula Brown Executive Director, Reading Works, Detroit “Dr. Chad Audi is a “one of a kind” leader! And C. Paschal Eze has captured the very heart of his model and life wisdom. If you want to continue growing as a leader, become a reader of this book.” —Bobb Biehl Executive Mentor, BobbBiehl.com “This powerful book will prove helpful to anyone in nonprofit, business or community leadership. Kudos Paschal!” —Hank Hubbard President and CEO, One Detroit Credit Union “A valuable account of an experience that embodies the principles of Dr. Audi, whose values are rooted in the ideals of human generosity and lofty morals, coupled with effective and inspirational leadership skills.” —Hatem Alami Chairman, Modern University of Business and Science, Beirut
AUDIAN NONPROFIT LEADERSHIP 11 Leadership Lessons I Learned from DRMM President Dr. Chad Audi C. PASCHAL EZE
© 2015 C. Paschal Eze All rights reserved. No part of this work of nonfiction, Audian Nonprofit Leadership, may be copied, reproduced or stored in any retrieval system and transmitted by electronic, mechanical, digital means except for short quotations for teaching, discussions, reviews and articles—without the written permission of the sole copyright holder, C. Paschal Eze, which may be obtained by emailing him at paschaleze@gmail.com. Art © Luba Lukova, www.lukova.net Photographs courtesy of DRMM. All proceeds from this book go directly to support Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries (DRMM) program for abused women. www.drmm.org ISBN-13: 978-0-9788372-3-5 ISBN-10: 0-9788372-3-1 First published 2015 by Clay & Gold 3105 Crescent Street, Long Island City, New York 11106, USA www.clayandgold.com Typeset in Interstate and Minion Printed and bound in the United States of America
CONTENTS FOREWORD By Thomas Steinmetz
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PREFACE
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CHAPTER ONE You don’t win with ‘paper tigers’ telling you candy stories
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CHAPTER TWO Remember, loyalty engenders loyalty
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CHAPTER THREE Be upfront with your weakness
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CHAPTER FOUR Keep building your personal equity in the community
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CHAPTER FIVE Cheer up, bad days can be blessings in disguise
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CHAPTER SIX Have a little knowledge of every relevant thing
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CHAPTER SEVEN You can achieve but you can’t hide
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CHAPTER EIGHT Appreciate your team (surprise them sometimes)
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CHAPTER NINE Yes, your decisions define you
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CHAPTER TEN Diversity is beautiful and beneficial to an organization
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CHAPTER ELEVEN Leaders shouldn’t deny faith
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CONCLUSION
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About the Artist
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Index
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Appendixes
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FOREWORD Thomas Steinmetz
There are countless books out there on nonprofit leadership but this one shows you servant leadership in exemplary action. Written in an easy to follow way, the author, C. Paschal Eze, discusses the leadership principles and style of his boss, Chad Audi, the CEO and president of Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries (DRMM), a nonprofit organization founded in 1909. Did I say boss? I should have said his “friend” and “brother from another mother” because that’s how Eze describes him in this book— which shows the type of leader Audi is.
Thomas Steinmetz is the publisher of eTN Global Travel News, eturbonews.com, and chairman of International Coalition of Tourism Partners (ICTP), Hawaii, USA.
And if you believe it is right for Audi and his team to rescue and rehabilitate the poor, abused and afflicted in our society, you will be supporting that worthy cause by reading this book because all the proceeds from it will go toward giving difference-making help to the neediest of southeast Michigan. Thanks to the author, you’d feel like you are already a part of that work. At least, that’s how I feel here in Hawaii, and that’s leadership at work. There is no leadership without effective communication. I met Eze about 15 years ago in London during one of his “past lives” as a global travel and tourism industry professional. He had reached out to me for partnership on a tourism promotion project, which we did together at eTN. Years later, he served under me as our Vice President at the International FOREWORD
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Coalition of Tourism Partners (ICTP) with headquarters in Hawaii. So, I can say I know him well. I can also say that learning and leadership, which constitute the focus of this needed book, are two things he cares deeply about. When he told me he had relocated to Detroit and joined DRMM, I knew it won’t be long before he launched an initiative like this, a lounge-friendly book on the leadership lessons he learned from its CEO and president. I have always known Eze to be a man who loves to make a difference; a man of positive action who is also full of creative ideas on how to improve the lives of people in the community and the globe. Reading through this gifty book, you are left in no doubt that the DRMM leader values the author as a top member of his team. And for that, I commend Audi. You can indeed assess a leader like Audi by the caliber of people around him. Eze, Audi and I share a love for global travel. Like them, travel has put me in close contact and collaboration with many business and community leaders. Most of these leaders have mentors and mentees. That means they not only learn from people around them but also give others the opportunity to learn from them. That is what is happening on these well-written pages—leading, learning and lending self to the worthy cause of helping others find their feet in life. In this literary confluence of learning, leadership and love for the poor are some interesting lessons that can help you serve your nonprofit organization and community better. Thank you, Eze, for taking us into the inspiring world of Audi as a nonprofit leader who really cares about his team and the community he serves.
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PREFACE
With less than two weeks to another Martin Luther King Day celebration across the United States, about seven male and female executives were in a well-lit room in midtown Detroit Michigan, finalizing plans to host a public event in honor of the slain civil rights leader. Invitations to civic, community, business and faith leaders as well as partners and about 10, 000 volunteers of this humanitarian nonprofit founded in 1909? Check. Keynote speaker? Certainly! And the popular choice was P.A. Brooks, a venerable bishop and community leader who’s also a very good friend of the organization. Just like previous events, lunch and refreshments would be prepared and served by students of its jobs-geared Culinary Arts Program based in one of its transitional housing facilities. All aspects of the event had been taken care of. Or so it seemed… until I noticed the president and CEO, Dr. Chad Audi, in a pensive mood that readily kindled my curiosity. If his mien were a mural, it would candidly convey a decent discontent. It was as if he felt something vital was still missing in the MLK Day preparations. “I want us to demonstrate the dreams and aspirations of Dr. King. Let’s put his idea of a “beloved community” in physical manifestation,” enthused Audi who, like King, had earned his PhD (in Finance and Leadership) when he was under 28. Waxing on, Audi explained why the legacy of King would be better honored by donating a furnished home to a working but homeless family, and a refurbished car to a working woman who really needed it. PREFACE
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Dr. Chad Audi and author C. Paschal Eze.
Everyone in the room was in agreement. The Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries (DRMM) would give two metro Detroiters the surprises of a life time. Several days later, it did; moving many, including local and state elected officials, to tears of joy and appreciation. That’s a snapshot of the Audi I know—discerning, decisive and difference-making, hence this experiential book on life-bettering nonprofit leadership. Trained in the United States, United Kingdom and Lebanon, and widely traveled, Audi’s notion of leadership has less to do with one’s post (authority) in an organization and more to do with one’s perspicacity, which is learned and developed. Having served as DRMM president and CEO since 2004, he has come to the conscious conclusion that leadership without compassion is mere management. Thus, Warren G. Bennis was right when he posited in The Four Competencies of Leadership that “Leaders are people who do the right thing; managers are people who do things right.”
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Leadership à la Audi is guiding and inspiring self and others to make lives better—within and without. Yes, I know, some may try to hide under the canopy of what the French call “déformation professionnelle” to cast aside such humanitarian construct of leadership, but don’t we all see the world through the lens of our own experiences, challenges, opportunities and desires? The first time I saw Audi was on a rostrum in Detroit; he was receiving a deserving award at a well-attended MLK Day event organized by the Henry Ford Health Systems. It was not until shortly after relocating to Michigan from Iowa two years later that I spoke for the first time with him on the phone. He was cheerful, considerate and committed. When I finally met him to begin my full-time service to the humanitarian organization he led, he gave me the indication, to use Bennis’ phraseology, that I would not be “underled and overmanaged.” Of course, that made me feel welcome and gave me a sense of affinity and kinship with him. I thanked God I was at the right place where my abilities and contributions would not be minimized or marginalized but rather vitalized. Before long, we were like brothers-in-aid, not just superordinate and subordinate. DRMM chief operating officer, Barbara Willis, would even observe one day that Audi and I thought alike, and shared the knack for decisiveness. Call it a case of a “fearfully and wonderfully made” woman commending two imperfect but performance-driven men, and you are right. We all are on the quirky quest for earthly perfection. At least, I know I am. I am also sure you’ve met or heard of corporate top guns who were decisive but squarely for personal aggrandizement. I have as well and trust me, I didn’t find it funny. However, I dare say Audian decisiveness has a big heart. It comes filled with infectious compassion for the hopeless, jobless, homeless and afflicted, and I think that’s one of the reasons DRMM has grown significantly in all aspects since he became its leader in 2004. It’s now regarded as the largest rescue mission in the United States, thanks, in part, to the PREFACE
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Audian vision and vigor highlighted in this book. So, grab a cup of coffee or hot cocoa and join me on this curious journey as I discuss the various leadership lessons I have learned from Audi, and why they matter in post-Great Recession America. My non-complicated approach here could be likened to that of a pulse reader or perhaps a corporate ethnographic researcher relaying experiences from within, sharing didactic and inspiring events that underscore the Audian leadership model. Yet, whereas ethnographic researchers are usually temporary participant observers, I am involved in the time-tested project called DRMM—certainly with my heart, head and hands. And like our leader Audi, I wake up thinking about DRMM, and use the rest of the day doing my part in his big dreams for poor and distressed families of southeast Michigan, and bigger drive to accomplish such dreams by God’s grace, and the strong support of his talented team, partners and volunteers. My hope therefore is that by discussing the 11 leadership lessons I learned from him, I can add in my little way to your understanding and practice of life-bettering leadership in nonprofit setting. After all, what is life without lifting up another life? What is leadership if it is not humanity-centric? Happy reading! C. Paschal Eze
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CHAPTER ONE
You don’t win with ‘paper tigers’ telling you candy stories
CHAPTER ONE
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Call Audi the Steve Jobs of humanitarian nonprofits, and you might be right. Jobs believed in the power of transformative smarts, the kind of smarts that make positive things happen. So does Audi. Of the many aphorisms attributed to legendary Jobs, none intrigues me more than this one: “It doesn’t make sense to hire smart people and tell them what to do; we hire smart people so they can tell us what to do.” Why? Jobs was, no doubt, a very smart man, given his transcending innovations at Apple. So, desiring his hires to tell him what to do certainly implies he knew and accepted his personal limitations, even though his public persona may have spoken to the contrary. I don’t know about you but I really believe it takes masked or manifest humility to recognize one’s limitations. A good leader knows that
Dr. Chad Audi with DRMM Board member Martha Scott.
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nobody can be talented and skilled and effective in all things. So, finding help in others who are talented, skilled and passionate in areas needed to accomplish the set goal is nothing but wisdom. Hiring smart people (who do not just parade educational qualifications but more importantly creative and applicative thrust) obviously reflects the conviction and confidence of a leader. Yet, the true test of such virtues may well be in giving the said smart people the space and support to prove their mettle (by delivering the desired results). I must add however that smart hires should not expect to achieve the desired results without taking cues from the vision bearer of their organization, the leader. When it comes to Audi, the first cue is decisiveness.
People—top talents, donors and volunteers— go where they believe the action is, not where it used to be.
Remember those times you wondered why you didn’t implement your good idea before someone else did? The entrepreneur in Audi makes him do likewise if he thinks DRMM is not on the front row seat of ANY aspect—including news media coverage—of helping to transform lives of the homeless, jobless, drug-addicted and working but poverty-stricken in southeast Michigan. The reason is simply that in nonprofit leadership, nothing can be as costly as the perception of stagnation. People—top talents, donors and volunteers—go where they believe the action is, not where it used to be.
That logically makes Audi decisive. He likes to be on the cutting edge. He likes to lead the “we have the action” charge. “I brought you here because I am tired of hearing that Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries is the best kept secret in metro Detroit,” Audi had told me on my first day at DRMM. He didn’t mince words, which I really appreciated. He told me in one sentence what was expected of me, adding: “I won’t bug you down with CHAPTER ONE
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processes and protocols. I won’t be looking over your shoulders either, but I would surely be expecting results.” It was obvious that though my education and long years of experience may have gotten me through the door, his fervid focus was on my readiness and resolve to produce relevant results. As I would later learn, Audi quickly gauged my passion by asking Barbara Willis, the chief operating officer, to take me on a familiarization tour of some DRMM facilities in Detroit and Highland Park. While on the tour, I met and marveled at the apparent commitment of some frontline staff on duty, interacted freely with some clients at different stages of gaining their stability, sobriety and self-reliance, and commended some teenage volunteers developing their leadership potentials through hands-dirtying service. I even heard a heartwarming success story from a relative of a former DRMM client who paid glowing tribute to the nonprofit for helping her hitherto drug-addicted and deadbeat brother regain his life, family and opportunity to contribute meaningfully to society. It was spontaneous and priceless. And I was hooked. I told myself there and then that I was at the right place, at the right time and with the right team, and should therefore make the right difference. What I didn’t know at the time was that Ms Willis, and the relevant project directors were also busy drawing their own impressions and conclusions about me, which they readily passed on to Audi. Hmmm … I should have known. Looking back now, I still believe I am at the right place at the right time. Whether I have made the right difference is for others to judge, especially the remarkable people I met and wholeheartedly embraced on my first day. But what is the place of loyalty in all of this? Let’s find out in the next chapter.
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CHAPTER TWO
Remember, loyalty engenders loyalty
CHAPTER TWO
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Not satisfied with my scrappy observations, I asked a number of the team members some questions in my casual, non-discomforting way. The responses I received ranged from “he listens” and “he cares” to “he accommodates.” Each relayed relevant experiences in personal and organizational contexts—from his reassuring voice and steady hand in times of low morale (particularly during those years of shortfalls in operational funds) to his words of encouragement and acts of kind support in times of personal crisis. Soon, I had an emergency overseas, and without hesitation or hullabaloo, Audi permitted me to travel, giving me a very personal experience of the “he listens,” “he cares” and “he accommodates” I had been hearing about. Of course, such positive experiences and emotions have consequences. People are not stones. They tend to reciprocate in ways that capture the essence and extent of loyalty. A 2014 study by Harvard Business Review revealed that employees saw being treated with respect as the most important leadership trait. Those who felt respected by their leaders “reported 56% better health and well-being, 1.72 times more trust and safety, 89% greater enjoyment and satisfaction with their jobs, 92% greater focus and prioritization, and 1.26 times more meaning and significance.”[3] They were also “1.1 times more likely to stay with their organizations than those that didn’t.” [4] In other words, feeling respected is a major reason employees stay longer at a particular nonprofit or forprofit organization. So, given the fact that many executives at DRMM head office and various facilities in Detroit and Highland Park had worked with Audi since his days as chief operating officer, it is safe to say he’s had a respectful relationship with them. The Harvard Business Review study further found that “The more leaders give, the higher the level of employee engagement: People who said
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CHAPTER TWO
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How does DRMM show its loyalty to them? Audi says it is by optimal performance in service delivery, judicious use of financial resources, healthy offline and online communication and, of course, the good old accountability. “We will remain loyal to every individual or group that encourages and supports our continued impact in rescuing and revitalizing the neediest persons, families and neighborhoods in our city and region,” he promised.
1. Kunz, Phillip, cited in Spiegel, Alix (November 26, 2012). “Give And Take: How The Rule Of Reciprocation Binds Us.” Available at npr.org/sections/health-shots/2012/11/26/165570502/giveand-take-how-the-rule-of-reciprocation-binds-us. [Accessed May 25 2015]. 2. Cialdini, Robert, cited ibid. 3. Porath, Christine (November 19, 2014). “Half of Employees Don’t Feel Respected by Their Bosses”. Harvard Business Review. Available at hbr.org/2014/11/half-of-employees-dont-feel-respected-by-their-bosses. [Accessed May 25 2015]. 4. Ditto. 5. Porath, Christine, ibid.
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Dr. Audi giving away food boxes in Dearborn, Michigan.
CHAPTER THREE
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That’s how Audi sees it—going by my many conversations with him. And he does not confine his appreciation of knowledge to formal training, even though he earned his PhD at 27. In fact, part of his education was gained through leisure and business travels over the years. Audi and I share a passion for global travels, and we find ourselves at times—like when driving to a business meeting or having lunch—exchanging lessons from our travel experiences; from Australia and the Bahamas to Germany and Rwanda. Travels make good leaders. As Igbos of southeastern Nigeria would say, “A child that travels a lot is wiser than an old man that stays at home.” We can find proof of that in the likes of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Mahatma Gandhi. Travels helped to shape their worldview and influenced their globally renowned accomplishments. Travels afford us a spellbinding and sticky appreciation of our common humanity and differing realities. In every country, people big and small share the same need for food, shelter, clothing, education and meaning. In every land, people desire safety, dignity, understanding and community. Yet, it is also true that what counts for poverty in United States of America is for the most part middle class in Mali, the French-speaking African country where Audi gained a germane perspective on poverty and the power of compassion. Audi’s Malian experience is reflected every day in his work of facing down poverty in metro Detroit with the power of collective compassion. Strategically harnessing and channeling that collective compassion as DRMM president and CEO has also been incumbent on his business background (training and field experience in different countries). He came to DRMM from the private sector, and he leads it with the head of a businessman and the heart of a humanitarian. He is a compassionate neighbor but a tough negotiator, a man of idealities who doesn’t negate realities. Audi believes splendid vision achieves little without smart vigor.
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big aspirations—because I am pragmatic. As far as I am concerned, nonprofit leadership is about tangible, difference-making and scalable achievements, not about may-happen, could-happen or should-have-happened. Interestingly, Audi has no pipeline personality. He likes to talk about the has-happened, is-happening and will-soon-happen. He enjoys enumerating the precious lives that have been bettered, women and children that have found hope, broken families that will soon be reunited, and the metro Detroit neighborhoods that are being revitalized.
Nonprofit leadership is about tangible, difference-making and scalable achievements, not about mayhappen, couldhappen or shouldhave-happened.
When a journalist, president of a grantawarding foundation, an accreditation agency team or leaders of a sister human services agency come visiting, he cheerfully lays bare his record as DRMM president and CEO. “Ask me any question you like. We are open and always willing to share our experiences, challenges, accomplishments and visions here at DRMM,” he would say. Trust journalists and foundation presidents; they are always eager to hear statistics of outcomes and impact, and Audi is ever ready to give the numbers.
Being someone with strong training and practice in finance and leadership, he knows numbers can be compelling. Numbers can blow the mind and numbers can shape how a nonprofit is perceived and supported.
First, he tells you how old his organization is; it was founded in 1909. The idea is to plant in your mind that it has been tried, tested and treasured in ALL seasons. Then, he goes into scope and scale of services, sharing the number of people served every day and the diverse population served—from teen
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A DRMM facility on Third Street in Detroit, circa 1950.
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after seeing off a potential donor who had toured our offices and a few of our facilities, Audi smilingly turned to me and said, “We got ‘em!” “Yes, we did!” I replied, undoubtedly as excited as he was. Now, imagine what would have happened if all Audi and I did was to show the potential donor a program site on a sleek digital screen. Anybody outside the organization could have done that. Imagine if we had failed to demonstrate the blazing need for such a program site by not showing the beneficiaries in action and not providing information on outcomes and impact in the community. It would have been a wasted opportunity. Of course, digital presentations are good—and should be part of the mix—but physical site tours are better in drawing people in. They have a special way of satisfying the curious-minded and arousing interest, involvement and commitment. That’s why, despite all the advances in digital technology, people still travel long distances to experience natural landmarks, museums, historical sites and safaris. And those touristy places still employ neatly dressed guides to spice up the tour. They give out relevant information that, in summation, tells the tourists something like, “You see, you didn’t waste your time coming here. Instead, you gained a lot.” Time is a precious commodity to leaders. Benjamin Franklin got it right in his 1748 essay, Advice to a Young Tradesman, when he wrote, “time is money.” Yes! Time can either bring or take money away from you. Time well utilized in crafting and telling the story of how your nonprofit project is delivering the right results at the right time and place could turn listeners into loyal employees, generous donors, vibrant volunteers and tireless brand ambassadors.
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CHAPTER SEVEN
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Appreciate your team (surprise them sometimes)
As I noted in the previous chapter, successful nonprofit leaders are made of their “WE,” which refers to their team members; the men and women who work with them to achieve the organization’s mission. No matter how skilled, experienced and poised organizational leaders are, if they surround themselves with individuals who neither believe in their vision nor support their vigor, they won’t be successful. Why? It’s because it then becomes one person’s show.
While leaders make you feel special, managers make you feel small.
I’m sure you’ve noticed that’s one of the thematic rivers that run through this book. Nobody succeeds alone—not even the brightest and smartest among us. Even the best of scholars in universities and think tanks like to do research and publish papers with their peers. So, why should individuals in leadership positions hope to succeed by the futility of commanding pebbles?
Leadership is not appellative; it is not a matter of nomenclature. Individuals are not leaders by their plush positions. That’s called authority. So, I say it again: Individuals become leaders when they attract, inspire and appreciate people. Unlike lifeless and loveless pebbles, human beings have will, emotions and expectations of appreciation, and they tend to like and support those who make them feel good and appreciated. And that brings to mind the essential difference between leaders and managers. While leaders make you feel special, managers make you feel small. While leaders treat you as precious, managers treat you as pebbles. Who likes being treated as pebbles? Nobody. Not you, not me.
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Dr. Chad Audi, friend of DRMM Thomas J. Reed of DiggingDetroit.com, and the author C. Paschal Eze.
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about such situations. Yet, if it is true that charity should begin where we are, then nonprofits that heal the wounds of people “outside” should not forget those of people “inside”—their staff. Ever seen a poor man boldly advising people on how to get rich or a drug dealer preaching loudly against drug addiction? People will laugh, dismiss or ignore such. As Apostle Peter said in Acts 3 to the alms-seeking lame man at the Beautiful Gate, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you.” Yes, people do indeed give what they have. From indifferent people you get nothing but neglect and abuse. Laziness brings no comfort but hunger and misery. Self-worshipers neither understand nor give compassion. Greedy people do not produce equity and justice but rather exploitation and corruption. Being on his team, I feel pleased that Audi gives what he has: steady direction, calm inspiration, heart-felt appreciation, kind encouragement and life-bettering compassion at DRMM. And because giving is a decision, the next chapter will take a look at decision making.
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CHAPTER NINE
Yes, your decisions define you
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Diversity is beautiful and beneficial to an organization
People in different countries and cultures give different meanings to red and blue colors. But no matter the geographical or cultural context in which you blend red and blue colors, you get purple, a color many associate with things like royalty, dignity, bravery, happiness and helpfulness. I believe purple is beautiful. Do you? Even more beautiful and precious is the life that comes out of the statutory and spiritual union between a man and a woman. Two different sexes, personalities and experiences coming together to procreate what is truly wonderful—a human being that did not have any choice or input in his/her parentage and race. Ever heard the political chatter class talk about balancing a presidential or gubernatorial ticket? One word that captures their sentiment is diversity. When Black and younger Barack Obama chose Caucasian and older Joe Biden to be his presidential running mate in 2008 and 2012, he was paying homage to diversity. Obviously, the blend was beautiful and beneficial to the Obama campaign. He was elected and reelected US president for that and other reasons. So, when it comes to nonprofits like DRMM that rescue and rehabilitate lives, diversity is nothing but invaluable; something that adds much value. When strategic nonprofit leaders learn from big businesses like Costco and become one-stop service centers, offering various related services aimed at providing conveniently accessible holistic help to their target audience, they arguably show a form of structural diversity. For instance, instead of having only emergency shelters and food pantries that basically patch the problem of homelessness, a rescue mission could also provide case management, drug and alcohol rehab, mental illness treatment and skills and job readiness training to tackle the
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these three classes don’t think and act alike. Yet, being different and discordant does not extinguish the beauty and benefits of their co-existence in the polity. Co-existence. That’s what the three arms of government—the executive, the legislature and the judiciary—do, even with differing political ideologies. That’s what businesses and nonprofits do—because the community needs both. That’s what leaders and managers do—because the organization has to keep moving.
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As I keep moving and meeting people near and far and learning more from them, I find reinforcement for my belief that though we differ in many ways, including nationality, genealogical line and gender, we belong to the same race of humans. Thus, whether my nonprofit colleagues are Caucasian, Latina, Black or Asian, male or female, sociable or stiff, well-educated or less-educated, ride flashy or rickety cars, we are all essentially tied to the same mission. We are all there to play our different parts in giving Christian help and hope to the “least of these” in our community. Pursuant to that mission, and following his philosophy of leadership, Audi has made conscious efforts to ensure functional diversity in DRMM staffing, especially in terms of gender. The organization remarkably has more women in top positions than men. And while both of us are proud American citizens, Audi is Asian and I am Black. Yet, he is not just my leader at DRMM; he is more importantly my friend and brother from another mother. Did Galatians 3: 28 not state that despite the differences in race, social and economic status and gender, everyone is equal in Christ? In fact, in Mark 12: 31, Jesus Christ sums it up thus: love others as you love yourself. Put differently, if you love yourself, you will love others, even if they look, think or act differently. Little wonder that DRMM under Audian leadership remains an evangelical Christian organization with open-door policy toward clients of all faiths. Nobody who needs its life-bettering services is turned down on the basis of faith. And that’s beautiful and beneficial to southeast Michigan in particular and humanity in general. So, is faith important to nonprofit leadership? Audi answers YES in the next chapter.
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CHAPTER ELEVEN
Leaders shouldn’t deny faith
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Leaders shouldn’t deny faith
Frustration is not a treat in never-never land; it is something everyone faces at different times and seasons in their life and career. Driven individuals—like nonprofit leaders—may experience frustration more than others but their response to it is not homogenous. People react differently to different challenges. One potent response to frustration that I know is faith. When frustration comes knocking, faith goes kicking. Audi was looking frustrated that Monday morning. He wasn’t his conversational and cheerful self that many around him had come to admire. His customary genial “Good morning” greetings were in absentia as he negotiated the u-shaped walkway to his CEO office.
When frustration comes knocking, faith goes kicking.
Wondering what could be troubling him beyond the normal challenges of his position, I took the liberty to go into his office, hoping he would “spill it.”
Then I learnt of his enervating experience that would frustrate anyone who really cared about those in dire need. Audi narrated how he had fervently tried during the weekend to convince some homeless persons to leave the unsafe winter cold in a city park. And he had not only offered to provide them hot food, hot shower, clean beds and on-demand counseling and support services at DRMM shelters but also to convey them there in a roomy DRMM van that was on standby. “I repeatedly pointed them to the van. Our driver was ready to go, and the shelter beds were set for them to sleep in.” You guessed right. The male and female homeless persons hurting out there in the cold refused Audi’s FREE offer; one that would have made the homeless in many cities of the developing world shout for joy. It was
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an offer they could only dream of; one they would have grabbed with both hands. And why in the world did those in Detroit refuse it? May be, they didn’t want to come under the safety and good comportment rules of the shelters. May be, they were getting used to the deluge of local and international media attention they were receiving. May be, they were assuaged by the fact that some kind-hearted individuals had been giving them food, clothes and other gestures of solidarity out there in the bitter cold. I believed then and still believe now that as appreciable as such acts of charity were, being subjected day and night to the merciless freezing cold should never be preferred to living in well-run shelters.
To lead others well, one has to be well led by God because a leaderless leader is a risky ruler.
Think about it. Shelters would preserve their dignity while providing them the immediate and extended support they needed to rebuild their lives and contribute meaningfully to society. Yet, in a “free society” like ours, such needed help is not forced on people. They are free to choose hurt instead of help, bitter cold instead of benevolent care.
“Paschal, I need prayers,” Audi had admitted, offering me dark chocolate and pineapple juice, which was his way of telling me to stay a few more minutes in his office. I gladly promised to pray for him, and when nobody—not even Audi—was watching, I did pray for God to guide, strengthen, protect and favor him. Now, this is the point I’m making here: To lead others well, one has to be well led by God because a leaderless leader is a risky ruler. Yes, nonprofit leaders are accountable to different important stakeholders like their donors and board members, but Audi would tell you he is ultimately answerable to God who towers above all earthly
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The author with Bishop P. A. Brooks.
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stakeholders. God sees what no human sees. He sees our hearts. He knows our motivations. He feels and meets our needs. He commands us to love others—including the poor, oppressed and afflicted—as we love ourselves. Let me make a little clarification here. Submitting to divine guidance must not be confused with the medieval doctrine of divine right of kings, which, put simply, holds that the misdeeds of kings and queens cannot be exposed or challenged by their subjects. According to the doctrinaires, kings and queens can only be judged by God because their authority comes directly from God.
To Audi, faith is not necessarily shown in routine and feel-good words but in patient and persevering deeds that glorify God.
How convenient! How self-serving! Instead of such uni-directional submission to the king or queen, there should be mutual submission. Since their authority is exercised on humans, it should have human checks and balances, without negating accountability to God. Therefore, though the journey of leadership starts with self, it is stirred and sustained by a genuine desire to perspire and persevere for the good and wellbeing of others.
Isn’t the narcissism we see in many notable personalities arguably a form of self-leadership? And though we pay our hard-earned money to watch them dine, sing, act, play or gossip, don’t we—even if reluctantly—feel the need for their redemption from self-worship? Leadership is not feasting on the mountain top and pouring crumbs and trickles on everyone else in the valley. No. It is helping to make the mountain top attractive, accessible and achievable to others—and faith is what oils the wheels of such desire and effort. To Audi, faith is not necessarily shown in routine and feel-good words but in patient and persevering deeds that glorify God.
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Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries.
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CONCLUSION
Interestingly, we’ve come to the ending of the book; that part that looks and tastes like dessert, which, in Audian nonprofit world, would be dark or coconut chocolate. It is no secret that in this age of big data when people high and low are suffering from information overload, not many have the pleasure and patience for long-winded treatise. I, for one, dislike long stories (and endless meetings) in nonprofits focused on problems that are yawning for urgent solutions. And people I know around the world, except for the policy wonks, university teachers and think tank researchers among them, want concise information they can easily digest and hopefully act on. That is one reason social media like Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn are popular. They facilitate and encourage dissemination of pithy views, announcements, reports and, of course, “gravanity.” So, I’m glad and grateful that you followed me on this short but stimulating journey of exploration. It shows you are indeed curious and contemplative. And even if you may not have had the opportunity of working closely with Audi in the nonprofit sector, you see him as somebody you could learn a few things from—as I have. In addition to his early-earned MBA and doctorate degree, Audi has been the president and CEO of a major nonprofit organization for over a decade. Besides, he instructively turned that nonprofit, the 1909-founded Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries (DRMM), into the largest rescue mission in the United States, with hundreds of employees helping thousands of needy men, women and children each year. Outside the confines of his multi-faceted organization, Audi has directly helped some industrious and inspired individuals create community-
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Dr. Chad Audi.
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ABOUT THE ARTIST
The artwork in this book was created by internationally renown, New York-based artist Luba Lukova. Regarded as one of the most distinctive image makers working today, Lukova focuses on issues such as peace, censorship, immigration, ecology, and social inequality. Whether by using an economy of line, color, and text to pinpoint essential themes of the human condition or to succinctly visualize social commentary, her art is undeniably powerful and thought provoking. Lukova’s work has been exhibited widely in the US and around the globe. Solo exhibitions include: UNESCO in Paris, France, DDD Gallery in Osaka, Japan, La MaMa Gallery in New York, and the Art Institute of Boston. Her work is included in the permanent collections of the Museum of Modern Art in New York, Denver Art Museum, the National Library of France in Paris, the Library of Congress and the World Bank. She has received commissions from Harvard and Columbia Universities, Sony Music, Adobe Systems, United Airlines, The New York Times, Time, the Ministry of Culture of France, and the War Resisters League. Lukova is the author of the critically acclaimed Social Justice portfolio containing visual reactions to many of the pressing issues of our time. The collection has been shown around the world and has also gone viral on the Internet. Her many awards include Grand Prix Savignac at the International Poster Salon, Paris, France; the Golden Pencil Award at the One Club, New York; ICOGRADA Excellence Award at the Poster Festival in Chaumont, France; and Honor Laureate at the International Poster Exhibition in Fort Collins, CO. She holds honorary doctoral degree from the Art Institute of Boston.
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INDEX
Adventurous palette, 31 American citizens, 84 Apostle Peter, 74 Aristotelian, 82 Auburn Hills, 82 Audi, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 17, 20, 22, 24, 26, 30, 88 Audian leadership model, 14 Australia, 55 Authentic leadership, 76 Bahamas, 55 Bankruptcy, 77 Barack Obama, 80 Barbara Willis, 13, 20, 70, 71 Benjamin Franklin, 64 Brand ambassadors, 64 Brand loyalty, 52 Cesar Chavez, 81 Chocolate, 45, 46, 88, 96 Christian nonprofit, 34 Christian values, 34 Christmas cards, 22 Compassionate neighbor, 55 Coralville, 36 Corporate culture, 36 Corporate social responsibility, 52 Costco, 80 C. Paschal Eze, 9, 12, 14, 69 Culinary arts program, 11 Dearborn, 35, 76, 77 Debt-free homes, 62 INDEX
Decisive, 12, 13, 19 Decisiveness, 13, 19, 96 Detroit, 10, 11, 17, 20, 22, 24, 26, 31, 36, 40, 44, 46, 55, 60, 62, 77 Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries, 9, 12, 17, 19, 94 Dignity, 55, 80, 88 Donald F. DeVos, 38 Dr. Chad Audi, 11, 12, 18, 47, 51, 53, 59, 69 Dr. Martin Luther King, 11, 17, 55 Dubuque Iowa, 76 Effective communication, 9 Elected officials, 37 Evangelical Christian organization, 84 Eze, 9, 10 French, 13 Functional diversity, 84 Future-looking nonprofits, 81 Germany, 55 God, 13, 31, 45, 88, 89, 90, 96 Good Samaritan, 46 Grosse Point, 76 Hawaii, 9 Homeless, 13, 17, 19, 46, 62, 86 Homelessness, 46, 50, 80 Harvard Business Review, 24 Henry Ford Health Systems, 13 Hiring smart people, 19 Humanitarian nonprofits, 18
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Hungry, 31 International Coalition of Tourism Partners, 9 Job readiness, 80 Largest rescue mission, 13, 34, 94 Laziness, 74 Leaderless leader, 88 Leadership, 9, 10, 13, 14, 24 Lebanon, 12, 56 London, 9 Loyalty, 20, 26, 70 Luba Lukova, 98 Mahatma Gandhi, 55 Mali, 55 Martha Scott, 18 Martin Luther King Day, 11 Maryland, 38 Michigan, 9, 11, 14, 17, 19, 30, 31, 50, 84 National Public Radio, 22 Nigeria, 50, 55 Nonprofit jobs, 73 Nonprofit leaders, 16, 33, 42, 56, 58, 80, 86, 88, 96 Paula Brown, 51
100
Poor, 9, 89, 96 Psychological escape, 73 Public good, 52 Pulling others down (POD), 58 Ralph Waldo Emerson, 44 Randall Pentiuk, 70 Re-integrative diversity, 81 Rwanda, 55 Self-reliance, 20 Social media, 87 Splendor of diversity, 76 Steve Jobs, 18 Strategic nonprofit leaders, 80 Strategic relationships, 16, 39 Texas, 38 Thai restaurant, 26 Thomas J. Reed, 69 Thomas Steinmetz, 9 United Kingdom, 12, 56 United States, 11, 12, 13, 34, 55, 56, 94 Veterans, 17, 44, 62 Volunteers, 58, 60 Washington DC, 59
INDEX
First Annual Report of the Detroit City Rescue Mission, 1910.
APPENDIX I
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