Service by the people, for the people

Yes, its true. I am a Lincoln-ista. And the service leaders of the 21st century can learn a lot from Abraham Lincoln, as I've noted in an earlier post.

The Wikipedia entry for the Gettysburg address by Abraham Lincoln - and it says that the iconic last phrase:

"government of the people, by the people, for the people" stemmed from a quote from a pastor, Theodore Parker

'Democracy is direct self-government, over all the people, for all the people, by all the people.'

Sitting here in Bogota Colombia, after three wonderful days visiting Macchu Pichu "the old mountain", the lost city of the Incas, I am thrilled by the human potential possibilities here in South America. The diversity and the challenges of diversity are strong in this land. A land that is, a little known fact, that is the continent of my forefathers. My grandfather was born in British Guyana in South America, the grandson of an indentured slave, shanghai'd from southern China in the 19th century to work in the cane plantations.

My belief in the possibility of human potential are not theoretical.

I am living proof of those possibilities come to life.

The sense of art, commmunity and living with the land, from the land is very strong.

Can't wait to interact with my first Spanish speaking audience at my workshop on 21st Century Service Leadership tomorrow at the Cumbre Internacional CRM-CEM 2009

Looking forward to meeting my great buddies Paul Greenberg and Jim Sterne and my wonderful host Rafael Rodrigues - we have planning on this trip for many years.


A beautiful land and a most comfortable climate - they have made me feel very welcome and conscious of the possibilities of the place.


Mei Lin