November Already!

Wow, its November already. Not only is it November, but it is the END of November. This is Turkey week here in the US with Thanksgiving coming this Thursday, November 26th.

The last few months since my last posting have been somewhat of a whirlwind for me, with many things happening. My blogs many premise was to talk about Cleveland and support our city, but I think I may change that moving forward. Not that I am changing my position on wanting to make Cleveland a better place, but I think I need to focus on me for a little while, start with improvements in my own back yard before trying to help everyone else.

But before shining the spotlight on the things I need to do, I should summarize a couple of things that I think Cleveland has done recently that are truly positive. First of all, changes were passed at the recent elections to restructure our county government. This was much needed and hopefully the opportunity to get rid of the old school corruption that the county has had for so many years and give the county a new start. I will be watching this closely as I think it is one in a number of steps that will take Cleveland where it needs to be.

Secondly, the state of Ohio finally passed the Casino issue. Cleveland will be getting a Casino. I know there are many views on this, and there are also many opinions on the wording of the actual issue. But Cleveland and Ohio needed to do something. Millions every month leave the state, we aren't going to change that unless we support casino's. I do have to say though, in looking at the statistics prior to the election, what I found most interesting is that of the approximate 50% who where planning to vote against it, 27% just didn't believe in gambling. Now isn't that interesting. They don't like gambling, so nobody else should get it? Even if it brings money to the state that is so very much in need. There are lots of things I don't like to do, should I vote they all get banned??? I think this is crazy. Basically only 23% of the state was actually against it, 27% just didn't want it for themselves and the rest wanted it. Yet it took 10 years to get something passed. Meanwhile millions (and over that time billions) went out of the state!

Lets hope things get better.

Really, Govenor Stickland? Really???

For those of you that are SNL fans you will notice I borrowed a tag line from one of their "Newscasts," but I just couldn't help my self it was so appropriate. I would like to call this blog segment...REALLY????

Governor Strickland announced as part of our cost cutting for the State of Ohio they would slash the funding for Libraries by 50% or close to $200 million. Really?

Education is a major issue in our State, with high numbers of students not graduating from high school, a declining job market , we need libraries to continue to support and foster education.

The State Horse Racing Commision will receive $22 million from Ohio this year and in 2010 to subsidize the declining horse gambling in Ohio (don't even get me started on Ohio waiting to long to pass a casino bill that will give money to the schools) yet they are going to take money away from the Libraries? Really!

For more fun facts of the wasted money in Ohio read the annual Piglet report (http://www.buckeyeinstitute.org/2009_Piglet.pdf). REALLY!!!!

Then write the govenor. REALLY!

http://www.governor.ohio.gov/Assistance/ContacttheGovernor/tabid/150/Default.aspx

I wrote my letter and I offered to help identify other places to cut instead of our libraries. Will you help too?

Summer is here! Strap in and get ready for a whirlwind...

Summer has arrived and its time to start preparing for the fall school year. I know nobody wants to talk about school now, but if we don't get started then we won't be ready.

What are you doing to get ready for school? What could you be doing?

Be the Catalyst...

In my ongoing pursuit to personally solve the eduction issue in Cleveland, I found another website that I thought I would share. (Just kidding about solving the issue, I am not going to solve it alone and neither can anyone else, but I can certainly help by getting involved, educating myself, researching what other cities have done and spreading the word.)

Seems there are lots of people out there just like me that feel Cleveland and Ohio can improve their schools, and in doing so, can improve their futures! There is a site called Catalyst Ohio that provides independent reporting on school reform. They have many good articles and insights and discuss how the current political environment, and specifically the Obama administration, is helping to shape our schools right here in Ohio.

You can find the site at (http://www.catalyst-ohio.org/index.php) and if you go there you should check out the current Letter From the Editor, Keith Reed (http://www.catalyst-ohio.org/news/index.php?item=721&cat=19). He writes about a topic similar to one of my earlier discussions of whether it is the teachers job or the parents job to get involved and help the children. Its certainly a good read and for those looking for information on school aid and government programs he even shares a few good links...pass them along.

Its the beginning of the summer, now is the time to start gearing up for the new school year. Be the Catalyst...get involved!

It all starts with an idea

Today will only be a small posting, but I will make up for it with an extra posting later this week. I have come across a great new website that is looking for ideas. Looking for ways to make Cleveland and Northeast Ohio a better place to work and live. This is exactly what I have been talking about.

I would recommend not only checking this website out, but providing your ideas as well. What a great opportunity to get things rolling. This site seems to have ideas from the waterfront to millionaires row to a nude beach. Add your ideas and lets make Cleveland strong again. http://www.clevelandideas.com/

Here is the summary from the site on what it is all about:

What is all this?

Are you sick and tired of negativity? We are. And we’re looking to use the “Wisdom of Crowds” to generate good ideas that might be used to make Cleveland and the region stronger in the future.

Anyone can enter ideas, as long as they’re positive. Simple ideas. Complex ideas. Ideas about economic development. Ideas about developing ideas. Just positive ideas. Then we’ll work to take the best of them to our leaders at the local, regional and state level. Then, who knows?

Is 53.7% okay with you? Its not with me!

One of my favorite things to do on Sunday is sit and read the Cleveland Plain Dealer while sipping a cup of coffee; and it is never better than in the spring when you can sit outside and soak up the early morning sun. Now I know it seems outdated getting my news from a piece of paper, but there is something about holding the paper while drinking your coffee that really gets you to read the articles, to listen to the message they are sending. When I am online I tend to skim more than anything and click away until I have gone from one subject to another without ever finishing a story, never really soaking in the impact of the earthquake or the success of the Space Shuttle mission. For this you need to let your mind absorb the story not just inhale it!


One article that really caught my eye this weekend had to do with a subject that I have already discussed in earlier posts and I believe is critical to the success of Cleveland in the long term. Sad to say the article was not a positive story.

The Cleveland High School graduation rate dropped 8 points in 2008 to 53.7%. Now the good news, if there could be any with a number like that, is it has actually been on the rise since a low in 1999 of 33.3% (http://blog.cleveland.com/pdgraphics_impact/2009/05/22cgDROPOUT.pdf), but we needed it to continue to climb, not drop last year.

While reading the story I had to ask if the economy was a factor? But it shouldn't have been, the big fallout of the economy did not occur until after the 2008 graduation year. I asked if there was a single big event in Cleveland that happened in 2007-08 that may have caused this higher dropout rate, maybe a major plant closing, or a school shutdown, anything? But there wasn't.

So why did graduation rates drop? And in my opinion, more importantly, how do we get them to go up again? Unfortunately the article did not offer any answers. But these are truly disturbing numbers...lets say that again...53.7%! In a time when college is practically mandatory, even in what was traditionally termed "blue collar" jobs, how can we have half of the students entering the ninth grade not even getting a diploma? There are reasons for some of the numbers, they don't take into account transfers outside the school system or family circumstances, but this number should be 80 or 90% not 53!


The good news is, Cleveland does understand how unacceptable these numbers are for its success. Also in the paper was an article about a scheduled visit from Bill Cosby to help Cleveland understand this issue and much in a way that I have also discussed in an earlier post...starting at home, with the parents. Its not just the schools and the teachers.

You can read the Plain Dealer article on Cosby's visit at the following address: "Cosby to parents: Listen to your children" http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2009/05/cosby_to_parents_listen_to_you.html

His theme says it all. Its not just about telling your kids to go to school...you need to listen to them, what do they need, what help can you provide, where are they struggling, what is happening in their lives that may be distracting them from what is truly important. Are they involved in gangs, drugs, sexual relationships at too young an age?

A favorite phrase at my office is "God gave you two ears and only one mouth for a reason." You need to listen twice as much and you speak. So here is the challenge to those Cleveland parents and parents everywhere, lets listen. Lets listen daily, lets show we really do care. Listening is free, we can all do it in our own ways, but do it.

The Road to the Top

Its hard to stay on topic with the Cleveland Cavaliers in the playoffs. So I will at least take a moment to acknowledge their continued success. They have swept the first two series and now they are starting a new series with the Magic. We have all the confidence here in Cleveland that through focus and commitment the Cavaliers will win this series as well.

And with that being said, maybe that is a good lead-in for this weeks topic, focus and commitment. I discussed last week the need for having a common goal and strong communication for Cleveland to move forward. That is certainly a starting point, but to continue on that road to success they also need to maintain focus and commitment.

In business when you manage your company you always define your core competencies, the things you are good at and want to invest in, and then when you are making critical business decisions you need to look back at those core competencies and ask if what you are deciding is going to help in those areas. If they aren't, although the idea may sound exciting, it isn't going to move your company forward and may even erode your business by putting time and money on things that are not nearly as important or may not have as good of a return.

Now I am not saying if you are selling car tires that you shouldn't also offer valve stems and installation services, but I am saying that although you sell tires, selling fireworks may make money, but really doesn't focus on your core business.

This same philosophy also needs to extend to managing a city. What are Cleveland's core competencies? Which ones do we want to focus on? Which ones may be declining and either need reinvestment or reinvention and which ones are strong and can be used to carry us forward. I have already mentioned the medical industry in Cleveland is very strong and that should be a focus area and that we approach with commitment. The current plans for a medical mart is a great opportunity for Cleveland to do that.

Next week I will talk more about these focus areas for Cleveland and my perspective on which ones are working and which ones aren't. And of course I will provide an update on the Cavs.

Cleveland Sports...the other Politics

Well I wouldn't be a very good Clevelander if I didn't start talking about Cleveland sports. Cleveland is known around the globe for its sports and its fan base. And if there is any topic that is more discussed and hotly debated in Cleveland than politics, it is its sports teams. From the Cleveland Browns (with the - "this will be our year" motto each summer), to the Cleveland Indians (with the - "its the bullpen" motto), to King James and the Cavaliers (with the "One Goal" motto).

There are varying statistics but according to the Cleveland Browns Official site (http://www.clevelandbrowns.com/fans/backers/) the Cleveland Browns Backers have over 300 official chapters with over 89,746 members world wide and the Phoenix, AZ club has over 1400 members alone. There is even a club in Australia with 26 official members!

While I was on vacation in Florida two years ago, my son was wearing a browns hat, we were stopped by a "Browns Backer" from LA. The man had never lived in Cleveland, yet was a card carrying "Browns Backer" and for at least one game a season flew to Cleveland to watch a live game!

Now some would ask, is it because they feel sorry for us? (see the browns stats for the last 10 years to understand what I am saying) Or is it because they see Cleveland as the hard working, underdog who will overcome all obstacles to succeed? I like to think its the latter. Cleveland is the come back town, its the town that doesn't give up, its the town that bands together in the -30 wind chill to watch a team that probably won't....but could! For those of you that are Browns fans you have certainly had your trials over the past few years. We had great hopes last season with the signing of Brady Quinn. Bringing new energy to the "could" mentality of Cleveland. But much like our politics, the Cleveland Browns seem to lack decisive leadership that sets a clear vision for the future. Instead most of the 2008 season was spent discussing if we should use the quarterback that brought so much spirit and hope back to the city.

In contrast, the Cleveland Cavaliers not only have the team members, they have the leadership, the vision and are on the road to their destination. They don't question their role, their direction or their next steps. They EXECUTE. And to watch them play they do it with conviction, determination and spirit.

There is a lot to learn from the experience in Cleveland with its major sports teams and this year with the Cleveland Cavalers there is no better example.

What are the lessons? How do they apply to politics?

• One person cannot do everything, it is a TEAM effort. (Lebron James may be the greatest player ever, but with the last two seasons as proof, the team needed some more depth. Even with Lebron's Herculean efforts scoring 48 pts in a game they could not secure the finals. This year with the addition of key players in key positions that all is about to change. And this leads to the next two points.)


• To be successful you need to have a vision, a plan to get there and communicate that plan so that it is clear to everyone. (I mentioned earlier, the team has a motto, "One Goal", win the Finals, and that is exactly what they are about to do. The vision was set at the beginning of the season with some very decisive trades, the plan was defined on how to leverage those team members and their skills and it was communicated, not just to the team, but to the city...the fans...everyone, where they were headed. I remember hearing Lebron speak before the first game and saying the goal is to win the finals. It was clear!)


• Decisive Leadership is Key (For the Cavs this comes from the front office in defining trades, from Mike Brown in setting the plan for the team on the floor and to players like Lebron in making it all happen. Leadership is not just for the guy at the top, the CEO, the Mayor, the owner. Leadership is needed throughout the organization, at every level.

So do Cleveland's politicians work as a team?

Do they set a vision for the city? Do they define the plan to achieve the vision? Do they communicate, communicate, communicate it to the people in the government? to the people in the city? to the people in the state?

Do Cleveland politicians exhibit decisive leadership skills?

Keep following my blog and we will explore this further. Until then I would like to say go Cavs! This is Cleveland's year to win the NBA Finals and take the championship. And as a Clevelander I have to say I am extremely proud to say they are my team, not just because of the things I listed above, but because they play hard, they have fun and they show what being a TRUE Clevelander is really about. Thank you Lebron, Mo, Z, Delante, Varejao and the rest for being that role model we all need.

Cleveland Schools

Well if you want to talk about Cleveland, I guess you need to start with what is most important in any city and that, in my personal opinion, is our youth. The youth ARE our future. They define where the city will be heading, they will shape the job market and shape the growth opportunities.

I don't think you can invest enough into your school systems, but as with any investment you expect it to be well managed and you expect a return. This is where I feel there is truly a breakdown in our system.

Sure I agree that the Cleveland schools are underfunded, and I also agree that there are many people working very hard to try to make a difference every day with little help from the city, the government and sadly enough in many cases the parents. But my real issue is in how we "grade" our schools. How we manage them. A school is doing well if the students can pass proficiency tests. Although that is a good end indicator of whether the learning model is working, I don't think that it is a valid measure of the school's management or the teachers themselves.

It seems we are always wanting more money for the schools and we judge the children on what they retain but you never hear about what is being done to manage the proficiency of the teachers and their ability to teach or the management of the school and their ability to run a business, which is exactly what a school is, a business. There was a story in today's paper about a tenured teacher in California that completely disrespected a student that had tried to take their life. They were not able to fire the teacher. This is unacceptable! Accountability needs to be set from the parents, to the teachers, to the schools. With everyone taking an equal share. Without that I can only fear where we will be.

The school's report card should include assessments of the teacher's skills, methods, interpersonal skills (yes, I said interpersonal skills!!!!!, this is critical if they are to truly educate or teach which is a SHARED EXPERIENCE). They should have semiannual performance reviews and documented development plans. This is how employees are managed in a business and how they should be managed in a school. Tenured teachers should not exist EVER. There is no such thing in any other business, why in schools, where the teaching methods and type of knowledge is changing every year, yet there is no reason for a teacher to want to improve themselves, their students or the school if they have a job for life regardless of performance. Tenured teachers breads complacency.

The schools management needs to have a long term plan, goals, measurements like anyone else in a business. And most importantly they need to be available to the public.

We aren't going to fix our school systems overnight. But with the growth in charter schools it is obvious that the problem is not the students, the same students that were attending the inner city public schools are now attending charter schools with much better success.

One last comment...the parents need to start taking responsibility for their children! They don't need to be able to help them complete their Algebra assignment, but they better know that is one of the cl assess and they should be asking every day..."what was the best thing you learned today, because I want to learn it too."

Spring in Cleveland

Spring is a very welcome site in Cleveland. The winters seem long, the cold weather gets old, but boy that makes you ever so much more appreciative of the beautiful spring. After months of cold, snow, clouds and bare tree's and brown grass it is an amazing transformation to see it all come to life again. In climates that don't share the season's like Cleveland does I don't think you can fully appreciate the beauty of spring. As the days get longer and grass gets greener...the birds return and you hear their morning songs. It is truly an amazing transformation.

I welcome spring....

The Lakefront

Cleveland has a beautiful lakefront...its just impossible to get to. Between the stadium ("Go Browns"), the airport and the freeway there's not much space left for anything else. In the last 10+ years the city has tried to improve the waterfront. We now have the Great Lakes Science Center, The Rock-n-Roll Hall of Fame and several other attractions that can be reached from the heart of the city in minutes...if you drive your car...oh wait, then where will you park? Yep, not easy to do.

I love taking sunset pictures, I'm not very good at it, but I do enjoy it. And pictures from the park behind the Rock-n-Roll hall of fame are some of the most beautiful. I have posted one for you to see. Cleveland is a beautiful city, when you look through the right lens...

...more to come.

Cleveland is an Interesting Town

Cleveland is an interesting town. We have many of the issues of a big city, but we just aren't that big. Cleveland has many things that make it special, the lake front, the sports teams, the history in the US industrial revolution, but it is still having difficulty finding its place in today's society. We have a growing medical industry in Cleveland with a couple of the top hospitals not only in the country but in the world...The Cleveland Clinic and University Hospitals. They are both shining lights.

However, Cleveland's crime, unemployment and deplorable school system serve as a black eye. Cleveland lack's the leadership over the past 10 years has only continued this decline and now with County and State government fiasco's the embarassment continues.

• What's next for Cleveland?
• Where should we go?
• What should we do?

Follow my blog to hear one man's view of the city he lives in, the town he is from.

Welcome

Welcome to my blog. I am just getting started so have a little patience, but I will come up with some topics and Blog away soon.