Airman’s Cave is about 2.1 miles long and has an average ceiling height of approximately 18 inches.  That’s right, 18 inches (to add a sense of proportion, I’m 6’ 4” tall)!  Most importantly, about 20 feet into the cave, the walls narrow into what is commonly referred to as “the birth canal”.  The birth canal (as you might imagine) is a long, narrow, tube that is so small it cannot be navigated with your arms by your side (they have to be fully extended over your head).  Once inside, the only way to move forward is literally an inch at a time, and only when you exhale.  Your mind tells you it’s impossible to make it through while your body struggles to prove it’s not. It’s dark, it’s damp, and it’s difficult! But, again, that’s why we were there!

You see, the mentors and staff of Explore Austin realize that in order to serve as examples to the program’s participants (Explorers), we must put ourselves in their shoes. We must remind ourselves what it’s like to see the program from their perspective. We must ask of ourselves what we ask of them, and we must hold ourselves accountable to the same ACES framework to which we hold them accountable.  Airman’s cave forced us to do just that.  We experienced first-hand what an Explorer feels when we ask him to do something for the first time.  We felt the fear that many Explorers feel when confronted with the mental and physical challenges that Explore Austin presents to them.  Like our Explorers, we were reminded that we are able to overcome those fears with the help of our teammates.  Like our Explorers, we saw a place we had never seen before. After completing the challenge, we felt a sense of pride, of accomplishment, and of improvement.  And, after all was said and done, we all admitted that, despite the challenge, we had a blast!

After exiting the cave (and yes, the only way out is by navigating the birth canal again), we were dripping in sweat, covered in mud, and mentally and physically exhausted.  We discussed all of this amongst ourselves. We explained how we planned on applying the lessons we learned to our individual daily lives.  We committed ourselves to using our experiences to be more effective mentors.   We reminded ourselves how much our Explorers deserve our admiration.  We reaffirmed our belief in ACES.  And, we agreed that our experience at Airman’s Cave had helped make us a better organization.

At Explore Austin, we are committed to continuing the journey to becoming a more professional, effective, and sustainable organization.  Along that journey we will certainly find ourselves between a rock and a hard place (as individuals and as an organization) more than once.  However, no matter how small the gap between the rock and the hard place, we will have last weekend’s experience to draw upon.  Having been through Airman’s Cave together, I have no doubt that as an organization we have the ability to take a deep breath, exhale, and wiggle our way (one inch at a time) through the tightest places…. All while having fun and making a difference!

Onward,

Todd

On our trip (and I’m sure on all of the others, as well), there were happy times, sad times, exciting times, scary times, and challenging times.  There were times when we as mentors asked ourselves (silently, of course) why we were doing what we were doing and times when we told everyone around us (out loud, of course) how obvious it was why we were doing what we were doing. There were times of reflection, times of prediction, and times of conversation. Most importantly, there was learning, growth, character development, and inspiration (among mentors and Explorers)! I have no doubt that every single person on our trips returned more Action-oriented, more Courageous, a more Excellent teammate, and a Stronger communicator.

However, that is not enough. Despite our successes, we weren’t perfect. Therefore, we can’t be content with the status quo. As I mentioned in our first blog, we must always strive to be the most effective, professional, sustainable organization possible. As such, we have already begun the internal evaluation and reflection necessary to uncover those areas where we fell short and those areas where we excelled.  We are committed to eliminating the first and to repeating the latter. That is how we get better and, more importantly, how we build better leaders/explorers. I can’t wait to get started.  But, for now, I’m happy knowing that We’re Back!

Onward,

Todd

Watching the kids pack their gear, hug their parents good-bye, and leave for the airport reminded me of a horse entering the gates at the Kentucky Derby.  The built-up energy, the excitement, the anticipation, and the nervousness were everywhere.  Some Explorers entered the gate with ease.  Others had to be “coaxed” in by parents and mentors (nervous about being away from home for the first time).  Still others had to be held back from breaking out of the gate early!

I have no doubt that when those gates (ie… the plane doors) finally opened; our Explorers hit their stride almost immediately.  Some probably sprinted to the front, some were content in the middle of the pack, and others were holding at the back waiting to make their move.  All the while, our mentors were steering them in the right direction.  We’ve had reports from our guides that have included words like enthusiasm, encouragement, camaraderie, responsibility, and, of course, FUN.  I wish I could be there to watch them in action, see them round the corner towards the finish, and join them in the winner’s circle.  I know that the experiences they will have, the lessons they will learn, and the challenges they will face, will make them better leaders.   I know that the friends they will make, the examples they will see, and the knowledge they will gain, will make them better people.

Our mentors will return with proverbial “mud on their goggles”, having coaxed our Explorers through the “pack”.  The mentors will be physically tired, emotionally exhausted, and completely exhilarated all at once.  They will be proud to have been a part of the journey, but completely wiling to stand aside and let the Explores wear their “blankets of roses” in the “winner’s circle”.  They will know deep down that without their participation, the experience would not have been the same, but will be content in watching our Explorers bask individually in the spotlight of “victory lane”.

I look forward to seeing all of them “back at the barn” and watching the “tale of the tape” upon their return!

Onward,

Todd

To say the least, what we found upon our arrival was a complete surprise!  Inside the facility there were about 15 individuals (some asleep on inflatable mattresses, some awake working feverishly), several light stands, a few cameras, power chords running across the floor, and miscellaneous gear and equipment everywhere.  The look of surprise on our faces was matched only by the look of surprise on the faces of the other party (who, it turns out, was shooting a short film with a 48 hour deadline). It became clear that the facility had been inadvertently double-booked, that neither party was at fault, but that we had to solve the problem immediately. That is when the Explore Austin ACES framework kicked in.

Gergo never missed a beat.  He recognized the need for initiative.  Despite the challenge, he knew we had over 100 people headed our way (in less that 45 minutes) and that failure was not an option.  So, while I spoke with the leader of the other party, he got the bouncer set-up, moved tables and chairs, organized the caterers, and set up the paperwork stations.  In short, he was the epitome of Action-Oriented!

Meanwhile, as mentors began arriving to what was an extremely chaotic scene, they also sprung into action.  Some helped Gergo set up furniture, some greeted early arriving parents and Explorers, and some unloaded gear and equipment from vehicles. All did something.  All did so without complaint. All did so without question.  All showed amazing initiative.  All were the epitome of Excellent Teammates!

Simultaneous to all of this activity, I was busy explaining the situation to the other party.  I was assuring them that we would do whatever we could to minimize the impact of our event on their film shoot.  I was encouraging them to accept that fact that (like it, or not), thanks to the 100 people getting ready to show up, their original plans were about to change.  We worked together to identify the “must haves’ of each party, to formulate an action plan, and to implement a solution.  We had to be Strong Communicators to make it work (especially by 11:00 a.m.)!

And guess what?  It did work!  Thanks to Action-Oriented people who had the Courage to be Excellent Teammates and the ability to be Strong Communicators, the event went off without a hitch.  We had over one hundred people filling out paperwork, playing soccer, watching slide shows, talking to each other, and just having fun.  Participants never knew what had taken place just before their arrival (and all while the film shoot continued right next to us)!  Although it wasn’t planned, I couldn’t have written a more fitting beginning to Explore Austin’s summer.  We are about to take our Explorers across the country to learn to be better leaders by applying the ACES framework in outdoor (sometimes chaotic) settings.  We know that things won’t always go as planned.  There will be bad weather, wrong turns, broken equipment, etc.  Yet, we will ask the Explorers to push through the adversity and make the best of the unplanned situation.  Saturday’s challenges gave us the chance to practice what we preach, to remind ourselves that following the ACES framework actually works (not just for Explorers, but for mentors and staff, as well), and to prepare ourselves for the coming summer wilderness trips.  Having seen Explore Austin in action this weekend, I know it’s going to be a great summer!

Onward,

Todd

In just one month, we will be sending 52 boys to Colorado and Washington State for Explore Austin’s “Main Event”.  Some will kayak, some will mountain bike, some will raft, and some will rock-climb, backpack and fly fish.  All will learn and grow!  We have mentors and guides who are committed to challenging, supervising, and teaching in the same safe manner as the Outward Bound instructors I was with.  The boys will learn new outdoor skills, refine ones they were taught this Spring, and discuss ways to apply those skills in their lives here in Austin.  I’m sure there will be rain, sun, tears, and smiles all mixed together.  There will be deep conversations about life and jokes told about each other (and who knows what else).  There will be late nights, early mornings, and probably a skinned knee, or two.  Most importantly, in the end there will be growth of character.  Our Explorers will be Action-Oriented, Courageous, Excellent Teammates, and Strong Communicators.

The last 10 days in Maine made me a better person, a better father, and a better husband.  This summer will make our Explorers better people, better friends, better sons, and better students.  That is why we do what we do.  As we send the Explorers on their excursions, we should remember what Kurt Hahn, the founder of Outward Bound said, “…Expeditions can greatly contribute towards building strength of character. Joseph Conrad in Lord Jim tells us that it is necessary for a youth to experience events which ‘reveal the inner worth of the man; the edge of his temper; the fibre of his stuff; the quality of his resistance; the secret truth of his pretences, not only to himself but others.”  I’m proud to be part of an organization trying to do just that.

Onward,

Todd

Back in November, I had the honor of joining Explore Austin full time and immediately (along with Jamie, Rusty, and Sarah) focused on making Explore Austin the Professional, Effective, and Sustainable organization that it should be (By the way, you’ll hear those words a lot from me; “Professional, Effective, & Sustainable”, as I believe that if we focus on those three things, the rest will fall into place). Since then, we’ve made great progress!

To become more professional, we have added staff (Gergo Perlaky, our Program Director) and leased a new office space at 2121 E. Cesar Chavez (stop by and see us!). We have redesigned our website, brochures, and promotional material (thanks to Creative Pickle and Full Moon Design) and added new technology to make us more efficient. We have undergone a complete organizational assessment (thanks Greenlights!) and have implemented new risk management policies and procedures. Most importantly, we have started to hold ourselves to a higher standard of excellence than ever before!

To become more effective, we have designed a six year, building block curriculum based on our ACES framework, strengthened our relationship with KIPP through presentations to their staff and faculty, and improved our Saturday events through relationships with Team Craft (thanks Rich Weider) and our favorite facilitator, Greg Glover. We have partnered with Outpost Wilderness Adventure for our summer wilderness trips and many of our Saturday events, too. We have added a parent/Explorer information session prior to our summer wilderness trips, and a night of remembrance for parents and Explorers after the summer wilderness trips. We have created an evaluation process so that we can now quantify (through surveys of parents, Explorers, teachers, mentors, and partners) how much impact we are having, and we have made the recruiting, training, and support of mentors a top priority.

To become more sustainable, we have been fortunate enough to have the help of Bitsy Henderson and Sid Mallory of Henderson-Mallory partners. We are committed to the professional, ethical, and responsible stewardship of donors and supporters, and Bitsy and Sid have been instrumental in making us better in that area. In addition, we are lucky to have found Katie Hanus, our new Development Coordinator, who has single handedly redesigned, improved, and maintained our new database and donor communication system. In addition, we have just launched our first annual fund campaign (thanks to Katie and Bitsy) and our Board of Directors has committed to improving our governance structure, accountability, and policies (thanks to Jamie, Rusty, and Sarah).

So, as you can see, it has been a busy 180 days! Am I happy with them? Yes. Am I satisfied? No. We have plans to add at least 30 boys to the program by 2011, as well as begin a girl’s program that same year! Between now and then we will make some mistakes, learn from them, do great things, and continue to focus on our professionalism, effectiveness, and sustainability. As the President said after his first 100 days, I’ll say the same about my first 180 days, “I’m confident in the future but I’m not content with the present”.

Onward,

Todd