It's great being wrong...

I had the amazing opportunity to go speak to a group of inmates in a maximum security prison located in Lansing, KS this week. I have to admit that my initial reaction to the offer was tinged with a small degree of concern. After all, I've seen all the same movies you have and had an opinion about what I would find when I got there. As we checked in and the gates locked behind us, I got a very small sense of what it might feel like to be locked up. Looking up at the prison walls and the barbed wire and the guards with guns is an intimidating sight.

I was up there for a program that actually works with inmates on their business plans for when they get out. They are called the InnerChange Freedom Initiative (http://www.ifiprison.org/) and they are doing some incredible work. The recidivism rate for the general population in this maximum security prison is 60%...not very encouraging. But for those who are involved in this program, the recidivism rate drops all the way to 8-12%! That just shows that giving these guys some encouragement and skills as well as something to focus on makes a huge difference in their lives.

As a business owner, I was asked to both encourage the guys as well as give them some ideas for running their own businesses when they get out. I was introduced to the 125 inmates and given about 20 minutes to share. (I went about 23...it's tough to only speak for 20 minutes!) We talked a bit about having a vision, staying focused and creating their future through their thoughts. Afterwards, I had probably 40 of the guys come up and personally thank me for being there. They were very appreciative that anyone would come in and spend some time to help them with their plans. I found them to be exceptionally polite with great questions and tremendously appreciative. I was moved by the stories of Torrance, who has his Masters degree and is pursuing a Doctorate, and Rob who I can promise you will do very well on the outside. Chris has a well thought-out business plan for a window company, and Loren is going to rebuild his dad's barn that was wiped out by a tornado. Kyle is going back to the very poor community he grew up in to rehab run-down houses so people can have something to be proud of. All these guys will change their communities for the better as a result of the efforts of IFI and a ton of personal initiative.

I went in thinking this would be a good way for me to give back to the community at large and came out deeply moved that they had really given so much to me. The stories of these guys will stay with me, and encourage me to keep giving back to those who are less fortunate...I would ask all of you to find some small way you can give back to your community. I'm heading back to the prison to do a 2hr workshop on basic business skills in the next couple weeks.

Share your talents and gifts with those who don't have the same opportunities. Have fun with it and let me know what things you wind up doing.