Good morning fellow leaders and influencers, I hope this note finds you well.

I’m beginning my annual journey to the land of WKRP, Cincinnati, and the Connecting4Community Conference. As I noted last year at this time, I’m enroute to be with my tribe. This conference attracts social entrepreneurs, academics and change agents from around the world. I’m looking forward to seeing people I’ve seen only on Skype or spoken to on Facebook and Twitter in the last year.

My focus question will be how might we use business and economics, and in particular credit unions and other co-operative sector businesses to build healthier and broader communities? For example, are there ways and means that co-operatives might work to create space for dialogue among and between people who do not usually connect with each other? If credit unions are economic engines for communities, what energy might their engines push towards building community between indigenous people and others, between rich and poor, between people of different faiths?

Now I’m not sure I’ll leave the conference with any specific answers to my questions, but it is important that the questions get asked, and I know I’ll learn from the diverse people at the conference?

So that’s what I’m up to, but what does this have to do with leadership? I’ve been thinking this week about our community roles and responsibilities. And I do believe that we do have these responsibilities, as residents, as people who live and work in the neighbourhoods. A healthy and vibrant community is vital for our organization’s very survival. And in the wake of the Boston Marathon bombings, I’ve been wondering about young people, especially young men being excluded, being on the outside of the community; be that because they have been bullied, because they feel or look different, or because they have a different faith tradition or heritage. I’ve been thinking that people become radicalized at least in part because they are excluded from a place or a culture and then find comfort, companionship and support with other people who have been excluded. (I do appreciate that these are very complex issues, and I am only scratching at the surface). Now that is not to say that the place or culture that they feel excluded from is perfect and they should just assimilate into the dominant culture and then we’d all live happily ever after. Rather that we all might learn from each other. So, how might your organization serve the communities it works in to make it more possible for everyone to appear in public without shame?  And/or, inside our organizations or departments, can we create spaces where alternative viewpoints are heard and respected? In your team, are there folks who march to the proverbial different drummer? How included are they? I’m reminded of an old line attributed to Tom Peters, “every 12 person accounting team needs a Dennis Rodman!”

Fit is important to teams, and as important is diversity. What does that look like in your team, and in your community?