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Heart-Led Leaders<br />
Our success would not have been possible<br />
without the community’s support and the<br />
local relationships we’ve developed over the<br />
past 60 years.<br />
What advice would you give on<br />
keeping the inspiration and heart<br />
alive amidst the day-to-day tasks and<br />
hinderances?<br />
EE: For me, when you are focused on the<br />
mission objectives and long-term success of<br />
an organization, the short term takes care<br />
of itself. I generally don’t get discouraged by<br />
daily challenges and conversely, I don’t rest<br />
on any successes. I try to not fear failure,<br />
which is easier to say than do. One of our<br />
family mottos is “play hard, have fun, and<br />
good things will happen.” In other words,<br />
focus on good process, with good partners,<br />
find joy in the work, and hopefully (more<br />
often than not) things will go well.<br />
JL: With stress, get some sleep and try to focus<br />
on the good things you are doing. Also, there<br />
is something oddly comforting in reminding<br />
yourself that “it will all still be there in the<br />
morning.” Recognizing and accepting that the<br />
psychic income I receive from being involved<br />
in the community is a worthwhile endeavor<br />
and worthy of a prominent position in my<br />
life, helps to keep that heart alive. It helps to<br />
center me when other stresses and stressors<br />
are arguing to take priority.<br />
ND: If someone asked me, “Should I start an<br />
event” or, “should I open a business”? I would<br />
answer “no” - ha! It is NOT a pleasant task all<br />
the time. You must be 100% committed to<br />
what you’re doing and that only comes from<br />
heart and inspiration. I don’t know any other<br />
way to do it. At the end of the day, I think the<br />
biggest piece of advice I would give someone<br />
is do not be afraid to ask for help. And do<br />
your best to delegate tasks so that you don’t<br />
find yourself in an early grave.<br />
GA: I sincerely try to approach each day with<br />
paying gratitude to the provisions earned or<br />
bestowed upon me. Also, I believe that each<br />
day’s events and interactions with others<br />
can be better managed if we exude a more<br />
positive and caring attitude, and then be able<br />
to share that spirit to others.<br />
RL: Always have passion for what you do. If<br />
you aren’t passionate about what you’re<br />
doing, it will show in your work. As the<br />
3rd generation of Idlewood Electric, I’m<br />
inspired every day by our employees’<br />
dedication to help our customers. Seeing<br />
our customers satisfied is one of the most<br />
rewarding experiences of our day. While the<br />
everyday tasks are essential, they allow us to<br />
ultimately better serve our customers which<br />
is our number one priority.<br />
TD: Do something you love, and it will not<br />
feel like work. Be a life-long learner. Find a<br />
mentor. Be a mentor. Stay physically fit. Be<br />
part of a community of faith. Know that you<br />
have answers for others and others have<br />
answers for you! Re-evaluate what you are<br />
doing annually and make decisions based on<br />
that.<br />
What are some of the benefits and<br />
rewards you personally see in your<br />
own life that come from the work you<br />
do with these organizations?<br />
RF: I have been told I’ve saved marriages,<br />
minds, and even lives with the work done<br />
by the Hearing Health Center and Fisher<br />
Foundation for Hearing Health. Thirty three<br />
percent of Alzheimer patients were reclassified<br />
after treatment with hearing aids<br />
and 100% of caregivers reported improved<br />
sociability and relationships. And hundreds<br />
of patients said I gave them their life and joy<br />
back. Those are pretty big rewards.<br />
EE: I love being part of something that is bigger<br />
than any of us. I’m so appreciative for what I<br />
continue to learn from others. Serving with<br />
so many smart and dedicated people is an<br />
important daily lesson in humility.<br />
ND: This is an easy one. It’s connections.<br />
We have been connected to so many cool<br />
people and companies. I have found that,<br />
in time, the work we do with the nonprofit<br />
always leads to wonderful alliances<br />
and partnerships. The benefit of these<br />
connections is in addition to the joy and<br />
“warm fuzzies” I feel when I help young<br />
musicians learn about their craft. I love giving<br />
back and being able to help young people<br />
explore the arts or decide that music is the<br />
thing they want to explore for a living. It’s<br />
such an incredible feeling!<br />
BL: My involvement with JUF enriches my family<br />
life by setting an example for giving back<br />
to my Jewish community. Over the years, I<br />
have been able to teach the importance of<br />
giving back to my own children who are now<br />
involved in different areas of JUF.<br />
TD: I have a job, and I feel good about that<br />
job, and people benefit from the work I<br />
do, and my expertise every day! I love that<br />
I am connected to and helping to guide<br />
national efforts of addressing social justice<br />
issues. What we really do (at Chicago<br />
Green Insulation) is provide opportunities<br />
to individuals who have had challenges in<br />
their lives to realize the success that they<br />
are willing to work for. Spray foam is a tool<br />
for human development. If selling “widgets”<br />
allowed me to create jobs for those who need<br />
them and recognize those whom others may<br />
not recognize as valuable – Then I’d be selling<br />
widgets.<br />
38 Highland Park Community Guide 2018
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