So, does the mission statement of the YMCA mean anything anymore? After all, this is the 21st century. Haven't we grown beyond all of those old archaic types of things? We can state categorically that we haven't outgrown those "archaic values" at the Kokomo Family YMCA. In fact, they still stand as the cornerstone of all we do. We may offer a place and an opportunity to learn to swim, or enjoy the many benefits of youth sports, or to get into a lifestyle of health and fitness --- but contrary to popular belief, those things do not define who we are and what we stand for. The seventeen (17) words of our mission statement define us. In ALL things we do, our desire and goal is to live up to the words of that statement.

We see our mission statement as three separate statements...

What we do: "To put Christian principles into practice..."

How we do it: "...through programs that build healthy spirit, mind, and body..."

Who we do it for: "...for all."

We are asked often what exactly "Christian principles" means. So, several years ago, our newly commissioned Christian Emphasis Committee set out to try to capture that. Below is the result of that effort. It is by no means a complete listing of what it means. The intention was simply to represent for ourselves and to our community what it means to "put Christian principles into practice." We have this posted throughout our facilities as a reminder to our members --- and to ourselves --- of what and who we are. And, perhaps most importantly, to whom. We hope you enjoy it.

 

 

Deep awareness of the suffering of another coupled with the wish to relieve it. It is said that "people don't care how much you know until they know how much you care." To be a fully functional team we must care about the well-being of those around us.

 

 

Not deceptive or fraudulent; genuine. Honesty is not always easy. In our quest to be honest we sometimes find that we hurt others. We should always be aware when being honest, that we need to clothe that honesty in gentleness, humility, and love.

 

 

Indicating or constituting relation. Relationships are the glue that holds team members together --- the more solid the relationships, the more cohesive the team.

 

 

By conscious design or purpose. What does it mean to be intentional? It means working with purpose --- making every action count. It’s about focusing on doing the right things, moment to moment, day to day, and then following through with them in a consistent way.

 

 

Having, exhibiting, or motivated by no concern for oneself; unselfish. If you want to be a contributing member of a successful team, you have to put others on the team ahead of yourself. How are you when it comes to taking a backseat to others? If someone else gets credit for work well done, does it bother you? If you get bumped from the “starting lineup” of your team, do you shout, pout, or tough it out? 

 

 

Warranting trust; reliable. Trust is essential to any relationship. Author John Maxwell says that the following four qualities are critical for trust to develop: pure motives, responsibility, sound thinking, and consistent contribution. How well do you do? 

 

 

To become involved or concerned with. How interested are you? When others have given up, do you keep hanging on? If your team hasn’t found a solution to a problem, are you willing to keep plugging away to the very end in order to succeed? 

 

 

Capable of adapting or of being adapted. If improving the team requires you to change the way you do things, how do you react? The first key to being a team player is being willing to adapt yourself to the team --- not an expectation that the team will adapt to you!

 

 

Having or exhibiting the qualities of a friendly neighbor. We have an innate desire to forgive ourselves for our shortcomings, weaknesses, and faults. Yet we are often critical of others who have those same qualities. The quality of being neighborly means that we offer the same forgiveness to those around us as we offer ourselves.

 

 

Capable of, having, or dominated by powerful emotions. You can never lead something you don’t care passionately about. You can’t start a fire in your organization unless one is first burning in you.

 

 

Full of or exhibiting the quality of treating others with honor or esteem. It should be our daily objective to treat those around us as if they were our equal or better! Respect is contagious.

 

 

The power or ability to begin or to follow through energetically with a plan or task; enterprise and determination. Initiators know what they want, push themselves to do it, take more risks, and fail more often. IBM founder, Thomas Watson said, "The way to succeed is to double your failure rate."

 

 

To help grow or develop. As those around us grow, we only become stronger ourselves. The sum is always equal to more than the parts.

 

 

To work together, especially in a joint intellectual effort. Collaboration is working together aggressively. Each person in a collaboration brings something to the table that adds value to the relationship.

 

 

To raise to a more desirable or more excellent quality or condition; make better. There is nothing noble in being superior to someone else; progress is becoming superior to your previous self. Do you try to become better than you were last year, last month, or last week?

 

 

A positive state of mind or a feeling; disposition. David Brinkley states, “A successful man is one who can lay a firm foundation with the bricks others have thrown at him.” Our attitude is one of the few things we can control. It is OUR choice.

 

 

To pay attention; heed. The overwhelming majority of communication problems come from poor listening. As you think about how to spend your “listening time” remember that you have two reasons to listen; to connect with people and to learn.

 

 

To make larger; add to. If you believe that by helping others you are hurting your chances for success, then you will find it difficult to enlarge others. But, when we unselfishly enlarge others, we also enlarge ourselves.

 

 

Free from fear, care, or anxiety; easy in mind; not feeling suspicion or distrust; confident. Secure people know their strengths and weaknesses. They aren’t threatened when others perform well. They go out of their way to bring the best people together.