The Problem-Solver (page 3 of 3)

The Power of a Clear Mission

Over the course of time, Kopp says, "I've gotten a lot of advice that I didn't follow. Part of being an entrepreneur is standing firm on what you're doing and not just swaying with the wind."

But her single-mindedness was tested several years after she launched the project when, like many young entrepreneurial organizations, Teach for America hit the wall. "It wasn't clear where our next payroll was going to come from, leaders in the education world were criticizing our approach, and our internal organization wasn't as strong as it is now," says Kopp. "I felt at times as though I was surrounded by a sea of negativity."

Ultimately, Kopp decided to stick it out. To do that, she realized that she was going to have to change her entire approach to managing. "In the beginning, I had almost a disdain for the fine details of management. But when things seemed to be crashing down, I realized that whether we fulfilled our programmatic mission -- to ensure that kids in low-income communities have the opportunities they deserve -- had everything to do with whether I became a good manager. I learned, the hard way, lessons about the power of a clear mission, about developing talent and systems for accountability."

Kopp knows that the recruits face enormous obstacles. "Our corps members are teaching in the most challenging situations. Their kids are in the 14th percentile against the national norm. Through ongoing training and development, we're increasing the percentage of our teachers who are effecting significant academic gains."

Pausing to reflect, Kopp says, "It's incredible to see what you can build with time and continuous improvement. I have both a constant fear that things will come crashing down, and a conviction that at the end of the day, something that's meant to be will be. The fear keeps me working those extra hours, and the conviction makes it all worth it."

And FYI...

• Author Dr. Henry Cloud examines in Integrity why true leaders -- and why all of us -- need courage.



• For insightful profiles on women who fought for social change, check out Karenna Gore Schiff's book Lighting the Way: Nine Women Who Changed Modern America.



• Are you a "born entrepreneur" with the "DNA for success"? Try Instinct by Thomas L. Harrison, a former cell biologist turned entrepreneur. Quite readable.

From Reader's Digest - June 2006

 

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• Against the Odds
• He was just another dropout -- until he got the measles and a goal.
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• Courage Under Ire
• I had a choice -- cave in to the bully or do what I loved.
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