guiding leaders of volunteers to feed the passion of those who choose to serve

 

The alliterative words head, heart and hands are a common reference that describe the active parts of human presence.  From healthcare to faith-based organizations to nonprofits, the three h-words have found their way into the vernacular of the business of people.  Given their frequency of use in describing the whole self, relatively few know the origins of the combination of words.  Some attribute the great thinkers of ancient Greece.  Others give credit to the Dalai Lama. 

Since the focus of this book is developing leaders of volunteers, the roots of head, heart and hands honors the perspective of learning.  The reference is evident in the theories derived from the research published by Benjamin Bloom, an educational psychologist, in 1956.  Bloom’s research findings in Taxonomy of Educational Objectives:  The Classification of Educational Goals identified three domains of learning inherent in people:

Cognitive—The cognitive domain involves knowledge, and the development of intellectual skills.  Thinking and knowing are functions of the brain, occurring within the head.  The gray color present on the book cover represents gray matter, the brain.   

Affective—The affective domain includes the manner in which people deal with things emotionally, such as feelings, value, appreciation, enthusiasm and motives.  Emotions occur metaphorically in the heart.  The crimson red color of the lifeblood, pumped by the heart, is also prominent on the book cover.   

Psychomotor—The psychomotor domain includes physical movement, coordination and the use of motor skills.  Actions are often represented through working hands.  Brown is the color of hard-working hands, also apparent among the cover’s color scheme.        

Some suggest there is a fourth dimension of the whole self—the spirit.  Of those who acknowledge its role in the holistic human presence, some would say the spirit already exists in the heart.  Others urge that it is deserving of its own space.  A measure of folk state they are spiritual, yet do not equate their spirituality to their faith in something Greater.  A few more still may even question its existence.

Regardless of where a leader stands in their view of the human spirit, ponder this question:  to what degree can Otherliness be demonstrated in leadership and in life in the absence of the spirit?  The answer to the question lies within each leader. 

The book content does not follow a rigid framework of the head, heart and hands.  Instead, the learning messages found there seek to touch the way a leader thinks, knows, feels, emotes, values, appreciates, behaves and performs in their leadership role.  By touching the head, heart and hands of leaders of volunteers in meaningful, sustainable ways, they are in the optimal space to touch the head, heart and hands of volunteers everywhere.  As leaders create an environment where people may reach fulfilment in their choice to serve as a volunteer, the treasure of engagement is achieved.  This treasure is represented on the book cover by the color gold.              

why head, heart and hands?