Progress

Actions & Results

Dr. David Dyson (right) and Life Leaders presented Dr. Stephen Covey (center) in 1993
for his first lecture in Alabama on The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.
Hosted by Dr. Neal Berte (left), president, Birmingham-Southern College.
We presented Dr. Ken Blanchard, Mr. Hyrum Smith, and Dr. Denis Waitley in years following,

Progress: Plan for School & Life and Best-Self Leadership

  • Public seminars to plan and lead in life: 250+ months (since 1992)
  • Workshops on Goals and Resolutions: 25+ years
  • Presented Dr. Stephen Covey, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
  • Presented Dr. Ken Blanchard, author of The Minute Manager, Situational Leadership…
  • Presented Dr. Denis Waitley, author of The Psychology of Winning
  • Presented Mr. Hyrum Smith, author of Where Eagles Rest and co-creator of the Franklin Day Planner, later chair of Franklin-Covey
  • College courses, Life Planning and Leadership, BSC, 5+ semesters
  • Guest lectures in college classes: 35+
  • Guest teaching in school classes: 10+
  • Civic club presentations: 50+
  • Planbooks downloaded/distributed on web page plus Google Ads
  • Video channel
  • Master Your Goliaths workshops for Veterans Making Comebacks
  • Authors and seminars, Professionalism Under Stress

Progress: Veterans Day Founding Education – Patriotism – Freedom

Civitan International magazine featured our book, Patriotism in Action, cover, photos, and content, plus a photo of Barbara Minor and David Dyson with scouts at our Tribute to the Founder of Veterans Day event, which kicks off National Veterans Day in Birmingham.

U.S. Senate Resolution restoring historical leadership for starting America’s Veterans Day for the State of Alabama–campaign led by Life Leaders and supported by Sen. Sessions.

Progress: Advance Alabama

Recent Results 2017-19

Publications and Online Resources

  1. Life Leaders applied for and received a grant for Google Ads credit to reach more people offering free digital public resources for teachers, students, veterans.
  2. Google ads created thousands of impressions and visits to key web pages offering free resources to teachers and others, such as planbooks on Plan for School and Life, Goals and Resolutions, Assessment of Attitude and Ability, Financial Fitness, Veterans Day Founding Education handouts and video.
  3. Web site added free resources for teachers, students, and others. We need to keep improving as a state and national resource to reach more people than we could when just speaking at programs.
  4. Journal (blog) provides positive information and inspiration for subscribers at no charge.
  5. Improved and re-published Set Achievable Resolutions.
  6. Improved and re-published Financial Fitness (tools for assessment and plan) presented at a leadership conference and financial expo.
  7. Improved and re-published the Veterans Day Founded in Alabama poster for teachers and National Veterans Day guests.
Life Leadership Ranch Day for Camp Rockhurst with elementary and middle school students. They learned about character traits like courage and perseverance plus practiced meeting and mounting a horse. They learned of patriotism and stated the Pledge of Allegiance.

Presentations and Events

  1. Central Alabama: Hosted our first Life Leadership Ranch Day requested by Camp Rockhurst serving students from the Rosedale Community (ages 6-12) and mentors (led by Terry Slaughter). They focused on developing Life Leadership with courage to try new things and discussed plans for life in a program complementing a horse clinic, individual photos, picnic, hayride, hike, and good experiences.
  2. Personal Leadership for Patriots at the Southern Museum of Flight: serving 100-200 veterans, student cadets, families, along with key organizations Alabama National Cemetery, American Village….
  3. Tribute to the Founder of National Veterans Day: Raymond Weeks Monument, Linn Park,  Birmingham. Attended by 100 and viewed online by 1000+.
  4. College classes on adding Personal Leadership to Agricultural Sustainability in Environment and Society courses at U of Montevallo.
  5. Success Center, Montgomery campus of Troy University: workshop on setting and achieving Goals and Resolutions (boost student success).
  6. Veterans Celebration and Veterans Day Education presentation to university educators.
Dr. Dyson speaking to 4th graders in Hoover
co-hosted by 10-year old great granddaughters of Raymond Weeks, founder of Veterans Day.

The teacher hosting had been teaching lessons found on the Internet stating Veterans Day started in another state until she learned Veterans Day started in Alabama. Teachers of millions of students still need to know when, where, and how America’s Veterans Day started so they can teach this often-missing state and national history.

More to Serve and have Impact

  • Developed models, articles, and best practices for Personal Leadership, True Professionalism, and Best-Self Leadership.
  • Developed teaching models on the 7 Areas of Life, Empowerment, Hierarchy of Motivating Values, 7 Levels of Leadership, Leadership Best Practices, The Purpose of Life, Set Achievable Resolutions, plus assessments of T.I.M.E., Attitude & Ability, Financial Fitness….
  • Launched the Plan for School and Life and Plan for College and Life initiative to promote people planning and improving plus to help educators help students write and internalize plans needed for college, career, citizenship, boosting graduation rates.
  • Provided Veterans Making Comebacks (recently homeless) planbooks & workshops to assess & develop plans to Master Goliaths in a year-long program at a veterans center, plus coached a young Marine to present plans to the Veterans Court Judge and graduate “drug court.”
  • Longest-running organization in Alabama advancing Planning for Life publications and presentations.

Wrote and published Patriotism in Action after the “9-11” attacks on America, which we have donated to the National Veteran of the Year, National Veterans Day, schools, and state tourism.

Patriotism in Action + Freedom to Flourish

After the “9-11” attacks on America in 2001, the Personal Leadership Association expanded to add Patriotism in Action, National Veterans Day Founding History and Character Education, and Freedom Lives, changing the name to Life Leaders America:

  1. Wrote and published Patriotism in Action (Dyson & Dunn), a patriotic guide featuring the history of starting National Veterans Day in Alabama plus 10 character traits teachers can use with students.
  2. Wrote and published Professionalism Under Stress (Dunn & Dyson) to organize lessons from college, corporate, combat for use in military and civilian life for true professionals, emerging leaders, and mentors.
  3. Organize annually the Tribute to the Founder (“Driving Force” per President Reagan) of Veterans Day (first event added to National Veterans Day traditions since 1947), held at the Weeks Monument in Linn Park, Birmingham, 2006-
  4. Led the campaign of education and legislation that restored Alabama’s legacy for starting America’s Veterans Day in 1947 by gaining U.S. Senate Resolution in 2012–correcting an errant resolution in 2003 by Congress that left Alabama out.
  5. Initiated the Advance Alabama campaign as the only state to have led on both of the national movements for Veterans Day and Civil Rights (Freedom of Liberty and Rights) as well as Birmingham’s opportunity to brand for “Freedom City” in addition to “Magic City” before the World Games 2021. Freedom to Flourish follows Freedom of Liberty and Rights when we teach students “how” and help them write plans for school and life to implement.

Organizational Development History Summary

  • Institute launched 1988 after Dr. David Dyson completed doctoral studies in educational leadership at Vanderbilt University (research, publication, service) to advance Best-Self Leadership and Plans for Life in places of home, school, work, and worship
  • Launched learning and improvement interest group with Johnny Johnson, Birmingham-Southern College VP Business, Summer 1991
  • Founded Personal Leadership Association and expanded to monthly seminars and volunteerism for public, January 1992
  • Incorporated with board of trustees, 1992
  • Launched Patriotism in Action, Veterans Day Education, and Freedom Lives after “September 11” attacks on America, 2001
  • 501 (c)(3) nonprofit charitable organization serving America based in Alabama since 2012 (expedited aided by Congressman Bachus).

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