EDITOR’S NOTE: Chris Christopher – a man who has endeavored to embrace the mature masculine leader identity referenced in the MDI Mission Statement – finds himself as of August 2024 in a job position that shall help reveal and emphasize that identity: President of Mentor Discover Inspire. The Legacy Magazine brought forth five questions for the new president, in the drive to highlight the “state of the union” for our MDI.
1. Considering all of your past experiences, why are you in a men’s organization? What led you here?
In 1997 a man, my cousin Jim Lake, cared enough about me to make sure I made it to the Men’s Weekend. At the time I had no idea it was exactly what I needed. Shortly after the weekend, I discovered there were serious issues in my marriage. At the time our kids were little, 5 and 4. With the foundation of the weekend and a ton of support from my men’s team, my division and men beyond the division, we stayed a family to this day even though my wife and I eventually divorced.
My kids always had their mother, and they lived under my roof until they left for college. My daughter is now married to a great man. My son just earned his MBA. I have succeeded in my career, and I have contributed to MDI, Rotary, my church and other community based organizations. Along the way I know I have made a difference in men’s lives. MDI and my faith have led me where I am and keep me going.
2. Our theme of the magazine is “The State of the Union for MDI.” For all our men out there, what is the state of MDI today?
From my chair, MDI is a stable organization of highly committed men doing important work to make an impact on our world. We are also an ambitious organization, and I recognize that our collective impact falls below our aspirations and what the world is calling on us to do.
We do amazing things for men on our men’s teams, we support men that have needs, we are there for men to help them when they are down and when it is time to celebrate. As Olaf Krop (previous MDI President) would say, we do the unreasonable to encourage men to make a positive impact on their families, their careers and their communities. My mother said to me as a kid, “You do good work; you just don’t do enough of it!” That statement has inspired me my whole life and perhaps sums up the men of MDI. What we do is great, we have an opportunity to do so much more.
3. What will your core team do to positively impact each man down to the team and even individual level?
The work of the core team covers every aspect of what MDI does. We have men overseeing important programs that encourage our leaders from RC’s to DC’s to even team leaders with the intention of forever improving the quality of our team meetings and encouraging men to step out and grow our circles. We are dedicated to providing leadership trainings available to all men at all levels. We work hard to encourage our regions to have Legacy Discovery Events and ensure the quality and delivery of those events meets a standard of excellence.
Through the expansion initiative we are actively growing our circles, with a digital footprint of teams that has allowed our organization to make a men’s team available to any man anywhere on the planet. This opens an incredible opportunity for all of us to get past any barrier we might have about reaching out to men beyond or own geography. Your best buddy from anywhere can now be on a men’s team. This Legacy Magazine helps all of us stay informed and is expanding our influence on the thousands of subscribers. Working with our Board of Directors, we are laying plans to make sure there are circles of men for generations to come. We constantly assess and improve our technology to make sure men can communicate and work to collaborate and build an ever improving MDI.
4. In the 1960s JFK asked citizens what they could do for their country. What can each man in MDI do FOR the MDI organization to help it succeed?
I would challenge each man to live our mission: “To cause greatness by mentoring men to live with excellence, and as mature masculine leaders, create successful families, careers and communities.”
Ask yourself regularly:
- Am I a part of causing greatness?
- Who am I mentoring and how am I doing at it?
- Do I know if I am a mature masculine leader and what am I doing to move in that direction and constantly improve?
- How is my marriage?
- How am I doing as a father?
- Am I achieving my career goals and am I thinking big enough?
- Where am I making a difference in my community?
When we look at the men we admire the most, we generally see men that make all of that happen in their lives. If you believe you can do that, you and your men’s team can help. Live into our mission and constantly help other men live into that mission … and we will thrive.
5. From your heart or gut, what’s the number one message you would impart to MDI men as well as the global audience of men we are wishing to reach?
Today is the best day to start being the man you always wanted to be. Time is short, make the most of it. Someone needs your mentoring, someone needs you to care about them, someone you know or encounter really needs you to listen to them. We know what to do, we need to constantly be in action to make a difference.
There is no limit to what we can do in action.
Awesome job on the 5 Questions and the replies! Inspiring to action.
Wowee! This was great. I am so thankful that I have Christopher and Ellis in my life. I thought the questions and answers were excellent. Well done.