Pillars of Abundance

Pillars of

Abundance

Acceptance Remarks

Joseph D. Johnson

2 0 1 4 B u s i n e s s P e r s o n o f t h e Y e a r A w a r d e e

Presented by:

Black Chamber of Commerce

of Orange County

30th

Anniversary Gala: August 21, 2014

City National Grove of Anaheim, California

Contents

Introduction ................................................................................... 1

Acceptance Remarks .................................................................... 4

The Telein Group, Inc. ................................................................ 11

About the Author ........................................................................ 13

1 | P i l la rs o f Abun dan ce

Introduction “To whom much is given, much is required”

ood evening! I am proud to present the 2014 Business Person

of the Year Award, given to recognize the Black Chamber of

Commerce member who has demonstrated strong business

leadership while showing involvement in the African American

and minority communities.

Additionally, the awardee has had a

multi-faceted positive, motivating

effect in Orange County that

exemplifies the character the Chamber

wants to showcase on its 30th

anniversary.

G

Th e Te le in Grou p , In c . | 2

I am proud to announce the Awardee is Joseph David Johnson.

Joe is the President and CEO of The Telein Group, Inc., which he founded

in 1988. Joe’s life of service to community began as the youngest of 12

preacher’s kids in Southeast, Missouri in segregated times, yet nourished

by a strong black community of businesses, teachers, neighbors, church

folks, friends and family.

Joe came of age during the civil rights era and was among the

generation of “firsts” in all areas of society: first to integrate the local high

school, first to lead an all-white military intelligence unit, first in

corporate America to develop expertise and begin to have influence on

decisions about African American and all employees and the

communities in which the companies worked. Ultimately, before starting

Telein, Joe rose to be one of the youngest vice presidents at Xerox

Corporation and, along with another small group of other African

American male “firsts,” to have the ear of the CEO, David Kearns.

Joe earned a bachelor’s and a

master’s degree in Education

from Historically Black College,

Lincoln University in Jefferson

City, Missouri, where he met his

wife, Julie, on the first day of

freshman orientation.

Joe often reflects that he has never taught in a classroom. To Joe, I say:

“The world has been your classroom, teaching and mentoring all around

you, offering your time, your finances, your expertise, your relationships,

your ears, your advice, and, most of all, your heart. And, creating a

business 26 years strong that teaches and mentors CEOs, executives and

teams around the world to lead and work together for amazingly

abundant results!”


Joe, you exemplify this award by the motto that guides you: “To whom

much is given, much is required.”

Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you Joseph David Johnson, the

Orange County Black Chamber of Commerce 2014 Business Person of the

Year Awardee. Julie, would you please join Joe.

Joe, the Chamber presents you the

newly-released in March 2014, 15th

in the Distinguished Americans

Series stamp: Tuskegee Airman, C.

Alfred “Chief” Anderson, the

pioneer and father of black

aviation. He was the first African

American to hold a private pilot’s

license in 1929, and to hold a

commercial and instructor’s license

in 1932. “Chief,” as he was

affectionately called, was a mentor, teacher, and the chief flight instructor

to the Tuskegee airmen, retiring at the young age of 84.

Ladies and gentlemen, I encourage you to read about the “Chief.” His is a

story that used flight to increase awareness and humanity about African

Americans around the world, and to increase confidence in the African

American community, especially the youth, about the possibilities and

opportunities available to them in the world.

Congratulations Joe!

Introduction remarks given by Raquel B. Brown, Co-Founding Partner

& Chief Operating Officer, The Telein Group, Inc.


Acceptance

Remarks ow, I’ve been hearing words like ‘short’ and ‘brief,’ and so, I

brought a brief. They did say I was a preacher’s son, you

remember.

I won’t take much time, but I do want to share something about my

philosophy, which I hope will be beneficial to everyone, and perhaps

particularly to the young people here tonight.

First, I'm humbled and grateful to the Orange County Black Chamber of

Commerce for the great honor of being named The Business Person of

the Year for 2014. I'm also grateful to, and very impressed by, Bobby

MacDonald, for his important work in founding and leading this

organization on behalf of our community over the past 30 years.

I want to say congratulations to the young people here who have

received recognition for starting something that’s so important, and that

is learning. I also want to congratulate the awardee before me and those

N


who are coming after me. It’s indeed an honor to be here.

As I accept this award, I want to give all glory and honor to God, for it is

by His gracious, patient and loving hand that I have been placed on this

path, at this moment in time; and it is by His guidance that I've been able

to add value to His world, and by His favor that I have done anything to

merit this recognition. His world, His favor.

I'd like to thank my beautiful wife of 46 years, Julie, who’s at my side

tonight, as she has been since we met at Lincoln University on the first

day of freshman orientation in 1964. And ever since that day, she fell

head over heels.

I'd like to thank our daughters, Joy & Joelle, who are my true pride and

joy, because they have been the impetus for many lessons that I’ve

learned. I’m telling you, I’ve had to become a much wiser man to parent

these two bright, energetic, talented, feisty, stubborn, strong-willed,

often-challenging (did I say stubborn?), beautiful young ladies.

I'd like to thank my immediate family members, a number of whom are in

the audience tonight. I thank my precious parents, Archie & Curley

Johnson, who have gone on to heaven. As the youngest of 12, I thank

my 11 older siblings, 6 who have gone on before me, and 5 who remain;

all of whom have been sources of steadfast encouragement and deep

wisdom.

I want to thank my team at The Telein Group: Lois Barrett, Hugo

Martinez, and Belem Rangel Villaseñor (Belem is the one who’s been

calling you and making sure that you’re all here tonight), for their true

commitment and critical role in my receiving this honor tonight.

And, I particularly want to thank Raquel Brown, the lady who introduced

me, who co-founded Telein with me more than 26 years ago, because

without her it simply would not be possible. Raquel has tirelessly and

continuously given her brilliant mind and incredible capacity to bring to


reality my Vision of adding true value to leaders, teams and organizations

the world over.

I thank my Telein Partners from days gone by, and I’m pleased that some

are here tonight: Eleanor Tomlin, Pattie Hall, Pamela McCreight, Yvette

Powell, Darryl Grayson, Byron Jones, Carla Williams-Wilson, Joy Johnson

and Marvin Stewart.

I simply wouldn't be standing here tonight without each of my Partners,

present and past, not to mention future, so please give them all a round

of applause.

Finally, I thank every single one of my friends and associates who are

here tonight, because in all honesty, I can look at each of you and think

of something you’ve done that played a really positive role in my life.

In fact, my relationships with each of you are precious to me precisely

because I believe that relationships are one of four pillars that undergird

bringing me this honor tonight, and are necessary for each of us to build

the truly abundant life and impact we desire.

The Telein Team, from left: Hugo Martinez, Lois Barrett, Joseph Johnson,

Belem Rangel Villaseñor, Raquel Brown.


I want to share four pillars upon which I've attempted to build my

Lifework and which have brought me to this platform tonight, which I

believe have and will increasingly continue to lead me toward God’s plan

for my life, and are pillars for abundance for each of us.

The first pillar for creating an abundant Lifework for yourself is your

ATTITUDE. In fact, there are three keys to success: The first one is

attitude. The second one is attitude. And the third one is – you guessed

it – attitude.

Always keep a positive attitude. See the bright side of every situation,

the good in every person. Say "Yes, I can and yes, I will" whenever

possible. Smile all the time. It's hard to be negative with a smile on your

face. A smile on the outside tricks negativity on the inside into thinking

all is well. Which, in reality, it is.

The second pillar is GRATITUDE. Decide that you will be perpetually and

relentlessly grateful. Know that life itself is a gift, and if you wake up in

the morning and look at your toe, and there isn’t a tag on it, you should

be grateful.

Every single thing that happens to you is a gift, for your benefit, for your

learning, carrying you in the ultimate direction of your purpose and

abundance. When something happens that you like, know that it really is

a gift, accept it and be grateful for it.

When something happens that you don't like or don't understand, know

that it, too, is a gift. Accept it and be grateful for it. Look at that difficult

situation from another angle until you find a blessing in it, and be

grateful for the blessing. Determine that you will be grateful, no matter

what. You can't be grateful and miserable at the same time, so be

grateful.

Now, the third pillar is PURPOSE. Have a why for every what in your life,

have a reason you do the things you do. Think about where you want to


go, what you want to create with your life, who and how and where you

want to serve the world. Think about who you are and what your gifts,

experiences, beliefs and values are, and about what these things point

you toward.

When you have goals, know the why, or the purpose, of the goal. Why

do you want to start a business, why do you want marriage, why do you

want that job, why do you want to be a millionaire? Because when you

have a why you can endure almost any what.

Remember, goals are for you, but your purpose is for someone else.

Purpose is meant to serve others. God put us on this earth for a purpose:

to serve someone else.

The fourth pillar is RELATIONSHIPS. When you have a clear purpose for

your life and are moving in that direction, every relationship along the

way contributes to and multiplies your efforts towards your purpose. And

every interaction with another person gives you an opportunity to

multiply someone else's efforts towards their purpose.

We are really all connected, we’re not separate. This universe is one great

creation, and we are each just a part of it, meant to operate in harmony

and unity toward a bigger purpose.

When we lean into relationships, lean into our connection with all other

individuals, with a positive attitude, with gratitude and with a knowledge

of our purpose, we increase the impact of our actions, and we multiply

the abundance of the result.

Purpose without relationships will accomplish nothing. Purpose with

relationships can change the world.

Again, I’m grateful to each of you for the role you’ve played in my

lifework; in my desire to add value to leaders and organizations around

the world, which I believe is my purpose; in my abundant past, my


abundant present and my abundant future.

Now, there’s something I want you to write down and I’ll see if Pastor Ed

Smith, who is here tonight from Zoe Christian Fellowship of Whittier, will

agree. Here it is: “The place God calls you to is where your unique

self, your deep gladness, and the world’s deep hunger meet.”

So, if you want to know what to do with your life, what your purpose is,

look first at your unique self – your personality, your gifts, your

experiences. Then, think about your deep gladness – the thing that burns

in you, that you love to do and can do for hours, and would do without

pay if you could. Your passion.

What is the lesson? Pay attention. Pay attention to yourself and know

who you are.

And the world’s deep hunger. Listen – the world needs you, the world is

hungering for what you have to bring.

So know your unique self, know your deep gladness, and find where the

world has an empty place for you to fill, because that is the place to

which God is calling you.

Again, thank you so very much to the Chamber for this honor and to

everyone here tonight. I’m grateful and hopeful that I have and will

continue to add value to each of you, as you pursue your purpose with a

positive attitude, with relentless gratitude, cultivating many

relationships, and finding the unlimited abundance that awaits you.

Thank you.


Grateful to Celebrate

with Family and Friends

1 1 | P i l la rs of Abu nd an ce

The Telein Group, Inc.

“We are globally admired for the value we add

to our clients, suppliers, communities & ourselves.

Our work spans industries, governments,

communities and continents.”

Founded in 1988, we have worked on five continents advising

CEOs, executives and teams to lead and work together to

achieve abundant breakthrough performance and results.


The Telein Group, Inc. – Our Work: The core beliefs that undergird all that we do can be summed up

by the following seven principles:

There is the Possibility of Abundance We are all sources of limitless and abundant possibilities.

There is Power in Integration Everything in the world is part of a unified, connected whole system.

There is Power in People The human spirit is unmatched and infinite when it is inspired, integrated and

unleashed.

There is Power in Spirit A spirit of love is a prerequisite for abundance.

There is Power in Vision Purpose and passion inspires, tying the smallest of actions to the biggest of

dreams.

There is Power in Process The pathway to sustainable, abundant performance is only possible with process.

There is Power in Dialogue Whatever the question, the answer is dialogue.

Our work is with leaders/organizations, whose beliefs are consistent with ours,

and who believe in and desire to pursue

“THE POSSIBILITY OF ABUNDANCE”

by harnessing the power and momentum of INTEGRATION,

engaging all the PEOPLE,

nurturing a positive, collaborative SPIRIT,

sharing an inspiring and comprehensive VISION,

using the clarity and discipline of PROCESS,

and involving, informing and re-creating through DIALOGUE.


About the

Author Joseph David Johnson, a native of

Poplar Bluff, Missouri, has spent

his life focusing his talents,

resources and time toward service

to humanity, which he believes is

his purpose.

He is founder and visionary

President, CEO of The Telein

Group, Inc., and is passionate about

adding value to other leaders

through his observation, education

and advice on personal and

organizational effectiveness. Joe is recognized nationally and

internationally for his wisdom and ability to convey his deep

understanding of how organizations can be effectively led to

change. He is a confidant and trusted guide to leaders at all

levels as they work through transition issues which are integral

to leadership development. He recently lived in South Africa


working with the CEO of the country’s electricity utility

company. He is humbled by the opportunity he had to

contribute to the development of the adolescent democracy.

His firm has worked with clients on five continents serving as

advisors to leaders choosing to increase their personal

effectiveness and to have a visionary and profound impact on

their teams and organizations. This year Joe’s firm is blessed

to celebrate twenty-six years in business.

Prior to founding Telein, Joe had a successful career in

business spanning twenty years. He is a former Group Vice

President of Personnel and Organization at Xerox Corporation,

and was among the youngest employees to have been promoted

to that level.

Before joining Xerox, he held Human Resources staff and

management positions with General Mills, Inc., Dayton-

Hudson Corporation and International Multifoods, Inc. He also

served as an officer in Military Intelligence for the United

States Army.

Joe is an active sponsor of many business, community,

educational and spiritual organizations. He is a life member of

Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., Lincoln University National

Alumni Association and the NAACP, and a member of The

100 Black Men of America, Inc.

Joe is the recipient of numerous professional, community and

educational awards, the most notable of which are: Historically

Black Colleges and Universities Distinguished Alumni Award

(NAFEO); Outstanding Alumni Service Award (Lincoln

University); Award of Community Betterment (Mayor of Los

Angeles, Tom L. Bradley), and the Business Person of the Year

(Black Chamber of Commerce of Orange County). He is listed

in Who’s Who Among Black Americans, Who’s Who in

California, and Outstanding Young Men in America,


Joe holds an Honorary Doctorate of Laws, a Master of Science

in Education Administration and a Bachelor of Science in

Education from historically black college, Lincoln University

in Jefferson City, Missouri.

Joe is married to Julie Hamilton Johnson, who he met at

Lincoln University. She

is a retired elementary

school teacher. Joe and

Julie are tireless in their

involvement with Lincoln

University and many

other historically black

colleges and universities.

They are most grateful and proud of their commitment to reach

back and help students. In 1993, they established the Joseph

and Julie Johnson Aspiring Educator Endowment Fund to

provide scholarships and financial assistance to aid Lincoln

University in its efforts to continue attracting a diverse student

body from Central and Southeast Missouri, as well as the

global diaspora.

Joe and Julie reside in Southern California and are the parents

of two adult daughters, Joy, a radio personality in Dallas, Texas

and Joelle, a third grade teacher in St. Augustine, FL.

Pillars of Abundance © 2015 The Telein Group, Inc.

Second Edition: April 2015

Please feel free to reproduce any part; however, we appreciate credit being given to The Telein Group, Inc.

Contact us for information about Telein’s leadership and team workshops,

products and services:

001-714-952-4444 • www.telein.com • [email protected]

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Pillars of Abundance