Engaged Citizenship – Leading at the Local Level

Our guest in this episode is Hal Malkin. At the time of this recording, Hal was the Mayor of La Mirada, California, though he’s been a close friend for nearly 35 years. As a local businessman, running a popular drug store in La Mirada, California for many years, he didn’t just sell prescriptions and sundries. Hal took care of people like me by sharing old stories and listening closely to new ones from those who came in to his store every day. Many folks would linger and pick up on a local story as they shopped for school supplies or a new health care item.

When he was ready to retire, Hal wasn’t ready to stop. He just kept going in a new direction. Instead of putting aside the best he had learned in his years as a successful businessman, he began to share what he had learned about how to serve people in the health care field through teaching and taking on more civic responsibility through his work in city leadership.

Like Hal, each of us has the opportunity to bridge the gaps we see and/or experience in our communities through more powerful communication and a well-aligned vision. Good business and family leadership is about taking people where they want to go. Hal is a great leader because he knows how to take people where they need to go. You can do the same in leading your family!