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Friends of Poland library host discussion group
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Neighbors | Alisa Manna.Shown are Greg Smith (left), a certified instructor who volunteered to lead the book discussion group, and Deborah Liptak (right), Development Director at the Poland library and member of Friends of the Library, as they pose with book "The Charge" at the Poland library.
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Neighbors | Alisa Manna.Pictured are the book discussion group at Poland library. Every Tuesday morning, the group meets to read, discuss and reflect on the book “The Charge” by Brendon Burchard. .
By ALISA MANNA
The Friends of the Library, led by Deborah Liptak, recently sponsored its first book discussion this fall at the Poland library. Every Tuesday morning, the group meets to read, discuss and reflect about the book “The Charge” by Brendon Burchard.
The discussions are instructed by Greg Smith, a Certified Founding Member of the John C. Maxwell Team. Smith is also a Certified Neuro-Linguistic Programming Coach from Tony Robbins, a 34 Strengths Coach from Gallup and a StrengthScope Business Partner.
“From all the above experiences, I would say that working with John Maxwell over the past 15 years has been one of the most rewarding,” Smith said. “John taught me how to add value to others through teaching.”
Smith is certified to teach four or five courses, but volunteered to facilitate the book discussions at the library free of charge.
“It’s an opportunity for me to give back to the community in the form of book studies,” he said.
Smith heard about “The Charge” from “Psychology Today.” The author talks about what the wants of a human being are, how to have a fulfilled life and having one’s needs met. Smith believed it’s a book everyone needs right now because Americans are no longer in the Industrial Age; Americans are now in the Information Age and the opportunities are bigger than before.
“You have to push yourself,” Smith said. “You can’t just read and feel better. You learn, plan, do, check and adjust.”
Smith met and became friends with Liptak about 15 years ago through Leadership Mahoning Valley. This was the fourth time Smith led a book discussion group at the Poland library and has had great success. Liptak, who is the Development Director at the Poland library, said the discussions are a great way to learn more about yourself and others.
“Participants have become friends of the library,” Liptak said.
Anyone from Mahoning and Trumbull County can come to the library and join the discussion groups at any time. Smith said participants don’t have to read the book or come to every session.
The group encourages leadership and helps promote the library’s services and devices.
“It’s an opportunity to see what the library has to offer and to look at other upcoming programs in business,” Liptak said.