We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Loren Cross a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Loren, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Let’s start with a fun one – what’s something you believe that most people in your industry (or in general) disagree with?

Interesting question, which I’d like to answer from a general standpoint. A strong belief I possess that is made and often times disagreed with is- NO ONE CAN MAKE IT ALONE. By “Making It Alone” I mean that within every success story there is some person, place, or thing that contributed to it. In today’s times it seems the “One Man Army” mentality is wide spread. Generally speaking, it feels as though it has been normalized to only think of one’s self with little to no regards for another. Self love is very important I will say, but it doesn’t excuse us from having love and compassion for others. Since the beginning of time, teams have been created to reach a common goal. Two heads are better than one; There is no “I” in team; United we stand, and Divided we fall are a few of many cliches spoken to the fact that we have and always will need one another. It still takes a village to raise a child, it is still important that each one teaches one. We are all created within a likeness of each other why not take a chance on H.ELPING O.THERS O.PEN D.OORS !?!

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

Wow, about Loren Nikole Cross ! I was born in Illinois in a small town that sits between the Ohio and Mississippi River. Cairo, Illinois is where this journey began. Although I was born outside the state of Texas, I was raised here and for the time being still reside. Growing into the person I am today (What A Story). I knew I was different from as far back as I can remember, I always stuck out like a sore thumb. I am a kind-hearted yet straightforward type of person. Loren Nikole Cross the creator and CEO of the 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization H.O.O.D.- H.elping O.thers O.pen D.oors. How did I get here ? Being a person of good character, a friend, a voice of reason, someone with strong morale values, or the lack there of- in my life is what drew me towards the service industry. As time went by, the need to become the things I felt were lacking on a grand scale strategically placed me in the nonprofit sector of business. It takes a different mindset to remain H.O.O.D., and it is there where the bulk of our discipline lies within the whole operation. There’s an extreme amount of will and determination needed to look at someone outside of yourself and think, “how can I add value to their life”. The thought is not to be taken as if you feel the individual has no value but to simply live in a state of empathy. These are the grounds in which we discipline ourselves to make a long lasting impression. The brand and/or organization doesn’t have a product per say, but we do deal heavily in servicing others. We create a mindset and help our clients to adopt a H.elping O.thers O.pen D.oors approach towards life. We push our clients or (h.o.o.d. stars as we call them) to ask the difficult questions, have the uncomfortable conversations, and to be a seeker of truth. Our organization tackles challenges as they arise with a H.O.O.D. mentality. How can everyone involved come to common ground that results in a fair and just solution. Our plan of action for problem solving is to be a prime example of what it looks like to be one who is H.elping O.thers O.pen D.oors. There is a simultaneous effect to what we do, we help others which ultimately helps ourselves, I believe that is what sets us apart from others. H.O.O.D. is structured to be a sore thumb for lack of better words. There is no conventional approach or Hallmark Card delivery to make our mission clear. The operation, as a whole, is a one-of-kind situation that will leave a lasting impression on every person who has and/or will experience how we do things. For myself, I am proud of the fact that I’ve chosen to simply continue to carry this mission to its highest peak. For H.O.O.D. I am proud of what we will become and proud to have created something bigger than myself. As a force for good, we are proud to stand in our purpose of H.elping O.thers O.pen D.oors. If anyone takes anything from this response it is my hope that you feel the compassion and empathy through my words. These answers provided are well thought out and were given to shed some light on why we go overboard and beyond to remain H.O.O.D.. With this response to the question, we expect to connect with more h.o.o.d. stars across the globe to expand the reach of H.elping O.thers O.pen D.oors !!

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

What sticks out most as a lesson I had to unlearn is a one-way style of thinking. I had to learn to let people adjust to new things at their own pace. Everyone has a level of expertise in something that is specific only to them. How I comprehend and understand a certain subject, another person could very well have a totally different outlook on that same subject. I used to think if someone wasn’t in agreement with me, then their point of view wasn’t as strong as mine. That way of thinking kept me closed off and living in a very narrow space. I came to learn that for people to be open and be receptive to me and what I’m doing, I first had to expand my mind to others way of thinking and point of view. Overall I had to unlearn myself, my thoughts, my patterns, really everything and start anew. My plan of action towards my goals and dreams, the way I speak, and ultimately who I was showing up as had to be revamped and amplified to create my best self. My entire life to date is compiled with unlearned and learned lessons which has brought me to the current and most latest version of myself.

How do you keep your team’s morale high?

A team by definition, is a group of people who perform interdependent tasks to work toward accomplishing a common mission or specific objective. When managing or leading a group, one must always keep the overall goal at the forefront. It may be challenging for some, but there must be a chain of command set in place that has to be followed. To be an overseer of others, the leader needs to remember there is no equal to their role. The team is there to follow sound and just direction which in turn creates results. The pride one should take in their position should help to create and maintain a sense of high morale. The more the leadership and/or management performs at high efficiency, the easier it is to set standards in place for leading boldly and standing ground on tough decisions. Each individual involved in the larger scheme of things should know and understand their options and consequences when situations arise. Listen to people in full, and use your best judgment to make major decisions. As a leader, some of the most sound advice I’ve heard to date, is to be an example. The example, which, to me means leading in a manner that is to be respected and easily followed to advance the cause. Demonstrating honor and integrity for your team, I think, are the best practices for maintaining structure and high morale. These practices will lead not only to increased morale, but also the successful completion of the goals that you have set for yourself and your team.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.hoodlove2.org/
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/h.o.o.d.__?igshid=1c1ziw7pd4mkn
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100069626275008
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/channel/UCLh4r03j1MrwyzSw2w_AI_w
• Other: https://linktr.ee/H.o.o.d_