Leadership Lessons From a 16-Year-Old Philanthropist

When I first met young Michael Guggenheim and heard his story, I was moved and impressed.

Michael is the son of my good friend, Paul Guggenheim, the president of Patterson Dental. He has a rare learning disorder called dysgraphia that makes it painfully difficult for him to write. He was only 12 when I first met him, but it was obvious then that this young man was not going to let anything hold him back. I just knew he was going to do great things.

I recently found out how true that first impression was.

I reconnected with Michael at Young and Motivated – he's 16 now – and discovered that his plan to make the most of his experience by helping others is really coming together. I won't try to explain it all here. I'll just ask you to take four minutes to watch this clip from 2008 of him being profiled on Good Morning America:

I think it's great that Michael has been blessed with a resourceful family that gave him every opportunity to overcome his difficulties. But what's truly noteworthy is that those advantages did not give him a sense of entitlement. On the contrary, he took a profound disturbance in his life – one that gave him so much frustration – and turned it into an incredible opportunity that could change the lives of so many deserving kids.

That's an admirable quality in anyone; it's truly extraordinary in a 12-year-old. Now at age 16, he has already helped more than 200 children acquire the computer skills – and laptops – they need to get them on their way to better lives.

Let's help Michael keep his mission alive. Four years ago, when he was starting out with this project, I donated 20 laptops to his cause. Now, he is helping families in three shelters, and I have pledged to him that I will get him 100 more.

I'm asking you to consider joining in to help him meet his goals as quickly as possible. I know many of you can get your hands on a laptop that is not being used; here's a chance to see that it gets put to good use. Or maybe now is a good time to consider an upgrade and donate your old one (with a full tax deduction). You can find out more at Michael's website S.P.L.A.T. Charity.

I think this is a particularly worthwhile cause to consider. After all, one of the root problems these families endure is a dispiriting sense of isolation. Getting connected and getting engaged with today's technology and its possibilities plays a big part in helping them deal with the disturbances of life in a positive, resourceful way.

If you doubt that, just ask Michael.