See our Vision, Mission & Values

S.T.E.P. operates the North Of The Line Café. "North of the Line" refers to focusing on things that are important rather than things that are simply urgent. All four of the café's walls are covered by a mural, painted by muralist Valerie Krist, that illustrates pieces of our philosophical beliefs and quotes we live by.

Think about Redwood trees; they are a symbol of success in the natural world. They are strong, withstanding years of wind, rain and fire. We want to be able to withstand the stresses in life. It is our roots that enable us to be strong in the hard moments. If we focus mainly on what others see, the branches and the leaves, then we are like trees with shallow roots. By focusing on how to look successful on the outside with little attention to what is happening on the inside, we will not we able to weather the storm. If we have strong, deep roots we can withstand the pressures of life and continue to grow and progress. STEP's logo combines this idea of roots with the concept of bridge-building. Our roots are our character, we develop from the inside out. This part of the mural reminds us to give our first energies to character development, usually invisible to others, like the roots of a tree. As we cultivate the roots, we begin to see fruits. If you look closely at the tree, you will see at least six faces- can you find them all?

Quotes found in the mural:
"Nothing about me without me"
"While they were saying among themselves it cannot be done, it was done." -Helen Keller
"Be the change you wish to see in the world." -Ghandi
"Attitudes are contagious, is yours worth catching?" -unknown
"You don't get paid for the hour. You get paid for the value you bring to the hour." -Jim Rohn
" The roots of achievement lie in the will to become the best you can become." -Harold Taylor

This section of the mural represents two concepts. The rocks are symbolic of Big Rock Planning, a tool presented in the 3rd of the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. The way the rocks are situated represent the paradigm of Interdependence. "Interdependence is about relationships that lead to mutual acceptance and respect. Although it recognizes that all people have differences, as a paradigm, it promotes an acceptance and empowerment for all. It suggests a fabric effect, where diverse people come together in a synergistic way to create an upward effect for all." - Interdependence, a book by Al Condeluci. Al Condeluci visited STEP in 2007 for staff workshops and the facilitation of a Community Day. For more information about Al Condeluci and his writings on Interdependence and Community, please visit his web site.

This section represents our commitment to bridge-building or connecting people to their communities. "He who would be a leader, let him first become a Bridge." -Motto from Wales College

Use this scroll bar to see the entire mural, as it goes all the way around the café!

7 Habits of Highly Effective People- Stephen R. Covey

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People introduced STEP to a process of growth and development. It has helped us to align our actions with our highest priorities and re-energized our focus on staff development. In implementing this training, we hope to become more effective not only in service provision, but in all areas of our personal and professional lives. We know that highly effective people make highly effective teams and highly effective teams make highly effective organizations. The 7 Habits were developed based a study on the idea of success, the trends and patterns, or habits, that were consistent in successful or effective people.

Habit 1: Be Proactive
Our lives are the result of our own decisions, not what is happening around us. We take responsibility for our decisions, moods, actions, responses and our own lives.

Habit 2: Begin with the End in Mind
We want to begin every endeavor with a clear sense of purpose. Every person, every team, every organization has a quality if uniqueness, an un-reproducable potential to make a contribution that no one else can make. We must discover what that contribution is, both personally and professionally.

Habit 3: Put First Things First
Putting first things first means we focus on effectiveness first, then efficiency; relationships first, then schedules; important things first, then the urgent things; the compass first, then the clock. Planning in this manner allows us to give attention to our highest priorities- important priorities that really make a difference.

Habit 4: Think Win-Win
Thinking win-win lies at the heart of all relationships. This habit is really the Golden Rule. Can we find a solution that is mutually beneficial? Thinking win-win requires us to balance the courage to get our own needs met with the consideration for the needs of the other person as well.

Habit 5: Seek First to Understand before being Understood
All people have the need to be understood. Too often we listen with the intent to reply, to influence, to fix or to accomplish our own agenda. One way to strive to understand people is to listen empathically- understanding another's point of view and feelings.

Habit 6: Synergize
Synergy means that the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. Synergy is creative cooperation with the result being a solution or idea that is better than what anyone has proposed. The essence of synergy is valuing differences.

Habit 7: Sharpen the Saw
Sharpen the Saw is the principle of renewal. It is a commitment to preserve and enhance the greatest asset we have- ourselves. Sharpening the Saw has four dimensions: the body, the mind, the spirit and the heart, or our relationship with others.

STEP has three certified 7 Habits Instructors and includes the concepts in staff training. For more information visit the Franklin Covey web site.