Beyond You...A Perspective on Leadership

Inspiration.

It's a wonderful thing to receive it by listening to the wisdom and experience of others. Especially when those individuals have a major impact on the world around them.

On Friday I had the opportunity to participate in a worldwide event called Leadercast Live. Locally, a couple hundred people from the business community gathered at Crossroad Community Church to listen to a telecast of leaders sharing what it means to lead BEYOND YOU. They spoke to a live crowd of over 6,000 in Atlanta, but apparently there were about 130,000 people like us tuned into the broadcast at locations across the globe! It was an entire workday devoted to listening to leaders.

Leadercast has been around for several years, and its mission is to “create leaders worth following.” This was my first awareness of it, and I had no idea what to expect when my boss asked if my co-worker and I wanted to attend. It’s been a while since I’ve attended anything like this, but I’m always up for any extra inspiration I can find. It’s so easy to get complacent and unmotivated in work and life, so times like these can serve as jolt to awaken your spirit and rekindle a passion in your heart. The theme of this year’s Leadercast was…

BEYOND YOU.

Effective leadership requires us to look beyond ourselves and consider the larger community around us – to focus outward, rather than inward.

This powerful message and the inspiration I’m about to share is not just reserved for business leaders, managers and CEOs. Most of us are leaders in some capacity. Whether we are a parent leading our child, a Sunday School teacher, a community volunteer or an assistant little league coach, we are a leaders. People are looking to us as an example. Own that role. Live it well. And here’s some advice on how to do so from some of the great leaders I heard the other day.

(P.S. It’s ok if you’ve never heard of some of these people before…I had not either.)

ANDY STANLEY

Pastor and Founder of 5 Atlanta churches with 36,000 attendees each Sunday. Best-selling author of 20+ books.

"Beyond You Leaders: Leaders who Fearlessly and Selflessly empower leaders around them, as well as those coming behind them."

"The Value of a Life is always measured by how much of it was given away. At the end of your life, they will not celebrate your achievements and possessions. Instead, we celebrate generosity and selflessness."

"If your leadership isn’t about you, it will live beyond you."

DR. HENRY CLOUD

Clinical Psychologist who built a large healthcare company and Leadership Consultant with nationally syndicated radio show and over 7 million books sold.

"You build trust to the degree that people feel connected to you." People need to understand that you understand them.

He spoke about two different CEOs of large home building companies. One complained that his job had no meaning while the other felt his job had great purpose. The latter said he could always picture the birthday parties and the kids playing in the cul-de-sac of a piece of land, long before it was ever developed. He loved "Creating Spaces for Lives to Grow."

As someone who's been selling in the new home market for years, I greatly appreciated his perspective on the job. So much of what we all do is about our perspective.

ARCHBISHOP DESMOND TUTU

Human Rights Activist in South Africa, Nobel Peace Prize Winner (1984), Presidential Medal of Freedom, and friend of the late Nelson Mandela.

"You are you because of others." We are all closely connected and have the opportunity to influence those around us.

I thought the best part of Tutu's presentation was not in what he said, but in his laugh. It's light-hearted and regularly escaped from his mouth. Though he is well advanced in years and has witnessed some terrible atrocities, he maintains a carefree and optimistic outlook that radiates joy. We all LOVED that laugh!!!

I think he's famous for this laugh, here he is in Indianapolis last fall...laughing. You can't help but join in! 

LAURA SCHROFF

Former Advertising Sales Executive and Best-Selling Author of "An Invisible Thread"

She met an 11 year old boy who was begging on a street corner in 1986. He was hungry and living a desperate life, she took him to dinner and a relationship began. Today he is out of the slums and living successfully with his wife and 7 children. Their story became a NY Times best seller for 36 weeks.

"When you give kindness and expect nothing in return, you can receive the most valuable blessing of all. - Act on a Beyond You moment."

"We can teach people to be kind, but we must live by example."

Her book is named from this Chinese proverb...

LAURA BUSH

Former First Lady of the U.S. and Education Advocate

"Children aren't very good at listening to their elders, but they never fail to imitate them."

RANDALL WALLACE

Screenwriter of "Braveheart" and Director/Producer of other popular films

"The heroes are here. We are the heroes who must save the world."

There were a few additional speakers who shared including Award-winning journalist Malcolm Gladwell, CEO of an $80 Billion company Bill McDermott, and Best-selling author/speaker Simon Sinek.  It was almost too much to soak in during one 8 hour sitting, but the time was well worth it.

Now if I can just remember and apply even a fraction of what we heard, I'll be doing good. At the end of it all, the message came through that the only real way to have a lasing impact in leadership and life is to look Beyond Yourself and invest your time into the people around you. Good stuff.

You might laugh, but one of my dreams is to be on a stage like that someday and have something profound or at least interesting to say to a large crowd. We shall see.... For now I need to focus on more basic life skills like how to keep track of the van keys!