Last night I attended a celebration of the work and leadership of probably the most incredible leader I have ever known.
300 people (the maximum that the space allowed was sold out very early) gathered to watch a video of the 26.3 years he worked in our organization. It included short, funny messages for the younger leaders that he trained. They have become spectacular leaders of other organizations. It scanned the years and the people that he influenced so profoundly. It was a lovefest.
To a one, they voiced their appreciation for his humor, wisdom, openness, and each one mentioned the encouragement he gave them when they tripped, skinned their knees, said the wrong thing, or, travelled a path to a dead end, etc.
He also made a tremendous impact on our wider community with his participation and leadership for growing other organizations.
The common denominators to his leadership were his ability to listen, find humor amidst tension, his encouragement to try out new ideas while setting people free to try those ideas out and giving them space to do so. He has the gift of being completely himself, comfortable in his own skin, and the ability to extend love wherever he goes.
As a leader of many, he met criticism with open listening and then made his decsions. He never pretended to be perfect. He was completely present and made those he spoke with feel like they were the only ones in the room.
This takes drawing on courage in a way deeper than most would ever try. He carved his own path elegantly, making so many friends from all kinds of places – high and low than any of us will ever know. He helped many other organizations and their leaders see possibilities that they might never have conceived without him.
Courage isn’t something with which we are born, but it’s is a learnable skill.
The one place that has neglected the topic until recently, is the business community. If you don’t believe that, think of the sabotaging behavior that you witnessed last week, last month, or last year.
The mission of Share Your Courage is to teach the advanced skills of courage to through a new model that is designed for memory, reflection, and collaboration for all members of organizations who are already doing well and want to take it to the next level.
Curious? Want to know more? https://shareyourcourage.com