Month: June 2021

Generous Donors Allow Transition Home to Experience Impact of the GLS

Posted on June 30, 2021 by Rosey LaVine - Because of the GLS, Church & Faith-Based, Leading Organizations, North America, Prison, Stories

In 2020, the Global Leadership Network took on a new initiative to serve those who would otherwise not be able to access the leadership training provided at The Global Leadership Summit (GLS). Because of the generosity of our incredible donors, we are able to bring the Summit to men and women living in transition homes again in 2021.

…my life has become about progress instead of excuses.

For the men transitioning out of prison at the Men of Valor ministry in Tennessee, the GLS in 2020 was an incredible opportunity to be encouraged and equipped for their purpose.

Curt Campbell, who has been on staff with Men of Valor since 2005 and has been volunteering since 1997 when it was founded, was thrilled with the opportunity to share the Summit with the men they serve. “Most of our guys are less than a year out of prison, and though they did not perceive themselves as leaders prior to the Summit, they all walked away with a profound understanding that God can use them in powerful ways if they will live with an intentional mindset to love others and lead well by example.”

Men of Valor guests watching GLS20

“Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!” exclaimed Curt. “I have given donations to the Summit every year for the past decade, but never dreamed some of the ‘unreached’ recipients would be the guys I have the privilege to work with every single day. What a blessing!”

Check out what some of the men had to say about their experience at the Summit in 2020!

“’You can make excuses, or you can make progress, but you can’t make both.’ Wow! As Craig Groeschel shared this in his talk at the Summit in 2020, I began reflecting on my life and how well this one statement summed it all up. I spent so many years in and out of prison and addiction because I was full of excuses–I was definitely part of the revolving door so common with incarceration. Thankfully, through a relationship with Jesus and the support of some great Christian men, my life has become about progress instead of excuses. Change is inevitable. It’s part of life. We can embrace it and make great progress, or we can fight it, make excuses and just stay stuck. I’m thankful for the encouragement of the GLS that has not only shaped my life but is helping me to invest more effectively in the lives of others.”– Darnell Ford, GLS Attendee, Men of Valor, Tennessee

To those of you who gave and continue to give to support the ministry of the Global Leadership Network, thank you.

“As a former inmate in the Tennessee prison system, I felt really blessed to be able to attend The Global Leadership Summit and get a new perspective on my opportunity to be a leader. My takeaway from the Summit was about obsessing over the ‘Why.’ People change for two reasons…desperation or inspiration. I have definitely experienced change in my own life through both motivators. The ‘Why’ disarms the critics, educates the bystanders and empowers the advocates. As I continue to have the opportunity to share my story, I have learned the power of incorporating the ‘Why.’ The Summit was a great developmental experience!” – Brian Belser, GLS Attendee, Men of Valor, Tennessee

“Before I attended The Global Leadership Summit, as prideful as it sounds, I was one of those guys who thought I knew everything. That may sound funny coming from a formerly incarcerated person, but I’ve lived a lot of life and done a lot of reading and studying. The GLS taught me that ‘we have to level the playing floor, where every person can be heard regardless of their background.’ My life here at Men Of Valor is different because I learned that I need to apply this particular thought more liberally. As a house manager now at our reentry campus, I must meet the men where they are regardless of their background, and love on them and share what God has done and is doing in my own life as an encouragement to them.” – Mark Chandler, GLS Attendee, Men of Valor, Tennessee

To those of you who gave and continue to give to support the ministry of the Global Leadership Network, thank you. “Thanks for doing what you guys do to help encourage the folks in the trenches!” said Curt. “We are blessed beyond measure.”

To learn more about Ministry Connect and the Global Leadership Network’s initiatives to bring The Global Leadership Summit into transition homes, homeless shelters, crisis centers, vulnerable youth and trafficking survivors, go to GlobalLeadership.org/MinistryConnect.

Fredrik Haren’s Top 10 Quotes From the GLS

Posted on June 29, 2021 by Rosey LaVine - Articles, Influence, Leadership Development, Leading Others, The Global Leadership Summit

Returning to The Global Leadership Summit stage in 2021 via our brand-new Leadership Shorts segment, Fredrik Haren will deliver the creative inspiration he is best known for, and we’re so excited to have him back!

Fredrik is a business creativity expert and author of ten books, including The Idea Book, which has been credited as one of “The 100 Best Business Books of All Time.” As a global speaker invited to speak to leaders in more than 70 countries on the importance of business creativity, change and global mindset, he has been one of only 13 people to receive “The International Ambassadors Award” by the Global Speakers Federation.

Over his 20-year professional career, Haren has inspired millions of people to become more creative and look at the world in a new way. With a personal life theme centered around “Humanity to the Power of Ideas,” he believes in the potential of humanity and the infinite power of human creativity.

Get a taste of Fredrik’s insight and inspiration with his top 10 quotes from the GLS:

“Is creativity important in your job? Even accountants say yes!”
“We aren’t supposed to laugh at someone when they present an idea. Listen first to know why they think it’s a good idea.”
“Experience is a costly and valuable treasure, but like all valuable treasures, it can also stop people from thinking clearly.”
“We are never closer to God than when we are being creative.”
“Do you think your company is doing enough to develop the creativity of its employees?”
“What is the most creative thing you could do as a leader?”
“The challenge is not the rapidity of change, but the human dislike of change.”
“Leaders who encourage creativity, encourage growth.”
“The right amount of questioning is useful as it ensures that we do things in the right way for the right reason.”
“Idea minus perception equals your ability to see that the world has changed.”

How to Move from Stalled to a Growing Leadership Path Forward

Posted on June 28, 2021 by Rosey LaVine - Because of the GLS, Business, Calling, Confidence, Leading Yourself, North America, Prison, Stories, Vision

Standing on a bridge looking down at feet

Before Kyle Grevengoed started attending The Global Leadership Summit (GLS) in 2010, he felt stalled at work, without clarity or vision for his future. “I was at a sub-prime finance company in a jack-of-all-trades type role, but realistically I felt I had learned just about everything I could by that point.”

We hear stories like these often. While Kyle wanted to grow, he felt unclear about his path forward. “I was starting to formulate my vision for what was next but could not quite put it together, much less find the path forward.”

“If you had to do it all over again, what would you do all over again?” – Andy Stanley

This is where The Global Leadership Summit comes in with clarity, inspiration, practical tools and insights to help men and women unlock their leadership potential. “The Summit was crucial toward helping me explore my vocational goals, and more importantly, find the path toward my vocational goals. I started attending the Summit in 2010 and I have attended every one since. I now consider it non-negotiable on my schedule!”

It was new ideas like the Jim Collins’ 20-mile march, Dr. Henry Cloud’s wisdom, Patrick Lencioni’s refreshing leadership reminders and Andy Stanley’s question, “If you had to do it all over again, what would you do all over again?” that propelled Kyle on a new path.

GLS19 offers fresh, actionable and inspiring leadership content from a world-class faculty.

GLS19-Patrick-Lencioni-Session-4

“I made my way from sub-prime finance to credit union lending,” said Kyle. “Eventually I also made my way to financial counseling and began attending the AFCPE Symposium which gave me the connections that led to me getting my current job. And it was the Summit that gave me the confidence to network and present myself. I am now working full time as an accredited financial counselor and a registered investment advisor serving mostly military clients and a handful of private clients.”

…it was the Summit that gave me the confidence…

Not only has Kyle been personally impacted by the Summit, but because of the difference it has made in his life, he is also passionate about what it can do for others. He’s recently gotten involved with the GLS Prison Program, which is set to bring this event into 100+ prisons and 10,000+ incarcerated men and women in 2021! “Every time I go to the Summit I learn and grow a little bit more,” said Kyle. “I had the chance to visit one of the prison sites. The stories I heard in the prison were incredible. They would point to takeaways I completely missed and I realized just how important the Summit is. I gained a new respect for the importance of the GLS Prison Program—the Summit is changing lives and bringing leadership education to people who would otherwise not be able to access it!”

Are you looking for fresh motivation and clarity of vision? Join Kyle at The Global Leadership Summit in 2021 and learn from 15+ world-class leadership faculty for two days of rich insights and inspiration.

Get your tickets at GlobalLeadership.org/Summit

Jerry Lorenzo on Conviction, Intention and Empathy—GLS21 Faculty Spotlight

Posted on June 24, 2021 by Abby Jungles - Articles, Business, Leading Organizations, Leading Yourself, News & Updates, Vision

Jerry Lorenzo will be speaking at Global Leadership Summit 2021.

We couldn’t be more excited to welcome founder & designer of fashion label, Fear of God, and global head of Adidas Basketball, Jerry Lorenzo to The Global Leadership Summit stage in 2021.

Raised in Sacramento, West Palm Beach and Chicago, Lorenzo grew up with first-hand understanding of the contemporary American landscape as he followed his father’s professional baseball career cross country. Concurrently, Lorenzo developed an appreciation for heritage through visits to vintage stores nationwide with his mother.

His upbringing became the precursor of his idea for a new American classic now known as Fear of God. In 2013, Lorenzo chose fashion despite plans to follow in the footsteps of his father in sport and established the now renowned label, conceived through a union of his creative vision, menswear experience and market expertise. Equipped with an MBA from Loyola University Chicago School of Business and an intrinsic understanding of the missing gap between the runway and wardrobe, Lorenzo’s honest and opinionated approach to fashion continues to push Fear of God into an icon of contemporary American luxury. Most recently, he’s been honored to partner with Adidas and join their team as global head of Adidas Basketball.

There is  much to learn from Jerry Lorenzo’s creativity and leadership!

As you anticipate being inspired by Jerry Lorenzo’s perspective on creativity and leadership at The Global Leadership Summit this August, enjoy a preview of his insights in a dynamic conversation with lead pastor at Life.Church and fellow GLS21 faculty, Craig Groeschel on The Global Leadership Podcast.

In this conversation, Craig and Jerry explore the leadership behind Jerry’s fashion brand phenomenon, identifying how conviction, intention and empathy can drive your organization forward.

Listen to the Podcast >>

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Get your tickets and mark your calendars to join us LIVE on Thursday and Friday, August 5-6, 2021, for The Global Leadership Summit—the premier leadership event of the year!

Not only will you have a chance to hear more from Jerry Lorenzo, but he will also be joined by an incredible faculty lineup including Malcolm Gladwell, Dr. Francesca Gino, Dr. Henry Cloud and many others!

This is a great opportunity for you to get equipped with the leadership skills you need to thrive!     

We hope to see you on August 5-6!

Get your tickets today >>  

Open-Minded or Close-Minded? Your Posture Can Make or Break Your GLS Experience

Posted on June 23, 2021 by Abby Jungles - Leading Organizations, Leading Others, Leading Yourself, News & Updates

For more than 25 years, The Global Leadership Summit (GLS) has convened curious, growth-minded, change driven men and women who strive to develop their leadership skills to lead positive change. What started as a small conference in Chicagoland, the GLS has grown to reach people in every industry, including business, government, nonprofit, healthcare, education, social services and even corrections.

Everybody is welcome!

Serving such an incredible community spanning across industry, faith, age, gender and geography requires an open mind and the diligent research of our team to choose the best faculty lineup to serve our audience where they are. (Check out the 2021 Faculty)

This means our faculty lineup is a diverse group of ministry leaders, social scientists, nonprofit leaders, business executives, designers, entrepreneurs, healthcare workers, educators, authors, military personnel, influencers and athletes…to name a few.

As our Content Development Team connects with our faculty throughout the year leading up to our annual event, they focus on drawing out the leadership expertise our faculty brings to the table, no matter what industry or background they may be coming from.

With fresh, actionable and inspiring leadership insights, our faculty focuses on equipping and encouraging our audience to lead the change they long to see, wherever they live and work. This makes The Global Leadership Summit one of the most unique, most practical, most diverse and most hope-filled leadership conferences of its kind.

With an open mind and a posture of humility, you can enhance your experience.

At the Global Leadership Network, we value being open to hearing from individuals who have extensive experience in areas of their lives we can learn from. We know we can learn from anyone, even those we may not be in complete agreement with.

It is the humility, curiosity and desire to learn from anyone that makes the Summit audience unique.

We also believe the willingness of our faculty to share their expertise enhances the learning process and stretches our audience in ways that otherwise may not happen. Over the years, we have found that such interactions have strengthened our convictions, established new relationships, and at the same time, provided meaningful and memorable learning moments. As a leadership conference drawing people from various backgrounds, we believe a business leader can learn new leadership skills from a pastor, and a pastor can learn new leadership skills from a healthcare worker, and so on down the line. It is the humility, curiosity and desire to learn from anyone that makes the Summit audience unique.

We also know that inherent in opening ourselves to the input these leaders can bring, is the risk they might say something which does not necessarily align with the beliefs and values of our audience. In those instances, we are confident our audience has the maturity, wisdom and discernment to be open to the learning moments that might take them out of their comfort zone to experience a new perspective or discover something valuable they can apply in their context they hadn’t thought of before.

As you come open and ready to learn, we hope your time at this year’s Global Leadership Summit proves valuable to you on your leadership journey!

If you don’t yet have your tickets, now is the time to go to GlobalLeadership.org/Summit to secure your seat at a local host site venue or online. Get tickets >>

Episode 88: Jerry Lorenzo and Craig Groeschel – Leading with Compassion and Empathy

Posted on June 22, 2021 by Abby Jungles - Leading Others, Podcasts, Servant Leadership

SUMMARY:

How does intuition and creativity intersect with day-in, day-out, practical leadership? What does it take to overcome fear and insecurity, even when the stakes are high and the future of your company may rest on the next great creative design? In this episode, Craig Groeschel interviews fashion designer, Jerry Lorenzo (Fear of God) and explores topics like weighing data against intuition, how to lead with compassion and empathy, and the critical role of daily disciplines in a leader’s life.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

DATA VS. INSTINCT: Keep instinct ahead of data; let the data support your decisions, not necessarily become the basis for them.

COMPETITION: Watching others’ success can push you to greater things.

OTHER-FOCUSED: Compassion and empathy are critical tools for a leader. Once you’re leading with a heart that has compassion for others, you can take yourself out of the equation. Let your vision be guided by what you can give to the world; nothing is really yours until you give it away

SELF-LEADERSHIP: Prioritize nourishing yourself each morning, before you start your work. Ask, “how can I get better so that I can better serve the people I’m leading?”

THE COST OF SUCCESS: There’s never a time to coast. Others paid a cost for you to get where you are. How are you stewarding that?

THE PRIVATE PRICE OF PAIN: Don’t let your work be dictated by your moods. Show up, whether you “feel like it” or not.

DISCIPLINE: If you struggle to embrace discipline, you will struggle to lead.

LOOK AT INTENTION BEFORE OUTCOME: If there are performance issues, don’t merely focus on what is or is not getting done, focus on why there may be performance issues. What’s going on in someone’s life?

RISK: Discipline and practice helps combat insecurity and fear.

ADDING VALUE AND MISSION: The way you do one thing is the way you do all things.

Use your exclusive listener code for a special discount on your ticket to The Global Leadership Summit on August 5-6, 2021: PODCAST21

Nurses Empowered by the Summit in Bolivia Lead Fight Against Virus

Posted on June 21, 2021 by Rosey LaVine - Because of the GLS, Decision-Making, Healthcare, Latin America, Leadership Development, Leading Organizations, Process, Resilience, South America, Stories

Nurses in Bolivia gathered around a table in discussion

The Global Leadership Network’s team in Latin America has been hosting The Global Leadership Summit (GLS) in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, since 2016. During the global pandemic, training provided by the GLS over the years became part of the fundamental leadership fuel that more than 200 nurses needed to fight the virus on the front lines.

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In 2015, health care professional, Carmen Villarroel, was invited to help organize The Global Leadership Summit in Bolivia. “Without hesitation, I accepted the challenge because I knew it was part of my training as a leader, and through it, I could bless my colleagues with my leadership.”

It was very important to work on empowering nurses—to help them make timely and important decisions to improve the health services’ quality of care…

She invited her colleagues to join her at the first GLS in 2016, because she saw a need in the healthcare industry for building up leaders and giving them leadership tools to care for their patients well. “It was very important to work on empowering nurses—to help them make timely and important decisions to improve the health services’ quality of care, and to form leaders with principles and values,” said Carmen. “Several speakers strengthened my leadership in nursing, but the most prevalent one in my work and leadership was Patrick Lencioni. He talks about the different types of leadership, humility and emotional intelligence. It is very important to know those surrounding us to delegate certain tasks.”

Empowered to Fight Against COVID-19

For the healthcare leaders in Bolivia, attending the GLS provided a place for them to be empowered and encouraged in their fight against COVID-19. “My colleagues had leadership tools already to work as a team, make decisions, and organize the health services,” said Carmen. “After all, for the health sector, this pandemic was very painful. These were sad times—times of great anguish and despair.”

More than 200 nurses attend the GLS in Santa Cruz, Bolivia each year.

“We thank God for all the training received in previous years. He gave us leadership tools. Many of the health professionals that were part of the GLS were leaders during this pandemic. I am grateful to God for what he is doing in my colleagues lives and my life.”

If you have ever donated above and beyond the registration cost to attend The Global Leadership Summit, you too are part of these stories of empowering leaders to lead transformation and fight important battles against a global pandemic. In fact, every year, more than 200 nurses attend the GLS in Santa Cruz, Bolivia each year, thanks to the support of our generous donors who make the event possible around the world.

Learn more about how you can get involved with expanding the GLS around the world at GlobalLeadership.org/Give.

Albert Tate on the Power of Community—GLS21 Faculty Spotlight

Posted on June 17, 2021 by Abby Jungles - Articles, Culture, Emotional Intelligence, Leading Others, News & Updates, Relational Intelligence, Wellness

Albert Tate will be speaking at Global Leadership Summit 2021.

If you’ve been to The Global Leadership Summit before, you very likely remember Albert Tate, founding pastor of Fellowship Church. If you haven’t yet had the joy of hearing his mic-drop insights and straight-to-the-heart humor, you’re in for a real treat!

Back by popular demand, Albert Tate joins this year’s world-class leadership faculty lineup for The Global Leadership Summit on August 5-6, 2021.

With fresh insight especially for this year, Albert will close the conference with the wisdom, encouragement and humor he’s best known for. Get your GLS21 tickets today! And until then, enjoy his recent article on the power of community and discover why your relationships are key to your leadership growth.

The Power of Community

It’s no secret it’s been a hard year. As a pastor, I’ve been on the other end of a lot of tearful phone calls, despairing messages and I’ve spoken at plenty of funerals. It’s one of my life’s greatest privileges and joys to sit with brothers and sisters in their deepest pain, but it’s difficult too. This season is heavy and exhausting, and I wish I knew when things would get better—but that’s not for me, or any of us, to know. What I do know, however, is God is still on the throne, and within this difficult season I’ve been reminded of something I’ve experienced and known since I was a boy: the power of community.

Calling on Community

If Covid-19 has taught us anything, it’s how unsustainable most of our lives were before lockdown. Many of us were constantly on the go, pushing and grinding and letting the days pass us by in a blur of busyness and hustle.

…so many of us feel lonely because we’ve been neglecting to build strong communities.

For many of us, we were surrounded by other people and always looking toward the next task and the next moment. Our lives felt very full, but it probably took a week or less of lockdown to show us how much that “fullness” relied on things being “normal.”

That said, Covid-19 blindsided us. We were thrown out of our element and into a new normal at lighting speed. And once the dust of confusion and fear began to settle, many of us noticed something: we were lonely. Not just lonely—isolated.

Now this could be true whether you live alone, with your spouse, roommates or your family. Regardless of our personal living situations, many of us have experienced loneliness as a direct result of the pandemic and lockdown. But this loneliness is the symptom of a deeper problem and a troubling truth: so many of us feel lonely because we’ve been neglecting to build strong communities.

Let me explain what I mean with a few questions:

When you’re at your lowest point, who do you invite to sit with you?
Who are the people you invited in that actually showed up?
Who sits with you in community when you’re going through hard times?
Who shines the light when you’re in the dark?

Read the full article >>

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Get your tickets today and mark your calendars to hear from Albert Tate as well as 15+ diverse world-class faculty!  Get Tickets for GLS21 >> 

Attendees in Undisclosed Location Find Hope at the Summit Despite Pandemic & Local Strife

Posted on June 14, 2021 by Rosey LaVine - Because of the GLS, Middle East, Stories

“Praise God, we were able to bring The Global Leadership Summit to our community this year,” said leaders whose names or location cannot be disclosed due to security concerns. “In the last decade, we haven’t experienced such a high level of hunger for hope.”

…throughout the day in every session God was teaching me how to be more compassionate to humanity.

This is a sentiment we often hear from our volunteers and event coordinators around the world. But these sentiments are even more prevalent in places where an event like The Global Leadership Summit is the only option available to gather men and women to get equipped and encouraged with leadership insights and tools to help them ignite the positive change they long to see in their communities. In fact, the GLS takes place in countries that include some of the most war-torn regions of our world, offering hope for a better future.

In this last year, where the global pandemic affected so many of us including many of our partners around the world, we never could have imagined the level of impact the Summit could still have. And it is because of our generous donors and volunteers that stories like these are possible! Thank you!

Here are just some of the things we’ve heard from attendees in this undisclosed location.

I believe this year’s GLS was made for me.

“I just recently became a pastor. As soon as I stepped into this field, Covid-19 came, and everything was shut down. I thought, what to do and where to start? I was in agony and in fervent prayer. Then I was astonished to see a local organization hosting the Summit. As I prayed, I realized it was God’s will for me to attend. As I sat in my seat during the GLS, God spoke to me. I felt a new energy in my body. After the GLS I went back home, and God confirmed how to start serving. The next day I gathered all the young men who lost their jobs and I started sharing my notes from the GLS. And something strange started happening. Tears rolling in their eyes, I was afraid and stopped… But the Lord said, see, this is what I have called you to—pray for them, start helping them, this is what I call you to do. I believe this year’s GLS is for me.” – undisclosed pastor from undisclosed location

I too can be a vessel of hope…

“Bear Grylls has ignited a passion in my heart. I am inspired that if he can do such daring, brave things for entertainment, yet stay strong in faith, what a testimony! I too can be a vessel of hope to help many navy men come to know our Lord as savior. I am now filled with boldness and ready to take risks. I am on fire for God again. Thank you GLS!” – undisclosed navy fire department leader from undisclosed location

My wife, children and employees can testify that I am changed.

“Maybe because of Covid-19, I was going down in my attitude. I knew it was surely damaging my personality as well as my testimony. I felt it getting worse. I was struggling when I came to the GLS for the first time. As I kept listening to one session after the other, I was uncomfortable in my seat. Leaders beside me asked if I was ok. I ignored them but then Ben Sherwood spoke. It hit me. I humbled myself in prayer and the Lord touched me. I came back from that event joyful and as a hummingbird. My wife, children and employees can testify that I am changed. I will come back to the GLS again and again…I don’t know how to say thank you. I am thankful to God for using this great event to bring me to the right path in my attitude.” – undisclosed real estate leader from undisclosed location

God was teaching me how to be more compassionate to humanity.

“My friend asked me if I would like to have a life-changing experience. He said, ‘go to the GLS, it’s become a turning point for my life and this time, I am sure, you are to attend the event.’ And yes, it has changed me. I don’t know about others, but I do know that throughout the day in every session God was teaching me how to be more compassionate to humanity. There are about 35 people working under me. Before attending the GLS, I thought only we as front liners were extremely tired, giving out ourselves daily. But I must salute the passion, love and determination of the team here who risked their lives to help nourish, give back and serve humanity with His love and care through the GLS.” – undisclosed medical doctor from undisclosed location

It was a joyful moment in God’s presence.

“I experienced worship in four different languages! All the burden and pressure on my soul was lifted. I felt completely free to worship Him. It was a joyful moment in God’s presence.” – undisclosed business leader from undisclosed location

The GLS has also taught me to put my words into action.

“My spiritual journey started with GLS. When this Covid thing happened all over the world, I thought like others, maybe we will not have the GLS this year. But by the grace of God the GLS is here. I want to share my heart with you that through GLS I am able to understand God wants us to be better leaders. The GLS has also taught me to put my words into action. I want to be excellent! I am so glad to be at the GLS again!” – undisclosed pastor from undisclosed location

Our God wants us to extend our hands of love and grace and be a family with children.

“I’ve been married eight years. My wife and I had a wonderful time together and we love each other very much. For the last two years, God has been preparing both of us for adoption. We have been praying and processing this but coming to the GLS hit the nail on the head. After listening to Dr. Krish Kandiah, I am absolutely convinced God has this wonderful opportunity for us. Our God wants us to extend our hands of love and grace and be a family with children… I know this is the time for us to take an action. Thank you to the GLS for helping us complete our family and understand it’s importance.” – undisclosed medical professional from undisclosed location

“We stay humble before our God Almighty as we read such wonderful stories of all those whom He loves in this hard, hostile and struggling nation,” said the leaders from this undisclosed location. “Our team stands firms, even in this pandemic, to share the Gospel to those who are in desperate need of hope, those who are hurting, wounded, rejected, and more. We are part of a catalyst for change!”

To learn more about how to be involved in expanding The Global Leadership Summit in places that are most desperate for hope, go to GlobalLeadership.org/Give.

Ibukun Awosika on Leading with Integrity in the Face of Crisis—GLS21 Faculty Spotlight

Posted on June 10, 2021 by Abby Jungles - Articles, Decision-Making, Execution, Leading Others, Leading Yourself, News & Updates, People Operations, Relational Intelligence

Ibukun Awosika will be speaking at Global Leadership Summit 2021.

We are excited to welcome Ibukun Awosika back to The Global Leadership Summit stage in 2021! If you’ve been to the Summit before, you might remember seeing Ibukun’s inspiring Grander Vision story showcasing how she chose integrity in the face of a crisis when corruption would have been an easy out.

If this year’s Summit will be your first-time hearing from Ibukun Awosika, you’re in for a dose of wisdom that could change your organization.

Over the course of her impressive career, Ibukun has had the honor of influencing Nigeria’s economic growth by chairing a number of influential corporate and nonprofit boards. She is the Founder and CEO of a group of manufacturing, retail and bank-way security system companies; as well as the former Chairman of First Bank of Nigeria Limited, the country’s premier banking brand.

Globally recognized, she has received multiple awards, including the 2020 Forbes “Woman Africa Chairperson” award, and was also the first Nigerian recipient of the prestigious “International Women Entrepreneurial Challenge” award in 2008. Through her projects, Ibukun champions entrepreneurs, empowers women and youth, and supports missionaries who provide medical and educational supplies to those in need.

Here is what others have to say about Ibukun:

“Anybody who would be the chairman of First Bank of Nigeria has to be somebody with a lot of high ethics and high integrity,” said Gbenga Shobo, Deputy Managing Director at First Bank of Nigeria. “She is very, very well respected. She is also someone who is very influential—a culture shaper.”

“She’s become an example of how to do business as a Christian in Nigeria,” said Tara Fela-Durotoye, CEO of House of Tara. “You can see her faith in the way she talks, the way she deals with every staff—ready to listen to you, ready to show you how to grow.”

“Her mission, her vision is all about doing the right things and showing integrity in what you do,” said Remi Adekola, Manager at Sokoa Chair Centre.

We have so much to learn from Ibukun! Get your tickets for The Global Leadership Summit on August 5-6 to hear from Ibukun Awosika and 15+ additional world-class faculty! And until then, get a preview of her wisdom in this extended cut Grander Vision showcase, Leading with Integrity in the Face of Crisis.

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When you’re building furniture, you can’t use the wrong components and materials and expect to get the right chair at the end of it. I discovered that’s pretty much our lives—it’s really about deciding who you want to be.

In Nigeria, corruption is quite prevalent. There are many business practices based on cheating, taking advantage of the customer or business deals that are not conducted fairly.

When you’re building furniture, you can’t use the wrong components and materials and expect to get the right chair at the end of it.

When I wanted to start my business as a young person manufacturing furniture, I decided that two things were critical for me:

I was never going to sleep with a man to get a job.
I was never going to pay a bribe.

It seemed like a naivety of idealism, but I knew I could make it work.

A year or so into my business, I gave my life to the Lord. Considering I come from a Muslim background, that became a whole new experience for me. I started heading the business fellowship in my church. It gave me grounding and confidence to continue with my quest and my desire to build a business based on biblical principles. In pursuit of building institution or building wealth, I will not deter from righteousness.

In 2004, there was an announcement in the news: “Importation of any form of furniture is banned.” With that single announcement about 80% of our business was shut down. Now, that was a very scary moment.

In pursuit of building institution or building wealth, I will not deter from righteousness.

I had an option to choose to become a smuggler (and a lot of people chose that route—they would make a deal with the customs officers to get around it), but I wouldn’t do that because of everything I’d learned and the principle I’d chosen to live by didn’t fit in with that. So, I called my staff, had a meeting and said, “Look, I’m not firing anybody. I just need you guys to pray for me and ask the Lord to grant me grace and wisdom for this season.”

I looked at the whole furniture value chain and I found that the most difficult to replicate locally would be office seating because it’s very technical. So, I went to the largest French office-seating manufacturer and talked to them about having a joint venture in Nigeria. They laughed because they’re the largest in France, one of the top ten in the world.

But I’d been doing business with them for up to about ten years then and I’d left a good record. Two weeks after, they called to say, “You know what, we’ll give you technical support and we’ll do a 5% investment.”

As we built the business plan, they changed their mind and moved their investment from 5% to 21%, and all technical support and training of all the staff that would be required.

As we built the business plan, they changed their mind and moved their investment from 5% to 21%

I then went on to set up the other factories in order to meet our entire value chain within the business. At the end of it, we became a bigger and better company than we were before the crisis. And the whole process of responding to that situation and the build-up of the new companies that emerged from it opened doors to a corporate career because companies started looking for people who had integrity and certain value systems to sit on their boards.

In the last 28 years, I believe the level of success we’ve achieved as a business has shown that even though our value system was thought not to make it possible to succeed in this environment, we’ve proven that not to be true. By deciding to advance my values, by deciding to advance my focus and in trusting Him, He will lead me every step of the way to the right place.

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