Month: August 2021

Ep 90: Creativity & The Myth of the Quintessential Leader – Bianca Juárez Olthoff & Jason Jaggard

Posted on August 31, 2021 by Abby Jungles - Leading Yourself, Podcasts

Bianca Juárez Olthoff and Jason Jaggard on Episode 90 of The Global Leadership Podcast.

SUMMARY:

What does it mean to be a leader? Does it mean having a Type A personality? Voraciously digesting every book and conference about leadership? What if there are other ways to lead? In this fascinating conversation with Jason Jaggard, Bianca Juárez Olthoff unpacks the relationship between creativity and leadership, and how creatives can more easily embrace their own influence. Bianca also reveals how to transition well to a new opportunity, and how to establish and curate great teams.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

FIND YOUR WHY. Your capacity to create expands when you get connected to the thing that makes you tear up or helps you connect with God.

HOW YOU END IS HOW YOU BEGIN. When you are processing leaving, take a moment to consider the burdens that your current leader may be carrying and commit to leaving well.

THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A “QUINTESSENTIAL LEADER.” It’s not a matter of conforming to someone else’s image of leadership; show up with who you are. Most leaders are reluctant leaders.

LEADERSHIP DOES NOT HAVE TO BE RESTRICTIVE. You can be a “leader by proxy”: creating first and “leading” second.

SOMETIMES WE JUST NEED TO KNOW HOW OTHERS SEE US. Many creatives are vulnerable, and it can be difficult to identify and own the influence they have.

STRUCTURE AND DEADLINES ARE HELPFUL TO LEVERAGE LEADERSHIP (EVEN FOR CREATIVES). Treat creating beauty like your job.

“TEAM” WELL. Look for people who are different from you and focus on coming together to create something beautiful.

DON’T UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF ASKING. Many people just want to be invited into something.

YOUR VIBE ATTRACTS YOUR TRIBE. Don’t worry about the “total package.” Find people you can develop and train them.

GENEROSITY IS MUCH MORE THAN JUST FINANCES. It is also time, and talk, and “soul connection.”

November 4 FREE Online Event: Liz Wiseman on Impact Players

Posted on August 30, 2021 by Abby Jungles - Change Management, Leading Organizations, Leading Others, Managing People, News & Updates, People Operations, Team Building

Are you ready for a leadership boost? The GLSnext Event Series is designed for you!

Join us for FREE online November 4th for a high-impact, interactive, topic-focused leadership event featuring executive advisor and best-selling author, Liz Wiseman. Returning to the stage after her popular talk at The Global Leadership Summit in 2021, she will deliver encouragement and insight from her brand-new book, Impact Players, for the GLSnext Event Series.

Get FREE Tickets >>

About Liz Wiseman

Liz Wiseman is a researcher and executive advisor who teaches leadership to executives around the world. She is the CEO of the Wiseman Group, a leadership research and development firm headquartered in Silicon Valley, California. Some of her recent clients include Apple, AT&T, Disney, Facebook, Google, Microsoft, Nike, Salesforce, Tesla and Twitter. Thinkers50 ranked Wiseman as the top leadership thinker in the world in 2019.

She has conducted significant research in the field of leadership and collective intelligence and writes for Harvard Business Review, Fortune and a variety of other business and leadership journals. She is a frequent guest lecturer at BYU and Stanford University and is a former executive at Oracle Corporation, where she worked as the Vice President of Oracle University and as the global leader for Human Resource Development.

Her wealth of expertise is found in her best-selling books, including an October 2021 release, Impact Players: How to Take the Lead, Play Bigger and Multiply Your Impact which investigates the most valuable players of the workplaces and explains what makes them so extraordinary.

More on Impact Players

Why do some people break through and make an impact while others get stuck going through the motions?

In every organization there are Impact Players—those indispensable colleagues who can be counted on in critical situations and who consistently receive high-profile assignments and new opportunities. Whether they are on center stage or behind the scenes, managers know who these top players are, understand their worth, and want more of them on their team. While their impact is obvious, it’s not always clear what actually makes these professionals different from their peers.

While others do their job, Impact Players figure out the real job to be done.

In Impact Players, New York Times best-selling author and researcher, Liz Wiseman, reveals the secrets of these stellar professionals who play the game at a higher level. Drawing on insights from leaders at top companies, Wiseman explains what the most influential players are doing differently, how small and seemingly insignificant differences in how we think and act can make an enormous impact, and why—with a little coaching—this mindset is available to everyone who wants to contribute at their highest level.

Based on a study of 170 top contributors, Wiseman identifies the mindsets that prevent otherwise smart, capable people from contributing to their full potential and the five practices that differentiate Impact Players:

- While others do their job, Impact Players figure out the real job to be done.
- While others wait for direction, Impact Players step up and lead.
- While others escalate problems, Impact Players move things across the finish line.
- While others attempt to minimize change, Impact Players are learning and adapting to change.
- While others add to the load, the Impact Players make heavy demands feel lighter.

Wiseman makes clear that these practices—and the right mindset—can help any employee contribute at their fullest and shows leaders how they can raise the level of play for everyone on the team. Impact Players is your playbook for the new workplace.

Join us on November 4th to dive into these great insights. Get FREE tickets >>

Ending Stigma & Abuse for Left-Handers

Posted on August 30, 2021 by Rosey LaVine - Africa, Because of the GLS, Calling, Confidence, Culture, Influence, Leading Organizations, Nonprofit, Stories, Vision

As a natural lefty growing up in Nigeria, Bisola Mariam’s hand orientation has been stigmatized as a limitation. In fact, some cultural beliefs even consider being left-handed as “evil” or “taboo.” While her hand orientation has nothing to do with her true capacity to accomplish her dreams, growing up, Bisola experienced a great deal of shame.

Being constantly shamed for my hand orientation robbed me of my self-worth.

“Even more, I couldn’t speak about my experiences as a victim of abuse because I didn’t think anyone would listen to me,” Bisola explained. “Being constantly shamed for my hand orientation robbed me of my self-worth and it didn’t make sense to me to talk about my abuse as a child. Being shamed for being left-handed left me broken and disconnected from myself and exposed me to shaming and abuse in other contexts, even to the point that I began to have suicidal thoughts.”

Bisola is not alone.

There are many other like her in Nigeria and across Africa who are shamed for being left-handed, and left-handed children are often forced into using their right hand. “My life could have been different if I understood earlier that I had a voice and it mattered and not allow people to force me from using my left hand,” said Bisola. “Every time I think about my childhood, I am constantly reminded that there are many children in African homes who have lost their voices because they are left-handed. No child deserves to be unfairly treated for a biological condition they have no control over.”

Inspired by a vision to change the narrative for left-handers, Bisola started a nonprofit called The Left-handers International Organization to raise awareness and support for left-handers.

“When this idea was born, I received lots of criticism,” said Bisola. “People told me I was going against age-long traditions in African communities, deeply rooted in their belief systems.”

Despite the criticism, Bisola pressed on.

What was birthed in Nigeria has grown now reaching people in Ghana, India, the U.S. and others. “We create a safe space for left-handers to speak about their hurts,” said Bisola. “As they navigate life, they still experience abuse. The idea that every 40 seconds, someone dies by suicide (WHO), and that my work might just be a step away from helping another victim of stigma overcome suicidal thoughts, keeps me going.”

Through this work, Bisola’s organizations has been able to save over 10,000 children in Nigerian homes through radio sensitization tours. The radio sensitization tours have given her opportunities to liberate even more children.

“Our biggest triumph is that we have begun to raise awareness about the need to stop forcing left-handers to use their right hand and also help more left-handed people receive healing from their childhood traumatic experiences of physical abuse for their hand orientation.”

Finding Momentum at The Global Leadership Summit

Bisola attended her first Global Leadership Summit in Nigeria in 2019 thanks to a sponsorship from her mentor, Bimbola Okutiyang, at the Bridge Network Church, one of Nigeria’s host site locations for the event.

“I remember Bear Grylls said the words, ‘Never Give Up!’” said Bisola. “Coincidentally, just after that Summit, I had a heartbreaking experience. I was denied a visa to come to study in the U.S. in early 2020. But inspired by what I heard at the Summit, I decided to write and launch a book that chronicles my lived experiences as a victim of social stigma, The Unseen Scars of Stigma. And in the first month of launching the book, it sold 1,000 copies! With 30% of the funds from the book sales, I was also able to initiate the setting up a sister project to help end financial stigma and support people with social stigmatizing conditions due to financial difficulty.”

“The Global Leadership Summit has helped our work by first teaching me that my work matters and that we could really influence families across Africa.”

Bisola’s next big dream is to have a lifetime partnership forged with individuals and organizations interested in spreading awareness through her book, The Unseen Scars of Stigma, using the profits to support families across the world in different languages, to reorientate people about how we all unconsciously or consciously stigmatize people.

If you have ever donated to the Global Leadership Network, you too are part of Bisola’s story to end the stigma for left-handers. Thank you! To learn more about how you can be part of the movement of the Global Leadership Network, go to GlobalLeadership.org/Give.

Value Authenticity

Posted on August 30, 2021 by Abby Jungles - Character, Leading Yourself, Videos

Albert Tate will be speaking at Global Leadership Summit 2021.

Watch Albert Tate share insights on the traits he values most in leaders and why they make a difference to those they lead.

Get A Minute to Think & Join Juliet Funt for LIVE Q&A

Posted on August 30, 2021 by Abby Jungles - Execution, Leading Yourself, News & Updates, Process, Relational Intelligence

Juliet Funt speaks at the Global Leadership Summit 2021.

If you’ve been to The Global Leadership Summit before, you’ll very likely remember our faculty,  Juliet Funt, CEO and founder of the Juliet Funt Group.

Having returned to the Summit stage by popular demand in August 2021, Juliet brought us a fresh perspective focused on her brand-new book, A Minute to Think, teaching us how to reclaim creativity, conquer busyness and do our best work.

Want to take your learning to the next level?

1. 1. Order your copy of A Minute to Think through the Global Leadership Network by September 10*
  2. Get a FREE ticket to our upcoming exclusive Q&A with Juliet Funt with your purchase
  3. Join us on September 21, 2021, at 2:00pm-2:30pm CDT for LIVE Q&A

Order Your Book >>

*Book orders must be placed by September 10 in order to be included in the LIVE Q&A. This allows us to ship you the book in time and include your name on the list for the live event.

What to Expect from Juliet Funt’s Thought-Provoking New Book

“You’re going to want to share copies of this book with your overbooked friends and colleagues, but before you do, take some time to read it yourself. Funt’s wisdom around making space is priceless.” —Seth Godin, author of  The Practice

Do you wish you could stop the mayhem of work and life and just take a minute? Do you sense you could contribute more if there were a little more room in the day? Does busyness deprive you and your burnt-out team of the oxygen your talents need to catch fire?

Many have felt that way, yet taking a pause has seemed impossible—until now.

In A Minute to Think, Juliet Funt, a globally recognized warrior in the battle against busyness, provides a powerful guide that will give you the permission, framework and specific direction you need to do the following:

Regain control of your overloaded, caffeinated, inbox-worshiping workday
Liberate yourself and your teams from burnout and busywork
Reclaim creativity and focus despite the chaos around you
Bring thoughtfulness into designing your next work norms
Tame the beast of email and escape the mire of meetings
Find your precious minute to think

You’re not alone in your yearning for freedom from constant reactivity. The global workforce today is so fried that it belongs in the food court of a county fair. We’re relentlessly behind the curve, dousing fires everywhere and our 3 a.m. insomnia provides the only unscheduled thinking time of the day.

What we need reinserted in our lives is the missing element of white space—short periods of open, unscheduled time that, when recaptured, change the very nature of work. White space is the stepping back, the strategic pause, the oxygen that allows the sparks of our efforts to catch fire. White space has the power to radically—and simply—reinvent the way we approach work in this maxed-out, post-COVID 21st-century world.

With Juliet’s memorable stories, easy-to-use tools, and razor-sharp instruction, she carves for us an escape route from the overwhelm of low-value tasks and the daily avalanche of e-mails, meetings, decks and reports. Using research, client stories and a relatable voice, Juliet shows all of us how to reclaim time for thinking and make room for what truly matters. Whether you are an individual trying to build a more sane and humane flow of daily work, a team that wants new levels of efficiency and effectiveness, or an entire organization changing your culture toward thoughtfulness, this book will lead you there.

Order A Minute to Think >>

Leading On-Demand Not By-Command

Posted on August 26, 2021 by Abby Jungles - Articles, Complex Thinking, Emotional Intelligence, Leading Yourself, Learning Agility, Productivity

f you want to produce great work, you need people bringing their divergent points of view to the table. You need people who are willing to fight for and defend their perspective, even when it disagrees with somebody in power.

While we often think of bosses as power-hungry dictators, the truth is that most managers dislike having to tell people what to do. In my research studying the top contributors and most influential players in the workplace, I asked 170 managers what employee behaviors they most appreciate. Their number one response? When people do things without being asked.

While it may seem like managers want loyal followers, today’s leaders don’t need more dependents, they need extensions. Organizations are full of what I call ambient problems—the non-glaring, low-grade issues where the status quo is suboptimal but tolerable, like a clunky business process that everyone complains about but isn’t broken enough to fix. These problems are particularly damaging because they are easy to ignore—like the leaky faucet that you know is wasting water, but you stop seeing because you’ve walked past it so many times—but costly over time.

While it may seem like managers want loyal followers, today’s leaders don’t need more dependents, they need extensions.

Today’s leaders need team members who spot ambient problems and then step up, take charge and rally others to solve them—all without being commanded (or even commissioned) to do so.

Perpetual Leaders

Solving ambient problems requires an army of volunteer leaders. But what happens when the same people are constantly volunteering for the leadership roles? For example, what happens when a few parents volunteer for all the key roles at their children’s school? Other parents may appreciate their willingness to lead but suspect that their efforts will favor the interests of their own children. We generally appreciate people who are willing to step up and serve the group’s needs, but we can quickly become suspicious of those who are always leading but reluctant to follow. We wonder if their ready leadership is really a nefarious land grab, intent to amass resources and power.

We wonder if their ready leadership is really a nefarious land grab, intent to amass resources and power.

We tend to resist or resent the perpetual leader—the constant volunteer or the career-minded manager that acts like once they are cast into a leadership role, it’s theirs for life. It’s also a mentality that concentrates too much power in too few people. There is a natural limit to what the “natural leader” can do, which leaves too many problems unattended and them susceptible to burnout. This approach to leading is much like a pride of lions—the king of the pride reigns for life; however, the alpha leader’s life is typically cut short by the hostile takeover of a contending leader. It’s a model of leadership that may be fit for the savannah but is a dying breed in a work environment where agility and endurance rule.

On-Demand Leaders

The best leaders are fluid, rising up and falling back as the situation commands. While others are stuck in hierarchical, by-command forms of leadership, the high-impact, high-influence professionals that I studied—people I call Impact Players—practice on-demand leadership. By-command leaders wait to be appointed from above and typically find it difficult to relinquish control when the job is done. On-demand leaders rise up when the situation summons them. They don’t wait for permission to act, but rather take charge and volunteer to lead long before high-ups in the organization ask them.

These Impact Players are willing to take the lead, but they don’t hold onto power longer than is needed to solve a problem. They know when to step back and let others take over, stepping away with the same grace as they stepped in and took charge. They take ownership, but they think and act more like temporary caretakers than permanent owners, which allows them to pass the ball and share the glory. This willingness to share and rotate the lead role creates a fluid, on-demand leadership model that allows their organizations to respond quickly and adapt and sustain commitment for the long haul.

On-demand leaders rise up when the situation summons them.

This approach to leading is more like a flock of geese than a pride of lions. A flock of migrating geese fly in a distinctive V formation, which scientists estimate enables a flock to travel 71% further than solo flight. In this formation, the bird in the front of the flock breaks the air, reducing drag for the birds flying behind. Eventually the lead bird tires, falls back into the formation and another bird rotates to take its turn in the lead role. But the benefit of the V-formation works in both directions. The birds in the rear fly behind and to the side, which creates a force from the upward pull of the follower bird’s wings that helps propel the lead bird. It’s an energy-efficient approach that enables a group to adapt and reach the right destination.

Stepping Up Then Stepping Back

The following three practices will help you increase your impact and influence as a leader:

1. Find and fix an ambient problem.

If you want more opportunities to lead, look for the low-grade persistent problems and take initiative to solve them. What is everyone complaining about but not doing anything about? Where are there seemingly small inefficiencies that repeat and add up to large waste over time? What problems have staff members become numb to but might be shockingly obvious to a newcomer.

2. Fill a vacuum.

Look for everyday situations that lack clear leadership, including these two all-too-common leadership vacuums:

Unclear Meetings: According to Attentive.com, more than 60% of meetings have no planned agenda. You can provide much-needed clarity by suggesting the group agree on intended outcomes. This can be done by simply asking, “What is the most important thing for us to accomplish during this meeting?”

Unsung heroes: Most employees express a need to be recognized by their boss, peers and clients; but, according to a Glassdoor survey, only 2/3 of employees say that their bosses show them enough appreciation. You can fill this leadership void by speaking up to recognize the contributions of your peers or collaborators, especially those that work behind-the-scenes.

3. Pass the baton.

Show your colleagues that you can follow as well as you lead. Perhaps you’ve been holding onto a leadership role too long and should pass the baton to a new leader. Is there a project or initiative that you’ve successfully led that would benefit from “fresh legs” or “new eyes”? Is there a colleague who is capable of stepping up and leading the work during the next phase? As you make the handoff, don’t just transfer the work, transfer authority. Go further by letting the rest of the team know that this person, rather than you, is now in charge. Lastly, quickly find an opportunity to visibly support their leadership.

Leading on-demand rather than by-command provide benefits to you and your organization. As you step up and lead, you build a reputation as a strong, willing leader and contribute to a culture of courage and initiative-taking. When you step back and demonstrate willingness to follow others, your actions strengthen a culture of agility and engenders the trust you need to lead without formal authority. The next time you volunteer to lead, people will line up behind you.

Learn More from Liz Wiseman

Join us online for the GLSnext Event Series on November 4, 2021, featuring Liz Wiseman on the topic of her new book, Impact Players. Get Your FREE tickets today >>

Servant Leadership Teaching at the GLS Creates Ripple Effect Across Burundi

Posted on August 23, 2021 by Rosey LaVine - Africa, Because of the GLS, Character, Collaboration, Communication, Conflict Management, Emotional Intelligence, Government, Influence, Leading Others, Relational Intelligence, Servant Leadership, Stories

Did you know? The Global Leadership Summit (GLS) takes place in more than 50 percent of the world’s poorest countries. For this reason, the Global Leadership Network raises funds each year to make this event available and accessible wherever there is a hunger for leadership growth to empower positive transformation. Burundi, located in central Africa, is one of those countries.

“If this kind of impact continues through the GLS, the future of this nation is good.”

A small, poverty-stricken nation, Burundi is one of the five poorest countries in the world. Yet, their passion and desire for positive transformation is evident. Their pursuit for better leadership can be seen in their testimonies of life change.

Isaiah Nshimirimana, who leads the GLS team in Burundi, talked with several attendees after an event in Ruhororo, where they have been engaged in a year-round leadership development program incorporating tools and resources from the GLS. “The impact is there,” said Isaiah. “If this kind of impact continues through the GLS, the future of this nation is good. God is using the GLS! The news of the GLS is even reaching government officials as they see the impact on our communities. It is an answer to prayer.”

Be encouraged by the testimonies from men and women after a GLS event in Ruhororo in May 2021 where 244 leaders gathered to learn and grow together with teachings from Craig Groeschel, T.D. Jakes, Sheila Heen, John Maxwell, and others, as well as local leaders.

Be encouraged by the impact in Burundi!

“The church has expanded because of the teachings on good leadership at the GLS.” – Pastor Rivuzimana Serge, leader of the Pentecostal local church

I learned a leader must be responsible and must love his responsibilities.

“I learned a leader must be responsible and must love his responsibilities. Now I find time to take care of others, visiting them, counseling them and listening to them. There are a lot of benefits after this training—we got a lot of new members and we achieved that because we treat people well!”

“The Summit also helped me and my family. Before the Summit, I would go home after work and go directly to bed because I was so stressed. My wife and children didn’t get to see me that much. But I have changed. Now I take time with everyone. I have a new peace of mind.”

“These teachings need to continue! The way this event is organized is far different from what other organizations are doing here. It provides dignity. The fact that you charge the participants gives credit to them. This gives people a different outlook.”

– Nkunizmana Nestor, educational advisor

I’ve changed the way I treat people.

“The teaching about hospitality has been so helpful. I’ve changed the way I treat people. I used to treat people poorly, sometimes I even insulted them. But now I greet people kindly and I ask them about their needs with respect. When I started to put this new learning into practice, a lot of things changed at my workplace. Suddenly, a lot of people started coming to me to address their concerns because they knew I would treat them well. I appreciate the GLS! It is so helpful for leadership, whether at work or in the community. These teachings help people. This leadership training helps to reinforce good governance.”

– Kobedetse Gédéon, one of the 5 leaders of Buganuka village

I no longer accept or give bribes.

“The teaching on corruption helped me a lot. Often citizens complain that corruption is everywhere in our administration. I realized how devaluing corruption really is. The corruptor does not respect the receiver of bribes. So, now I no longer accept or give bribes. We have seen its negative effects—it enriches few and impoverishes many.”

“I also learned a lot about hospitality. The way I treat people gave me the second chance to continue to lead in government. Before we came to the GLS, we had one day a week of conflict resolution in the community, but now we have decided to do more. This training will help in the development of good governance as they promote all leaders from the village. Now the police in charge of litigation are receiving less cases! Let’s bring this into the villages so that all the leaders will benefit!”

– Manirakiza Jean Paul, district leader of the CNDD FDD ruling party in Ruhororo

Now people trust me, and I continue to lead our members in the commune.

“As a leader, I have to be an example. In my party, we are trying to be servant leaders so that citizens trust us. I am implementing this new concept in my life, and I have already seen its results! I have learned to value everyone, the housekeeper included. Now people trust me, and I continue to lead our members in the commune. New leaders have been elected in villages, and I would love to see them receive this teaching to increase their leadership skills too. It is so transforming.”

– Maniribuka Desire, teachers’ leader, primary school of Cagura

Now I recognize the value in everyone.

“Before the Summit, I did not value hospitality very much. One day at work, a parent came to see the headmaster, but he was absent, so I sent the parent away arguing. At the time, I didn’t realize I could do something about it. But now I have a new perspective. I am willing to serve however I can! This teaching has translated into my family as well. I value people more. Before, even my children wouldn’t talk to me because they were afraid. Now I recognize the value in everyone, including the man who tends my cows—I welcome to eat with me at the same table. If these teachings could spread, it will impact all spheres of our country. Leadership training like the Summit creates a foundation for peace, reconciliation and development.”

– Inarukundo Nathalie, leader of Gitanga village

Because of the Summit, I now care about everyone who comes to me.

“Because of the Summit, I now care about everyone who comes to me. I wish everyone could get these teaching, at least 10 citizens per village, and for sure that village could develop! This leadership teaching helps you become more patient. And with patience, people work better together and create progress. As a result, we are more productive. People don’t cross their arms, but instead help each other. As a result, we started a campaign to expand our road. It’s helping! Everyone should experience this teaching!”

– Haramajambere Félicité, leader of Sangwe cooperative

You are part of these stories!

The impact of The Global Leadership Summit in Burundi ultimately has a ripple effect across the entire country. As men and women gain new perspective and hear concepts about servant leadership, trust, valuing others and productivity, transformation occurs. Additionally, those who attend have been elected to leadership roles in the recent elections in villages and municipalities across the country!

If you have ever donated to the Global Leadership Network, you are part of these stories too. Thank you! Interested in getting involved in expanding the GLS around the world? Learn more at GlobalLeadership.org/Give.

Pre-Order Your Creativity Companion 

Posted on August 17, 2021 by Rosey LaVine - Influence, Leadership Development, Leading Yourself, News & Updates

Global Leadership Summit faculty alumni and creativity explorer, Fredrik Haren, is the author of the best-selling phenomenon, The Idea Book, which was translated into 17 languages and sold in more than 60 countries.

Fredrik has studied creativity for over 25 years, and he has been invited to speak on creativity in 70 countries on 6 continents. The Idea Book was included in “The 100 Best Business Books of All Time.” And The Idea Book 2 is the long-awaited sequel.

Just like The Idea Book, The Idea Book 2 is a book and notebook. The book gives you concise creativity exercises and inspiration. The notebook gives you space to write down your own ideas.  Full of stories, examples and lessons, this book is sure to inspire your creativity.

Pre-Order Your Copy >>

Create a Ripple Effect of Positive Change through The Global Leadership Summit

Posted on August 16, 2021 by Rosey LaVine - Because of the GLS, North America, Stories, The Global Leadership Summit

GLS20 Attendees and volunteers pose with masks in Guatemala

If you were part of The Global Leadership Summit audience in 2021, thank you for joining us!

Your decision to invest in developing your leadership skills will have a ripple effect and give back to everyone around you. (Did you miss it? That’s ok! You can still watch the full talks and get access to discussion guides and bonuses resources with GLS On-Demand).

The ripple effect of what happens through The Global Leadership Summit drives the Global Leadership Network to continue to provide intentionally curated leadership resources and create high-impact events, while convening people globally around a vision for positive transformation.

Did you know? Many of stories we heard at GLS21 have one thing in common…

Each story represents just a few of the thousands of stories that become a reality through a new learning or encouragement discovered at The Global Leadership Summit each year!

“The Summit gave me the practical leadership tools I needed to make my vision for my nonprofit a reality. It’s one thing to dream. It’s another to lead people in the fight.” – Rebecca Bender, former trafficking survivor, Founder & CEO, Elevate Academy

“After the Summit, I developed a mentoring program called Building Block that teaches leadership principles to incarcerated men. It has been life changing for both the residents and prison staff. I am so grateful.” – Renaldo Hudson, formerly incarcerated Summit attendee, current Director of Education, Illinois Prison Project

“I used to see things so negatively, but the Summit changed my mindset. I decided to take advantage of the situation during a global pandemic and equip myself with new skills in psychological counseling to follow my dream of serving youth.”– Le Thi Hai, Summit attendee in Vietnam

“In every Summit session, God taught me how to be more compassionate to humanity. There are about 35 people working under me in healthcare—and there is a ripple effect. I salute the passion, love and determination of the Summit team here who risked their lives to give back and serve humanity with His love and care.” – medical doctor and GLS attendee in an undisclosed location in the Middle East

“The Summit gave me courage to choose to do what is right for me. It gave me a different outlook than the toxic one that had consumed me for so long. I am stronger now, taking care of myself, leading better and looking for ways to support others who are in similar situations.” – Jessica, GLS Ministry Connect attendee in U.S.-based homeless shelter

Guess what? You too are part of these stories.

Our generous Summit audience, driven by a desire to see positive transformation through leadership, makes stories like these possible. In fact, when you give a donation to the Global Leadership Network, you don’t just touch one life—you touch hundreds of thousands of lives through the legacy of these stories.

If you gave last week during The Global Leadership Summit, THANK YOU! Every gift matters!

“When I found out that the Summit came to prison because of the big hearts of people, I was blown away. I thought, wow, someone is thinking about me and I’m so grateful.” – Renaldo Hudson, formerly incarcerated Summit attendee, current Director of Education, Illinois Prison Project

If you are interested in giving today, consider this opportunity!

Whether you decide to give $25,000 to start a Summit site in a new city or $75 to scholarship a young leader in a rural village, every gift, of any size, makes a difference!

Translate the Summit into 55+ languages, bringing the GLS to more than 110 countries this season
Provide safe event venues in war-torn regions, including locations we can’t even mention for their own safety
Bring the Summit into homeless shelters and transition homes, as well as to vulnerable youth and trafficking survivors
Bring the Summit to over 100 prisons across the U.S.
Give people the opportunity to hear, maybe even for the first time in their lives, the words, “you have value” and “your leadership matters.”

Every person deserves the chance to realize their value, their worth and their purpose in this world. Everyone deserves the invitation to use their unique gifts to bring about the positive difference they can make. Will you join us?

Give today to join the movement at GlobalLeadership.org/Give.

4 Ways to Strengthen Your Leadership Structure

Posted on August 11, 2021 by Abby Jungles - Articles, Culture, Decision-Making, Execution, Leading Organizations, People Operations

Busy day. Group of multiracial business people working together in the creative co-working space. Team building concept.

In a world of increasing polarization, scandals and abuses, people are hungry for a better brand of leadership. Lately, there seems to be growing conversation around the structure of leadership required to achieve that, suggesting “flat organizational charts” or “leaderless institutions” are becoming a growing trend.

When it comes to great leadership—in the marketplace, education, government, social services and the church—is that realistic? And is it possible a healthy leadership structure could provide safety and strength instead of stress and struggle to our groups, teams and organizations?

Navigating the Tension

The Bible values leadership and provides some critical guidance regarding how to organize groups of people that are well-led. What’s critical to appreciate, though, is that the key values of scripture, when it comes to leadership, often live in tension with one another. So, it’s the navigating of the tension of a healthy leadership structure that’s the key to delivering and experience God’s best when it comes to great leadership.

On the one hand, the Bible encourages a structure where everyone has a voice. The wisdom of the Proverbs encourages leaders to include “many counsellors” in decision-making. Early Church leadership celebrated a well-made decision that “seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us” that made “all the people glad.” Clearly, great leadership is not intended to be one-directionally top-down or authoritative. A healthy leadership structure includes everybody.

At the same time, a healthy leadership structure doesn’t include everybody. The reason Paul provides Timothy with character requirements for leaders, and the reason one of the spiritual gifts described in the church is called “leadership” is because some people—only a subset of the whole—possess the character and competence for Jesus to lead by His Spirit through them (which, to be clear, is the whole point of any Christian leadership—to let Jesus lead). Corresponding to a disproportionate responsibility, there is a disproportionate authority that some within a group are to be entrusted with. Clearly, a healthy leadership structure is not for everybody.

How can everyone have a voice into decisions, while the person responsible is empowered to exercise the authority to ultimately make a decision?

Practically speaking, how can a leader navigate this tension? How can everyone have a voice into decisions, while the person responsible is empowered to exercise the authority to ultimately make a decision?

In my leadership context, here are four tips we’ve learned along the way about how to give everyone a voice, while empowering the decision maker.

Embrace transparency: Some leaders feel the need to provide their people with great decisions, so instead of including everyone on their team, they isolate themselves to process things alone and then return “from the mountaintop” to deliver their news. In our context—using a baking metaphor—we’ve felt, when you include people in the baking of the cake together, it’s a lot easier for them to eat it. And, even better, when people can contribute “ingredients” (preliminary thinking) to a decision, their ownership and embrace of decisions increases significantly. So, don’t keep your leadership decisions a secret. Be as fully transparent about the issues you’re facing as possible, to allow others to include their voice in them.
Embrace consensus: I’ve been clear with teams I lead that there are three kinds of decisions I make. One is the decision where everyone agrees (consensus). The second is where not everyone agrees, and I allow the opinion different than mine to get its way (deference). And the third is where not everyone agrees, but I insist the decision goes in the direction I’d prefer (authority). Interestingly, to my team, only the third kind of “decision” is ever felt by them, so I work to stimulate as much consensus-building as possible. Even through this effort, you’ll sometimes gain the value that “people don’t need to get their way; they just need to get their way considered.”
Embrace clarity: Very rarely—if ever—will you please all the people, all the time, with your decisions. But I’ve often experienced that well-articulated decisions are consistently respected, even if they’re not constantly agreed with. So, I’ve had to develop my leadership to include as much or more time clarifying the rationale behind decisions as I’ve spent cultivating input and consensus to determine them (appreciating that a greater degree of transparency makes this easier too). The making of a good decision is not the finish line; it’s only the halfway mark, because the strategies and communication to clarify a decision to the stakeholders around you is just as critical as the discernment invested into making them.
Embrace accountability: Because we’re not perfect, leaders don’t always get it right. The question is: what happens when leaders get it wrong? I’ve found the people I lead don’t need me to be flawless; they need me to be accountable. So, in our context, we’ve worked diligently with our board members (who provide the governance oversight of my senior leadership) to develop a system of inputs on my work plan, combined with a system of grading my performance (and decision-making) evaluation, to generate a weighted average of their opinion of my leadership of our organization each year. That not only helps me be clear on where I’ve missed the mark; it helps others know that I’m accountable to someone for my decisions—especially the ones that didn’t turn out right.

I hope you’ve noticed something with these four recommendations: none of them are structural in nature. That’s because I believe that the structural values of Biblical leadership—that need to live in tension with each other—get navigated behaviorally, not structurally.

The strength of a leadership structure isn’t its structure; it’s the behaviors that help manage the tensions any healthy leadership structure requires.

From my experience, a leadership structure can be extremely flat and still find itself way off course. And a leadership structure that is highly authoritative can sometimes be fantastically healthy. The strength of a leadership structure isn’t its structure; it’s the behaviors that help manage the tensions any healthy leadership structure requires.

How does your leadership structure work on your team or in your organization? And which of the behaviors does your leadership need to most grow in, in order to better navigate the tension of a thriving leadership structure?

Let’s embrace the behaviors of great leadership—instead of assuming a structure, on its own, is the solution—in order to experience, enjoy and express a better brand of leadership!

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