Month: April 2022

7 Reasons Business Leaders Recommend The Global Leadership Summit

Posted on April 25, 2022 by - Business, Leadership Development, News & Updates

African American business coach speaking presentation at briefing

What started as a single event back in the 1990’s, The Global Leadership Summit (GLS) now attracts hundreds of thousands of people around the world at thousands of host sites and online locations. Bringing together an audience that represents various industries including business, nonprofit, healthcare, education, government and ministry, the GLS has become a unique platform, unlike any other leadership conference in the world today.

 

Here are the top 7 reasons business leaders recommend the Summit to their colleagues:

1. A diverse, world-class faculty with a wealth of leadership experience we all can learn from.

The world-class leadership faculty will bring their expertise from their latest research and experiences for two days of rich, inspiring learning relevant to today’s challenges and context.

Check out the full lineup >>

 

 

2. Opportunity to gain fresh perspective, new insights and alternative solutions to everyday obstacles.

There’s no other conference that brings together such a diverse faculty, while also convening such a diverse audience of curious, growth-minded men and women from around the world—this makes the GLS a great opportunity to invest in your own personal leadership growth, as well as the growth of your team.

“Every year we attend The Global Leadership Summit and every year I am impressed and encouraged by the quality of speakers and the valuable lessons learned. It is truly the best leadership conference available for any level of leader and the best value for such a high-quality event.” – Angela Braly, Co-Founder, The Policy Circle

 

3. Attendance and application of new leadership principles create positive, tangible change.

Feedback from our attendees and research outcomes speak for themselves. In 2017, an independent research firm, Excellence in Giving, cited an overwhelming positive return on investment for those who attended The Global Leadership Summit.

Here are just some of the highlights we discovered:

    • 68% “agree” or “strongly agree” the GLS improved their productivity
    • 81% “agree” or “strongly agree” the GLS improved their job satisfaction
    • 74% “agree” or “strongly agree” the GLS improved the quality of their work
    • 62% “agree” or “strongly agree” the GLS materials helped them teach others about leadership, with an average of 47% other people being trained in the last two years

“In our 16 years of attending the Summit we continuously validate our purpose to fan the leadership flame in others and ourselves. We adamantly believe everyone is a leader in life in many aspects—relationships, kids, family, sports teams, in our workplace, etc. As a result, the Summit became part of our business’ fundamental training program and more, it is part of our culture. It is with humble hearts and joy to celebrate 26 years in business where it is a daily routine to mentor teams to lead themselves beyond any perceived limitation that they could never be a ‘leader’.” – Thomas and Cynthia Parker, CEO’s Judicial Services Company

 

4. The Summit is a great addition to your leadership development program for you and/or your staff.

The Summit is a great opportunity to invest in your own personal leadership growth, as well as the growth of your team. In doing so, you add value back into your staff and allow people to develop a common leadership language, which ends up creating a better culture, improving job satisfaction and increasing innovation and productivity to drive your mission forward.

“Leaders are learners, and if we’re not learning from a diverse range of leadership voices and developing others around us to do the same, we will fail to lead diverse teams to their potential. The Summit is a staple in our companies’ leadership fitness regimen—we care about our business, mission, people and making a difference in the world – which requires leadership!” – Mike Sharrow, CEO, C12 Group

 

5. The Summit is more than a conference about leadership principles, it also provides a dose of encouragement and inspiration to carry you through the year.

Attracting an audience from every walk of life from Christians and non-Christians alike, the Summit focuses on curating a world-class faculty that delivers leadership principles that can be applied in almost any context with an important element of hope and encouragement that is often missing from strictly business-focused conferences.

“The Summit inspires us to lead with a purpose bigger than ourselves. We bring leaders from our organization each year, and it’s a true gift to our organization to be able to offer world-class leadership training at a reasonable price.” – Mike and Megan Tamte, Co-Founders & Co-CEOs Evereve

 

6. The Summit provides the opportunity to network with values-based, growth-minded men and women in your local community.

The Summit creates an opportunity for business leaders to come together with key stakeholders and members of their community from an array of diverse backgrounds. And because this event attracts values-based, growth-minded men and women, the networking that occurs naturally turns into valuable relationships and connections moving key community initiatives forward.

“Together we can make our city even better. It’s a matter of the choices we make, and as a community we’ve decided to work hard to create an even stronger environment for those who live, work and play here.” – Chuck Surack, CEO, Sweetwater

 

7. The cost-benefit for leadership development is extremely high.

As many business leaders report in their feedback, the value they receive at the GLS is often greater than other business conferences that cost upwards of thousands of dollars to attend.

“The Global Leadership Summit is quite arguably the most effective, purpose-filled leadership development experience in the world. I can say, without reservation, the high-quality, inspiring content delivered via the Summit has made many people within our organization better leaders, including me.” – John Venhuizen, President & CEO, Ace Hardware Corp.

 

Clear your schedule and mark your calendars for The Global Leadership Summit! Get your tickets today >>

10 Principles Necessary for True Leadership—GLS22 Faculty Spotlight

Posted on April 22, 2022 by - Articles, Character, Influence, Leadership Development, Leading Organizations, Leading Yourself

Bob Iger

What is the role of a leader? The answer to this question can often get mixed responses depending on how you view leadership. The truth is, regardless of your position in your organization, practicing leadership principles can help you confidently navigate both your professional and personal life, whatever your role may be.

Bob Iger, Former CEO & Executive Chairman of The Walt Disney Company shares principles of leadership that may feel counterintuitive to the typical stereotypes—fostering risk-taking and creativity; building a culture of trust; fueling curiosity; inspiring people around you; embracing change; operating with integrity—yet principles like these are what leaders worth following embody most. By building these values and principles into your own life, you can become a leader worth following.

We’re excited to welcome Bob Iger to The Global Leadership Summit stage in August 2022!

There is much to learn from his award-winning career in media and entertainment. Over his 15 years of leading The Walt Disney Company, Bob Iger built Disney into one of the largest and most admired media entertainment companies in the world. As CEO, Iger expanded on Disney’s rich history of unforgettable storytelling with acquisitions of Pixar, Marvel, Lucasfilm, and 21st Century Fox. Always one to embrace new technology, Iger has made Disney an industry leader through its creative content offerings across multiple platforms.

Featured on Good Morning America to discuss his latest New York Times best-selling book, The Ride of a Lifetime, Bob Iger shared some of his top principles as a leader over the course of his career, including the values of taking risks, treating people fairly, and others.

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Get your tickets to join us to hear more from Bob Iger at The Global Leadership Summit on August 4-5, 2022, and until then, enjoy this excerpt from the prologue of his latest book, The Ride of a Lifetime, where he breaks down the principles necessary for true leadership.

 

10 Principles Necessary for True Leadership

1. Optimism.

One of the most important qualities of a good leader is optimism, a pragmatic enthusiasm for what can be achieved. Even in the face of difficult choices and less than ideal outcomes, an optimistic leader does not yield to pessimism. Simply put, people are not motivated or energized by pessimists.

 

2. Courage.

The foundation of risk-taking is courage, and in ever-changing, disrupted businesses, risk-taking is essential, innovation is vital, and true innovation occurs only when people have courage. This is true of acquisitions, investments, and capital allocations, and it particularly applies to creative decisions. Fear of failure destroys creativity.

Fear of failure destroys creativity.

 

3. Focus.

Allocating time, energy, and resources to the strategies, problems, and projects that are of highest importance and value is extremely important, and it’s imperative to communicate your priorities clearly and often.

 

4. Decisiveness.

All decisions, no matter how difficult, can and should be made in a timely way. Leaders must encourage a diversity of opinion balanced with the need to make and implement decisions. Chronic indecision is not only inefficient and counterproductive, but it is deeply corrosive to morale.

 

5. Curiosity.

A deep and abiding curiosity enables the discovery of new people, places, and ideas, as well as an awareness and an understanding of the marketplace and its changing dynamics. The path to innovation begins with curiosity.

 

6. Fairness.

Strong leadership embodies the fair and decent treatment of people. Empathy is essential, as is accessibility. People committing honest mistakes deserve second chances, and judging people too harshly generates fear and anxiety, which discourages communication and innovation. Nothing is worse to an organization than a culture of fear.

Nothing is worse to an organization than a culture of fear.

 

7. Thoughtfulness.

Thoughtfulness is one of the most underrated elements of good leadership. It is the process of gaining knowledge, so an opinion rendered, or decision made is more credible and more likely to be correct. It’s simply about taking the time to develop informed opinions.

 

8. Authenticity.

Be genuine. Be honest. Don’t fake anything. Truth and authenticity breed respect and trust.

 

9. The relentless pursuit of perfection.

This doesn’t mean perfectionism at all costs, but it does mean refusal to accept mediocrity or make excuses for something being “good enough.” If you believe that something can be made better, put in the effort to do it. If you’re in the business of making things, be in the business of making great things.

 

10. Integrity.

Nothing is more important than the quality and integrity of an organization’s people and its product. A company’s success depends on setting high ethical standards for all things, big and small. Another way of saying this is: The way you do anything is the way you do everything.

This excerpt preview is from the prologue of The Ride of a Lifetime publicly provided by Google Books.

 

Want to hear more from Bob Iger? Join us at The Global Leadership Summit on August 4-5, 2022! Get Tickets >>

Are You Leading at Your Capacity?

Posted on April 21, 2022 by - Calling, Leading Yourself, Resilience, Videos

Bianca Juarez-Olthoff will be speaking at Global Leadership Summit 2021.

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Bianca says the best leadership advice she’s ever received came from none other than Craig Groeschel when he challenged her about whether or not she was leading at her greatest capacity.

A Flourishing Workplace: Thriving Rather Than Surviving

Posted on April 21, 2022 by - Articles, Culture, Leading Organizations, Team Building

Uncertain times call for brave leaders.

“Hope International had a purpose-driven and highly engaged culture,” says Peter Greer, CEO. “But I sensed that it was diluting rather than reproducing as we entered a season of accelerated growth. We recognized the importance of culture, but we didn’t know how to accurately gauge it—or move beyond recognition to action. We didn’t know what we didn’t know.”

Like hundreds of other organizations, Hope International engaged Best Christian Workplaces Institute for an Employee Engagement Survey. In their commitment to learning and excellence, Hope International moved from an accidental culture to a place of intentional flourishing.

Hope International is one of many examples of thriving organizations highlighted in my new book—Road to Flourishing: Eight Keys to Boost Employee Engagement and Well-Being.

 

Why Does Workplace Culture Matter?

Workplace culture comprises the shared beliefs and values of a group of people, expressed in priorities, decisions, and behaviors. So, Christian leaders will exhibit God’s love in their everyday interactions in the workplace and create a positive workplace culture, right?

While following Jesus can result in flourishing, sadly, we also can think of examples of Christian leaders where the fruit of God’s Spirit is not evident at all!

 

Love Makes a Difference

My own experience with a ministry team started on a positive note. While studying at Penn State, my faith life was changed through the ministry of Young Life. As I grew as a follower of Jesus, I joined with other college students to minister to high school students. The culture of the local leadership team was so engaging that I couldn’t tear myself away. Our ministry with kids was effective because of the love we had for one another as leaders.

Workplace culture determines employee engagement, and employee engagement determines organizational success.

Throughout my corporate career in human resources, I saw the value of engaged employees. Employee well-being has a great impact on bottom-line results. Workplace culture determines employee engagement, and employee engagement determines organizational success. While these were not necessarily Christian workplaces, I saw the power of a caring team that I had first experienced through Young Life.

As I contemplated what might be next for me after several decades in human resources leadership, one regular Monday morning I had a supernatural encounter with God’s love. I felt God’s love flooding my spirit and sensed God affirming that I can love others because he first loved me (1 John 4:19). God began to show me what life could be like if I lived fully in his love. My encounter with God’s love charged my heart with energy and love for others. This personal, spiritual reality connected with my professional experience to lead me in a new direction.

 

Flourishing or Toxic

In the corporate world, research on employee engagement led to quantifiable factors. Rather than being dismissed as a soft issue, centered around a few perks in the workplace, measurement of employee engagement provided leaders with a roadmap for improvement.

What would it look like if these measures were applied to Christian organizations and marketplace companies led by Christians, using solid research that also incorporated measurements of Christian values within the leadership of an organization? This quest led to the establishment of the Best Christian Workplaces Institute (BCWI). The nearly 20 years of learning through BCWI is now available in Road to Flourishing: Eight Keys to Boost Employee Engagement and Well-Being.

This wasn’t just data; the culture was impacting real people.

The first time I dove into results for a Christian-led organization that displayed a toxic culture, the magnitude of the issues got my attention. This wasn’t just data; the culture was impacting real people. Those who worked for low wages and tried to make a difference for the at-risk children they served were suffering because of the workplace culture. And the children this ministry served were also suffering. What stoked my fire was realizing that one bad workplace wasn’t unique—many other organizations were squandering opportunities, damaging people, and giving Christ a bad name by their toxic cultures.

Along with understanding the damage that a toxic workplace can cause, on the other side of the spectrum, there is joy when people are inspired by leadership and bring their full selves to the mission of their organization. Leaders can create a flourishing workplace culture in a wide range of Christian organizations and marketplace companies.

As more and more organizations have participated in BCWI Employee Engagement Surveys, the keys to a flourishing workplace have become clear. Independent researchers used the BCWI database to establish clusters of qualities that lead to flourishing.

All the keys to flourishing are applicable to any workplace or organization, whether it is Christian-based or not. The foundational principles that lead to thriving provide a healthy work environment for everyone.

 

The eight keys to a flourishing workplace culture are represented by the acronym FLOURISH.
      • Fantastic Teams
      • Life-Giving Work
      • Outstanding Talent
      • Uplifting Growth
      • Rewarding Compensation
      • Inspirational Leadership
      • Sustainable Strategy
      • Healthy Communication

So, how does the organization you are called to lead stack up in terms of flourishing? Do the people God has entrusted to your leadership display energy, enthusiasm, commitment, and passion in their work?

The BCWI Employee Engagement Survey contains more than 50 questions, but the level of agreement with four statements highlights the level of engagement:

      1. “I would recommend my organization to others as a good place to work”—the energy question.
      2. “I would rate my organization as an exceptional place to serve”—the enthusiasm question.
      3. “I would prefer to remain with my organization even if a comparable role at a higher pay level were available in another organization”—the commitment question.
      4. “I am motivated to put in extra effort beyond what is expected to help my organization succeed”—the passion question.

 

Why Workplace Culture Matters Now

The generational shift in the workplace means that Baby Boomers are retiring, Generation X and Millennials are today’s leaders and frontline managers, and Generation Z is emerging in the workplace. The leaders of today and tomorrow value personal fulfillment, access to influence, and meaningful mission. These are baseline expectations, not “extras” in workplace culture. A sense of duty to work is not enough to keep these workers and leaders engaged. They want to live out their passion, energy, enthusiasm, and commitment. Creating a healthy workplace culture is a great way to capture the best qualities of the next generation of Christ-followers who will lead into tomorrow’s opportunities and challenges.

A sense of duty to work is not enough to keep these workers and leaders engaged.

In addition, we are now in our third year of adjustments based on a pandemic, which has impacted the workplace in permanent ways. Developing a thriving workplace and engaged employees sets up organizations for the ability to adapt and respond to unforeseen challenges.

You can be part of a movement of Christian leaders who are committed to thriving workplace cultures that glorify God, value people, and illustrate the difference that following Jesus makes in everyday life.

Portions of this article are from Road to Flourishing: Eight Keys to Boost Employee Engagement and Well-Being. Copyright 2022 Best Christian Workplaces Institute. Published by IVPress.com.

Ep 100: Leveraging the Power of Story to Bring Clean Water to the World—Scott Harrison & Trey McKnight

Posted on April 18, 2022 by - Leading Yourself, Podcasts, Resilience

Now introducing The Global Leadership Podcast presented by the Global Leadership Network.

SUMMARY:

charity: water Founder and CEO, Scott Harrison understands the power of story. In this conversation with Trey McKnight, not only does Scott share how he uses stories for greater impact, but he also shares his own personal story of transformation: how he went from a New York City night club promoter and partier to non-profit CEO, and even how some of his skills as a promotor contributed to charity: water’s success.

 

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

DON’T LET YOUR PAST HOLD YOU BACK. Regardless of what you’ve done in your past, there’s always an opportunity to write a new chapter. Furthermore, sometimes the skills you learn doing something you are ashamed of actually help you build something meaningful and worthwhile.   

 

STATISTICS AND NUMBERS CAN ONLY GO SO FAR.  Lean into story—through audio and video—to really capture the hearts and imagination of people. 

 

STORIES MATTER FOR MORE THAN PR OR MARKETING. Use stories—both within organizations and with the public—to illustrate your values.  

 

EVEN BAD NEWS CAN POSITIVELY HIGHLIGHT VALUES. For example, a crashed truck can actually be used to talk about the tenacity and persistence of your organization. Don’t be afraid to see the positive inside the hard news.  

 

LEADERSHIP CAN BE LEARNED. Experience, a “passion for cause and purpose”, and positive action can teach valuable leadership skills.  

 

GOOD SYSTEMS MAKE THINGS SCALABLE. Sometimes entrepreneurs can get too focused on the creative and visionary aspects of their work and forget that good systems can really help fuel growth and effectiveness.  

 

SEEK TO SERVE YOUR ORGANIZATION UNIQUELY. Ask yourself as a leader how—based on your skills and passions—you can best serve the organization’s mission, and then continually reinvent that as is necessary.  

 

DON’T BE AFRAID TO ASK PEOPLE TO BE GENEROUS. People may be flattered that you believe they are capable of responding with that much generosity.  

 

 

RELATED LINKS:

Global Leadership Network 

The Global Leadership Summit 

Trey McKnight 

Charity: Water 

The Spring 

Thirst Book on Amazon (Affiliate link) 

 

 

5 Ways the Best Leaders Warm Hearts

Posted on April 14, 2022 by - Articles, Church, Church & Faith-Based, Influence, Leading Others, Process, Relational Intelligence, Servant Leadership, Women Leaders, Women Leaders - Leading Others

A group of muti-culture and muti-gernation come together to embrace their differences.

Abraham Lincoln demonstrated his profound understanding of how to exercise influence when he said, “in order to ‘win a man to your cause’…you must first reach his heart, ‘the great high road to his reason.’” I submit the most effective moral leaders have mastered the soft leadership skill of reaching people’s hearts, or as I like to say it, warming hearts.

In The Hospitable Leader: Create Environments Where People and Dreams Flourish, I write that the first welcome of hospitable leadership is “Home” and that home is where the heart is warm. If moral leadership is about influencing people in moral ways to achieve moral ends, which I believe it is, then it is important to note it is simply easier to influence people who feel at home with the leader, whose hearts have been warmed by the leader.

…the most effective moral leaders have mastered the soft leadership skill of reaching people’s hearts…

Our statement of values at The Life Christian Church, where I serve as Lead Pastor, is called The TLCC Way. One of our Ways is “we are always hospitable.” I know there is nothing particularly unique about an organizational value of hospitality, but one of the sub points to this value is, “we massage people’s hearts.” My understanding is that it is common for the surgeon at the end of an open heart surgery to reach into the patient’s chest cavity and massage their heart to help it start beating again. I like that image a lot. There are so many people in our world who need their heart massaged.

So, we teach our staff and volunteers to never just do a thing, but to do it focused on what is happening in people’s hearts. We are not just casting vision, or communicating truth, or teaching a child, or singing from the stage, or serving a cappuccino in the coffee bar; we are always warming people’s hearts and knowing that when we do, we greatly enhance the probability of leading those people we are serving to good and beautiful things.

Jesus was an expert heart warmer.

Jesus had an amazing capacity to make people feel at home. I believe in Jesus as my Lord and Savior, however, if we just look at Jesus from a pure leadership perspective it would be hard to deny that He was one of the most effective—if not the most effective—leader who ever lived. One of the secrets to His leadership success is how often Jesus used or created environments of hospitality in order to exercise leadership. He used the wedding at Cana, for instance, to reveal His glory through turning water into wine. He fed the 5,000 to teach that He was the bread of life, and cooked a seaside breakfast for Peter where He reconnected him to his destiny. I could go on.

Only warm hearts can warm hearts.

A very telling interaction occurred in the famous story of the two guys on the road to Emmaus who acknowledged they should have immediately recognized Jesus when they saw Him after His resurrection because, as they said, “were not our hearts burning within us while He talked with us?” I believe great leaders learn how to create environments so welcoming that their follower’s hearts are always burning and where their followers passionately follow them from the depths of their hearts.

Allow me to suggest an interesting model that demonstrates how Jesus paid attention to the whole human experience and created the conditions—physically, spiritually, emotionally, attitudinally, and communicatively—that warmed people’s hearts and led them to do great things. I see this in the story of the Last Supper. Regardless of whether we are leading in the for-profit, nonprofit sector, or in a secular or religious context, this is a paradigm of superior leadership all of us can learn much from.

 

Here are five ways Jesus created an environment that warmed His followers’ hearts and led them to do great things.

 

1. Jesus paid great attention to the physical preparation for this most consequential of leadership meetings.

Luke’s Gospel tells us in some detail that Jesus sent two of His top leaders—Peter and John—to prepare the physical space for the Last Supper. They secured a “large room, all furnished” and made preparations for the Passover there, no doubt a meticulous and time-consuming task: a lamb secured and slain, wine purchased, a meal prepared, a table set for twelve plus one. A hospitable physical environment mattered to Jesus and should matter to us.

 

2. Jesus ensured that the spiritual climate was hospitable.

John’s Gospel tells us “Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under His power and that He had come from God and was returning to God.” Jesus knew who He was in relationship to the Father, He was at home with God. In order to create home, we must be at home. Which is to say we need to have a settled peace and deep sense of security in our own relationship with God. Only warm hearts can warm hearts.

 

3. Jesus set a warm emotional environment.

John said in this moment, Jesus showed His followers “the full extent of His love.” A leader who wants to reach people’s hearts must figure out how to convey the depth of his or her love to the people they serve.

 

4. Jesus established the attitudinal atmosphere.

Then, in the greatest act of servant leadership ever recorded, Jesus established the attitudinal atmosphere when He wrapped Himself in a towel and washed the dirty feet of His followers. He let it be known in no uncertain terms that He had come to serve. Hospitable leaders always posture themselves to serve the needs and dreams of their followers.

Hospitable leaders always posture themselves to serve the needs and dreams of their followers.

 

5. Jesus was then able to advance a communicatively hospitable environment.

If you look at the many things He said at that meal—covering five chapters in the Gospel of John—from a pure leadership communication perspective, it’s hard to not be awestruck. He cast vision for their future together, called them to sacrifice for His cause, assured them He would provide the resources necessary for their success, and so much more. He gave a leadership talk for the ages that helped propel the team of twelve people to change the world forever.

I encourage you, like Jesus, to be a leader who thinks about how to create an environment that feels like home—where people’s hearts are warm—by paying attention to the physical, spiritual, emotional, attitudinal, and communicative climate in whatever you are leading. Then watch how much easier it becomes to lead people to achieve the good, the beautiful, and the great.

 

Footnotes:

“In order to win a man to your cause… you must reach his heart, the great high road to his reason”: Doris Kearns Goodwin, Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln (New York: Simon & Schuster, 2005), 168.

“Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us?”: Luke 24:32 NIV.

“Large room, all furnished”: Luke 22:8-13 NIV.

“Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under His power and that He had come from God and was returning to God”: John 13:3 NIV.

Giving Kids Opportunity in Ghana One Book at a Time

Posted on April 14, 2022 by - Africa, Because of the GLS, Calling, Collaboration, Confidence, Education, Influence, Leading Organizations, Nonprofit, North America, Relationship with God, Resilience, Servant Leadership, Stories, Vision, Wellness

Giving Kids Opportunity in Ghana One Book at a Time

Audra Meyer and Philip TutuAs a traveling military wife and now a mom of three, Audra Meyer has had the unique opportunity to dabble in various opportunities, including teaching, interior design, and nonprofit ministry. Her most recent family move to the Chicago area gave her the chance to work for the Global Leadership Network (GLN) where her role on the international team introduced her to thousands of leaders from around the world who care deeply about their communities. One of those leaders is a pastor, nonprofit leader, and Global Leadership Summit (GLS) champion in Ghana, Philip Tutu.

What Audra didn’t know when she met Philip was how her connection would flip her world upside down and give her an opportunity to follow her passions to serve kids through books. But the fullness of this opportunity didn’t come first without her making some difficult decisions.

Reframing “Calling”

“I turned 34 in 2018 and felt a midlife crisis hit,” said Audra. “On one hand, I never thought I could do something big, yet doing these international events with the GLN was way larger than life. Seeing its success was empowering. But on a personal side, I was floundering, and I don’t think anybody knew it. I was struggling with anxiety, panic attacks, and trying to handle it alone. With no other family around, my husband and I were strapped for energy as we were torn between both working full time and parenting three kids ages four and under.

I was honestly in my most successful year ever. But internally, I was not ok.

“As I was challenged by the word authenticity, I wore two hats. The children’s book, The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, and the Horse by Charlie Mackesky has a line in it that says, ‘I am enough as I am.’ Publicly, I was a powerhouse of efficiency and effectiveness, nailing it as a mom hauling my troops promptly in the snowy Chicago winters before conquering global events by day. I was honestly in my most successful year ever. But internally, I was not ok. I tend to go faster and do more when I really need to stop and breathe. I went to a counselor who suggested that I quit my job to take care of myself. So, I was asking myself, do I want to be the working mom, or do I want to be the stay-at-home mom? I didn’t want either! I felt this darkness of being alone and exhausted. It was in this transition that I said, now what?

“‘Where are you called?’ is a question people use somewhat flippantly. It’s an intense question. I taught a course called, ‘C.A.L.D: Christ-Appointed Leadership Development’ back in ministry when my husband was in the military and I believed every word. Yet, I cannot seem to know my own calling now? What if I’m called to change diapers of these little twins today without any adult interaction? What if I’m called to lead events that impact 120 countries around the world? Is one better than the other? We need to reframe our brains from thinking we must do this grandiose thing to make a difference in our calling.

We need to reframe our brains from thinking we must do this grandiose thing to make a difference in our calling.

“‘Simplify to Glorify’—is a slogan I came up with in college. Seasons change. I can lead a Beth Moore intensive study on James or give myself grace to simply say I’m grateful I put on matching socks today. I needed to realize it was ok to slow down, simplify, and refocus on the priorities of this season of my life.

“Before dealing with our deep internal questions, we need to ask what the issue under the issue is. The opportunity to make a difference could be obvious to the world or we might be called to a season of perseverance. Between COVID and quitting my job, turning into a stay-at-home mom still is a daily struggle to not let the challenges of life squash my joy.”

Meeting Philip

While the pieces of Audra’s life felt more like an unfinished puzzle when she met Philip, she wrestled through and discovered how the connections she was making were leading her down a path toward her passion. “This same year, I met Phillip Tutu, the GLS leader in Ghana,” said Audra. “I asked him, if you could do anything outside of all these amazing things you do for the GLS, what would you do? And he said, get books for children back home.

I asked him, if you could do anything outside of all these amazing things you do for the GLS, what would you do?

“This very humble, peaceful, joyful presence was going around gathering books for children who don’t have even one book of their own. He believes education is the most powerful weapon in which you can change the world. And here I am at home with a book nook for my children, and libraries galore. I was really struck by what he said.”

Pieces Come Together

When she reflected on her past, she remembered what books meant to her as a child, and her passion grew. “As a little girl, I was in a reading program for kids who struggled to read,” said Audra. “Since I was little, I’ve loved kids. That’s why I went to school to be a teacher. When I became a teacher, I loved to teach reading. The only thing I kept after my teaching job were all the children’s books. The imagination sparks, opportunity grows, and even a few books speak of potential.

“The pieces were coming together—my passions aligned with what Philip was doing back in Ghana. How can I use the specific season in front of me as well as the sparks that I’ve been passionate about? I love helping others and have always thrived in that, and now I’m finally recognizing it as part of who I am. So, I began to ask how I could help.”

Changing Mindset at The Global Leadership Summit

100Fold Harvest Audra Meyer Philip Books Meeting Liz Bohaannon

Not only did Audra meet Philip in 2018, but she was also deeply inspired by Liz Bohannon, one of the featured faculty at The Global Leadership Summit in 2019. Liz inspired leaders with her popular talk about the idea of dreaming small—if you want to change the world, start with one thing, one friend, one connection. “Liz Bohannon was my jumpstart,” said Audra. “She talked about helping just one person, and I thought, I can do that! I don’t have to do something lofty and grand; I can start with getting one book!”

Though the spark was lit, Audra realized she needed to slow down and take in what God was trying to show her. “I tend to second guess that I can have an influence,” said Audra. “It’s funny because here I was working the event that says everyone has influence, and yet at the same time I’m thinking I don’t have influence. So, I took that summer and fall to slow down, and I started digging deeper into the Summit content while focusing on my children; the next generation of influencers.”

In addition to Liz Bohannon, one of the other speakers that inspired Audra was Jo Saxton who said, “who were you before anyone told you who you were supposed to be?”

“Life happened to me while I was pretending to be the superhero,” said Audra. “And yet, I didn’t know who I was. We moved 11 times in 7 states in 15 years of marriage. None of that challenged me as much as it did when we had newborn twins and a 2.5-year-old. I met my match, so I thought.”

God’s Beautiful Orchestration

At the same time, God was orchestrating something beautiful in the connection between Philip and Audra. With a passion for education, Philip’s ideas began to burst at the GLS as well. “Philip says education is the most powerful weapon in which you can change the world,” said Audra. “He was inspired through GLS stories and so was I!”

I don’t have to do something lofty and grand; I can start with getting one book!

Audra bought Liz Bohannon’s book, Beginner’s Pluck, and began to gain momentum. “While being immersed in the ‘mom’ phase of life, I turned to moms and asked for donations of books on social media while coming to terms with the idea of transitioning off staff at the GLN due to stress and not being able to afford to work with childcare costs,” Audra explained. “I asked, how do I heal and move toward my passion?

“At the end of the day, it’s about the children. It’s about education. It’s about empowering kids to dream and building a legacy in the next generation, including my own. Phillip reminded me that the next generation has influence. It’s when he said those words that I realized that I actually did need to quit my job. The next generation are the ones who are going to influence the world, and I 100% believe that. I had this moment of conviction, I realized I’m professing this idea and yet there are three little people, my kids—future influencers—right in front of me. Instead of being reluctant to quit my job, I needed to embrace the gift and opportunity to raise these blessings.”

Audra Meyer in a container

Today, Philip Tutu has 20 learning communities across Ghana paired with the local church as a way both spread the Gospel and provide education opportunities. Audra continues to collect books to support Philip’s passion for education. Recently, Audra and her husband invested in their new nonprofit, 100Fold Harvest centered on this verse from Mark 4:20:

“The seed sown on good ground represents those who hear the word, embrace it, and produce a harvest beyond their wildest dreams; some thirty, some sixty, and some a hundredfold.

“The fact that Philip and I met and now work together in this cause is so amazing!” Audra exclaimed. “I’m excited to spread the word! The more people I talk to about it the more excited everybody gets.”

By equipping the next generation of influencers with literacy and education, opportunities are unlocked 100 Fold, one book at a time.

Gaining Momentum

As Audra connects with local educators, libraries, daycare centers and friends, 100Fold Harvest gains momentum. She welcomes any help to get the word out, find large storage facilities, fund shipping, acquire used English books to ship in a 40-foot container, and gain volunteers. “As I ‘Simplify to Glorify,’ word gets out and empty boxes and marketing materials have been donated, and several schools have held book drives,” said Audra. “It’s amazing!

Audra Meyer Car of Boxes“The ask has nothing to do with me. When I step aside and let God work, donations pile high in my ‘mom mini-van’ in between school drop-offs. While I pour into my own children, the awareness of 100Fold Harvest grows on its own. Within a few months we have gathered over 100+ boxes of books, and the list is exponential! Philip Tutu’s team does the hard work of teaching, distributing materials, and mentoring these passionate souls who might be the next person doing a global event.

Through this new endeavor, Audra can follow her passion to support kids through books and build into her own kids. “The opportunity to also teach my kids about generosity, that there’s somebody somewhere else—hearing them talking to their little friends about it and seeing them excited about donating books too—is so exciting,” said Audra. “I just love the fact that a little kid just like my little kid, could have the chance to read Brown Bear, Brown Bear. For kids to learn how to read and be able to go to school to learn…who knows what they might be?! They might be the next person doing a global event. Who knows? It’s not about getting glory or praise for whatever 100Fold Harvest becomes. It’s not about this lofty idea. God is saying, ‘You’re making a difference, and I see it, and that’s enough.’

“I simply am a tool to help you declutter and give little children, like my own, books. The vision will spread when it’s not your own. From years as a teacher to now figuring out how to be a parent to my own children, I melt when I see the joy in a child’s eyes when they first begin to read. The ability to read equips a child with opportunity, education, imagination…the list is 100 Fold. Opportunity awaits!”

Be inspired by what God might have in store for you to hear at an upcoming Global Leadership Network event. Learn more at GlobalLeadership.org/Events.

Meet the Ministry Leaders Among the GLS22 Faculty

Posted on April 12, 2022 by - Church & Faith-Based, Leadership Development, News & Updates

Voice your Vision at The Global Leadership Summit 2022

With 25+ years of experience delivering fresh, practical, hope-filled leadership development training within a supportive community, The Global Leadership Summit has become more than a two-day conference—it is an invitation to get geared up with the leadership tools you need to voice your vision for a better future.   

Among our faculty of leading experts spanning a wide range of fields and backgrounds, are a group of incredible ministry leaders who can provide you with timely wisdom you can apply in your personal life, organization, or business.

Meet this year’s featured Ministry Leaders!

 

Check out the full line up in the video below!

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Will we see you at GLS22? Learn more about our faculty and get $50 off your tickets when you register before June 15, 2022. Learn More >>

Disney, SHRM, Ancestry, In-N-Out Burger—Meet the CEOs Among the GLS22 Faculty

Posted on April 11, 2022 by - Business, Leadership Development, News & Updates

Voice your Vision at The Global Leadership Summit 2022

With 25+ years of experience delivering fresh, practical, hope-filled leadership development training within a supportive community, The Global Leadership Summit has become more than a two-day conference—it is an invitation to get geared up with the leadership tools you need to voice your vision for a better future.

Among our faculty of leading experts spanning a wide range of fields and backgrounds, are a group of incredible CEOs whose careers can provide you with timely wisdom you can apply in your organization or business.

Meet the CEOs Among the GLS22 Faculty! 

 

Check out the full line up in the video below!
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Will we see you at GLS22? Learn more about our faculty and get $50 off your tickets when you register before June 15, 2022. Learn More >> 

Building Resilience on a Team

Posted on April 8, 2022 by - Leading Others, Relational Intelligence, Videos

General Stanley McChrystal will be speaking at Global Leadership Summit 2021.
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General McChrystal says that the best way to start building resilience on a team is to start with connection, trust, purpose, confidence, and empowerment.