Friday, August 15, 2014

The Global Leadership Summit 2014

Pathway Church was a host site the last two days for The Global Leadership Summit and I was honored to attend. This wasn't my first Summit, but this was my first Summit as a full time Mom. My current season of life doesn't allow much time to be with adults only in a lecture learning setting. It was a nice two days of feeling like a grown up, professional, woman. Don't get me wrong, I love my current season of life (even though it is tough).

Another reason the Summit was valuable to me this year was because I have taken on some leadership roles in my lifetime, but the last year or so is the first time that I've chosen to do these things while being a Mom. Being a mom is a full time job, no matter if you stay home or go to work, so things change when you are a mom. You automatically put someone else before yourself, that is the only option. In everything you do you have to make the choice dependent on how it affects your family. So, when I choose to volunteer or work in a position that will take my time away from my family, it does just that. It is a hard choice to make.

So, as a leader...in my job at church, in my volunteer positions, as a Mom, as a Wife, etc...I was happy to hear from other leaders on how to become better. My favorite quote of the whole Summit was from Bill Hybels who said "Be about something bigger than yourself." Those words resonated in my mind in how true they are and what they really mean. Bill referenced Ephesians 2:10, "For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works which God prepared in advance for us to do." No matter what you are doing, whether you are a leader or not, just be about something bigger than yourself. We are a society focused on ourselves, our happiness, our status, what we are doing, and how we compare to everyone else. Thanks Bill for the great advice! Another thing that Bill talked about was how Legacy Leaders make Legacy Plays. This stuck out to me because my Hubs is infatuated with this idea of a Legacy and well how great is the interpretation of this idea when you pair it with being a teacher and a coach. Bill inspired a focus on the importance of asking for help if you are overwhelmed, we have a super BIG God that is ready to be a BIG part of our Legacy Play.

A few other highlights, in my opinion (I guess I don't need to say that, I mean this blog is my opinion), were...
Carly Fiorina said something that got me thinking in a different way, "Jesus was a nobody and recruited other no bodies." Jesus was born in a stinky ol' manger, He wasn't born into privilege, and He hung out with the least of these. He put together a crew of 12 men that weren't really the cream of the crop. But what a team they turned out to be!
Bryan Loritts spoke on change and personal sacrifice. He gave an example of how he has diamond status when he travels, he gets upgraded to first class on occasion. He learned very quickly that when he travels with his wife it's not a great idea to upgrade his ticket and leave her in coach. So, what he does is he sits next to her and lets that person take his first class seat. He went on to say, "Jesus has Diamond Status, but is chillin' in coach." I like that view on my Lord and Savior. So simple. Jesus doesn't have to be so complex.
Tyler Perry spoke candidly about how seeing his mom worship in church the morning after she had been beaten by his father made him want to worship the kind of God that could make her so happy. I can't relate in the sense that I am being torn down at home, but I can relate in that Macy will someday love our great big God more because she sees how happy her parents are in worshiping Him.
Joseph Grenny spoke to all of those times you are in need of a crucial conversation, that you have to either talk it out or act it out. These conversations can become a pit or a path. We have to make that choice in how we approach them.

All of the speakers (mentioned or not) were inspiring in one way or another. Maybe in the future there can be a speaker that isn't famous, hasn't written a book, doesn't run a huge company, but maybe a leader that does well with what they have and is a leader in their home or at their church, on the path to becoming someone great in their life and in the lives of others even if it doesn't reach the "success" of some of these other leaders. Maybe someone that doesn't have their own website. Ok, Bill, if you want me to come speak I will....hahahahah.

A+ GLS14!


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