Leaders come in all shapes and sizes and not everyone considers themselves a leader, however I believe we all have qualities that make us leaders. In past blogs we’ve discussed the value of training, leadership, and giving back to our peers and community. All of these things contribute to your values and the success of your team. We are continually influencing others around us, our co-workers, children, family, etc.
This year at IBM Smarter Commerce, I had the privilege of hearing one of the best Keynotes that I have heard in a while. The REMEDI team has the opportunity to attend different types of events every year: from conferences, to regional forums and different types of training and project management seminars. The Keynote at Smarter Commerce this year was given by Eric Greitens. Until last May, I was not familiar with his work, even being an avid reader, and somehow I had missed his latest top seller “The Heart and the Fist”. It didn’t take me long to find a copy and put it in my purse to read on the plane ride home.
When we talk about building and nurturing our teams, we can often get discouraged when things don’t go as planned or maybe someone on the team is not as excited about your idea as you are. As a decorated Navy Seal, Eric certainly has experience building, nurturing, and facing challenges associated with working on one of the most elite teams. He shares his thoughts on leadership, encourages everyone to keep trying and not give up. “We know from our own lives that it’s possible for pain to lead to wisdom, and for suffering to lead to strength.” After serving multiple tours in our war against terrorism, he didn’t feel he’d done enough to give back and continues to find ways to change the lives of others. From volunteering with international humanitarian organizations, to running marathons, to receiving several military awards, he has never stopped searching for ways to give back and share his leadership knowledge with everyone from school children to CEO’s. While I could list his extensive credentials and accomplishments, I will leave it to you to take a look at his website if you’re as intrigued as I was (www.ericgreitens.com).
After hearing Eric speak and reading his book…all I can say is WOW. While I may never accomplish 1/8th of what he has in his life or be named one of Fortune Magazine's "World's 50 Greatest Leaders", I’d like to think that I have learned a lesson from his experiences and advice. Whether you’re dealing with a team of third graders in a classroom, an IT development team, or your family, you always have something to give and you are providing a leadership example in all of your daily activities. REMEDI is able to help our clients individually and as part of a team by providing leadership, training, and sharing project/product knowledge. While we’re not Navy Seals, I am very proud of the leadership team we have established in our niche.
If you happen to be in the following areas and you’re interested in hearing an incredible speaker, please join us at one of the following Leadership Forums, hosted by IBM, featuring Eric Greitens. Click on the links below for more information or feel free to contact me.
