Dispatches from the Global Leadership Summit 2021 -- Part 2
by Doug Cushing
Last week I began a series of articles that highlighted what I learned from attending the Global Leadership Summit (GLS) sponsored by The Global Leadership Network. GLS hosts the world’s largest annual leadership event, which reaches hundreds of thousands of leaders in more than 123 countries and 60+ languages each year. Here are some additional leadership lessons gleaned from the 2021 GSL – along with some personal reflections.
One of the workshops, titled: Facing Your Fears had renewed relevance for pastoral leaders attempting to lead their congregations through these turbulent, chaotic (and often fearful) times. The speaker’s main point was: “When we can change our perspective on what we are afraid of, we create new potential for success.”
The speaker shared her experience of beginning a one-hundred-day project of facing her fears and documenting each day on YouTube. Her talk focused on the lessons she learned during and after her one-hundred-days-of-facing-fears-project. Among the nuggets I thought were helpful for pastors and church leaders were:
Neither being fearless or being fearful are the right way for a leader to lead during fearful times. Instead, it’s about becoming brave.
The best way to empower others around us is not by pretending to be fearless but by being vulnerable and honest about your fears and being brave enough to face those fears and limitations.
The speaker said she thought the ultimate goal of her one-hundred-days-with-fear-project was to eliminate fear. But she learned that fear is our ally. The more we open ourselves to the unknown, the more we allow for growth. Fear is good but we must keep it in its place. Don’t let it hold us back from making growth.
Fear is not an obstacle but an opportunity to uncover our next big things.
Finally, she told the story about her experience of speaking at a TEDS event. On her way onto the stage, she admitted to being very scared. Someone asked her: “What is the worst thing that can happen?” In a moment of brilliant insight, she turned the question around and began asking herself: “What’s the best thing that can happen?”
Pastors and church leaders are schooled in asking themselves: “What’s the worst thing that can happen today?” Good advice, rooted in our Christian hope is to learn to ask ourselves: “What is the best thing that can happen today?” Negative thoughts and fears build a brick wall. If we ask ourselves, “What is the best that can happen?” then we see through our brick walls. The more uncomfortable we get the greater our reward.
Two insightful questions pastors can ask themselves is: What are you willing to get uncomfortable for? What are those things you care so much for that you are willing to get uncomfortable to accomplish?