50 Ways to keep your head above water when life keeps dragging you down.

This was the 2nd time I had the opportunity to hear Deborah Collins Stephens speak.  I really like her message — there is wonderful stuff to learn even in the midst of challenging business conditions – and life.

Ms. Stephens had an opportunity early on to read some of Maslow’s notes on business and success — and she has published a number of books from those studies and interviews with successful people.  Yesterday she focused on “Courageous Leadership.”  She shared a quote about how tough times were, how much was changing and so quickly…….and then she shared that it was a quote from a 1800’s Atlantic Journal article.  Every time has its challenges.

Per Ms. Stephens, when Maslow talked about Leadership he called it not a gift, or a talent, but rather a human endeavor and encouraged leaders to inspire not control.  Some of the stories shared were really great — a sampling here is all I can share today:

  • Love or Fear – leadership out of love can cause amazing results – Jan Carlzon and SAS Airlines turnaround
  • It matters HOW you play the game.
  • Learning to Love the Weird (the new, where we are headed into unknown)
  • Become a Blue Haired Lady — Great story about her Grandmother and her ability to create a success self-fulfilling prophesy for Deborah.
  • Never a right way to do a wrong thing.
  • Stand for something even if you stand alone.
  • Who among you will change the world?  — Maslow

Jackie Speier — US Congresswoman — and supporting author on the book dropped in also.  She was a survivor of a horrible shooting when she was a journalist.  She said that with all the negativity about Washington DC and politicians — she wasn’t surprised that more good people didn’t want to run.  Yet she challenged that she has one of the greatest jobs — where she can make a difference every day.

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