What Could You Learn From A Room Full Of Leaders?

Are You In The Right Room?

Ionce heard John Maxwell say, “If you’re the most intelligent person in the room, you’re in the wrong room!” Sometimes I wonder why I am in the room and what I can learn by being there. But last week I KNEW that I was where I was supposed to be...

When I was growing up, I was told on a daily basis that I was an idiot. Worse still, it was my dad who kept on telling me that. Needless to say, it affected my belief and selfesteem. Sadly, I had no idea that my father called everyone an idiot. I wasn’t the special one, singled out for my gifting! There are times when we should be encouraged and we need to hear those words of affirmation. There are other times when we will be the delivery mechanism for others who need the encouragement.

As a teacher, where do you go to get your encouragement? Are you investing in yourself or simply investing in others?

As a teacher, where do you go to get your encouragement? Are you investing in yourself or simply investing in others?

If you are a senior leader, here are three things that you should consider:

1. Join a group of like-minded people. Where do people like yourself gather? Is there an inperson group or an online one that you can find and join? Sometimes you need to jump on LinkedIn and see what is available. Quite often, these tend to be closed groups, where you have to apply to join. I have found that jumping through some of these hoops is worthwhile as it helps to authenticate the members are the right ones for this group.

2. Join the conversation. Once you get into the group, make sure that you don’t become a wallflower. Don’t sit in the corner and spend all your time observing. Worse still, don’t ignore this group and avoid it. You have two choices. Like Groucho Marx, who said, “I refuse to join any club that would have me as a member,” you can choose to ignore them. Or, as I like to say, “Join ‘em, and become part of the tribe, and if you’re not meant to be there, the tribe will vote you out at the next tribal council!” (You can tell that I’m a Survivor super-fan!) If you can, use this as a chance to ask great questions and see what the wisdom in the room says.

3. Join a mastermind. If you haven’t come across this concept, please let me explain…A mastermind group is a group of peers and partners united in their goals and committed to coordinating their knowledge for mutual benefit. People in a mastermind group tend to hold one another accountable for achieving their goals. Whilst they most often are made up by people who represent various backgrounds, some can be made up of people who work within the same field. You can ask members of your mastermind questions about things you are struggling with and they can help you find solutions. I have been blessed that I have worked with many mastermind groups over the years. They have challenged me, supported me and picked me up when I was down. I am forever grateful for the impact that they have made in my life. I can safely say that I can attribute some of my successes directly to the input that others have had in my life.

Someone recently asked me to explain what I did. I responded by saying that I help leaders lead. “We all do,” was her reply. “What do you really do?”

Here’s how I responded:

“Well, let me explain. Imagine running a company where the buck starts and stops with you. It’s lonely at the top and you can make decisions which can make or break you. You can lose your house, your marriage and your kids. I am there to help and guide you.

Now imagine being in a room, with 18 other like-minded CEOs where you can bring your issues and discuss them in a confidential environment. I put you in touch with other like-minded CEOs who can use their cumulative wisdom to help you resolve your issue and stop you from making the mistakes that can ruin your life.”

So, again, if you’re the smartest person in the room, it’s time for you to find another room…

Elias Kanaris is a professional speaker who talks about resilience and leadership. He’s the author of ‘Leading From The Stop’ where he shares leadership lessons learned from the people of Newfoundland, Canada in the aftermath of 9/11. It is about positive influence and heartfelt resilience in times of adversity.

You can contact Elias here: elias@EliasKanaris.com or visit: www.EliasKanaris.com