This weekend, about 85 Vistage Chairs with over 10 years of mastery got together in Boulder or on zoom to nourish our souls and fan the flame of the work we do at Keepers of the Flame. Wow!
There is something sacred about the work we do. Like most complex processes, it is hard to describe. And when it comes to working with leaders to be more successful and live better lives, it is even more complex. Let me try:
We create a cone of safety in every conversation where people can bring their toughest issues or greatest opportunities to examine, to muck around with, to assess and to push forward towards something better.
We work with great integrity people. We hold them accountable to be their best selves and to realize their dreams.
We put together diverse groups of business people at their level or the level they aspire to be in and then hold them all accountable to go deep, to have the difficult and “carefrontational” conversations that drive them to the next level.
We collectively touch the lives of millions of people in 27 countries to create and build better businesses that improve lives – theirs and those of all the people who work on their teams, their suppliers, their investors, their customers, themselves – while making a profit.
And, it can be exhausting. It is a calling, not a job to do this work. So, those of us who have put together groups, learned through doing – to lead, to challenge, to hold accountable tough, driven, brilliant CEO’s, need these moments to be nourished by our peers who get our uniqueness. The love, the acceptance, the lack of judgment replenishes my soul and supports me to go do more, to go be more.
It relit my flame so I can keep the flame lit for all those I coach. If you are wondering what’s in this for you? If you work with one of these TEC/Vistage Chairs, you will feel the reinvigoration. Let me suggest that you go replenish your soul, too. If not for yourself, how about for those on your team who need you to be there for them.
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Photo snapped by eminent photographer and Vistage Chair Dave Kinnear of me and this year’s co-conference leader Karen Meenan.