Servant Leadership: Serve to Be Great

As I was walking through Logan Airport on one of my many monthly commutes to/from various places throughout the US, a billboard advertisement caught my eye for one reason or another.  It could be because it was 11:30 PM and I was doing everything to keep my eyes open long enough to find the nearest open Dunkin’ Donuts. Anyways, the billboard simply stated, “Arrive Curious, Leave Inspired” and in the background it showed many nice scenes of Boston to visit. In full disclosure, I do not remember the company or organization that was the advertiser, but I couldn’t get the phrase out of my head.  It made me think about how I try to handle each and every situation this way.  Sometimes I am more successful than at other times. I mean, if we weren’t curious, why would we go to most of the destinations where we end up?  

I want to share with you my experience with the Leadership Institute Master Class (LIMC), Class of 2015.  My curiosity for this amazing experience started in 2011.  A former Mass Bay Chapter president met me for lunch at a little Mexican restaurant in Dallas, Texas, immediately after his first LIMC session.  I happened to be there because I was just about to attend my first Leadership Institute Meeting (LIM) and of course wanted some comfort food.  However, instead I listened to a person who had a new appreciation for Project Management and Leadership.  He also had a new appreciation for how much he was learning about himself, and how the program enabled him to find out about so many other cultures and parts of the world!  To say I was curious at this point would be an understatement!  Due to various circumstances and timing of everything, I ended up having to wait until 2014 just to apply to be a part of the experience.

When I was accepted to be in the Class of 2015, I was amazed at how nervous I was at first.  I didn’t think I would be, but I immediately thought maybe I was under or overqualified for this type of class, or wanted to make a name for myself and only had a short few months to “rid the world of project management disaster!”  Slowly, this nervousness led to being curious about the whole process.  I reassured myself that I was qualified and ready to attend (and that I had no chance to rid the world of project management disaster in the remaining two months)!!!

When I arrived, I immediately met those same people that I was told about back in 2011.  Right away I felt connected in a way I hadn’t felt before.  I was curious again, but now a completely different type of curious.  I wanted to learn.  I wanted to ask questions.  Most importantly, I wanted to listen to everyone and soak everything in as much as I could!  I was in a place where their language was the same as mine.  It didn’t matter whether it was spoken in one of the17 different dialects in our class of 34 people from around the world.  

Over the next 12 months, my curiosity never wavered.  We had numerous phone calls, webinar sessions, weekend discussions, and three amazing in-person classroom type sessions.  I left with a lot of different feelings.  While I was sad it was over,   I was happy that I had met so many new friends and colleagues.

But, what stays with me each and every day is that I “Left Inspired”.  I knew there was never going to be a chance I could even possibly try to rid the world of project management disasters on my own, but with effort my new friends and colleagues would be putting up a heck of a fight!  Who knew a Mexican restaurant lunch, an application, and a walk through Logan Airport looking at a billboard in order to stay awake would have opened up so many thoughts and realizations!  

I leave you with one thought… go into every situation, whether at home, work, or through your project management organization with the Curiosity and open mindedness that is required to Leave Inspired.  You will be amazed at where it can lead!