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From “Job-Based” Thinking to “Mission-Based” Thinking
A few years ago, as I was preparing to address HR Students about a career at NASA, I asked my Assistant to make my bio “look cool.” I’ve been blessed with a fun career, as his depiction illustrates –
But…five years ago, it was very unclear where this journey would lead. So, I went back to my personal mission: “To improve leadership wherever I go,” recognizing that I needed to shift from “Job-Based Thinking” to “Mission-Based Thinking.” This opened up a variety of new possibilities, as I considered where God wanted to utilize my SHAPE (spiritual gifts; heart; abilities; personality; and experiences).
This week, I head to Cincinnati to deliver some interactive workshops to a consortium of area pregnancy centers. They come together a few times a year for a “Morning of Renewal,” and it will be great to be part of it! This particular opportunity was a result of a workshop I delivered at the 2016 CareNet Conference in Orlando.
New Possibilities Lead to New Branding…
For most of my life, I’ve had no desire to leave the United States –
That commitment was challenged a couple of years ago when I received my first invitation to speak to an International HR Conference in Ireland. With no desire to leave the U.S., I quickly rejected the invitation. Then, another opportunity came…
Meanwhile, our Sunday School class was studying John Ortberg’s All the Places to Go. In the study Ortberg says, “God has placed before you an open door.” Then, he asks, “What will you do?” In one of the video testimonials, a few people spoke about making their first international trip…which made me reconsider my position…
In addition, a few co-workers really encouraged me to pursue these opportunities. One—a frequent international traveler who recently completed her 50th trip overseas—pointed out how seeing different cultures contributed to her understanding of diversity and inclusion. My Deputy HR Director, who majored in International Relations, also pointed out how I would benefit from overseas travel. That’s when I engaged our Associate Center Director. She agreed that if I could learn and benefit from the international conferences—and if they would cover my travel expenses—that I should consider going to about three per year. I left her office, thinking, “Three per year; I wasn’t even sure about one!”
So, I began to reconsider the requests. Just one year ago, I took my first trip to Dubai.
In June, Jennifer accompanied me to Amsterdam.
In October, I went to Johannesberg, South Africa.
Each trip was a rich experience in learning the latest trends in HR…but more importantly, these trips provided unique cultural experiences and gave me a much broader understanding of our world.
Following these trips, I’ve re-branded myself ironically as an “International Leadership Speaker.”
With that re-branding has come additional speaking invitations, and I’m able to now be even more selective about the types of conferences I consider. In February, I’m headed to Barcelona then on to London in April 2018…
All of this became possible because I “stayed open to the possibilities…”
Looking ahead, it will be interesting to see where God leads next, as I continue to follow Him and shoot for the stars!