A message from Xan Pearson:
“The values of the world we inhabit and the people we surround ourselves with have a profound effect on who we are.” -Malcolm Gladwell
I have been thinking a lot about the power of community lately. I witness it every day in our CTLF programs and in talking with our members about the impact CTLF has had on their leadership, their businesses, and their lives. But defining what makes it so powerful is nuanced.
CTLF is a community of Heart-Level leaders characterized first and foremost by a commitment to serving others. These business leaders come from all walks of life and industries, but they share a common passion for making a positive impact on the lives of those around them. They are driven by a desire to serve others and make a difference in their communities.
At the core of our community, vulnerability is valued over perfectionism. Leaders are encouraged to share their struggles and failures as well as their successes. This creates a safe environment where members can speak freely of their challenges and seek support and advice from others.
To be great leaders, we have to acknowledge our shortcomings and commit ourselves to both personal and professional growth. When we are surrounded by a community of leaders with that shared commitment, it’s impossible not to learn and evolve ourselves. We raise the bar for each other, and the result is both empowering and inspiring.
Many business leaders understand that being part of a supportive community increases the likelihood of success, builds resilience in the face of challenges, and helps them achieve their goals. Other valuable benefits include serving as a sounding board for ideas and challenges, providing emotional support to members, creating networking opportunities, providing access to resources, and helping us expand our perspective through the eyes of others. But at CTLF, it goes deeper than that.
Our community is more than humans in a specific location, of a particular heritage, sharing common interests, or participating in an organization. At CTLF, it goes beyond those definitions to a level of depth and meaning that truly sets us apart from other leadership development organizations. I recently came across one particular definition that I believe more accurately captures the spirit of what we are collectively creating through HEART-level leadership:
“A group that shares some trait or quality that separates it from the wider population.”
Or, in CTLF’s case, a unique combination of traits or qualities is more accurate: humility, engagement, authenticity, regenerative, and true to service. What’s more, the benefits produced by this combination go well beyond the functional to our very core—the place where the real transformative growth happens. We belong. We empathize. We speak kind truths, challenge one another, and hold ourselves accountable. And perhaps most important of all, more than any other business organization trying to make a difference, we believe in the potential of this community to achieve the full measure of its promise: Better Leaders. Better Companies. Better Lives.
Along with her team, CTLF member and founder of Mainstream Video Production, Beth Klepper, produced a wonderful new video about CTLF that captures the power of this very special community. Check out the video below.
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