Month: December 2019

The Summit Gave Me Tools to Reach the Dreams God Placed on My Heart to Solve Injustice

Posted on December 18, 2019 by - Because of the GLS, Business, Calling, Church, Latin America, Leading Yourself, Nonprofit, North America, Relationship with God, Stories

Riley Fuller in Honduras

I’m one of the most unlikely people to be sharing my story. The fact that my life has gotten mixed up with good things, and now I get to talk about some of the beautiful things that come from dreaming is truly humbling.

The story I’m able to be part of in Honduras through Humanity and Hope United, and through my small business, Generous Coffee, directly relates to how God spoke to me and others through The Global Leadership Summit.

The way I ended up in Honduras was completely by accident.

When I was in college, my main goal was to be a soccer player. I was the captain of the team by my sophomore year, and then again by my junior year. But I was really focused on achievement and not on understanding who I am and my foundation. While I was achieving, I was also numbing with substances like drugs and alcohol, and eventually that caught up with me.

He could tell that I had a good heart but that my head wasn’t making decisions to match.

I got arrested on campus. The president called me in, because not only was I captain of the soccer team, I was also the liaison between the athletic department and the administration. He could tell that I had a good heart but that my head wasn’t making decisions to match. He said, I think you need to take some time off school and really get to know yourself and find yourself. But really, all I wanted to do was keep achieving and going to school. I said, I’ll go to recovery and therapy, and I’ll get this nailed. But I got a DUI on campus and got kicked out. During that time, I went deeper and deeper into the pain I was in. I ended up following up that first DUI with a second DUI and wrecked my dad’s car.

Coincidentally, this happened to be while he and the rest of my family were in Honduras in 2006. They had invited me to come, but after the soccer dream died, the investment banking dream was born. Nothing about going to Honduras was going to help me make more money. I didn’t want to be a part of that. But after I wrecked my dad’s car, he let me know that I could either come to Honduras with the family, or that he’d stop paying for my education. So, I decided to go to Honduras.

I got to Honduras, and that was when the concept of the birth lottery coalesced in my mind. No one chooses who their mom or dad is. But depending on who those two people are, you can either start off in the 99th percentile, or you can start off on the very bottom. And frankly I had never met a lot of people or had been to a country where there were so many people on the “bottom.”

I got so mad at the injustice.

I remember going to the first village, and part of what was hard for me was that the organization I was working with wanted to give a way a food box that would only last a week. And they only did it through the church, and the church only gave food to Christians. I wasn’t a Christian at the time. I believed there was a higher power, but I didn’t know Jesus. I didn’t have a relationship with God, and I wasn’t looking for one either.

I thought, if there is a God there’s no way he’s saying, these people are good enough to eat and these people are not.

Not being a Christian myself at that point, I thought, if there is a God there’s no way he’s saying, these people are good enough to eat and these people are not. These people are good enough to be recognized as human, and these people are not. These people are good enough to have dignity, and these are not. I got so mad at the injustice of it.

Having really squandered away a ton of opportunity I was given, I pictured myself starting at the bottom.

The first family I met lived in a little lean-to structure that was made waterproof by a tarp, and the tarp was a big trash bag from the airport—it said, “Delta Refuse.”  As I remember that first family, I never even dreamed of something so painful. These people don’t have any water or predictable food. They don’t have a permanent structure, and on top of that, they’re literally being labeled as trash. How is it that this two-and-a-half-hour plane ride led to this?

Riley Fuller with kidsI kept going to isolated village after isolated village. The backdrop is that most people had gone to school up to 6th grade at the maximum. The average earnings are $0 to $5 a day. Pretty much everyone is struggling to survive. And the concept of hope that tomorrow will get better doesn’t exist because of violence, corruption or general injustice. People who were born without opportunities don’t believe opportunities exist for them. But poor is not a destination. It is not who you were created or intended to be. It’s a challenge we can overcome together.

I thought, one day when I’m an old rich man, I will do something about it. Thankfully, it didn’t take that long. The next summer I had about six months between when I graduated and when my job started in investment banking. I went to Honduras to understand more. I had a volunteer job with the government and a couple other non-profits. I just wanted to learn.

I actually got fired from all the jobs I had. Now I see why. When people would say one thing and do another and do things that would take them further from the goal of serving the poor and hungry, instead of closer, it would drive me crazy. So, I would speak up and talk about it perpetuating injustice and get fired. I left that summer feeling like the experience was for nothing. I moved on to the next chapter in life.

Caught between two worlds.

If I can make all my dreams come true, and still not be happy, I better find a way to add value to someone else’s life or there’s no reason to be here.

I got an investment banking job in Philadelphia and my first responsibility was to manage a billion-dollar portfolio, and to trade $100M equity derivatives every week. I was dealing with a lot of money and working with a lot of people making a lot of money. I became torn between these two worlds—the world where I tried my hardest to climb the ladder and the world I felt like I belonged in. After a couple years, I lost a little bit of my soul until I felt like I had nothing left. If I can make all my dreams come true, and still not be happy, I better find a way to add value to someone else’s life or there’s no reason to be here.

That’s when a friend of mine and I decided to start Humanity and Hope United (in addition to our regular day jobs). We really wanted to see people to get from point A to point B, going from feeling like they are not enough to really knowing in their heart of hearts that they are more than enough. That was the goal, and through a lot of failure and learning opportunities, over three years, I hit a rough patch personally. I got sick in 2013 and lost my job in investment banking. I left everything that was a foundation and that had helped me feel strong in my pursuit of a career. I lost all of it.

Rock bottom–where I met God

I ended up moving back home to Indiana and living with my parents. At the point of losing everything I had worked for, I finally turned to God. I met Jesus. It really provided both the language around my values and what I had been dreaming about—number one being loving God and others first, and then focusing on what we can do together after that. God promises that when we do things after his heart—when we care for the poor, fight injustice—there are a lot of beautiful promises that come with that.

I went to The Global Leadership Summit in the US for the first time in 2014, the first year after I became a Christian and right after my first son was born. It felt like God giving me the tools to bring to life what he had given me the dream for—how to lead consistently, how to be a leader other people love to follow, how to follow others, how to truly lead with love and active humility and empathy. And doing it in a way where I can my heart into it, trusting God for the outcome.

The ripple effect of the Summit in Honduras

I went to our Honduran team with Humanity and Hope United and said, I think you’ll really love this. Let’s give it a shot. The first year, there was a group of four of us that went. We noticed that first year was great, but if this is a leadership conference, we should bring all the leaders and not just paid staff.

It felt like God giving me the tools to bring to life what he had given me the dream for…

In every village, there’s a leader designated to lead businesses forward, so we brought each of the leaders from those communities. There were people attending who had never left rural Honduras. I remember them looking around, feeling a little bit out of place. When I asked about what they got out of it they said they felt known, valued and accepted—“I feel like I’m good enough.”

My favorite story is about Jose Luis, who attended the Summit for the first time and got his grander vision to buy land for farming, which today is changing the lives of an entire community, giving them a livelihood they never had before. (Read more about Jose Luis’ story in part two.)

The Summit has been a huge piece of the puzzle.

When you really dive down into leadership, you realize how God-breathed the concept of really leadership is. When local leaders get better, and the local church gets better, everybody gets better. I’ve gotten into this head space where I used to be an investment banking guy, and now I’m a non-profit guy. And after going to the Summit, I realized, I’m a leader that God created, just like everybody else. I’m not going to put myself in a box. With this new vision of who I was, a friend and I were able to also start a for-profit business with a friend that is a lot bigger than we imagined it could be. It brings in publicity for the people we’re serving, and it also brings in a ton more resources too. I never thought about starting a for-profit business before, but the Summit played a big part in that too. It’s called Generous Coffee.

After going to the Summit, I realized, I’m a leader that God created…

The Summit gave me a foundation and structure for my dreams to grow.

You never really know the magic that can happen together until you get in the game. The Summit gave me a language for knowing how to build a foundation of leadership, being consistent, being present with people, identifying what people are good at and encouraging to build things they don’t even know they’re good at yet.

It showed me people that lived things that were similar and gave me the structure. And with the structure, I felt like my dreams could grow. When I’m able to express my dreams, God has given to me, not only do they involve other people, they involve making other people stronger on purpose. And when that’s the goal, it’s magnetic. Everyone wants to dream bigger than themselves, which leads people to help others do the same. I had never been able to execute or articulate these ideas before the Summit.

Yes, the Summit is good for your leadership, but what I wanted to be a part of was building a movement and building a body and that’s bigger than me. I couldn’t reach that bigness before I went to the Summit. If you want your dream to grow bigger than you, that’s why you need to go to the Summit.

Grander Vision for Honduran Village Farm is a Game-changer for 20 Families with New Livelihood

Posted on December 18, 2019 by - Because of the GLS, Business, Central America, Influence, Latin America, Nonprofit, Stories, Vision

Cows in a field

The story I’m able to be part of in Honduras through Humanity and Hope United directly relates to how God spoke to me and others through The Global Leadership Summit. (Read more about my leadership journey to Honduras in part one.)

After I experienced my first Global Leadership Summit event in the U.S., I went to our Honduran team with Humanity and Hope United and said, I think you’ll really love this. Let’s give it a shot. The first year, there was a group of four of us that went. We noticed that first year was great, but if this is a leadership conference, we should bring all the leaders and not just paid staff.

In every village, there’s a leader designated to lead businesses forward, so we brought each of the leaders from those communities. There were people attending who had never left rural Honduras. I remember them looking around, feeling a little bit out of place. When I asked about what they got out of it they said they felt known, valued and accepted—“I feel like I’m good enough.”

Vision for a farm is a game-changer for a small village in Honduras

Jose LuisMy favorite story is about Jose Luis, who attended the Summit for the first time and got his grander vision to buy land for farming, which today is changing the lives of an entire community, giving them a livelihood they never had before.

Jose Luis went to school through elementary school and then had to quit to provide for the family. He started working in the banana plantations when he was 12 years old, but by 17 he was disabled by the chemicals he was using. Fortunately, he was not disabled to the point where he couldn’t walk, but unfortunately, to the point where he couldn’t do the job lifting a lot of weight. He couldn’t do the job they had for him, so they fired him.

But that job with bananas was the only game in town. He had nothing to do. He spent a lot of time going to the municipality because he didn’t have a way to work, and it had been their chemicals that had injured him badly. But he got nothing. So, at 17, he felt like he was in a desert for the rest of his life.

But he got nothing. So, at 17, he felt like he was in a desert for the rest of his life.

This experience gave him a heart for people who are in the same situation. And at the GLS in 2016, he got this vision.

He had a dream that even though the land was disappearing all around the community, that he’d find a big piece of it and use it to raise cattle and grow the food they need for the community. At Humanity and Hope United, we took his dream seriously.

Our organization was really small at the time, raising $100,000-200,000 a year, and this was a big project. Once we budgeted it out, it was going to be $220,000. So, we said, Jose Luis, the way you’re describing it, this vision is from God. So, our role is to believe in it, and your role is to believe in it, and little by little let’s take one step at a time and see where God takes it!

The first step was to raise money in the community while we got the board ready for the idea. We wanted everyone to be bought in. So, Jose Luis got everyone in the village to start raising money, and within 2-3 months they had saved $1,000 total between 20 families. I brought that news to the board of directors and said, hey, this is going to happen with or without us. This is God’s plan. Let’s get on board and walk with our brothers and sisters as best we can.

Then we launched a fundraiser in 2018. It was difficult work. From October to December of 2018, we had 50 people throw fundraisers, and then more people put up fundraising pages, and in two months we were able to raise all that money!

Jose Luis Farm HondurasJose Luis and his team were able to buy the land. It was the very last piece of land in the area they could buy, supporting 20 families in the community who now work on that farm. Now they’re able to supply other local businesses, and they have economic freedom to some degree, but they also know that this land isn’t going to be taken from them. They have a way to move forward to bring education, healthcare or even a lollipop for their kids.

Livestock Jose Luis Farm HondurasThey have a way to provide for themselves, and at the same time, they have a way to help other communities in need. And now the nearby community they’ve started to serve has been able to build their own school. Before then, only 10 percent of the children were going to school, and now 90+ percent are attending school. It’s part of a change of leading for more life and hope.

Jose’s story is changing the paradigm.

Honduras is going to lose 5 percent of its population this year to come to the U.S. People move from a rural village to a big city, and they get to the big city, but they’re afraid for their life when they get there. So, they live there for a few years and they decide to go north. In that paradigm, and given this cow businesses, the school being built and building homes, these communities are growing, even though the rest of the country is shrinking.

…these communities are growing, even though the rest of the country is shrinking.

The U.S. is known now as being closed and scared, afraid of different. And Honduras is known by the U.S. as a place that no one would want to go. But this story takes the lie out of both of those narratives. I know Honduras to be a beautiful country full of talented people that can change the world. And I know people in the U.S. who are warm, open, empathetic, and care about other people. People have gotten those stories wrong, and the more people hear the lie, the more we begin to believe it. So, I think the beautiful part of this story is that it’s bringing light into the darkness and reminding people of who we really are.

Jose and Riley in Honduras

 

The fact is Jose’s community is a light in a country that everybody talks badly about. If we can link this chain long enough, the entire story of Honduras begins to change.

Overcome the Fear of Rejection by Leveraging Courage

Posted on December 17, 2019 by - Articles, Confidence, Leading Yourself, Resilience

A man jumps into the unknown with strength and courage, not letting the fear of rejection impact his choose to jump in.

Leaders make progress by stepping forward with new ideas, new initiatives and new directions.

So, why is it that leaders will sometimes shrink back? What is it that causes leaders to stall, even though they might possess a breakthrough idea?

Often this hesitation is labeled a “fear of failure.” But more often, it is a “fear of rejection.”

In his groundbreaking book, Rejection Proof, and in his inspiring talk at the 2019 Global Leadership Summit, Jia Jiang pointed out that the fear of rejection is a sometimes debilitating malady that can inhibit even the most accomplished leader.

The fear of rejection comes in all shapes and sizes:

  • You have developed an idea that has the potential to add great value to your team’s goals. But it’s a new way of thinking; would they accept an idea so different from what they have tried?
  • You want to launch a new project that would require new resources, but which could solve important problems. But would the necessary resources be approved?
  • The team seems to be committed to a plan that you believe could be improved. You can see a better way forward. But would anyone want to deviate from the current plan?

In each scenario, the option not to step forward is driven by a fear of rejection. And it will stall your leadership every time.

The option not to step forward is driven by a fear of rejection. And it will stall your leadership every time.

Early in my career, while working for a media company, an important division in our company unexpectedly found itself leaderless. With almost no notice, the leader of the division left the company leaving a sudden void.

As I sat at my desk that day, I found my mind racing with ideas as to how I would rebuild that division if I were ever to have the chance to lead.

But other voices in my head were telling me not to put my name forward. “You’re too young and inexperienced,” I told myself. “They will laugh you out of the office. Why put yourself in the position where you could be embarrassed?”

But another voice also came to mind. It was a voice from Scripture that reminded me: For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love and self-discipline. (2 Timothy 1:7)

Fueled by that reminder, I humbly, but confidently walked into my boss’s office and asked to be considered for that vacant role. An hour later, I emerged as the director of that division.

As you learn to pay attention to the voice of courage, you will find that it can soon drown out all other voices.

The fear of rejection has never left me, and in leadership the fear of rejection will likely never leave you either. But if you are a person of faith, the reminder of the spirit of courage you have been given can drown out those fears.

So, the next time you find yourself developing a new idea, a new initiative or a new direction, don’t be surprised if the fear of rejection emerges. And when it does, choose instead to listen to the voice that calls out your spirit of courage.

As you learn to pay attention to the voice of courage, you will find that it can soon drown out all other voices.

Episode 064: Dr. Krish Kandiah and Jason Jaggard on Leading with Your Heart

Posted on December 16, 2019 by - Leadership Development, Leading Others, Podcasts, Servant Leadership

The Global Leadership Summit Podcast

Get free, instant access to GLS Podcast Episode Show Notes. Leverage episode summaries, key takeaways, reflection questions, resources mentioned, related links and applicable downloads.

 

SUMMARY:

A decade ago, Dr. Krish Kandiah’s leadership bio would read like a typical academic—including titles like author, speaker, apologist and university professor. Then, his wife suggested they consider fostering and adoption. After that point, his personal experiences with foster children moved him to create the British foster care charity, Home for Good, and become an advocate for fostering and adoption throughout the United Kingdom. In this episode of the GLS Podcast, Jason Jaggard interviews Krish, exploring the leadership insights he has gained through his foster care experiences, including a deeper understanding of what it means to become a servant leader, the importance of proximity and how to approach leadership with both head and heart.

 

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

  • My mother was rejected by her white family in India for being a half-caste and was sent to an orphanage. This was the start of our family’s journey to be involved in the care system.
  • When my wife and I started a family of our own, she suggested we consider fostering and adoption. I felt God speaking to me as a read the Bible about His concern for vulnerable people.
  • Currently, there are seven children living in our house: three birth kids and four through fostering and adoption.
  • Serving kids in foster care is a solvable problem.
  • In the UK, we need 4000 adopters and 8000 foster care families to cover all the care needs in the system. If one family in every church would step up and care for one child, we could place all of the children.
  • Being a foster parent is similar to being a leader. We invest in people, who ultimately move on to better things.
  • Even when we know someone may leave, we still have to be fully invested in that person.
  • The proximate leader is the opposite of the distant leader.
  • If you see leadership as service, you ask yourself, “How can I use my influence to help others thrive?”
  • The different threads of my life have their roots in curiosity and constant pursuit of growth. God is the great tapestry-weaver, making the threads of our life come together in a beautiful way.
  • Sometimes you can only understand your life when you look backward.
  • At one point in my career, I was turned down for a job because I wasn’t a “bang-the-table” kind of leader. I realized that I want to be a “set-the-table” kind of leader. I want to make it safe for people to bring their best selves to work. I want to make room for them. I want to be hospitable.
  • I approach politics by looking for places of common ground. Caring for children is politically neutral. We can work with every political party.
  • Jesus chose a diverse team—zealot & tax collector—and turned them into brothers. If Christians can play that role in civil society and political life, we offer something really important.
  • Integrated leaders lead from both head and heart. We need leaders who are passionate, and also leaders who do thoughtful work.
  • Synergy happens in our leadership when head and heart are working together.

 

 

REFLECTION QUESTIONS:

1. Dr. Krish Kandiah said that synergy happens in leadership when the head and the heart work together. Reflect on your own leadership. Do you tend to lead more from your head or your heart?

2. Kandiah suggested several ways we leaders can increase our heart leadership.

 Being fully invested, even though someone might leave for better things
 Practicing “proximity” by being vulnerable
 Asking the question, “How can I use my influence to help others thrive?”
 Becoming a “set-the-table” leader by creating safe spaces for people
 Looking for common ground with people from diverse perspectives
 Being both thoughtful and passionate

3. Now, look at all the boxes you checked. When you were listening to the podcast, which idea was most convicting to you? Follow that prompting and make a plan to implement this week.

 

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

10 Downing Street

Home for Good UK

V.I.P. Leadership, Dr. Krish Kandiah’s 2019 GLS Talk

The Toyota Way

Kaizen

RELATED LINKS:

Dr. Krish Kandiah

Dr/ Krish Kandiah Website

Jason Jaggard

Novus Global

The Global Leadership Summit

Causes You Care About Most Multiply Impact With This One Skill

Posted on December 16, 2019 by - Asia, Because of the GLS, Church, Stories

Ripple in water

You probably give to many different causes throughout the year. The truth is, there are a ton of fantastic organizations out there doing amazing work. But if you ask, “What’s the most impactful use of my resources?” We would say, bet on Christ-centered leadership. Leaders are the change-makers who affect every cause, in every sector, in every country.

Take a moment and think about a cause you care deeply about.

“I felt like God was speaking to me personally—He was calling me to another level of leadership.”

Now think about the impact that could be made if local leaders were empowered and equipped to rise up and rally around that cause. That’s the impact of The Global Leadership Summit. And We’ve seen it time and time again. This is why we are so passionate about the vision of the Global Leadership Network to inspire and equip world-class leadership that ignites transformation globally.

“I felt like God was speaking to me personally—He was calling me to another level of leadership.”

This is a common theme we hear from attendees around the world. And in Myanmar, it’s leadership journeys like pastor Aye Min’s that are capable of creating catalytic, countrywide, positive transformation. This is why…

During The Global Leadership Summit, God called Aye Min, a pastor in Myanmar, to give his journey to God. What happened next blew us away. Watch now.

Because of the challenge from God I received at the Summit, I got the privilege to multiply one church into 10 churches and train more leaders. I became a leader over leaders—a pastor over pastors. And the Lord has opened up the opportunity for me to meet with top leaders in government. They elected me as a district superintendent, where we have 162 churches in a Burmese-speaking area. I got the privilege to plan and think for the whole country!

Last year we gathered more than 20,000 people for a healing crusade with approval by the government. And this was the first time the government issued a religious visa for preaching. That’s never happened in the history of our country. Now you can go freely, and you can come as a preacher!

I’m so grateful for the GLN. My life and ministry have been transformed! Myanmar is now transforming into a democratic nation. So, the GLN has to reach farther. Now is the time for equipping leaders in Myanmar!

Aye represents hundreds of thousands of leaders.

The Summit was the first inter-church, multi-denominational leadership training event in Myanmar. With word-of-mouth marketing and events held underground, the GLS started to spread throughout the country. Over the years, Myanmar has opened up and the GLS is growing. As Aye Min said, now is the time to equip leaders—not just in Myanmar, but globally. Aye represents hundreds of thousands of leaders today who God strategically placed to bring transformation wherever they are. And they need you. This is why…

Imagine one million stories like these—One million people who, even in the face of great adversity, decide not to give up—decide to press on because they’ve been energized, inspired and equipped for their calling. That’s our goal—to equip and inspire one million leaders through the GLS. But we can’t get there without you.

Your generosity makes all the difference.

The GLS is hosted in more than 135 countries, but more than 50 percent of international sites cannot support the cost of their events through registrations alone. We don’t think that should be a barrier to equipping and inspiring leaders. Your generosity and your prayer make the GLS possible in these communities.

Imagine the stories we will hear years from now of God blessing your investment in leaders around the world! This is why your gift matters.

Why This is a Strategic Point in GLN History

Posted on December 11, 2019 by - Because of the GLS, Stories

Globe on a desk

The first time I attended The Global Leadership Summit as a 23 year old, I thought, If I could ever be a part of something like this to help reach people, my answer would be yes! To be a part of this now, all these years later, is one of the most humbling things I can do.

Leadership matters more than you can ever imagine. This is why…

This last summer, my wife Amy and I got to visit three of the countries that host The Global Leadership Summit. What’s happening internationally is hard to describe. The excitement here in the U.S. is special, but when you go to some of these places that don’t have access to leadership development tools like the Summit, it’s the difference between surviving and beginning to thrive. Investing in places like Pakistan, Nigeria, Myanmar, or any of the 135 countries where the GLS is located is raising up God honoring, culture changing, and generation impacting leadership. The prayer and generosity from the Summit audience empowers stories of transformation all over the world.

…when you go to some of these places that don’t have access to leadership development tools like the Summit, it’s the difference between surviving and beginning to thrive.

We have one of the greatest tools to impact the world right before us. As one who has been close to the Global Leadership Network for the last 20+ years, and now stepping in with more of a leadership role, I can tell you we’re working hard to bring the organization to the next level.

This is a strategic point in our history. This is why…

Looking ahead, there are ways to leverage technology to grow very quickly and see exponential growth. The board is excited, the leadership is excited, our global partners are excited, and we believe together, over the next few years, we will impact millions of lives. And you and I have an opportunity to be a part of this life-changing adventure.

What happens at the GLS is truly incredible. I want my daughters to experience it. I want my sons to experience it. I want everyone at my church to experience it. And I want a millions of people around the world to experience it. This is why…

…all it took was one invitation, one sponsorship, one talk, one whisper from God…

It’s because of young women like Gabi Faria. Remember her Grander Vision story? God ignited a vision in her heart for those hurting in her city. And all it took was one invitation, one sponsorship, one talk, one whisper from God through one of the speakers saying, “Who will be the next Gabi?” She said, Me! And today, she’s caring for the lives of hundreds of refugees in her city.

Hers is just one of thousands of stories we hear every day. When you give, you become a part of hundreds of thousands of stories like Gabi’s. Who will be the next person to step into God honoring, culture changing, and generation impacting leadership?

What I want to ask you is to be sensitive to God and genuinely ask Him, What would you have me do to impact leaders around the world today?