Be A Champion for Others
Have you ever had someone champion for you? Truly champion? Someone who went out of their way to encourage you, to help you develop skills, to open doors for you? This week I’ve been reflecting on those who have championed me and it’s reminded me why I want to be a champion for others.
The past few months have been filled with one of the biggest undertakings I’ve done in a very long time. I’m in the process of building a CEO peer advisory group. Think small, confidential group setting where you can learn, grow, and transform your life and your business. Yeah, it’s pretty amazing.
Building this group has not been easy. Out of the 28 who attended our academy session, we have about 8 left standing. The others have had other opportunities or challenges that have kept them from moving forward.
When You Are Left Standing
While it may seem impressive to be one of eight left, it’s also a bit demoralizing. Those you were cheering on, aren’t with you anymore. There are fewer people who get what you are going through in this exact moment. There are fewer people to turn to when you get stuck, which is why it’s so important to have a team around you supporting you.
My team has consisted of people checking in with me, colleagues who trust me enough to share connections and contacts with me, other group leaders investing in my skills, friends praying for me through this process.
It’s humbling to think that people would go out of their way to support me. In a culture where we think we have to do this alone because everyone does this alone, I’ve learned no one does this alone, which is exactly why I want to be a Vistage Chair for the CEOs and business owners who feel they have to do this alone.
Who is Behind You?
You know the snarky saying, “Behind Every Great Man is a Great Woman”? There’s something to that. Not in the snide way, but in the reality that we were created for a life lived together, championing one another.
Imagine what the world would look like if we reflected on all the people around us, supporting us and cheering us on. What if we counted the number of people that we then impacted because someone had cheered us on? In a short few minutes of reflecting, I bet we could provide a list of 100s of people impacted directly and indirectly by someone cheering us on.
Wouldn’t it be amazing if we could create a championing culture? This week, I challenge you to reach out and say thank you to one or two of the people who have championed you over the years. Then ask yourself, “Who can I champion today?”
If you are a CEO or know a CEO who would benefit from a peer advisory group, please contact Sarah at Sarah.Gibson@Vistage.com. To inquire about her speaking programs, please visit www.sarahjgibson.com.
Vistage chair, keynote speaker, trainer, and consultant, Sarah Gibson, helps organizations leverage the power of communication, teamwork, and diversity to improve engagement and transform teams.
