GLS 2019: Session 2 – Ben Sherwood

Walt Disney was born not far from here. This is where Walt Disney was forged. He was one of the world’s greatest storyteller. Walt Disney’s record for 26 Academy Awards will never be matched.

In my industry, one day is almost like a dog year. It took 448 from Gutenberg to the invention of the radio. From radio to tv took only 33 years. From tv to internet, social media, mobile phones, only took decades and years.

The next 100 years may show nearly 100,000 years of human progress. The speed of change is daunting.

How do you lead in a time of crisis? How do you lead in times of rapid change?

1805 – the Battle of Trafalgar – Admiral Horatio Nelson was outgunned, predicted to lose. Horatio Nelson was the 6th of 12 sons. Joined the navy at age 12. Naval battles had always been fought in parallel. He was outnumbered. The Spanish had 33 ships, 33,000 men. The British just 27 ships, 15,000 people. Instead of fighting in parallel, he decided to fight perpendicular. He went in two columns. He sank 22 Spanish ships and did not lose a single ship. He suffered a gun shot wound and died later that day. His body was brought home, preserved in a brandy barrel.

Farmer with a Pitchfork

The Best Ideas Win

Believe in Magic

What are you waiting on?  The time to act is now.

FAA Crash Survival Institute – on your next flight, the chances of crashing are 1 in 60 million. 95.7% that are in plane accidents survive.

The rule of 10-80-10. In any emergency, earthquakes, tsunami, aviation incidents: 10% of people emerge as leaders; 80% do nothing, they freeze and wait for a person in authority to tell them what to do; 10% engage in negative or counterproductive behavior.

The 10% of leaders are emergent leaders. They are not necessarily the designated leaders. Men and women emerge in those situations as leaders.

In an airplane accident, the first 90 seconds are all that matter. Count the rows to the nearest exit. Don’t medicate yourself. Don’t blindfold yourself. Don’t go to sleep with headphones. Wear shoes, not flip flops. Remember the rule of first 3 and last 8. Finally, relax.

When you are in the water upside down, maintain your point of reference. If you’re in the ocean, which way are the bubbles going? Where are you and where are you trying to go? If you maintain your point of reference, you stay on course.

Wait for sudden and violent motion to stop. The first thirty seconds, first hour, feels like it will go on forever. If you wait for it to stop, things will settle.

Practice realistic optimism – Stockdale Paradox – it was not the optimist who survived the prisoner of war camps. It was the realistic optimistic that survived. True situational realist but optimism for future, hope that they will get out alive.

Faith – one of the most powerful survival tools.

People who attend church regularly live 7.7 years longer.

80% of the world’s population is involved in organized religion.

Asked movie director how they managed some of the greatest teams making the great art of all time? The one leadership secret that unlocked the performances of the people with who he worked, EM Forrester, “Howard’s End” “Only connect…” Connect with the mysteries around us. Connect with many. Connect one on one.

If you want to increase your influence, to be the leader you were meant to be, to take the step, connect.