For most Americans on 9\/11 – exactly 18 years ago today, the horror we witnessed was not just unspeakable, it was clearly unimaginable. Yet our imaginations were jarred by surreal images that we quickly came to understand were the beginning of a new reality. And this new reality was shaped by a shared sense of tragic loss – not just of the lives taken, but of our sense of safety and security. We were forced to come to grips with the world through the eyes of others: some who shared our sense of hope in our being repulsed and resolved by the heinous and cowardly acts of terrorist – and those who saw American freedom as the enemy.<\/p>\n
So what have we learned over these years? And what have we still to learn?<\/p>\n
There are many questions we ought to ask – but for leaders in all walks of life – there is an opportunity to understand the power of meaning and the real meaning of the true power of imagination.<\/p>\n
One thing we discovered were all the heroes among us. The first responders who raced towards and into the mortal danger that all others were racing to escape. Those who perished who used the strength of their faith and courage to lean into their fears to ease the anguish of others facing a common fate – in the towers, in the air and on the ground. And far from least the scores of men and women who went to “the pile” for months, first to rescue and then to recover the remains and preserve the dignity of all who had lost their lives on that fateful day.<\/p>\n
Heroes are people who lead without needing to be led. They lead themselves in accordance with their values to accomplish what they know to be necessary – by making possible what others think impossible. In a basic sense, we are all leaders. At very least we all lead our lives by the choices we make. Some of us feel a duty or have an obligation to lead others – whether as parents, teachers, community servants or heads of organizations or governments. What matters is not our station in life, but how we learn to to lead and what we do with the power we have.<\/p>\n
The heroic leaders we discovered on 9\/11 leaders were not born that day – but many were formed in in the moments that mattered most. What we may think of as heroics was simply a sense of duty that they found within themselves, informed by a noble purpose formed in the belief that there is something greater than their own personal needs and interest that must be served.<\/p>\n
One thing we all learned is that in the shared sense of tragedy that tends of bond people, there was an even greater sense of meaning that inspires us to act and to be better human beings.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Inspiration comes from within. When we inspire others, we are actually helping them find and connect to the source of their own inspiration.<\/p>\n
Inspiration is a product of our imagination. We imagine the contribution we might make to something worthwhile. We imagine what can change for the better and connect that to the values that make us believe that whatever action we take is truly necessary. Without imagination there is no inspiration.<\/p>\n
On 9\/11 witnessing and feeling the force of the unimaginable woke the imagination of those who would be heroes: the men and women who would make sacrifices for a greater good and a better tomorrow. They imagined a world more safe and secure than the shattered illusion of one that was given us that day. They imagined the goodwill and good deeds of those who stood-up to the acts of terror as a foundation for building a stronger and more just society – and imagined good winning over evil. And this inspired our nation and all who cherish it, to care more deeply, give more generously and dream bigger.<\/p>\n
As leaders our job is to inspire people to perform to their fullest potential by offering them a way to imagine a more valuable, valued and joyful life. We show them what imagination turned into reality looks like and how imagination, as Einstein said, is more important than knowledge – in that it is boundless. Most importantly we must stimulate their imaginations by illuminating a noble sense of purpose expressed through the meaning we make by the stories we tell.<\/p>\n
There are always heroes among us. It is leadership that inspires people to be conscientious and find the grit that enables them to perform to levels they may not imagine possible. It begins with how we lead and transform our own lives – and only then how we lead and inspire others.<\/p>\n
As a CEO if you ever wonder about what it takes to inspire your workers to perform their best, just think back to the heroes we will never forget from that day.<\/p>\n
It wasn’t the tragedy that strengthened our bonds and resolve on that day. It was the power of imagination. It was a sense that we all had a duty to make the world better and safer and all had contribution we could make to this noble, and now indelible purpose. And that humanity is fundamentally good at the core. All we need do is capture the imagination of the people we serve.<\/p>\n
###<\/p>\n
Phil Liebman is the Founder and CEO at ALPS Leadership – We Guide CEO’s and Their Leadership Teams to Become Exceptionally Competent Leaders and High-Performance Organizations<\/p>\n
www.ALPSLeadership.com<\/p>\n
Phil is also been a Group Chairman with Vistage Worldwide since 2005 – where he helps leaders realize their potential by learning with and from other leaders. He is the author of the soon-to-be published book, “Cultivating MoJo:\u00a0How competent leaders inspire exceptional performance.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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