Drew Dudley wants us all to redefine how we view leadership — it’s not a quality reserved just for CEOs or political leaders, it exists in all of us, and for too long we’ve dismissed the true qualities of a good leader as the “small things”.
At an exclusive At The Spotlight client event, Drew shared his “day one” leadership philosophy, which he uses to empower people to embrace their inner leader through a daily commitment to their core personal values. It’s value-based decision-making, he says, that leads to greater individual and organizational success.
Drew defines leadership as moments of powerful interpersonal impact — the only power on Earth that is not blocked by systemic barriers and is available to each and every one of us. These are moments of kindness, empathy, forgiveness, etc., and when we call them the “little things” and dismiss these actions, then we are pulling leadership out of our organizations, our communities, our lives, and our planet, Drew said.
Watch the clip below as Drew shows us why we should rethink how we view leadership and why we all have a skewed vision of what a true leader is.
Drew acknowledged that encompassing the role of a leader can be daunting. This is why he applies a “day one” outlook to it. Committing to something for the rest of your life is overwhelming, it’s impossible, but making a daily commitment, focusing on doing it today — on day one — it becomes manageable.
“Leadership,” Drew said, “is not in the big stuff, it’s in the consistent stuff.”
Drew walked us through each of the questions in his leadership test. These questions were created while he worked at the University of Toronto as the director of one Canada’s largest leadership development programs. They represent six key leadership values — impact, courage, growth, empowerment, class, and self-respect — and can be adapted to fit one’s personal and organizational values.
By framing leadership qualities as a question, it tricks our mind into seeking an answer for them and therefore subconsciously guiding our behaviour throughout the day. Drew sees these questions as providing an answer to the ultimate question — why do you matter?
Through his high-energy talks, Drew shares practical and actionable insights on creating cultures of leadership that lead to higher levels of pride, productivity, and happiness. He empowers audiences to believe that they are leaders and gives them the tools needed to make a difference.
Interested in learning more about Drew and what he can bring to your next event? Email us at [email protected].
