Learning to Share Like a Leader
In the last few years, I’ve had the unexpected privilege of becoming friends with Dr. Billy Graham. In addition to being one of the millions of people across the world that has benefited from his faith and his willingness to share the gospel, I’ve actually had the chance to spend time with him at his home in North Carolina.
Someday, I should try to write a book about the things I’ve learned in those short visits, but having recently gone up to see him, I thought I would share a few thoughts with you on this blog. Over the next few days, I hope to do just that.
But before I do, before I can tell you about the newspaper and the hall of photos and the Christmas songs, I need to explain one leadership principle first. It doesn’t have a fancy title or even an acronym. In fact, it can actually be summed up in one word:
Share.
It’s the kind of thing we all learned in grade school. When you have something good, share it with the people around you. Simple principle, but yet it’s easy to forget.
We get caught up in our own “stuff.” We’ve got meetings and phone calls and emails and text messages and grocery lists and a thousand other things that jockey for our time. And in the midst of that, we forget to share. We forget to invite other people into the special experiences and opportunities we’re given. But, as a leader, you’ve got to share.
It’s part of your responsibility to invite people up on the platform you’ve some how been given. The platform isn’t yours. In fact the bigger it gets, the more people I think you’re supposed to invite on to it.
So when I was offered the chance to visit Dr. Graham at his home, one of the first things I did was invite two other leaders.
I’m not the only one that can benefit from hearing Dr. Graham share from the heart. I’m not the only one that needs to be renewed and refreshed by a trip up to North Carolina. I’m not the only leader that needs a fresh challenge from one of the greatest church leaders of our lifetime.
And you know what happens when you share? The moment and the memory are multiplied exponentially. Instead of just a few hours with Dr. Graham, I got to spend an entire day with leaders. The way up and the way down wasn’t simply me alone with my thoughts. It was a time spent in conversation and encouragement with two other people that shared my excitement for the day.
Plus, that moment will forever be something we share. My relationship with those two leaders was strengthened and stretched. We got to learn together and grow together. Why? Because I shared.
I don’t know how you spend the hours of your day, but I do know one thing. You’ve got something going on that one of your friends or coworkers or family members would love to be a part of. It might be as simple as a new coffee house you discovered or a project you were asked to work on that has high visibility. Regardless of what it is, there’s stuff you could be sharing. Today. Right now even.
And as a leader who has benefited from both sharing and being shared with, I encourage you to take a risk. I encourage you to share.
I think you’ll be surprised at the results.
Who can you share with?
This post is categorized Lead and tagged billy graham, Lead, share
Great directive, Dan! Especially, since I know one of the leaders you went up there with and am familiar with the resulting effects upon him. Thanks for repeating the mantra, “I am not the only one…”, because it’s so easy to get wrapped up in our little world and keep our opportunities and experiences self-contained, which so limits the fruit they could bear.
Thx for sharing
I started sharing a lot of random discoveries using social media platforms and started to get a lot of positive feedback from people. Somebody may be praying for an answer that you have!
Thx again Mr. Cathy! You are a great inspiration
Mr Cathy
Thank you so much. It is a good reminder for me that sharing should go beyond just delegation!!!
I am most sincerely drawn to the line in this post in which you exhort leaders to “invite” more people up on their platform as it grows…there is SO much truth to that!
Thanks, Mr.Cathy
Your comments always cause me to stop and think. In the post, your comment about “inviting” people to the platform remind me of a new song by The Akins family ” Let Your Stage Be an altar”..
Thanks, again for sharing your thoughts and wisdom.
Mr. Cathy,
i truly enjoy reading your blog. I am working with someone now that is extremely interested in being a good leader but has no interest in ‘inviting’ people to the platform. Any words you have or heard from Dr. Graham that might help me?
Thank you for sharing you.
b
Amazing post Dan!
Leadership is stewardship, and you have called us to be better stewards of our resources, opportunities, and experiences by sharing them with others.
I don’t have much of a “platform” personally, but you have encouraged me to be more thoughtful about sharing what I do have as a leader with others.
Thanks for sharing.
Dan,
Thank you so much for sharing what you learn from your time with Billy Graham. For as long as I and can remember Dr. Graham has been my answer for the question “who would you most like to have dinner with?” I have been inspired by his life long commitment to following God’s plan for his life and to live a life of uncompromised Integrity. It is also heart warming that you choose Dr. Loritts to travel with you. In addition to Dr. Graham, Dr. Loritts’ book “For a Time We Cannot See” was a catalyst for Cathy and I when we were sensing God’s call on our lives to enter full time marriage ministry. Thank you again for your families generosity which allows us to Serve Him through the WinShape Foundation.
Dan,
Enjoyed reading your blog and appreciate the encouragement to “share”.
Your sharing friends with me has blessed me with meeting some wonderful people.
Thank you, Barry
Dan,
The day we spent together with Dr. Graham and Rhys was one of the best days of my life.
Thanks for investing in me and sharing with me.
Jeff
I can remember sitting with my Grandmother 20 some years ago and watching Billy Graham with her. It changed my life! His simple comment on what happened to Christ’s disciples blew me away, and subsequently drew me nearer to Christ.
They were all murdered for their belief. His comment about how they could of saved their own life by simply disavowing what they had witnessed. Yet they couldn’t disavow what they experienced. For them it was not belief but fact.
Here it is 20 years later and my faith has become a fact for me, not just a belief. Our MotorSports ministry is being prepared to reach millions on ABC and CBS. I am sure the execs will not embrace us, but God will prevail!
Quite simply ” What good does it do to know his word, If you don’t know Him”