By Pepper Parr
BURLINGTON, ON May 13, 2012 The Mayor is on vacation so don’t expect to see him cutting a ribbon somewhere or meeting with citizens and listening intently to what they have to say any time this week
He won’t be at the interactive workshop to get public input on community design elements such as land use; transportation and natural features for the Evergreen community that is to be created along Tremaine Road. That event, if you’re interested is to take place at Tansley United Church – Sanctuary Room, 2111 Walkers Line – 6:30 to 9:00 pm. However, the Mayor will be brushing up on his “inspiring” techniques. Goldring got a call recently from Lance Secretan author of The Spark, the Flame, and the Torch that teaches us how to become a more inspired person and leader and how to change the world for a brighter future. It is an interesting work that helps leaders overhaul stale concepts such as mission, vision and values statements, personal leadership, coaching practices, and rethink our entire model of leadership by focusing on inspiration.
Vacation reading for Mayor Goldring
Providing the Mayor isn’t the kind of vacation reader I am (I tend to fall asleep with the book on my chest – part of my napping routine) Secretan will teach him that a leader’s power comes from the soul and reaches to a place that’s far beyond personality
Secretan, who is highly ranked as an inspirational speaker and works some of the biggest of the big in the Fortune 500 ranks, maintains great leaders inspire people, not just motivate them; they radiate inspiration without saying anything. That’s going to be a bit of a stretch for Rick Goldring – he has a level of decency that is seldom seen in politics and his sincerity is real. This guy doesn’t fake it – what you see is what you’re getting.
According to Secretan to be a great leader “you need to be inspired yourself first; that’s the Spark. Then you’re able to inspire other people; that’s the Flame, and then you can change the world; that’s the Torch. Wow, Rick are you sure you want to do this?
Secretan maintains that to be inspired you have to understand why you’re here. Understand your behavior and values. Understand what you will do to change the world – ask yourself: “What’s my calling, gifts, skills and challenges.
Secretan then maintains you have to have a dream. By that he means not your mission, vision or values, they’re old-fashioned junk, according to Lance.
Mayor to take on the CASTLE principles: Courage, authenticity, service, truthfulness, love and effectiveness. He's doing pretty good with these already. How would his fellow council members rate themselves on this scale?
With the dream firmly in place Secretan says you have to build relationships. Ideally with the right people and not with those who want to exploit the office you hold for their benefit and not the benefit of the larger community.
Secretan has created what he calls the CASTLE Principles
Courage, Authenticity, Service, Truthfulness, Love and Effectiveness.
As Mayor Goldring works his way through Secretan’s The Spark, the Flame, and the Torch, he will come to the final thoughts part; they go like this:
People get inspired with what they’re fed up by
It’s impossible to be inspired by anything that has no relationship with money
There should be a perfect intersection between your passion and your talent
Money is here to stay and will never be irrelevant because it’s energy and also a signal about your value and worth
The real issue is not the money but how much you’re willing to invest in yourself.
The Mayor told me he was taking a vacation. This stuff is pretty heavy lifting.
