Live2Lead
David Freund, Chief Leadership Officer

On November 1^st, we had our ninth Live2Lead at The Lodge in Skaneateles. This event is one of my favorite days each year because we gather in the beautiful Lodge as leaves gently drop into the crisp autumn air. As you enter The Lodge, you are greeted by warm chocolate chip cookies and fresh coffee or a beverage of your choice.

As the morning progresses, you realize that the people arriving at the event are excited to be there. The warm cookies are great, and The Lodge is beautiful, but something special will unfold over the next several hours. You have the privilege of being at one of only 300 sites to be taught by some of the world’s most sought-after leadership experts. As usual, the first speaker was John C. Maxwell who gave a timeless teaching on having an Abundance Mindset. When we have an Abundance Mindset we believe that things in life happen for us and not to us. This mindset shift allows us to see opportunities where most people see problems. The key to having an Abundance Mindset is that it must be practiced daily. The four main points were: You are Worthy, You Create Your Own Success, Life Happens for You, and Personal Continual Growth Evolves into Abundance.

Michael Jr. told his life story in a humorous way that touched all our emotions. One of his outstanding lines was, “I was thinking about what I was thinking about it and how I was thinking about it.” While it may sound like a senseless statement, the depth is incredible. Michael also shared that “life will bring us people and circumstances to reveal where we are not free yet.” Lastly, he shared this statement, “What if the conflicts in your present, which came from your past, are the preparations for your future.”

Olympian Chaunte Lowe took us on a walk through the miracle of her life. Believing that she could and anchored by her faith, she battled and won both on the high jump stage as well as against breast cancer. She challenged us to 1) Hope forward past our circumstances, 2) Burn the garments of failure, 3) Put on our armor, 4) Write our vision down, 5) Make a plan, 6) Yearn to learn, 7) Speak life into yourself, and 8) Lead yourself to serve others.

After lunch, author and speaker Jon Gordon taught us that leadership is a transfer of belief. He asked if we were feeding ourselves enough so we could feed others. Probably the most important key point he shared was that we need to speak to ourselves rather than listen to ourselves, and no surprise, coming from the author of The Energy Bus, he concluded with “As you think, you become.”

Our next speaker, Valorie Burton, taught us about Energy Gaps. Often, there is a significant gap between our goals and our energy. The four gaps we need to manage are:

1. Mental Energy – Often, leaders are faced with decision fatigue and goal fatigue. When we see this coming, we need to rally our resources and find solutions without reinventing the wheel. Two tips she shared were: celebrate success no matter how small and take breaks to savor things you enjoy. Lastly, remember fear is counterproductive energy; when we change our thoughts, we change our reactions.
2. Emotional Energy – Positive emotion produces energy. We need three positive thoughts to counteract one negative thought. Having a 3-1 or better ratio of positive to negative will help build up our emotional energy and make us more resilient.
3. Spiritual Energy – Believe that you were created to achieve great things and to add value to others. Realize that even in the challenges you are facing there is growth and opportunity.
4. Physical Energy – Are you taking care of yourself? Are you resting enough? Are you giving yourself permission to play? Making space for what you want in life will strengthen your physical energy and make you a better leader.

John C. Maxwell closed the day with an inspiring teaching on success. He reminded us that success is in the journey and not the destination. Success is something we can achieve each day if we live with intentionality.

I can’t wait for Live2Lead 2025. We will gather at The Lodge on November 7^th, 2025, so mark your calendars. This year’s content is still available through the end of February. If you would like me to bring the entire day or even one speaker to your organization, please email me at [email protected], and we can have a conversation to make that happen.