On Wednesday, we ushered in TWO new classes of leaders (pictured above). I was blessed to MC this event. My address script is below.

ELI class

Good evening! Thank you for coming.

[introductions and acknowledgements]

This is time to celebrate a developmental milestone!

YOU, your company, your mentor and / or your sponsor made a deliberate decision to elevate your self mastery.

This organization (as in ACEC ND) is a PROUD partner in your awareness building process. You’ve been on a journey these past 1-3 years to better define who you are, what you’re good at, and what you might do with your gifts.

•Will you lead the organization (or a significant portion of it) where you are currently employed?

•Will you take a more significant part in your relationships, whether at home, work, industry, neighborhood, church or this very Alumni?

•Will you refine this new found awareness and pay it forward? Or will you leverage it simply for personal gain? Will you recall and support the organizations who worked to hold you up at this point in your journey?

•Or will you close this chapter, forget the training and squeeze yourself back into the shell you started with?

Ladies and gentlemen of the graduating class of emerging leaders of 2017, I implore you to take full advantage of this investment.

-You have been changed in some way. -You have been … enlightened.
-Each and every one of you had at LEAST one Ah-Hah moment during this class and I hope, for your sake, it was a lot more than one.
-You have been joined with like-minded, hungry, wisdom-seeking souls to identify what leadership qualities you posses, those you should nurture and those you know you need to develop.

I’d like to invite…Geordie Aitken, our curriculum coordinator and hipster leader to the podium.

This is where we presented certificates to all graduates.

Closing comments:

Go forth and be leaders! Seek opportunities to lead leaders!

Last Saturday was Veteran’s Day and I want to honor all service men and service women who made sacrifices all the way up to the ultimate sacrifice so that we may live and love and learn in a peaceful, tolerant and benevolent government. God bless America! Goodnight!