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June 9 offers second chance for Leadercast

  • Published
  • Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst Public Affairs
JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. --  A Nobel laureate, a five-time National Football League most valuable player, a Fortune 500 CEO, a former Presidential candidate.

All are consummate leaders in their fields, and all are providing leadership advice to an audience of 250 during a rebroadcast of last month's "The Brave Ones" Leadercast event, scheduled for June 9 at the Timmermann Center here.

"Professional development is key in any career," said Capt. Elizabeth Welch, 305th Air Mobility Wing Innovation and Efficiency chief and event organizer. "Leadercast gave a different perspective, one that is often understated when we focus on military professional development.  I think that bringing this perspective is valuable because it helps everyone at every level of leadership in their career."

There were nine speakers at the event, including Peyton Manning, Malala Yousafzai and Rudy Giuliani which was broadcast live at the Timmermann Center May 6. Now, base community members are being given another opportunity to learn from these greats during the rebroadcast.

"Regardless of your profession or occupation, the concept of leadership remains the same," said Capt. Michael Wells, 305th Air Mobility Wing executive office and event co-organizer. "Regardless of who they are or where they work, people want to be led; they thirst for direction, purpose, and motivation.  It is absolutely imperative that we, as future leaders, thirst for development opportunities, strive for improvement, and bravely prepare ourselves to effect change in our organizations and in the world."

The first event had 224 participants and organizers are hoping to exceed that for the next event - ensuring that as many members of the joint base benefit from this professional development opportunity. The event is open to all members of the joint base.

"Each ticket represents one opportunity for you to enhance your leadership perspective and arm yourself with tools to motivate and inspire your Airmen, Soldiers and Sailors," said Wells.

"There aren't enough chances to hear from leaders of this magnitude, so take a chance and listen to a leader that you might not conventionally be inclined to," said Welch.

The event focused on "brave leadership" and on leading with an "unrelenting position of boldness." Speakers shared experiences from their varying leadership roles.

Each topic, while not specific to military leadership, provided beneficial insight into being a better leader in any position.

"People follow solutions to problems," said Giuliani. "Make yourself a problem solver. Don't let yourself get beaten down by problems so much that you can't get yourself out of that problem."

The all-day event has something for everyone, featuring both male and female speakers from diverse backgrounds and a variety of professions. 

Manning spoke of something that rang true for many audience members, "You can't lead until you earn the respect of the people you are leading...and you do that by working, not by talking."

When the audience was later polled on the effectiveness of Leadercast, and whether the event should be held again, the feedback was overwhelmingly positive.

"I took the most from the head of Pixar," said one audience member. "His take on handling failure, or even turning it to your advantage, resonates extremely well with the direction leaders need to take the Air Force."

For more information about Leadercast at the joint base, contact Capt. Elizabeth Welch at (609) 754-0800.