Recently I was in the audience at the Girls on the Run (GOTR) Summit in Orlando, Florida and listened to Elizabeth Kunz, GOTR International CEO deliver an exceptional and inspiring visionary leader speech.
I quickly saw why Girls on the Run has grown exponentially since Liz became CEO. They’ll reach their millionth girl this year.
The mission of this important and fun organization is simple: We inspire girls to be joyful, healthy, and confident using a fun, experience-based curriculum which creatively integrates running.
As I sat in the hotel ballroom with more than 400 others, I was inspired to be a better person and a better woman. In that room I was surrounded by people who embodied the powerful GOTR mission.
As a storyteller and coach I listened to the CEO speak and noticed why I was inspired and it was, of course, the stories that were shared. But there was something else. The stories were real and heartwarming. They gave visibility to the past, present, and future.
But what stood out for me was the clear and achievable vision for the future. It was spelled out verbally and visually so well that the plans for growth and future success of the organization are a certainty.
Before your next speech, article or social media post, here are the important questions to ask yourself or your staff:
How often do your updates to your community truly ignite action?
Ignite possibility?
Ignite certain outcomes?
And how often do your messages share the true facts of what it will take to meet or exceed your goals?
We were at a resort at Disney World so, yes, there was opportunity to have fun with the message. But, I don’t believe you have to be at a Disney venue to inspire possibility and a positive vision for the future.
I’m proud to have been a speaker at the #GOTRSummit and to have met Liz Kunz. . . and so many other passionate women, and a few men who envision a world where every girl knows and activates her limitless potential and is free to boldly pursue her dreams.
Pictured with me: On each end, GOTR staff: Meg Taylor & Mandy Murphy, Center: Natalie Jacobwith
It was incredibly special to have my own, girl-on-the-run with me, my cross-country running, 16 year-old nice, Natalie.
When speaking to others, I believe the recipe for success is to always focus on your mission using stories. To do that and truly inspire action takes more than words.
Here was the recipe Liz Kunz used to ignite us:
10+ Heartwarming Stories
20+ Interesting and Helpful Stats shared as graphics
78 Inspiring Images
400+ Empowered & Engaged Listeners
= Unlimited Certain Potential
A special thank you to Liz Kunz and GOTR for allowing me to include some of her slides in this post.
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Slides from two of my training sessions: Advanced Storytelling and The Art of Asking from the Girls on the Run Summit can be viewed here on Slideshare.
