KEIN Network - Issue #83 - "Imagine" - words matter

Issue #83

Network & Share

Explore & Learn

“Imagine!” – words matter

Are leaders made or born?

Public webinar – JUSTA CHAT

Exploring the Network’s views on what history teaches us about leadership and the merit of alliances

Thursday, March 24th 4:00pm MST

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85896241732

Words count and what leaders have to say matters a great deal, particularly when in the right context. Let me explain.

Some years ago, I was asked by the CEO of a national institute to write a paper for him about what I knew about leadership. I think it was a test, or at least an introduction, as I was being assessed for a specific role – though without my knowledge. What I learned and what I shared was that the research was divided on whether leaders are born or made. There were many examples cited of each. The ones that I recall that stood out for me were national leaders who were often confronting one another: Mahatma Ghandi and Churchill, Stalin and Hitler.

Another dimension of the research was an assessment of the extent to which great leaders are often sociopaths, oblivious to the hurt inflicted in their quests. That achieving utopia was worth it to them regardless of the cost.

Today there is deep, daily, diverse, often divided analysis of Russia and Putin, the US and Biden, the Ukraine and Zelensky, China and Xi Jiang, and their influence on our future. The discussion is of vision and violence drawing on history and humanism, suffering and sacrifices. Of leaders justifying their means – the tools of violence, by citing their ends – security. In the midst of the chaos, the opinions, the rage, the lies, the defense…a word has emerged. A word – riveting, defining, inspiring. That word is IMAGINE as expressed by…

When Volodymyr Zelensky said “imagine” in Europe, in Canada, and then before the US Congress, millions were listening. By expressing “imagine” he conjured up former and current horrors. At that very moment he reset the minds of millions – of those of us who just moments before would have linked “imagine” with THIS https://youtu.be/rAn-AWXtHv0

Our minds were reset. A leader was born.

There is much to imagine today about tomorrow as current events are reshaping the future. Just a few years ago it was technology, globalization and the internet. Then AI and Metaverse. Carbon and climate change. Public and personal health and Covid. Food and energy security. The economy and inflation. Now it’s “war!” Stay tuned. Be positive. Confront the tsunami of negativity serving to degrade our resilience, innovation, and confidence. – Editor

KEI’s March Calendar

March 23rd – Troy Media initiates the weekly distribution of the KEI Network’s “Decarbonization – An Alberta Perspective” series of 10 episodes exploring the pathway to energy, economic, and environmental sustainability. HERE

March 31st – KEI Network’s Zoom webinar 4:00pm MST featuring the Alberta Associate Minister of Natural Gas – Dale Nally. Exploring the implications of developing HYDROGEN on Alberta energy, environment, and economy. Response and additional commentary from Yogi Schulz and Bill Howell. Zoom url/link https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85896241732

SEEKING HELP – The Plight of Rural Communities

We are intent on telling the story about the sustainability of rural communities. Please let us know if you and/or your community would like to be featured. Contact Admin@KEInetwork.net

PARTNERING

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