Authentic Leaders demonstrate a passion or a calling that motivates them to veer from the path of comfort and sign up for experiences that make them stretch--experiences that require personal growth and development as leaders.

Both of our guests, Eric Levinson and Dr. Will Sparks, chose a certain hardship in order to realize their potential. Eric gave up his vocation at the height of his career to make a contribution in Iraq. Will gave up everything familiar to take an internship in D.C., and embrace the self-discipline that would eventually lead to a Ph.D. in Leadership. Eric and Will shared a motivation that was derived from a sense of life's meaning.

Inherent in leadership is the willingness to take risks and fail.  The goal of Interact Live #2 was to consider our fear of failing and to reframe our perception of the term.

Tom Wright shared the ‘failures' that have led him to wisdom, kindness and fearlessness.  He gave us permission to consider our own insights and assets that come directly from so-called ‘failure.’

Fear is a mental construct.  In order to be fearless (unafraid of failure), we must stay focused on the present and in a state of curiosity.  As leaders we must embrace risk when the alternate is to move backward.

Some of our most defining moments come from a failure or near failure experience.  If we allow our past failures to be a trusted resource—we will not be afraid to live, to risk and to lead.

Favorite Quotes:
Failure is an event, never a person. William D. Brown

Love the moment. Flowers grow out of dark moments. Therefore, each moment is vital. It affects the whole. Life is a succession of such moments and to live each, is to succeed. Corita Kent

Notice the difference between what happens when a man says to himself, "I have failed there times," and what happens when he says, "I am a failure." S. I. Hayakawa

A 33-year banking veteran, Adams spent most of his career overseeing technology and operations during dramatic consolidation in the industry. Prior to the JPMorgan Chase – Bank One merger, he was executive vice president and Chief Information Officer of Bank One. 

Prior to joining Bank One in 2001, he was CIO at First Union Corporation, now Wachovia Corp.  Adams became the head of technology and operations at First Union in 1985, following the merger with Northwestern Financial Corporation, which he joined in 1973.  In 2002, Business 2.0 magazine named him one of the 16 most influential technology people in the world.  [Download the PDF Summary]