[Music]
how is the impossible accomplished this
is the million dollar question right
throughout history there have been great
successes accomplished by remarkable
people but for the average person like
me the impossible
may seem daunting if you had told me in
August that I would be standing on stage
in front of 500 people sharing my views
about leadership as a freshman I would
have laughed rolled my eyes and said
impossible but here I am facing my
impossible I admit I’m a quiet person I
like to figure out how things work or
what I will say before I actually speak
I’m often perceived by my peers to be
reserved when it comes to my opinions
and hesitant to share when speaking in
front of others people have assumed that
I don’t want to share my opinions public
speaking must be my worst nightmare and
being a leader is out of the question in
fact a teacher once told me that my
quiet nature would hurt me not only as a
leader but also in my endeavors for
future success when I was told this I
quickly began to believe that maybe this
teacher was right perhaps being quiet
wasn’t a characteristic that true
leaders possessed however I quickly
reflected and came to the conclusion
that there was one person in my life who
I knew proved that what this teacher had
told me was far from true my grandpa who
is 80 years old has continuously shown
me that leading without words is not
only doable but that leading without
words can reveal one’s true character
and hence be a more effective style of
leadership whenever I would come home
from school upset or dejected based on
the events of the day my grandpa would
greet me with a plate of his famous
nachos without fail he would continue to
do this for years because he would know
that it would cheer me up immediately
upon delivery of the precious cargo
he simply handed me the nachos with a
smile and would say you can do it
forwards for simple yet a
active words he did not always know the
context as to why I was upset but in the
true style of a leader he believed in me
my grandfather a man of few words
inspires through his actions while I’ve
never once heard him boast or
self-promoting his accomplishments he
has served in the military traveled into
war zones as a civilian in the Air Force
and although never attending a Jesuit
school has fully embraced the practice
of serving others while advocating for
social justice while my description of
him as quiet reserved and an
unpretentious leader seems to be overly
simplistic his impact on me proves two
things one words are not the most
powerful means of communication actions
are to introverts have the power to
cultivate the potential and others by
silently targeting self-doubt creating a
relationship of trust and inspiring
confidence so the day the teacher
tempted me to tell me that quiet
individuals cannot lead she failed to
recognize it’s not words but actions and
confidence that lead to opportunities
for success thanks to my introverted
grandpa in a plate of nachos I ignored
the comment and today I’m standing here
facing my impossible and doing what I
love I’m often reserved around others
yes but I am so much more than what
people commonly perceive introverts are
not often thought of as leaders simply
because they do not project their
opinions they must deliberately think
before they speak and on the occasions
they do need to be called upon to
express their opinions however instead
of simply accepting the stereotype of
leadership introverts can promote an
alternative view based on actions and
results introverts can discern
deliberately taking the time to think
about words that will look to inspire
others by providing ways in which
introverts can share their unique
strengths society will continue to grow
and perhaps the common misperceptions
once thought of too only it belong to
introverts will become positive
qualities once
to have each and every one of you can be
a leader extrovert and introvert alike
our personality types are never an
excuse as to why we are not finding
success as a leader there are many
examples of role models and leaders who
have shown that being organically quiet
natured is possible
these people include Rosa Parks mother
Teresa Albert Einstein and Omaha’s own
Warren Buffett if your actions are as
simple as making a plate of nachos are
as complex as creating a billion dollar
company no you inspire others by leading
I’m standing here today in the midst of
an amazing group in the hopes to inspire
more people who prefer actions over
words to erase the common misperceptions
and assumptions of quiet individuals I’m
willing to guess you never imagined that
love and nachos could be the recipe for
leadership but I challenge you to look
around you for examples of how you can
ignite the passion of others because you
might just lead them to accomplish their
impossible finally I will ask you what
is your impossible and why is it
stopping you from being a leader thank
you [Applause]
how is the impossible accomplished this
is the million dollar question right
throughout history there have been great
successes accomplished by remarkable
people but for the average person like
me the impossible
may seem daunting if you had told me in
August that I would be standing on stage
in front of 500 people sharing my views
about leadership as a freshman I would
have laughed rolled my eyes and said
impossible but here I am facing my
impossible I admit I’m a quiet person I
like to figure out how things work or
what I will say before I actually speak
I’m often perceived by my peers to be
reserved when it comes to my opinions
and hesitant to share when speaking in
front of others people have assumed that
I don’t want to share my opinions public
speaking must be my worst nightmare and
being a leader is out of the question in
fact a teacher once told me that my
quiet nature would hurt me not only as a
leader but also in my endeavors for
future success when I was told this I
quickly began to believe that maybe this
teacher was right perhaps being quiet
wasn’t a characteristic that true
leaders possessed however I quickly
reflected and came to the conclusion
that there was one person in my life who
I knew proved that what this teacher had
told me was far from true my grandpa who
is 80 years old has continuously shown
me that leading without words is not
only doable but that leading without
words can reveal one’s true character
and hence be a more effective style of
leadership whenever I would come home
from school upset or dejected based on
the events of the day my grandpa would
greet me with a plate of his famous
nachos without fail he would continue to
do this for years because he would know
that it would cheer me up immediately
upon delivery of the precious cargo
he simply handed me the nachos with a
smile and would say you can do it
forwards for simple yet a
active words he did not always know the
context as to why I was upset but in the
true style of a leader he believed in me
my grandfather a man of few words
inspires through his actions while I’ve
never once heard him boast or
self-promoting his accomplishments he
has served in the military traveled into
war zones as a civilian in the Air Force
and although never attending a Jesuit
school has fully embraced the practice
of serving others while advocating for
social justice while my description of
him as quiet reserved and an
unpretentious leader seems to be overly
simplistic his impact on me proves two
things one words are not the most
powerful means of communication actions
are to introverts have the power to
cultivate the potential and others by
silently targeting self-doubt creating a
relationship of trust and inspiring
confidence so the day the teacher
tempted me to tell me that quiet
individuals cannot lead she failed to
recognize it’s not words but actions and
confidence that lead to opportunities
for success thanks to my introverted
grandpa in a plate of nachos I ignored
the comment and today I’m standing here
facing my impossible and doing what I
love I’m often reserved around others
yes but I am so much more than what
people commonly perceive introverts are
not often thought of as leaders simply
because they do not project their
opinions they must deliberately think
before they speak and on the occasions
they do need to be called upon to
express their opinions however instead
of simply accepting the stereotype of
leadership introverts can promote an
alternative view based on actions and
results introverts can discern
deliberately taking the time to think
about words that will look to inspire
others by providing ways in which
introverts can share their unique
strengths society will continue to grow
and perhaps the common misperceptions
once thought of too only it belong to
introverts will become positive
qualities once
to have each and every one of you can be
a leader extrovert and introvert alike
our personality types are never an
excuse as to why we are not finding
success as a leader there are many
examples of role models and leaders who
have shown that being organically quiet
natured is possible
these people include Rosa Parks mother
Teresa Albert Einstein and Omaha’s own
Warren Buffett if your actions are as
simple as making a plate of nachos are
as complex as creating a billion dollar
company no you inspire others by leading
I’m standing here today in the midst of
an amazing group in the hopes to inspire
more people who prefer actions over
words to erase the common misperceptions
and assumptions of quiet individuals I’m
willing to guess you never imagined that
love and nachos could be the recipe for
leadership but I challenge you to look
around you for examples of how you can
ignite the passion of others because you
might just lead them to accomplish their
impossible finally I will ask you what
is your impossible and why is it
stopping you from being a leader thank
you [Applause]
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