Everyone Needs a Champion

Believe in, connect with, challenge, and never give up on someone.?This is the essential message of Rita Pierson's timeless TED Talk, “Every Child Needs a Champion”, 7.5 minutes (a transcript is also available):

Although this incredibly passionate, inspiring talk is focused on educators, the parallels for leadership and life are astounding.?I found myself wondering, “if even 10 percent of everyone embraced and practiced this, what would the world look like?!” Notice I said ‘everyone’ not ‘leaders’. Why? Because regardless of title, everyone can be a champion for someone!! The mindset is the same and isn’t tied to “titled leadership.” This principle holds true for business and personal life… We can champion anyone around us, both professionally and in our non-work lives.

Building Human Connection

Here are my leadership takeaways from Ms. Pierson’s timeless message with quotes from her or others that she quotes…

Be likable.?“Kids don’t learn from people they don’t like.”?I would argue that adults are no different than kids.? It’s impossible to inspire and influence others if we are unlikable. Dale Carnegie understood this when he wrote How to Win Friends and Influence People (it’s available as a free PDF or a YouTube ‘audiobook’).

Focus on others’ needs first.?“Seek first to understand…” (Steven Covey). She doesn’t use the words ‘servant leadership’ but that’s really what it is. The irony of being a servant is that in lifting others, we tend to lift ourselves. When we put others’ needs over our own, our needs seem to just fall into place on their own.

Apologize. Nothing connects with the human experience more than an honest acknowledgement of a mistake.?We all mess up… It’s a very human and relatable problem! So acknowledge the mistake and sincerely apologize. No ‘buts’, excuses, or explanations. Own it. Then try not to make the same mistake again!!

Find the good.?“Minus 18 sucks all the life out of you.?Plus 2 says you ain’t all bad!” People can’t be built up if we’re constantly reminding them of the worst about them. So find the good things and build from there. You can still be honest… She told the student that the grade was an ‘F’ but followed up with the fact that they didn’t get them all wrong!

Intentionally connect with the toughest, the unlikable.?"You won't like them all. And the tough ones show up for a reason. It's the connection. It's the relationships. And while you won't like them all, the key is they can never, ever know it!" That last part is the kicker… they should never know you don’t really like them. Ouch! It goes back to seeking to understand, looking out for their good… being a servant leader. And if we do it right, chances are that we may later find ourselves liking them because they now know someone cares about them!

The Impact

Two significant impacts were evident to me from this TED Talk, and had me asking tough questions about myself:

Joy.? Are my interactions with others creating joy? This joy extends to the receiver and the giver! There’s a certain joy in helping others learn and grow. And there’s a certain joy in learning and growing because someone championed that for me. Ms. Pierson states, “Teaching and learning should bring joy. How powerful would our world be if we had kids who were not afraid to take risks, who were not afraid to think, and who had a champion?“

Legacy.? Am I leaving a legacy of relationships that will live on long after I’m gone? Ms. Pierson saw this illustrated when her mom, a lifelong educator, died and she saw all the former students at her funeral.? Her mom left “a legacy of relationship that can never disappear.”

Closing Thoughts

"I am somebody. I was somebody when I came and I'll be a better somebody when I leave."

Ms. Pierson had her students say this about themselves. It’s also a mindset we should have when thinking of others. When we can think of others in this way, we will be their champion:

"They are somebody. They were a somebody when they came and they'll be a better somebody when they leave."

For Reflection

Have you experienced the power of human connection because someone was your champion?

Have you championed others and experienced the joy that results?

Who is the toughest, unlikable person in your life who needs to know someone cares? What will you do about it?

?? Read this, and more, on my Substack publication???