Dan Rockwell- A.K.A. Leadership Freak

There was an emergency scene… a flight-for-life helicopter that carried the badly battered body of a man I’ve never met. I struggled to imagine, fully, the chaotic trip to the hospital or the impact a single phone call must have had as it rippled through the hands of concerned family members and friends. Truthfully I should be barely impacted by an accident so far removed from my life. But that’s just the thing.  The injured man has very quickly become a part of my life, an important voice in my journey to grow and learn. I can’t help but to be moved to do something.

I started following Dan Rockwell’s incredibly popular blog Leadership Freak in the early weeks of October. I look forward to his posts every day. He manages to pack some fantastic stuff into a post that is no longer than 300 words, and the people who comment regularly take the idea and create an insightful and thought-provoking conversation.

Just after Thanksgiving, the posts stopped. I was sure he was taking a much needed vacation. I hardly had time to really wonder what might have happened to him…because he posted….about the accident.

He took time and space and an untold amount of emotional and physical energy to send a post out to explain his absence. He has found and shared lessons in and through his injury ever since.  Leadership, wisdom and guidance inspires me to be better, but to then offer those things through weakness and vulnerability…few things impress me more.

It doesn’t take long to hear Dan’s wisdom, to feel his belief in responsible leadership and to hear his call to challenge leaders who are willing to learn about how to lead well… how to do it better.   I am growing and benefitting from his offerings, and I feel blessed to have a chance to pay tribute while paying it forward.

He has already impacted untold numbers of leaders who read his stuff and listen to his keynote presentations. And there are even more employees who benefit from the wisdom he imparts. It is no wonder that the movement to help him now, in his time of medical and financial need, is propelled by a sense of gratitude for who he has been and who he continues to be for his readers and followers.

I donate to causes and to people I believe in, and Dan Rockwell is on my list this year.  If you don’t yet read his blog, you should, if you support positive causes that impact hundreds of people, this might be a place, a person, in which you should invest.

I cannot take the injuries away. I cannot make the rehabilitation faster, but I can offer a word of thanks, a space on my blog for others to hear about his efforts and the efforts of those who care about him to make his burdens lighter. There are great things worth celebrating, and I hope for nothing but healing for Dan and nothing but strength for his family and friends.

If you head to his blog and you read about who he is, you’ll be glad you took a few minutes to let his words pore over you and into you.  And then, if you feel a pull to donate and contribute to his healing, the donation page to help with Dan’s medical expenses can be found here: http://leadchangegroup.com/time-to-give-back/

May the holidays continue to bless each and every one of you, and may all the places you look for guidance fuel you to be better too.

To learn more about Meagan, you can visit her website at www.meaganfrank.com.