Bethany Timmons and I brought 9 kids – 2 girls and 7 boys to the Idea Factory in Troy, Ohio for 3 days of leadership development last week. Leader Quest is a 3-day of adventure, hands on learning experience where kids study hard, work hard, play hard and sleep hard. My friend Mike Nygren has done over 450 of these types of trainings and is brilliant. Everything he does looks nonchalant yet is very intentional. For example, he took us all out to the local diner, divided the kids up into small groups of 3 with a team leader and observed how well they behaved in a public setting. There were some mixed results! He observed to see who would step up to clean up after a meal and who goes off to play. Mike knows that kids can do awesome things and make a difference in their homes and community.
It’s impossible to describe the process of “de-jerking.” I don’t say that disrespectfully. We all have the potential to be jerks at various times and we are. It is amazing to watch the kids step up and into the expectations that Mike laid out.
If you go to a basketball camp don’t you expect the coach to invest in you and help you become a better ball player? He’s going to build a team to win and he’s going to work you hard to get the best from you. That’s how Mike approaches leadership. You can trust him to tell you the truth – both positive and negative. He’ll tell you when you are missing the mark but he is quick to praise and encourage, so you can grow as a leader.
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