Momentum Leadership Series: Lessons For and From Our Chiefs — Bill Burton
By Bill Burton
The Founding
In the early weeks of 1991, I was among a group of men who came together to conceive an organization whose founding principle would be to focus on what bound us together as men rather than what separated us as individuals. These men of vision and passion were driven by our desire to maintain and grow the relationships we had forged through our bonding experiences in the Sterling Men’s Weekend and community service projects.
From a blank sheet we hammered out the Charter and Standards of an organization we called Nation of Men (NoM, later renamed Momentum for Men). The process we went through and framework this embodied would become the foundation for an organization that thrives to this day, and was a high point in my life.
I Was Taught How to Lead
At NoM’s initial meeting in March 1991, attended by dozens of other Sterling graduates, John Peterson and I were chosen as its first leaders, called Chiefs. I am tremendously proud at being chosen by these men to lead them. It is still one of the greatest honors I have ever received.
As Co-Chief of NoM I discovered I could lead, a capacity I never knew before then. At first I wasn’t very good at it but the men supported me and taught me what I needed to know. In so doing I also discovered that when I had powerful committed men surrounding me, I felt like I could jump out of an airplane without a parachute and those men would simply not let me hit the ground.
A Lifelong Lesson
As a result, I learned to take crazy chances, chase wild dreams and face my fears to achieve great things in many areas of my life. The men were always there, pushing me through every scary step along the way. I discovered it is only through the crucible of feeling foolish, staring down the prospect of failure and surrendering ego that true growth happens in a man’s life.
Key Take-aways:
Participating in the founding of a thriving men’s organization, and being chosen to lead it, were among the proudest experiences of my life
Committed men behind you will teach you how to lead
Pushing through fear and self-doubt will propel you to growth and achievement