A few years ago, I watched an interview with a famous author. The interviewer asked him what advice he had for aspiring writers. The author simply stated, “writer’s write.” He went on to explain how many people talk about writing a book, but so few actually have the discipline to sit down and do the heavy lifting of actually writing. I believe a similar maxim is true of leadership – leader’s lead. They take the initiative to get engaged and make a difference. As I have interviewed leaders across our state, I have been inspired and encouraged by the examples of people who with passion and purpose are daily engaged in leadership. Recently, I had the good fortune to interview one of my own favorite authors and teachers on leadership – Mark Sanborn.

Mark is one the leading thought leaders in the country today on leadership, team building, customer service and change. He gave his first speech at age ten in a 4-H contest. He lost, but he found his calling. Mark paid his way through college at Ohio State University by giving after dinner speeches. After graduation, he worked in the magazine publishing industry, and he launched his professional speaking and development business in 1986. During his career, Mark has authored seven books including the international best seller The Fred Factor. He is a former President of the National Speakers Association and has been inducted into the Association’s Hall of Fame. Mark works with over 2,200 clients including Capital One, Costco, Enterprise Rent-a-Car, FedEx, Harley-Davidson, and Hewlett Packard.