When is it time to give up, to stop trying, to settle for what is?
Five years ago, when I founded the altMBA, I had no idea what 2020 would be like. I don’t think anyone could have described the confluence of events, the unevenly distributed tragedy of our times, the injustice, the hurt and the illnesses as well. The despair that’s around us is real, and it has exposed many of the fault lines we’ve been papering over.
Leadership is needed. People, regardless of where they are or what they do, who can help those they work with move forward.
What else to do but to seek to make things better? Start where you are and do everything you can.
Today, the hard work of leading, asserting, connecting and contributing seems incredibly difficult. But it’s more urgently needed than ever. Right here and right now.
When we ran the first session of our thirty-day virtual workshop, it was something that had never been done before. We had to explain what Zoom was, had to describe a future where online learning was not only possible, but could be transformative, and had to invent a whole new way for people to connect and learn with each other. But, truthfully, we had no idea. It was an experiment, and the 100 people who took that first session knew that, and were eager to give it a try.
We just finished our fortieth session. We’ve had graduates from 16 to 80 years of age. In 77 countries. Leaders from some of the biggest companies in the world as well as people who run non-profits, play professional sports or paint. Because making things better isn’t about what you look like or where you work. Making things better is an attitude. The attitude of possibility and the posture of generosity. And then making the decision to own your learning.
Don’t stop speaking up, don’t stop leading, don’t stop learning. Don’t stop seeking justice. We can’t give up.
Today is our five-year anniversary. 40 sessions, hundreds of coaches, thousands of alumni. And we keep showing up because you keep showing up. You do it with grace and kindness and confidence, even when the world is turned upside down. If you’re suffering from a hardship right now, know that we’re thinking of you.
It’s not a good time for us to celebrate our anniversary. It’s difficult to even share the news. So many people in our community and on our team are going through tough times right now, experiencing a world that they never asked for or expected. The best instinct I have in moments like these is to help people choose to lead. To do even better work on the projects you care about. To show up and to lean in and to contribute. In whatever way you can.
I hope you’ll check out the materials and faqs we’ve posted here. The final deadline to apply for the upcoming July session is tomorrow.