IDL125 Season 3: Gen Z View of Leadership with Conner Furu
Where does leadership start? Why should you keep your eyes on the mission over the goals? How much wealth do you have in your relationships?
I’m excited to share this conversation with Conner Furu with you. Today we talk about the experience of Gen Z workers, as well as the impact that leaders have had on Conner’s life and his growth as an individual. Our conversation centers on the life-changing significance that a good leader can have in another person’s life.
Meet Conner Furu
Growing up in Olympia, Washington Conner gravitated toward football after his parents divorced when he was young. Starting at a young age he was told to change my name by his alcoholic father which forced him to search elsewhere for recognition which he found on the football field. Over the course of his high school and division one college career, He suffered 7 season-ending injuries including a span of 1646 days between his last high school and first collegiate game in order to keep his promise to his family they would see me play again.
Conner often says that everything he prayed for was not answered, but everything he should have been praying for was. From overcoming nearly a century of generational curses, surrounding himself with people who made him realize his worth, traveling internationally to find a new passion in antihuman trafficking, and now ultimately being placed in a position to pursue his passion in sharing his story with high schools, universities, and podcasts around the country he can safely say that it was all worth it…
IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:
What does leadership look like? - 04:42
The continual impact of great leaders in life - 10:03
How people miss the mark - 15:18
Pursue the mission more than the goals - 20:01
Build wealth in your relationships - 32:39
What does leadership look like?
“Not everyone can be a leader, but everyone can … find someone to lead. ”
There is no cookie-cutter type of leader. There is no specific person or personality that you have to look like or have to be a great leader.
In fact, the first step to becoming and being a great leader is to first lead yourself. Before you dedicate your time and energy to serving others, first serve yourself by getting to know what you need, and what you can focus on.
“Everyone needs to lead themselves, and if we properly lead ourselves, we are going to impact others. ”
When you focus on yourself – in the periphery of a community – you begin to show up as a great version of yourself which in turn inspires others and uplifts that community.
The continual impact of great leaders in life
Great leaders, even if you work with them for only a few years, can have life-long impacts on your life.
Once you have been inspired by someone, their impact on you will likely be reflected in what you do in the future for years to come.
“I am who I am because of those who came before me, and I will be who I am capable of becoming for all those who come after. ”
Pay tribute to those that invested in your greatness by building on it, and using it to help those around you.
How people miss the mark
You miss the mark on life when you lose track of these two things:
- Gratitude
- Perspective
Becoming the best version of yourself is not just so that you can enjoy those benefits – but take it a step further. How many people can your life uplift and bring value to when you invest in yourself?
By believing in and working toward improving yourself, you change your life as well as the lives of others. When you do good work in the world, you benefit your life as well as the lives of those that will come after you, as Connor mentions above.
Pursue the mission more than the goals
Be mission-oriented over goal-oriented.
“Goals are necessary. You [do] need them [because] you need to have incremental things to gauge your success but at the same time … being mission-oriented [means], “This is what I’m going to do.” ”
When you fail goals, you don’t let that stop you from pursuing your mission, but if you lack a mission then you might just quit your goals when they don’t work.
The mission is the destination you are sailing to, and the goals that you have to make up your ship. You need them to get you there, but they are useless with a destination in mind.
Build wealth in relationships
When you are overly invested in yourself, you lose the chance to make memories. You lose the ability to share experiences.
Who do you invest in? Who invests in you?
Wealth is not just about money. You can build a powerfully wealthy life by the quality of the relationships that you create with those people around you.
“You can have all the toys, you can have all the zeros … but if you don’t have people around you that care about you, that support you, [or] that encourage you? You’re going to be miserable. ”
Your network is what will support you. Your friends, colleagues, fellow team players, and coaches are the ones that will have your back.
Invest in that community because you then uplift others and they will do the same for you too.
Resources, books, and links mentioned in this episode:
Connect with Conner on Instagram and Twitter.
Level Up Your Leadership with the free 4 Days To Maximum Impact Course!
Sign up for the roundtable at: hello@theimpactdrivenleader.com
Check out the Practice Of the Practice
About the Impact Driven Leader Podcast
The Impact Driven Leader Podcast, hosted by Tyler Dickerhoof, is for Xillennial leaders who have felt alone and ill-equipped to lead in today's world. Through inspiring interviews with authors from around the world, Tyler uncovers how unique leadership strengths can empower others to achieve so much more, with real impact.
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