Every year, my team and I attend the leadership summit. This year, there is a shadow hanging over the summit as I outlined here, but I’m still trusting that it will have some incredibly helpful content, just like in past years. To capture what I’m learning and to help you grow as a leader, I always share my notes from each session, so be sure to check back after each session and bookmark them for future use.

The final session of the first day featured a talk from Danielle Strickland who looked at men and women in the workplace (and church) and looked at the challenges associated with power dynamics in organizational culture. This is definitely a talk that my tribe in the church world could learn from. It was fun having my two oldest kids in this session with me and have some good discussions.

The following are some takeaways:

1. In order for the truth to set us free, we must be disrupted because truth disrupts us.
2. To make changes and change minds you must be able to imagine a better world and understand oppression.
3. We all want a better story and that is what everyone is after.
4. What makes the world flourish is men and women working together.
5. Believe that it is possible for men and women to work together. 
6. Women’s empowerment is a key to so many things improving in our world.
7. Believing that it is possible is to refuse despair. It is to confront the hopelessness of inequality.
8. Do not be afraid.
9. 2/3 of women are not optimistic that gender equality can be achieved in the next 5 years.
10. The enemy in relationships isn’t hate but fear. -Gandhi
11. If our actions, decisions are fear based we will either be oppressed or be an oppressor. Fear is the currency of oppression.
12. Difference through the lens of fear is a threat. Difference through the lens of faith it is an opportunity.
13. Mutuality is crucial for men and women to work together. The enemies of mutuality are power and sex.
14. Power is the ability to manipulate the course of events. 
15. How we use our power is the measure of our leadership.
16. A misuse of power is coercion and threats: Are you kind to those you lead? Do you treat them well? Can you accept change? Do you cut people off when they’re talking? Do you close yourself off to feedback? Do you show regard for people’s opinions or feelings?
17. Isolation is a misuse of power. Trust and support is a good use of power.
18. Minimizing is a misuse of power. Honesty and accountability is a good use of power.
19. Male privilege is a misuse of power. Shared responsibility is a good use of power. Do you invite women into your decision making?
20. Great leaders use power to empower other people. 
21. If we’re willing to listen to voices we don’t normally listen to and are willing to learn from them, it will change how we live.
22. Never give up on the dream of men and women working together. 
23. Real empowerment and real freedom is a long walk in the same direction.

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