A couple weeks ago I had the opportunity to speak alongside General Colin Powell at a leadership Conference in Richmond VA.  I’ve been speaking now professionally for the last 2 years and even though I always get a little nervous before each speech I am never to overly stressed.  However, I’ve never had to follow Colin Powell in a speech before either.  The week leading up to my speech I have to admit that I was a bit intimidated to follow one of the greatest leaders in our nations history.  “What the hell can I offer this audience of 3000+ students and adults after a guy like Gen. Powell.” I thought over and over throughout the week.

But then, I heard Gen. Powell speak.  And all my fears went away.  Why? Because the guy didn’t come out of the womb fighting and immediately take charge of anything and everything that was around him as I had anticipated.  He was real.  He was humble.  He started out his story saying that his GPA wasn’t even good enough in school for him to join the military and the only thing that got him over a 2.0 was the school allowing him to use his A in ROTC to be added to his transcript.

Gen Powell is hands down the best speaker I have ever heard and by far the coolest dude I have ever met.  He talked with me for a while in the Green Room before his speech and made me feel important acting as if I was the only person in the room. Which amazed me because I know full well that I am probably the least important guy that he talked to that day.

I am now convinced that great leaders aren’t born.  They are made by the decisions they choose to make, the people they choose to surround themselves with, and the energy and passion they put into their mission and the people that enable that mission to be possible.