Mr Rogers earns $20M in six minutes

We are continuing the theme of authenticity or ‘being real’.  This is worth your time, even as busy as you are today.

Background:

In 1969, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) was in danger of getting their funding cut in half by Nixon because of war costs.  So the CPB calls in Mr. Rogers (who ran a popular children’s television program – the first series of episodes were produced and aired from 1968 to 1976, the second series of episodes were produced and aired from 1979 to 2001 (modern series) – to testify before the Senate.

Amazingly, as he starts talking you may feel the same way I did: This guy is living in fantasy land – until you listen for a while longer and realise, that he is for real. Disarmingly real.

He delivers an emotional 6-minute pitch. Watch the effect he has on John O. Pastore, notoriously gruff and impatient.

We don’t often see leaders deliver messages quite like this one, but it works.  The leaders we tend to connect with and want to follow are those who are not necessarily the smartest….or even the most articulate.  Rather, they are people who are able to connect with others in a very real way – simply by being authentic.

What does authentic mean?

Authentic – Dictionary definition

1. true to one’s own personality, spirit, or character; not false or imitation; worthy of acceptance; being fully trustworthy as according with fact; entitled to acceptance, genuine; actual character, not counterfeited, imitated.

“Leadership is a process, an intimate expression of who we are. It’s our

being in action. At its deepest level, leadership is authentic self-expression

that creates value”.

His simple message secured $20million in funding – in 6 minutes.

Watch the video and let me know what you think.

Phil

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