4 Lessons on Leadership from the Rising Orange Dot
By Bill Marklein, Founder Employ Humanity
The sunrise—that orange rising dot—is a great teacher of leadership. As most things in nature, the sunrise reminds us of the importance of a new day. As leaders, we must be constantly reminded of the importance of our impact on people, place and planet. Wisconsin has many great spots to watch the orange dot. One of my favorite and awe-inspiring places to watch the rising orange dot is on the Lake Michigan shoreline in Sheboygan (pictured). The morning sunrise has inspired four powerful lessons on leadership.
1.  Presence:  Now matters. Not yesterday, not tomorrow—but today. We must leave our shortcomings and mistakes in yesterday with the courage to learn and lead better today. People need our attention, kindness and clarity today—that's all we have.
2.  Opportunity:  We have a full day ahead of us of possibilities—now that's exciting. In the spirit of a growth mindset, we must embrace a new day to learn, grow and improve. This adds up over time. Focus on today.
3.  Humility:  There's more to life than our job title, status and ego. We as leaders must realize that we are part of a bigger picture and invite people to be a part of something bigger than themselves. Leadership is leaving people—and the world—in a better place than how we found it. Leadership is about serving and developing others—not our own selfish interests.
4.  Awe:  Time and time again, the sunrise helps us feel awe. Out of all the emotions to feel, awe can be the most powerful, transformative, humbling, centering and shared by our common humanity. A morning that starts with feeling awe can more easily be shared with others through our leadership.

Watch the sunrise over Lake Michigan. Join us in Milwaukee on October 5 at Employ Humanity Leadership Day.