I will be eternally grateful for your great gift of taking in to the fullest extent what it is that I
have to offer, living it, and then reflecting it back in terms of the potential experience of others.
You have given words to a process that defies words. And you’re constantly in a position to help
me continue to hone that, deeper and deeper and more and more resonantly, who I am and what I offer,
which is truly invaluable. — Jon Hansen, 
What you’ve sent me is so darn perfect it hurts! It’s a sheer pleasure to work with someone
who writes as beautifully as you do — and in “my” voice. — Ariane Goodwin, Ed.D,
You have a real gift for words. You’re really, really good at it. — Sherry Essig,
Why Ben Zander is a hero for today’s world
Benjamin Zander is one of my heros. I’m pretty sure I’m not alone in that, especially since he is asked to speak at events such as the Davos World Economic Forum (where he closed the 2008 session) and at TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design).
Zander is one of the most exuberantly alive people I’ve ever seen. (I wish I could say “met,” because I would love to meet him in person!) He’s a living example of what it means to be all out there, completely yourself.
His book The Art of Possibility, written with his wife Rosamund Stone Zander, gives us a peek into his way of thinking, endlessly curious, irreverent, and willing to explore almost anything. And it’s an amazing exploration of a whole different way of approaching life, both personally and as a leader.
Having read his book, I was almost hesitant to view the YouTube video of his talk at Davos. I’m sure I’m not alone in finding authors sometimes a little disappointing in person – and I so appreciated the book that I didn’t want to feel that disappointment.
He’s even better in person than in the written word. I don’t generally “do” online videos of personalities or funny stuff or whatever – I usually find them too long and mildly annoying. But I can, and do, watch Zander over and over, especially any time I need a lift, an example of what it’s like to be wholly yourself.
Read his book. Watch the videos – I’ve included them here. Enjoy. And tell me what you think – is he a modern-day hero for you, too?
Ben Zander at TED
Ben Zander at Davos 2008
Posted: February 21st, 2009 under Books and people.