How to Lead Without Followers (My First Public Speaking Gig)

By: Dave Ursillo

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On April 3, 2011, I had the pleasure and honor of speaking to a group of nearly 200 student leaders at my alma matter, the College of the Holy Cross.

The crowd constituted the incoming and outgoing leaders of every on-campus student organization, ranging from intramural sports clubs and arts/dancing groups to student government and the student newspaper–of which I was once co-editor in chief.

Speaking this past Sunday morning was my first public speaking appearance in years!

It was also the very first opportunity I had to stand before a crowd (of current and future leaders, to boot!) and spread messages of what I’ve learned over the course of my short life on being a quiet leader and how to lead without followers–in any walk of life.

Juuuust a couple of chairs.

I catered the message to be specific to what the students were doing on campus and in their everyday lives–imploring them to not be dismissive of the current opportunities they have and the positions of genuine leadership they are in.

What we do individually, within ourselves, can profoundly change the world.

And being a leader, even without followers, can have a radically positive impact on those around us and everyone we interact with on a daily basis.

I hope you enjoy this video, a short snippet into my alternative leadership messages and my very first public speaking appearance!

Big thanks to the College of the Holy Cross, Jacqueline Peterson, Becky Riopel, Kristine Goodwin, and Sara Swillo for their inviting me to speak and for their help on Sunday!

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** Hey you! Are you goin to the World Domination Summit with Chris Guillebeau in June? Today I became a finalist to possibly speak at the conference! I’d deeply appreciate your support and would love to speak to YOU on how to lead without followers !! Thanks :)

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Jacob Sokol

Dude this is a colossally monstrous step! Major props – congratz!!

Apr 04 2011 / 09:04 pm
- Dave Ursillo
  
  Thanks Jacob!! I was (and still am) very excited to speak on Sunday... to the extent that I used the Eddie Vedder song "Hard Sun" and the title "My Rebirth" from INTO THE WILD for my montage :)
  
  Apr 05 2011 / 10:04 am
  
Nathan Agin

really terrific speech, Dave! congrats on the gig – huge step and accomplishment, indeed! plus, i loved hearing the boston accent again and Holy Cross’ name (my high school senior prom was @ the Hogan Center!). i remember you saying you timed it out to 40 minutes – did you leave out the blooper reel? :-)

Apr 04 2011 / 11:04 pm
- Dave Ursillo
  
  Hey Nathan!! Is my accent that noticeable? Technically it's a Rhode Island accent, unless I've adapted to my surroundings here in South Boston :P
  
  I did time it out originally to be 40 minutes, but we started late on Sunday so my timing was thrown off when I checked my watch-- I was targeting to end around ten-of 11:00. I only cut out the Q&A segment at the end, figuring it wasn't so pertinent to my blog readers!
  
  Dave
  
  Apr 05 2011 / 10:04 am
  
  - Nathan Agin
    
    haha - no, not that noticeable - just brings me back. spent about 11 years in LA, devoid of most accents. :-)
    
    i wonder if a posting of the certain parts of the q&a (transcript) could be useful? or perhaps prepared as a handout for future talks to similar groups. either way, awesome things ahead, dave - keep on keepin' on!
    
    Apr 05 2011 / 10:04 am
    
Steve Roy

Dave,
Well done,my man. This is yet another step towards your success. Public speaking is something many of us are petrified of, so it’s good to see you handle it with confidence.

Best of luck on finding more speaking gigs-if you love it, I’m sure they will come…

Apr 25 2011 / 08:04 am
- Dave Ursillo
  
  Hey Steve! Thanks a ton my friend. Although the spring semester is unfortunately coming to a fast end, I'll be looking for more speaking opportunities throughout the summer with different groups and organizations :)
  
  Apr 26 2011 / 09:04 pm
  
How to Lead Without Followers: the World Domination Summit Talk I Never Gave | DaveUrsillo.com

[...] editor, and eventual editor in chief of the only official student newspaper at my Alma matter, the College of the Holy Cross, and acting as one of two student-liasons to the dean of students about on-campus affairs (i got [...]