Last week, I had the opportunity to see and hear the Dalai Lama.
It was indeed memorable. My best friend Sue joined me and 24,000 others to experience a star-studded event, dubbed the One World Concert, at my alma mater, Syracuse University. The Dalai Lama was the headliner.
The setting, well familiar to me from my vantage as a 25-plus-year, season-ticket holder for Syracuse football, had been transformed from sports arena into mystical, magical and musical venue.
Although audience members were diverse in background, age, ethnicity, wardrobe and stage of life, we equally shared the anticipation and excitement to witness an extraordinary event. And we weren’t let down.
From on-time start, the One World Concert and the Dalai Lama advanced a message of sheer unity and inclusiveness.
The giant Carrier Dome became small—in fact, almost cozy. As the Dalai Lama’s message carried forth and captivated us, generational and other differences faded, replaced by a common focus and camaraderie. People came together in a way that most managers in companies large and small can only dream of.
How did the Dalai Lama do it? How did he bring us together?