David Freund, Chief Leadership Officer at the Manufacturers Association of Central New York, has challenged the idea of the “self-made” individual in a recent message to the community. He emphasized that success is rarely achieved alone and often involves support from others along the way.
Freund recalled his own early admiration for those who seemed to achieve everything through personal determination. However, he now believes that “being completely self-made is nothing more than a myth.” He stated, “None of us got to where we are entirely on our own. Somewhere along the way, someone opened a door, gave us a chance, or believed in us before we believed in ourselves.”
As part of his reflection ahead of the upcoming Live2Lead event scheduled for November 7 at The Lodge in Skaneateles, Freund shared an example from a previous Live2Lead session. He recounted how author and speaker Ryan Leak was able to remain enrolled at a private school due to a teacher’s intervention with scholarships when his family could no longer afford tuition. Leak credits much of his later success as an author and speaker to this act of support.
Freund encouraged others to consider who may have played similar roles in their lives: “Who’s responsible for where you are right now? Who saw something in you that others didn’t? Was it a coach, a teacher, a family member, a neighbor, or someone in your community or workplace? Maybe it was a leader who took a chance on you or a customer on your paper route who saw your work ethic. Maybe it was someone you barely knew who offered words of encouragement that kept you going.”
He further urged participants not only to reflect on those who helped them but also to consider how they might help others: “Whose spark could you recognize? Whose story could be changed just because you chose to open a door? Let’s stop buying into the myth of the self-made person and start embracing the truth: we rise by lifting others.”
Freund concluded by inviting readers to register for Live2Lead to hear more about leadership journeys and lessons from various speakers.
