Mr. Brian Barren, President of Business Operations for the Cleveland Indians, challenged NDCL's Class of 2018 to be transformative leaders during his address at NDCL's 28th Commencement Exercises on May 25.

   

LEADERSHIP COACH: Mr. Brian Barren, Cleveland Indians President of Business Operations, addresses the Class of 2018 during Friday night's Commencement.

Mr. Barren began by urging the graduates to remember that they are the products of those placed strategically by God in their lives.

  

"You are surrounded right now by leaders at NDCL who have helped shape your belief systems, have influenced how you make decisions, and have put you on a path to being the leader you ultimately choose to be," he said.
  
Mr. Barren then honed in on the leadership  dimension of NDCL's mission statement.

   

"'Transforming the world' means impacting your sphere of influence wherever that may be in the future, no matter how large or small. Leadership is the key to transforming the world," he explained.
  
In his remarks Mr. Barren highlighted three fundamental and polar-opposite choices that every leader must make:

1. Leaders may choose to motivate others by fear or by faith.

2. When faced with adversity and failure, leaders may choose to get bitter or get better.

3. In responding to challenges, leaders may choose to quit or to compete.

"NDCL has put you on a path to be a leader who can transform the world," he told the graduates. "Build on this solid foundation. When you have an opportunity to choose what type of a leader you want to be, choose wisely."
   

“  When you knock it out of the park, look to the heavens as you round the bases of life, and thank God above for the opportunity you had to attend NDCL.  ”

"And when you fall down and make mistakes as a leader—and you will—pick yourself up by the bootstraps and get back in the batter’s box of life," he stressed. "Take a deep breath, dig in, and focus on the next fastball of opportunity coming your way. When it does, swing as hard as you can and compete relentlessly to the best of your God-given capability as a leader. When you knock it out of the park, look to the heavens as you round the bases of life, and thank God above for the opportunity you had to attend NDCL."

"Batter up, Class of 2018, the world awaits the next generation of leaders who will transform the world!"