Leading From Your Center for Universities & Students
Commencements · student organizations · public policy programs
For campus audiences the talk leans into the arc — refugee camp to city hall — and what it asks of students deciding what their work will stand for. Works as a commencement address, a public policy lecture, or a student-government keynote, with time built in for the questions students actually ask.
What does it mean to lead from your center — to hold your values steady when the pressure to compromise is highest? Mike Elliott draws on decisions made under national scrutiny, pandemic emergency powers, and moments when the politically safe path and the right path diverged.
Grounded in a village upbringing in Liberia and tested in an American mayor's office, this talk is about the interior discipline of leadership: knowing what you won't trade, and being honest about what staying true actually costs.
What universities & students take away
- A framework for making values-based decisions under pressure
- The real cost of holding a position — and when it's worth it
- How personal history shapes — and steadies — a leader
Book this talk
Mention “Leading From Your Center for Universities & Students” in your request — or ask Mike to tailor it to your audience.