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Everyone faces crucibles of adversity that make them who they are.
Leaders of influence use those moments to help forge themselves into better people and leaders, leaving it better than they found it and paying it forward to the next generations.
THE PROBLEM
We are faced with a Crisis in Leadership.
We are currently facing a crucial moment where the demand for leaders to uphold higher standards of honesty, decisiveness, integrity, and empathy is imperative. Unfortunately, many individuals in positions of leadership are falling short of fulfilling this essential role. This issue impacts every level of our global society, permeates every aspect of business, and directly influences the lives of countless individuals.
The negative impacts of poor leadership:
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Loss of high-performing employees and increased turnover
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Low employee morale and negative work culture
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Decrease in team buy-in and engagement with the company vision
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Negative personal and organizational reputation • Spread of unethical standards throughout the organization
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Decrease in sales and customer service performance, leading to unmet goals
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Toxic personal life and a lack of mental, emotional, and physical balance
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Decrease in personal and workplace accountability, resulting in poor outcomes
of American adults say most people can't be trusted.
via Pew Research Center
47%
of U.S. adults say that most people only look out for themselves.
via Pew Research Center
62%
of employees believe corruption is widespread in businesses.
via Gallup
74%
THE ACTION
Finding The Real Leaders Among Us.
Many exceptional leaders in our world have overcome great challenges and are making a difference in the lives of others. However, their stories are often unheard.
Our mission is to seek out these exceptional leaders and share their personal stories of pivotal moments and life challenges that have shaped their success. We provide a platform for the” unheard,” the unsung leaders in our midst to be recognized.
Our foundation was established to showcase these narratives and develop programs that promote a higher standard of leadership and conduct in current and future generations, leading to a better world and enhanced organizations.
The Leadership Crucible Foundation focuses on nurturing two core leadership traits essential for making a positive impact on others' lives. The first is leaving the organization in a better state than you found it, and the second is paying it forward to the next generation of leaders.
Regardless of your position within your organization, you always have the opportunity to make a positive impact on the individuals you interact with. It begins with the mindset you bring to your work every day and the dedication to aiding others. This embodies what successful leaders and individuals do. In my 40 years in the fire and emergency services, I have collaborated with various leaders – some exceptional, others inept. There are lessons to be learned from both.
Leaders are never born. They are forged from the experiences of their personal and professional lives.
THE CRUCIBLE, A TRANSFORMATIVE EXPERIENCE
We define a "Crucible" as a challenging, transformative experience. Crucible experiences often move an individual to a new or altered sense of identity.
Personally, I have experienced success as well as adversity over my career. Each has brought with it a lesson of how to become a better leader, and hopefully, a better person. - Chief Randy Bruegman, Founder of The Leadership Crucible Foundation
OUR APPROACH:
Discover
Share
We discover impactful leaders who have yet to share their crucibles with others. These stories come to us by personal referrals.
With our podcast, newsletter, video conferences, and leadership programs, we share those stories with individuals all over the world.
Partner
Grow
We engage with organizations across the country to highlight various crucibles and uncover a better path to positive leadership.
We will continue to build new ways to share these crucibles, and the lessons learned with others, and to impact current and future leaders.
HOW WE'RE MAKING A DIFFERENCE:
We aim to engage individuals from diverse backgrounds – CEOs, public servants, military and non-profit leaders, parents, community influencers, and young people – to share their stories of the challenges they've encountered and the lessons they've learned. These experiences, forged from their crucibles, have contributed to shaping them into better leaders and better individuals. There are no specific requirements except humility, experience, a genuine desire to contribute, and a willingness to share with others.
Experience is a Powerful Teacher, Especially When Shared With Others.
Through various platforms The Leadership Crucible, and Leaders of Tomorrow Podcasts, our newsletter, live-streamed events, and educational program materials, we aim to share these stories to redefine leadership and pass on transformative lessons to future generations.
Our vision is to create high-quality content that individuals, organizations, businesses, and educational systems can utilize to foster dialogue in their training and development programs. This is particularly valuable for organizational leaders who prioritize their people as the most important resource. These leaders invest in their teams, recognizing that this practice forms the foundation for building a positive culture within their workgroups or businesses.
There's a saying that goes, "If I give you a dollar and you give me a dollar, we each just have a dollar." However, if I impart wisdom borne from demonstrated experience that you can apply, the returns to you, your organization, and your life will be of great value – not just in dollars, but in building a better organization and a better life. That is the impact the Foundation strives to make.
ABOUT THE FOUNDATION
A message from the Founder Chief Randy R. Bruegman (Ret.):
“As someone who has dedicated their career to leadership and public service, I am concerned about the current state of leadership in our society. Far too often, people in positions of power fail to live up to the standards that we expect from them. They lack integrity, vision, and the courage to do what is right. As I have researched and written about leadership over the years, I have become increasingly frustrated with this lack of ethical leadership. That is why I founded the Leadership Crucible Foundation, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to promoting and developing ethical leadership in all areas of society. Our objective is simple: to help develop the next generation of leaders who will be guided by a strong sense of ethics and a commitment to public service.
We believe that leadership is not just about titles or positions of power, but about the values that guide us and the example we set for others. The reality is, that to be a good leader, partner, parent, friend, or co-coworker, you have to lead yourself first. The foundation is driven by a mission, vision, and value proposition that is focused on empowering individuals to build those core character traits that lay the foundation for them to achieve their personal and professional goals. We believe that leadership is a skill that can be developed and nurtured throughout one’s life and that everyone has the potential to make a positive impact in their respective fields and their life.”
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"When we began the development of The Leadership Crucible Podcast, we initially did so as an LLC. But as we forged our vision for what The Leadership Crucible was to become, it became evident that we needed to do that as a 501(c) 3 non-profit foundation. Our objective has never been, nor will be, to make money from this venture. It is to meet the two core tenets of our foundation: Pay it forward and leave it better than we found it. On December 8, 2022, the foundation received its determination letter from the IRS with an effective date of August 16th, 2022. The foundation’s EIN is 88-3767152.
OUR MISSION & VISION
Our Mission
To inspire and equip individuals to become leaders who make a difference in the lives of others through discovery, the sharing of experience, and education.
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Our Vision
Our vision is to inspire personal and professional growth that empowers individuals and organizations to make a positive impact on the world. We believe in striving towards leaving a better world than we found, and in paying it forward to future generations.
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