Polar Opposites? Author, Donn Sorensen Changed My Life and He Could Change Yours
Originally published by 7th & Lotus
By Derrius Edwards
With decades of experience in one of America’s most influential healthcare leadership positions, Donn Sorensen has uncovered the fundamental principles required to become an effective leader, and it’s a secret that he is not keeping to himself. Sorensen serves as the executive vice-president of operations for one of the largest healthcare systems in the country, Mercy Health. According to the successful executive, true effective leadership starts in the heart, literally. Sorensen shared his thoughts in his must read book, Big Hearted Leadership: Five Ways to Create Success Through Compassion. The book touches on the different dynamics of leadership and what qualities a person must possess in order to truly be an effective leader. I never thought in a million years that I, Derrius Edwards a young African-American urban male and graduate of a prestigious Historically Black University would feel so profoundly connected to someone like Mr. Sorensen. Someone who I assumed was the polar opposite of who I was but he proved me wrong. Through Mr. Sorensen I learned that sometimes if we look for similarities and not the differences in each other-no matter how small, we will find a connection.
From his accolades and accomplishments, the assumption could be that Sorensen was born with a silver spoon in his mouth. Initially, I was apprehensive in interviewing him. The road to success for Mr. Sorensen and his actual truth surprised me. Speaking to Mr. Sorensen was life changing for me and made me feel as if I, a young black male from the south-side of Greensboro, North Carolina, recent college graduate from The Illustrious North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University, me…. someone like me could actually relate to someone of his stature and that I could even use his book and words of motivation to be greater than I could imagine. Really, we all could be successful. Not just as African-Americans, Caucasians, Hispanics, Asians, etc. but all of us. I have to say, that as an African-American male who was fortunate enough to get a great education and have a supportive family, I feel very privileged but I also understand that there are many young black men and women like me that don’t have those opportunities. In retrospect, I believe Big-Hearted Leadership is a book that gives people a priceless lesson that they may not obtain at a top tier business school.
For that reason September 5th, 2018 is a day that I will never forget. I will never forget sitting in the front seat of my co-worker’s Kia Optima with my phone hooked up to the car charger on 3%. Anticipating, fumbling over my words as I prepared myself for what is to be a Success Mag article. This may have been one of the most influential journalistic endeavors that I have been fortunate enough to embark on thus far. This is what I learned and for anyone who wants to understand what it takes to be a success the Sorensen way continue reading.
“Leading with a big heart is not just walking around happy and giving people in the hall a high-five. It is being genuine to yourself and giving of yourself, to your employees. It’s caring about them, it’s being with them, enthusiastic.” — shared Mr. Sorensen.
What attracted me to the book is Sorensen’s understanding that any one can be successful no matter where they come from with true mentorship and care. He doesn’t just believe this, he lives it. Sorensen is the co-founder of Care To learn initiative, which focuses on helping impoverished children through 3 primary facets of health, hunger and hygiene. Mr. Sorensen believes that we all must collective help the youth to rise by supplying them with just the basic essentials that they may be missing. He spoke in-depth about this. “How can someone do well in school when they’re hungry or being bullied because they don’t have basic things? We can’t have unrealistic expectations and we have to help students in need. We have to apply compassion to our everyday lives,” said Sorensen.
Even with all my preparation, nothing could have prepared me more for the wealth of knowledge I would receive from such an engaging conversation. The moment was surreal, a euphoric feeling in essence. Knowing that here is someone who understands the struggle that some of us have endured. I may have judged Mr. Sorensen due to my own prejudice and maybe the political divisive climate we’re in, but man did I learn a lesson. Despite having my questions written out on the napkin I so aggressively grabbed on the way out of my apartment, I relied on my ability to multi-task as I navigated Mr. Sorensen’s world through questioning. Your first impression could very well be your last, so I decided to take full advantage of this opportunity in asking questions that could add value to not only my life, but also to the life of the audience. Questions that provoked engagement rather than being closed-ended.
The depth of our conversation, which I hope will be published sooner than later, covered an array of topics that focused primarily on the subject of leadership. Out of the entire 30 min interview, one word resonated with me on another level, so much to the point that I can honestly say I will carry it with me forever more and that is enthusiasm.
Up until that day I had the understanding that to be enthusiastic about something is to be excited or eager, which is true. However, the origin of that word weighs so heavily that I couldn’t help but express gratitude towards Mr. Sorensen for the enlightenment. Enthusiasm derives from the Greek word enthousiasmos , meaning possessed by a God, inspired. In essence, when you are enthusiastic about something, you are inspired, on a spiritual level. Imagine that, when you wake up with a positive mindset, excited about what the day brings forth, you are waking up with God inside of you and if that doesn’t put a smile on your face then I’m not too sure what will.
Top 3 quotes from Mr. Donn Sorensen
“People don’t care about what you know and how smart you are. What they really want to know is that you care for them and their overall well-being. Once you have that, people will work harder, they will be more dedicated and that translates into a more successful company.”
“If a child is born into poverty, that’s on us. The only way that child can break the cycle of poverty is education.”
“Be freely and liberal about your anger, be vulnerable.”
