Dan Murphy

On September 11, 2001, the world as we all knew it ended. The unthinkable happened and we all had to accept our new reality On that day I was an NYPD Sergeant. Upon hearing of the attack, I immediately headed in to the World Trade Center and became embroiled in what would become a life-changing series of events. The lessons I learned about what real leadership is, and what my priorities must be, changed my view of my job, leadership and life forever. This session takes the audience along for the day-to-day experiences of being at the terrible site of the 9-11 terror attacks at the World Trade Center in New York City. It highlights the very real human experiences of so many under those horrible conditions, and shows how the light of the human spirit can and did shine brightly among the dust and debris. It also shows that true leadership is based upon being responsive to the human needs of your team and others around you- it is a selfless and singular pursuit and must be forged under fire. This experience teaches the fragility and incredible value of each human life, and the awesome responsibility that each leader has to put others ahead of his/her own needs. These lessons cannot be truly learned from books or lectures but must be experienced firsthand to take root. Opportunities to learn start with embracing this fundamental understanding of what leadership really means. When we learn that truth, we emerge as stronger, more effective leaders.