Instead of putting up with someone’s behaviour, you are able to tolerate it, which helps him or her to change - Reason 4

One of the big challenges we live in our modern society is diversity.  On one hand, it opens an incredible space for learning and change; on the other hand, humans are not made to live with people who are too different from themselves.

It is a fact everyone likes to live with other people who are equal to them, or at least have some similitude.  When you have to live with people who are too different, well, you just grit your teeth and move on.

As a leader, you don’t do that.  Instead, you use one of the most powerful capacities any leader has: tolerance.

Tolerance is an internal power that enables its owner to live her or his own life as it is, without being disturbed by others’ behaviour.  In fact, a tolerant person gives others a very valuable lesson on how to deal with differences.  And as we know, learning is changing.

Tolerance enables others to change not because they have to, but because the leader is giving so much to them that they feel the need and benefit of changing.  By changing on the basis of tolerance a common and strong ground is built, easing the relationship and helping each other to adapt to the other.

(Excerpt from the book 82 Reasons to be a Leader)

When America gets together...

First of all, I think it is important to celebrate and to consider the importance of hosting the Summit of the Americas in a country like Colombia.

For many years, for its "particular" situation, Colombia has been avoided of main important meetings and summits. I don't argue the reason - by living here I am aware that some events would really create a danger not only for its participants but also for the population in general.

So, it is with joy that I see this event happening. I really would like to be there, but other commitments (and a slight lack of invitation) made me come to another town. It does not matter, I feel everyone who lives in Colombia is in the Summit, in one way or another.

It is a wonderful opportunity to try to unite this continent. Even though you can go to one extreme to the other by land (and I just met a guy who has come from Mexico in bycicle!), unity is not a speciality here.

Even though we speak fewer languages compared to Europe, Asia or Africa, and even the small Oceania has probably more official languages than us, we don't talk much among ourselves.

And the real name of the continent is AMERICA - just one, not many. Yes, politics has split that in 2 or 3, depending on the country where you live. Social and economical factors made people refer to only one country when they use the name AMERICA, instead of the whole continent, and even American refers to people who are born to that one country.

But we are the AMERICA. We are the fruit of a dream and a vision. We are the fruit of perseverance and daring. We are the craddle of great civilisations, unfortunately destroyed by smaller ones, even though they had more guns.

We are the AMERICA, a green place, a place of diversity and greatness. A place that can serve the world in so many ways.

Perhaps I am a dreamer, but this summit, being held in the corner of South America, in a country that has suffered so many divisions within, can really be the biggest opportunity we all have.

It is time to put politics aside and start to integrate and embrace the fact we live on the same land.

Only then, one day, we will realise we live on the same Earth.