I am blessed to be around remarkable people. There are always Takeaways to learn. That is what I am sharing on this podcast.
Takeaways – Life. Lessons. Learned. explores learning from the wisdom of others.
On a cold February night in 1999, Shoham Nicolet was starting an operation with 23 other soldiers. He served in an elite paratroopers recon unit in the Israeli Defense Force (IDF). At the time there was a security zone between Israel and South Lebanon to thwart Hezbollah from attacking Israeli citizens.
Shoham’s unit would routinely go past the security zone behind enemy lines to surprise the enemy. This night was different. This night, they would be surprised. Shoham lost two friends and his commander, Eitan. The rest of the unit narrowly escaped being ejected by Blackhawk helicopters. The pilots decided to return to the fight against the official recommendation to get the rest of the unit out. Shoham was only 20 years old.
Today, Shoham is the CEO of Israeli American Council (IAC) which he co-founded 12 years ago. IAC is the fastest growing Jewish organization in America today. There are 22 offices serving more than 70 communities and 100 university campuses. At the time of this episodes airing, the IAC is having its 6th annual national summit in South Florida. The President of the United States is keynoting! Shoham is married, has two sons, and lives in Southern California as an Israeli American. This split identity is at the core of his mission.
We get into a lot of topics in this episode. A broad range of dense good stuff.
I don’t personally know very many people leading national organization. I know even less people who are like Shoham. He is a true visionary. As a leader, his people follow him, because he is good. He challenges what’s true and creates new possibilities. As a friend he is loyal, honest, and effortless to be around.
What else can you learn from a person like Shoham? Here are just a few of the Takeaways that we discussed on this episode.
- How a split identity between Israeli and American is synergistic.
- Why is it important, and actually easier today, to think and do big?
- How to challenge your own status quo.
I hope you enjoy!
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