Fire Safety and Prevention at Events and Festivals – Fire Extinguisher Types and Applications

Having the proper type, size, and amount of fire extinguishers at your event or festival is of the utmost importance for maintaining proper fire safety. This article will discuss the types of fire extinguishers you’ll need given what sort of materials you have at your event, as well as how many you should have, and how to best use the fire extinguisher.

Remember that if you purchase a fire extinguisher, it will need to be inspected every year. Every fire extinguisher should have a tag on it, like the one to the left, that shows the day and month it was last inspected (note – it does NOT indicate the expiration date; keep that in mind when scheduling your next inspection). These inspections are inexpensive – around $10 per unit – and imperative to keep the extinguisher properly pressurized and ready to work as designed.

Local fire extinguisher rental / sales companies will also offer fire extinguisher training classes – in Austin, Longhorn Fire Safety offers training that averages out to $25 per student in groups of 10.

First, we will look at the classes of fires and which ones you’ll be most likely to see:

Classes of Fires:

Class A – the most likely type to occur at events and festivals – involves materials like paper, wood, rubber, or fabrics.
The best type of fire extinguisher for these kinds of fires is an ABC dry chemical based extinguisher.
Class B – involves flammable liquids like gas, oil, paint and flammable gasses. If your event has any pyro, cryo, or anything involving tanks of gas, you will need to protect yourself against this type of potential fire.
The best type of fire extinguisher for these kinds of fires is an ABC dry chemical extinguisher, but a CO2 / chemical based extinguisher could also be beneficial here.
Class C – involves live electrical equipment (generators, transformers, lighting gear, audio gear, etc)
The best type of fire extinguisher for these kinds of fires is an ABC dry chemical based extinguisher.
Class D – involves combustible metals like sodium or lithium. Events and festivals won’t likely see any fires from this class, but if so, salt-based chemicals will be needed to extinguish them.
Class K – involve fires in cooking ovens and other cooking appliances which involve cooking related materials like vegetable oils or fats. Class K fire extinguishers that include a low pH agent help prevent grease splash and fire flare ups while bringing the fire and heat under control. Events and festivals with food vendors, catering, and/or other onsite food preparation will want to have Class K extinguishers on-hand.

Types of Fire Extinguishers

(photos and descriptions courtesy of Longhorn Fire Safety):

Dry Chemical
- ABC – use a monoammonium phosphate dry chemical to insulate Class A fires by melting and clinging to the heated surface, smother and break the chain reaction on Class B fires and are non-conductors of electricity. This is the type of extinguisher that must be present at all events and festivals.
- BC – contain a siliconized sodium bicarbonate based dry chemical. Suitable for combating flammable liquid and pressurized gas fires, these extinguishers are electrically non-conductive. These types of extinguishers are not common in the event world as the vast majority of jurisdictions that oversee events and festivals require an ABC extinguisher.
- Purple K – contain specially fluidized and siliconized potassium bicarbonate dry chemical, which is particularly effective on Class B flammable liquids and pressurized gases. Note that these types of extinguishers are NOT effective against Class K fires. Events and festivals will likely never need a Purple K extinguisher on-site.
Pressure Water – non-toxic, ozone-friendly, ideal for Class A fires and common combustible materials such as trash, wood and paper. These extinguishers are rarely found and are mostly outdated as ABC Extinguishers are much more efficient.
Carbon Dioxide (CO2) – use a monoammonium phosphate dry chemical to insulate Class A fires by melting and clinging to the heated surface. These are often on-hand when there is pyro as a way to treat anyone involved in a fire without using the more corrosive and less human friendly ABC dry chemcials.
Class D Salt-Based – are designed for use on combustible metal fires. Fitted with a “soft-flow” extension applicator to keep operator away from extreme heat and toxic fumes caused by burning material. These are rarely if ever used or needed for events and festivals.
Class K Wet Chemical with a low pH agent – contain a special potassium acetate based, low PH agent developed for use with pre-engineered restaurant kitchen systems (included in NFPA 10). The recent trend to more efficient cooking appliances and use of unsaturated cooking oils dictates the use of hand portable fire extinguishers with greater fire fighting capacity and cooling effect. These extinguishers will be needed for anyone cooking on-site at an event or festival (food vendors, etc).

A Special Note about ABC Extinguishers and How They are Rated:

When you pick up an ABC fire extinguisher, you will want to look at its rating, which will be combination of numbers and letters pertaining to the class of fire:
- A Ratings have a number that indicates its dry chemical equivalent in gallons of water; a 1A rating equals the same as 1.25 gallons of water (so a 2A would be equivalent to 2.50 gallons of water, and so on)
- B Ratings have a number that indicates the amount of square footage the fire extinguisher can handle; a 20BC ratings means it can handle up to 20 square feet of coverage (so a 40 BC would equal 40 square feet of coverage, and so on)
- C Class does not have a rating; simply listing it along with the A and B ratings mean it is non-conductive and able to be used on electrical fires.
- Often local jurisdictions will require a certain size of ABC fire extinguisher; common sizes are 5lb, 10lb, and 20lb. This is so they can have the minimum ratings they require (so you may want to confirm with them what that is).
- Generally speaking, the following correlations between weight and rating exist:
  - 2.5 lb – 1 A 10 BC (generally not enough for events and festivals)
  - 5 lb – 3 A 40 BC (the minimum normally accepted at events and festivals)
  - 10 lb – 4 A 80 BC (suitable for stages and food vendors)
  - 20 lb – 20 A 120 BC (only needed when required by local jurisdictions)
    
    The rating for this fire extinguisher is 1A 10BC – as shown in the highlighted portion of the label.

What Types and How Many Extinguishers Should be On-Hand:

The list below is merely a guide; final extinguisher placement and quantity should be determined in conjunction with the local fire marshal / authority that has jurisdiction at your event or festival’s location.

Outdoor stage with no pyro
- At least 1 ABC extinguisher – 5 pound minimum, preferably 2 of them – one on each side of the stage. A good rule of thumb is one every 75 feet at a minimum, but because it may be difficult to reach the other side of the stage given how much gear and performers are on it, having one extinguisher on each side, even it it’s less that 75 feet wide, is ideal.
Outdoor stage with pyro
- At least 2 ABC extinguishers – 10 pound minimum, and 2 CO2 extinguishers – consult with your local fire marshall as well as the pyro company as they will have a better understanding of the total coverage needs based on the amount and type of pyro being used.
Indoor stage with no pyro
- At least 2 ABC extinguishers – 5 pound minimum
Indoor stage with pyro
- At least 2 ABC extinguishers – 10 pound minimum, and 2 CO2 extinguishers. Again, check with the local fire marshall and pyro company before confirming your fire extinguisher order.
Outdoor tents
- At least 1 ABC extinguisher – 5 pound minimum – for each tent. Check with your local fire marshall to find out what the minimum size tent is for requiring a fire extinguisher.
Within 30 feet of any oil based cooking equipment
- At least 1 K extinguisher
Outside food vendors using propane
- At least 1 K extinguisher and 1 ABC extinguisher – 5 pound minimum
Outside food vendors using electric ovens
- At least 1 K extinguisher and 1 ABC extinguisher – 5 pound minimum
Areas where any combustible materials are stored
- At least 1 ABC extinguisher and consider 1 CO2 extinguisher
In vehicle repair / maintenance buildings
- At least 1 ABC extinguisher for each working bay
Next to any generators
- 1 ABC extinguisher – minimum 2.5 lbs – the size will be dependent on the size of the generator.

How to Use a Fire Extinguisher:

PASS Method – courtesy of OSHA
1. PULL… Pull the pin. This will also break the tamper seal.
2. AIM… Aim low, pointing the extinguisher nozzle (or its horn or hose) at the base of the fire.
  NOTE: Do not touch the plastic discharge horn on CO2 extinguishers, it gets very cold and may damage skin.
3. SQUEEZE… Squeeze the handle to release the extinguishing agent.
4. SWEEP… Sweep from side to side at the base of the fire until it appears to be out. Watch the area. If the fire re-ignites, repeat steps 2 – 4.

International Traveling and Foreign Electricity – How to Ensure You Can Plug In

Traveling outside our own country for work, especially as part of an event, tour, or festival, while very exciting, can also present some unique challenges when it comes to being able to use our own electrical gear. Since countries can vary in their voltage, frequency, and outlet type, it’s important that you come prepared with the proper adapters to ensure you’ll get everything working without fear of frying your gear.

The world runs of two sets of voltages – 110/125 V (e.g., North America) or 220/240 V (e.g, UK, Australia, New Zealand, Europe). In some cases, you’ll also need a voltage converter or transformer as well as an outlet adapter. The label on your electrical device will inform you if it’s a single voltage (cannot accommodate the other voltage level – this would require a transformer), dual voltage (can use 120 V or 240 V and does not require a transformer), or multi-voltage (able to use a range of voltages, like 100 V – 240 V – these also don’t require a transformer).

A note about single voltage devices – electrical devices (such as mechanical motors) can use a transformer or a converter. Electronic devices (such as electronic motors with chips or circuits) require a transformer. Many converters operate as both a converter and a transformer. Read more about these at REI’s informative website.

A note about voltage variances by country – if you are traveling to multiple countries in one continent, that doesn’t necessarily mean that the voltages and outlets will be similar. Further, countries may change how they handle power at any time, so it’s always best to check multiple resources for the latest information, especially if you are planning to move there for work. ElectricalOutlet.org is a fantastic resource that breaks down what’s available power-wise by country.

Currently, there are 15 types of outlet styles in use worldwide (photos below courtesy of World Standards), each given a letter by the US Department of Commerce International Trade Association:

Type A – USA, Canada Mexico & Japan
Type B – USA, Canada, Mexico, & Japan
Type C – Europe, South America, & Asia
Type D – India
Type E – France, Belgium, Poland, Slovakia, Czech Republic
Type F – Europe & Russia except the UK and Ireland
Type G – UK, Ireland, Malta, Malaysia, Singapore
Type H – Israel, West Bank, Gaza Strip
Type I – Australia, New Zealand, China, Argentina
Type J – Switzerland Leichtenstein, Rwanda
Type K – Denmark, Greenland
Type L – Italy, Chile
Type M – South Africa
Type N – Brazil
Type O – Thailand

In order to ensure you’ve got the proper adapter, you’ll want to match it to the country or countries you’re going to visit. Some adapters, like the one shown here, can accommodate virtually all types (this one covers A, B, C, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L) eliminating the need for you to buy multiple adapters. You can find out more details or purchase it here.

If you’re bringing in high powered electric single voltage devices, here’s a 500 watt transformer that could work well.

For single voltage devices that don’t require a transformer, this 200 watt power converter with USB inputs may handle your needs.

Want to read more about electricity?

Using WordPress to Develop Your Event or Festival Website

For those of us just starting out with a new event or festival concept, creating the best possible website should be one of the most important initial goals. A user-friendly, persuasive, exciting website can increase buzz about your event, ticket sales, and overall fan engagement. Pairing this with a comprehensive social media strategy (read our article about that here) will all but ensure a strong online presence that should translate into real-world results.

Depending on your budget, you can choose to build this website yourself, hire a web design firm to do it for you, or some combination therein. Many new events will choose the former, often utilizing open source and free software such as WordPress, but electing to bring in the pros if they can’t quite get everything built the way they would like. Wordpress is what FestivalandEventProduction.com is built from, utilizing a lot of custom code and plug-ins.

That’s what this article will be focusing on – starting your event or festival website on your own, and what all that might entail. We will also focus on using WordPress, since it has become one of the most popular ways to build a website thanks to its intuitive dashboard, responsive layouts (your website will automatically adjust to the best viewing experience based on the device – laptop, tablet, phone – you’re using), latest features like parallax scrolling, and constant updates and additions from the WP community.

Do note that, with any software like this, there are security risks of having your login hacked – much like your email address – but so long as you take reasonable precautions like choosing a hard to guess password, and as long as your web hosting company offers daily backups in case you have to restore your website, you should be fine.

First off, you’ll need a domain name and a hosting account. One of the more popular companies to purchase a domain name from is Godaddy.com – they have competitive rates (around $15 / year for a dot com domain name) and they also offer web hosting, WordPress installation, and many other add-ons. Full disclosure: I own a web design and hosting company and can provide this service for you as well, for as little as $50 / year.
Secondly, you’ll want to browse the various web layout options available to you through WordPress. Called Themes, many companies have built “free” and “paid” versions to entice you to try them, and then eventually pay them a fee, usually anywhere from $25 to $100, to unlock the full paid version of their theme. This works well as it allows you to test drive many themes before you have to commit and pay for one (and depending on your needs, you may be fine with keeping the free version).
Below is a grid of 12 various event and festival themes as examples, courtesy of ColorLib (click on the link to look into downloading / purchasing).
Third, you’ll want to look at what sort of features you’d like on your website, and then look to find the best one in WordPress – called Plug-Ins – and install / customize them. Examples of these include calendars, slideshows, glossaries, contact forms, and PDF makers.
Here are a couple of plug-in examples – the Events Calendar (left) and Contact Form Builder (right) – you can click on the links for either to learn more.
Now that you have your desired theme and plug-ins, it’s time to create the content. While WordPress is pretty easy to learn, especially if you’re familiar with programs like Microsoft Word, some specific elements may require coding that’s beyond your ability – if that’s the case, it’s time to get some quotes from WordPress developers (like these guys, based in Austin, as one example) to see how much it may cost for them to jump in and help out. I’m always happy to give free quotes or point you in the right direction of someone that can help you better than I can.
Finally, when your website is ready for launch, you’ll want to coordinate the announcement with all of your social media platforms as well as email blasts, posting on message boards, posting on other event listing websites, and perhaps even a press release to local / national media. And you’ll always want to work to keep your website fresh and as updated as possible – the more the website is updated, the better it will do in search engine rankings. That and having your top keywords in your title tags as well as having other websites link back to you will go a long way in getting good search results.

Questions? Please feel free to comment below.

5 Certifications for Festival and Event Directors and Managers

Before event and festival season resumes at full strength, here are five certifications to consider for enhancing your event and festival leadership and on-site capabilities. These range from keeping up to date on the latest OSHA safety regulations, from being able to drive a fork or boom lift on site, to being able to spot severe weather and make important decisions based on weather forecasts, to being a certified Venue or Special Events professional.

While these certifications are all voluntary, they will help you not only keep up to date on the latest and best practices in our industry, but it will also let potential clients see you’ve demonstrated and proven a certain level of knowledge and skill set, which may help them choose you and your company over the competition.

There’s also a great list of available training for not just managers and directors but also site crew, technicians, ushers, security personnel, and more at the Event Safety Alliance’s Training and Certification Page.

OSHA Outreach Training Program
– this program provides basic safety and health information and education — it does not fulfill an employer’s requirement to provide training under specific OSHA standards. The OSHA Outreach Training Program for General Industry provides training for workers and employers on the recognition, avoidance, abatement, and prevention of safety and health hazards in workplaces in general industry.
Sunbelt’s Operator Training Program – This program prepares an individual to understand the hazards involved in operating specific equipment. Course includes in-classroom and hands-on training for Aerial Work Platforms, Forklifts, Backhoe/Loaders and Skid-steer Loaders. Other similar programs are offered here as well.
IAVM’s Certified Venue Professional Program – The CVP designation says three important things about an individual: he or she is a capable professional, is committed to the industry, and is pledged to continued professional growth and development. Venue professionals who earn the CVP designation are recognized, by those inside and outside the industry, as skilled in their profession.
ISES’ Certified Special Events Professional (CSEP) – The CSEP designation is the only certification within the meetings/incentives/conventions/expositions (MICE) industry that signifies knowledge in all facets of the special events industry. It conveys credibility and a competitive edge when marketing or soliciting business.
National Weather Services’ Severe Weather Spotter Training – a vital link in the timely and accurate flow of weather information into and out of weather forecast offices, trained Storm Spotters can help better assess how to act given a certain weather forecast; it could be the difference in evacuating your festival with enough time to ensure everyone’s safety.

Motivation, Vulnerability and Courage – Leadership Tips for Event and Festival Managers

Given the amount of stress a typical event can bring to its staff, having strong leadership that understands how to get the best of themselves and of their team is crucial. I’ve recently read some excellent books that touch upon some important ideas, and below you will find some powerful excerpts full of lessons and tips to help you better manage your event team. All of these books below are linked to Amazon for easy purchase if you want to read further.

Quick jump to each book:

Theodore Roosevelt on Leadership: Executive Lessons from the Bully Pulpit
Rising Strong: The Reckoning. The Rumble. The Revolution
The Motivation Manifesto

The first book, Theodore Roosevelt on Leadership: Executive Lessons from the Bully Pulpit, is a fascinating look at the 26th President of the United States and his extraordinary talents in willpower, courage, and character. A prolific writer, he left behind a trove of letters, books, and notes that detail his unwavering approach to life. This book captures these and applies them with a business focus.

As the book says, “The overriding lesson of Theodore Roosevelt is that leadership is a way of life.”

General Leadership Lessons:

Leaders shall focus all energy on the job at hand, without regard to their own future prospects. In so doing, they will be of greater service in the present and more worthy of leadership responsibility in the future.
Leaders should visibly love their people more than their positions – and prove their love through their actions.
Anyone can choose to become a leader at any time; the key is a commitment to service.
Rather than seeking success, a leader should seek to deserve success.

On Courage:

Courage is the “first virtue” because it underlies all the others.
Courage (physical and mental) can be developed as an act of will.
Fearlessness is not recklessness. Acceptable risk should be calculated, based on the value of the endeavor at stake.
Proven courage under fire can impart to a leader an aura of destiny, of being favored by fortune. This may cause others to repose confidence in him under circumstances marked by great uncertainty and risk.

On Continuing Education:

To maintain usefulness as a teacher, a leader must always continue to learn and seek information from every available medium.
Leaders should strive for balanced mental and spiritual nourishment – reading, writing, entertainment, time with friends.
Develop your powers of observation and listening so that more and more of your daily experience yields knowledge, perspective, inspiration, and insight.
Utilize lessons learned from earlier times in your life as ready reserves that can be cross-fertilized and deployed in future situations.

On Handling Adversity and Mistakes:

How an individual chooses to interpret misfortune or mistake can be at least as significant as the objective facts at hand.
Leaders should strive to view mistakes as learning opportunities; they should not dwell on them when nothing can be done.
Where a leader makes a mistake in a manifest effort to serve others, forgiveness – by oneself as well as from others – is more readily achievable than where one appears to be acting in one’s own interest.
An individual’s ability to carry on in the face of calamitous adversity showcases critical leadership traits, including perseverance, self-containment amidst difficult circumstances, courage, perspective, and an ability to focus on the needs of others rather than oneself. Individuals who have mastered such challenges in their own lives are more apt to be viewed as leaders able to serve others.

On Negotiation:

A willingness to fight aggressively for one’s principles and interests empowers a leader, setting the stage for productive negotiation.
The contours of many agreements come into view prior to commencement of formal negotiations.
Define your negotiating role – facilitator, mediator, arbitrator, or advocate – based on the interests you represent.
Seek to delegate your negotiating authority, and ensure that the other side has complete authority to negotiate.
Focus resolutely on interests; do not confuse interests with bargaining positions.
Be manifestly willing to walk away from the table, and do not bluff.
Create a historical record, and honor and enforce agreements. Trust is of the utmost importance.

On Taking Action as a Leader:

Decisive action, backed by intelligent forethought and timed to seize the initiative, is a hallmark of effective leadership.
Audacious action, especially when taken early and exposing the leader to risk – can establish a position of enduring strength.
Forethought is the raw material of decision making. The ongoing process of reflection can endow a leader with creative, rapid decision making.

On Hiring and Building your Team:

Hire people more talented than yourself, and look for the best in each person. Ceaselessly search for new talent.
Spend the time necessary to evaluate job prospects, but do not prolong consideration of people who will not be hired.
Ruthlessly replace individuals who do not meet the standards of the enterprise.

On Managing Your Team:

The welfare of your team is your overarching responsibility.
A leader should develop leaders, not merely direct followers.
Demonstrate faith in your team by delegation of authority (with selective intervention).
Back up and protect your team consistently.
Recognize strong performers, but acknowledge and forgive acceptable mistakes – including your own.
Manage by “wandering around” – taking site visits and seeing how your team works in the field.
Continuously convey gratitude and loyalty to your team, even after it no longer exists.

On Creating Your Vision:

Craft and present a compelling vision along with priorities for the achievement of your vision.
Exhibit invincible optimism, and strive to exemplify character.
Attend to important relationships outside the enterprise (having a healthy work / life balance).

On Public Speaking:

Believe in your message and don’t exaggerate your case. Communicate unreservedly with their audience.
An effective public speech is a poster, not an etching; just a few impactful words or phrases is what sticks the best.
Strive for clarity of expression; use simple stories to communicate complex issues.
Master every available communication medium.

On Handling Criticism and Responding to Charges:

No matter how personal the attack, your response should be aimed entirely toward advancing the goals of those you serve.
As much as you can, plan the timing, audience and content of your response on your own terms.
Carefully consider from whom the response should come, and to whom it should be addressed.
When responding to general charges, be specific and always adhere to the truth..
Anticipate truth-twisters, and keep contemporaneous records for future use.
Don’t attempt to change to suit the notions of critics.

On Leading by Example:

Leaders can rise to the level of events by honoring and applying examples of heroic lives to new circumstances.
Words, no matter how well chosen and crafted, approach the heights of eloquence only when recognized as aligned with actions.
A leader’s example can have an almost infinite reach across space and time.

The second book I’ll mention here is actually part of a set of three books from Brene Brown, P.H.D., entitled Rising Strong: The Reckoning. The Rumble. The Revolution.

The first book, The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You’re Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are , has the message of “be you“.

The second book, Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead , has the message of “Be all in“.

Rising Strong’s message is “Fall. Get up. Try again.” In Rising Strong, Brene focuses on the fact that being brave – being a leader – requires us to be vulnerable. In fact, Brene even uses a famous quote from Theodore Roosevelt in Daring Greatly:

It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly;…who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while Daring Greatly.

All of her books – and her TED Talks as well – are some of the most insightful and empowering books I’ve read on the subject. Some of Dr. Brown’s biggest takeaways can be summarized as such and go into much greater detail in her book:

I want to be in the arena and dare greatly, choosing courage over comfort.
Vulnerability is not winning or losing; it’s having the courage to show up and be seen when we have no control over the outcome. Vulnerability is our greatest measure of courage.
If we are brave often enough, we will fall; this is the physics of vulnerability. Daring is saying, “I know I will eventually fail and I’m still all in.”
Once we fall in the service of being brave, we can never go back. Courage transforms the emotional structure of our being. We now know when we’re showing up and when we’re hiding out, and we can’t fake it anymore.
This journey belongs to no one but you; however, we cannot go it alone.
We’re wired for story. We feel the most alive when we’re connecting with others and being brave with our stories – it’s in our biology.
Creativity embeds knowledge so that it can become practice. We move what we’re learning from our heads to our hearts through our hands.
Rising strong is the same process whether you’re navigating personal or professional struggles.
Comparative suffering is a function of fear and scarcity. The opposite of scarcity is not abundance; it’s simply enough.
You can’t engineer an emotional, vulnerable, and courageous process into an easy, one-size-fits-all formula.
When you approach a potential interpersonal conflict as thinking of it in terms as “the story I’m making up is…”, you maintain proper perspective that perhaps the way you’re interpreting the situation isn’t the same way they are.
Writing down the “story you’re making up” – Brene includes this as part of “The Rumble” – in a private place that goes through the entire story – what you’re feeling, what you believe, how you acted, and eventually sharing it when you’re ready is a very powerful tool to help communicate and come to a better understanding or resolution with the conflict. The goal understand and learn what’s in the delta – the difference between what we make up about our experiences and the truth we discover through the process of rumbling.
Courage is contagious. Your experience can profoundly affect the people around you, whether you’re aware of it or not.
Rising strong is a spiritual practice, which in this context is recognizing and celebrating that we are all inextricably connected to one another by a power greater than all of us, and that our connection to that power and to one another is grounded in love and belonging. “Grace will take you places hustling can’t.”

And below are two posters you can save as PDFs, courtesy of her website:

Download as a PDF

Our final book, The Motivation Manifesto by Brendon Bruchard, is a very direct and powerful call to action utilizing his nine declarations – master these to inject more purpose and success in your life. The book starts with a declaration of personal power; a pledge to take action. There is a chapter devoted to each declaration as well as a separate section that touches on human nature and our personal freedom, the cost of fear, and sustaining motivation.

The 9 Declarations:

Meet life with full presence and power – harnessing the roles of observer, director, guardian, warrior, lover and leader.
Reclaim your agenda – write our own manifestos and plans and execute them with heart and discipline
Defeat your demons – working to vanquish Defiance and its three parts – Doubt, Delay, and Division – with Faith, Action, and Love.
Advance with abandon – knowing that all the resources needed to win are within, rather than being driving by scarcity, that there isn’t enough to make it happen.
Practice joy and gratitude – being thankful for your blessings and making it your aim to live a joyous life.
Do not break integrity – recognizing the six practices of integrity – think before you act, never commit to anything where we lack passion, keep our word, always treat others with respect, tell the truth, and always favor within. Also making sure to recognize the seven temptations – impatience, disappointment, desperation, aggression, hurt, loyalty (when loyalty is chosen over truth), and power.
Amplify love – working to meet others with loving intent and fire, a full and vibrant energy instead of apathy or bitterness.
Inspire greatness – demanding the nine virtues of greatness from others: honesty, responsibility, intelligence, excellence, courage, respect for others, vigilance, service, and unity.
Slow time – remembering that we are not supposed to miss this moment, and that time is finite. To slow down the moment, we must heighten our senses – even just stopping to take a deep breath while enjoying a sold out crowd at your festival can help you slow time. Try to hold everything you do – from breathing to looking around to eating – to an extra two beats.

Despite the content of these three books being written as much as 100 years apart, the common themes of showing courage by being vulnerable, showing integrity and character through action, and exuding joy, trust, and love to others appear time and again. By applying these ideas in both our personal and professional lives, we will undoubtedly become better as a friend, a family member, and a leader.

Have any other great leadership books you’ve learned from? Please feel free to share in the comment section.