Sandra Bullock Donates $1 Million To Hurricane Harvey Victims

Image by Gage Skidmore @ Flickr

By Daniel Schmitz, Associate Partner & Mentorship Coach, Lighthouse International

Actress Sandra Bullock this week donated $1 million to help the victims Hurricane Harvey in Texas saying:

”There are no politics in eight feet of water....I'm just grateful I can do it. We all have to do our part.” 

This is a powerful quote because what Ms Bullock is saying is that whatever our beliefs, politics and opinions, when people are in need we must all try and put those aside to do our part and help where we can. We may not all have a million dollars in the bank account, but we can reflect on what we do the next time we come across someone in need whether that is a friend, a family member or just someone on the street. If we look around us we can all act in small ways to help others.

The American Red Cross said this is an “incredible gift” and added: “We're so thankful.” The organisation's Vice President Elizabeth Penniman said:

"Having someone like Sandra Bullock make this kind of commitment, it helps bring people together and open their hearts and be even more generous."

Next to Sandra Bullock other Hollywood celebrities like the Kardashians, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, comedian Kevin Hart and singer Jennifer Lopez have all donated to support the victims of the hurricane. To read more about this story click here.

Click here for Richard Branson's favourite quotes on giving...

From Iranian Refugee To Uber CEO

By James Mills, Associate Partner & Mentorship Coach, Lighthouse International

This week Uber formally announced its new CEO as Dara Khosrowshahi, the head of travel company Expedia. Business Insider published an article detailing the incredible journey that Mr Khosrowshahi has experienced in his life so far. His family fled Iran to the United States when he was aged 9 due to the seizure of the family business during the Iranian revolution.

Over the years Dara Khosrowshahi has been prepared to take risks and also benefit from mentorship as explained in the story of how he became CEO of Expedia:

"He was actually the protégé of media industry icon Barry Diller... on July 2001 Diller and Khosrowshahi crafted a deal to buy Expedia from Microsoft for about $1.3 billion.

Two months later, before the deal closed, 9/11 happened. In addition to the tragic loss of 3,000 lives, the incident also stymied the travel industry. It was a seminal moment for Khosrowshahi, "We had the opportunity to pull out. Barry said, ‘People are going to keep living and travelling, so we’re in," he said."

This decision shows how he was prepared to take risks because of the insights from his mentor. However, it is also his ability to remain personable and calm under pressure that has been a big factor in his successful 12-year tenure at Expedia and his subsequent appointment at Uber. Although he is perceived to be this way by those he has worked with, his email to the team at Expedia sharing his decision reveals what it means to face fear and uncertainty. The email published by Recode said:

"I have to tell you I am scared. I've been here at Expedia for so long that I've forgotten what life is like outside this place. But the times of greatest learning for me have been when I've been through big changes, or taken on new roles — you have to move out of your comfort zone and develop muscles that you didn’t know you had."

It is the qualities of humility, willingness to grow and our ability to remain calm under pressure that will be most needed by the Board to steady things at Uber following a recent period of uncertainty. These are qualities we can all develop regardless of our background and circumstances.

Click here to check out Business Insider's pictorial biography of Mr Khosrowshahi's life and career.

One of the Uber Board members involved with Dara Khosrowshahi's appointment is Arianna Huffington, discover here how she was recruited to be part of a Board for the global startup.

And Finally...Pink's Inspiring Speech About Her Daughter's Low Self-Esteem At MTV VMA's

By Jairaj Singh, Associate Partner, Lighthouse International

It's always humbling to see a mother honour her daughter and boost her self-esteem by inspiring her, but it's not that often that we see it on a public stage. Well, this weekend we saw just that when singer Pink accepted her award the MTV Video Music Awards. She tells the inspiring tale below...

Click here for more inspiring videos...

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