'The Hero Effect' author speaks to SEPC crowd about what sets heroes apart
TAMPA, Fla. — Kevin Brown, a motivational speaker and author of “The Hero Effect” and “Unleashing Your Hero,” kicked off his education session at the Southeast Produce Council’s Southern Exposure trade show and conference by asking attendees what makes a good hero.
While noting SEPC’s “unsung hero” theme for this year’s event, Brown said heroes ask what can they do to add value for the people they serve and serve with.
“What it means to be a hero is to bring the best version of you to this little space called now,” he said.
People are byproducts of those who have come into their lives, Brown said, whether for a moment or nearly a lifetime.
“When you look at the mirror, do you see yourself or do you see all of the people who helped you become who you are today?” he said.
Great leaders don’t just think outside the box; they use their innovation and creativity and color the box, Brown said.
“We’ve had the definition of a hero wrong this whole time,” he said. “It’s not ordinary people who do extraordinary things. It is, in fact, just the opposite. Heroes are extraordinary people who choose not to be ordinary.”
Brown said ordinary is a behavior learned during childhood, but great leaders find ways to bring out the best in people. He mentioned Chick-fil-A as an example, calling it a fast food experience and drive-thru different from others, where employees enthusiastically greet and thank customers — and it changes the game.
“Something happens when they enter an environment where leadership is committed to helping them be the best version of themselves, and an environment where leadership doesn't tell them what to do, they show them what [their best version] looks like," he said.
Brown said people will pay a premium for someone willing to go above and beyond what is required to reach the remarkable. He then shared what he said was a personal story of an ordinary person who did something extraordinary.
While on his first family trip to Disney, an executive chef at a restaurant not only listened to the dietary needs of his autistic son, but she also went out and purchased the ingredients to make his son’s favorite breakfast — apple pancakes — so he could have it while at the park. The simple gesture left a lasting impression on Brown’s family, he said.
“[She asked] what can I do with what I have to solve this problem,” he said. “What can I do right now in this moment for this kid to give him an experience he will never ever forget.”
Brown said those people, often unseen, are the ones who are the true heroes.
Brown also talked about the ripple effect his son had on the chef. Years after their initial visit, Brown's family returned to Disney to celebrate their son’s high school graduation. The chef, who remained in touch with the family, shared how that one chance encounter impacted her life and Disney.
She trained chefs on how to cook for children with autism and created a program to provide meal options for autistic visitors — what she calls the “apple pancake experience,” Brown said.
“People don't come to you for what you do,” he said. “I think they come to you for who you are. They come for a little piece of something that they can't get anywhere else, and the only way you can truly bless them, the only way that you can truly honor them is to give them the best you've got in this moment together.”
Brown concluded the presentation with two questions for the audience.
“Can you look in the mirror and see the faces of the people who make you better?” he said. “And, who looks in the mirror and sees your face?”
