Leadership Council Application

Lead for American UnitY

Join the Liberatus Leadership Council

A leader is someone who acts on a vision to better humanity.

Take your passion to make the world a better place, your leadership skills, and endurance mindset to new levels by actively moving the mission to inspire American unity forward as a member of the Leadership Council. You can also read more about the values that drive us as we create a culture of American unity for the next generation.

Notes on building the Liberatus team of leaders to inspire American unity, from founder Caleb Paxton. The video includes an overview of who inspires Liberatus as an organization, how self-rejection is the nature of conflict, the mindset required to run ultramarathons and the Liberatus build endurance culture, how we talk about and define the problem we are solving as an organization, what wisdom means in politics, what our core values look like in action, who we serve and how each of our stakeholders serve each other, pursuing artistic excellence, why building a team of leaders is essential for us to reach the goal of biannual publication, breaking founder syndrome, the creative direction and limits we've set for ourselves, what good mentorship looks like, a thank you to everyone who has been part of the mission so far, why achieving the goal would be monumental for the next generation, and finally, how to join the team going forward. You can apply to join the Liberatus Leadership Council below!

Vision: American unity

Mission: Create a culture of American unity for the next generation by producing content, experiences, and leaders that inspire it today.

Goal: Publish a high-quality, biannual illustrated journal and give 20% of the funds donated per copy on the Liberatus website to partner organizations* creating a culture of American unity across the United States.

how we get there: The Spirit of Endurance

The mission of Liberatus is first an invitation to a new mindset: the spirit of endurance. It’s about risking a new adventure and having the guts to stick with it no matter what. It’s about running your own race regardless of what others are doing and pushing yourself through pain after 27 miles to finish the course. It’s the commitment it takes to start writing a novel and see it through to publication, and it’s the consistency of creating a work of art without any guarantee of financial reward. It’s the determination to use the power you have to create the culture you believe in for the next generation. It’s how we’ve made it seven years so you can join us. Having the spirit of endurance builds wealth that’s more valuable than gold.

Joining the Leadership Council is the entry point to bringing the mission and goal to life. To discern if it’s a fit for you, take your time reading about what we do on the donate page, and take the discernment survey below. Rate each statement on a scale of 1-10, with 10 being high, and see how high you rate the statements overall, or which ones you rate the highest. Then spend several hours praying in nature or contemplating whether to join us, and you’ll know if creating a culture of unity in the context of Liberatus is part of your vocation too. Peace be with you!

Liberatus Discernment Survey

The US Constitution offers the necessary structure of self-governance that allows us to create a political culture that does not yet exist. (Even if the States decide to amend it).

For all statements, select the number (with 10 being high) that best reflects the level of excitment you feel about each one.

The values of the kingdom of God as taught and lived by Jesus, including his suffering with and for humanity, have the power to create culture that would be life-giving for all American citizens.

In the same way that "Join, or Die" was America's first political cartoon published by Benjamin Franklin, we need to create a culture of unity to keep the United States intact and stronger for the next generation.

As children of God, we are one human family and can rely on the Spirit of God to lead us towards lasting peace.

Being inclusive of other people's views doesn't make me fearful that they'll succeed and I'll lose something precious to me, it excites me because I know how to find points of agreement and then create even better ideas.

Creating culture--and real political power--isn't about advocating for something or someone else to do something, it's about using the power we already have where we are to create the culture we want to leave behind for the next generation.

Policies matter, and because they affect our daily lives, it ultimately hurts our position if we intentionally create winners and losers through policy.

While public policy matters and I have policy opinions, what matters most right now is creating a culture where we can all thrive together peacefully.

The US would be much stronger if we learn how to converse and debate policy issues at greater length in Congress and in our communities with people from all parts of the country.

The invitation of the gospel is to rest as free children of God no matter our circumstances, and from a place of rest we get to do creative work that benefits others.

Harriet Tubman, Amelia Earhart, Jane Goodall, Ernest Shackleton, the Wright Brothers, Benjamin Franklin, Abraham Lincoln, Jesse Owens, John F. Kennedy, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. , Steve Jobs, Abby Wambach, Jason Bourne, Louis Zamperini, NIKE, the Olympic Games, and National Geographic are inspiring figures, brands, and events.

As Jane Goodall has said, it's story that has the power to change the human heart. And as Robert McKee has said, "a culture cannot evolve without honest, powerful storytelling."

As image-bearers of our Creator, creative expression is an integral part of spiritual formation.

The way to build wealth is to push yourself to have mental and physical endurance, create beautiful work in any field, and to do so with others who share the same values.

Photo galleries, art exhibits, botanic gardens, and beatifully written stories are some of the most inspiring and uplifting forms of entertainment and renewal.

Spending more time outside is the way to enjoy life, and the beauty of nature--whether in the city or National Parks--makes us happier and healthier.

Writing and/or photography are pursuits I enjoy (as a creator or consumer) and will spend time on even if I don't get paid for it.

Connecting with people at a deeper level is fulfilling.

The world needs more well-designed spaces, quality craftmanship, and indoor plants.

Healthy food and exercise make me feel good, and that's why they are a part of my lifestyle.

The spiritual life is about connecting with God at all times and having lifestyle habits in place to do so.

I don't have to do anything necessarily to feel good about myself, but I still have a constant creative drive and I enjoy movement in that direction.

The love of God is most powerful when it is in human form.

Community without a creative direction makes me feel bored.

Retirement sounds boring because I hope to spend my days doing work that I'm passionate about, or bringing my passions to my work.

Doing work that I'm passionate about requires sacrifice, but it's so rewarding that it's not fair to call it a sacrifice.

Fundraising isn't really about how to get money; it's about forming deep connections with others so that we can create something new together.

Spending time praying in nature is the best way to navigate life, be filled, and know how to be a life-giving presence for others. Community without solitude is stifling.

Creative work is more about craftmanship and continual improvement than it is about getting attention.

There are no shortcuts in creative work; you have to run a marathon to run a marathon.

Leadership has nothing to do with being important, building your platform, or getting attention. It's about serving others so they can flourish. Leaders are people who act on a vision to better humanity.

Empowering partner organizations to do what they do best is better than trying to control and orchestrate a movement from the top down.

Vulnerability is an invitation to shared authenticity and creativity, not judgement. As fellow creators, we know how challenging creative work is, and we have deep respect for the creative journey.

Leadership has nothing to do with holding a position; it's about being someone worth following and empowering other leaders.

Leadership is about giving people what they need to succeed, the freedom to own their roles, and clarity about where we're going and why it matters.

Communication is what creates community. Ghosting others is unthinkable. It's better to have a system in place to make sure you respond and don't "lose" messages.

Creativity includes following through on what you say you'll do.

“Understanding that our lives are not about us is the connection point with everything else…. After such a discovery, we are grateful to be a part—and only a part! We do not have to figure it all out, straighten it all out, or even do it perfectly by ourselves. We do not have to be God. It is an enormous weight off our backs. All we have to do is participate!” -Richard Rohr, Center for Action and Contemplation

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FROM THE FOUNDER

Thank you for exploring whether the Leadership Council is right for you!

Since 2015, all of the Liberatus stakeholders have created a new and beautiful culture in how we think, interact, and create together in American politics. A culture of American unity is an endless pursuit, and my hope is that we aren’t driven by anxious activism but rather by a sense of purpose because of the love that God has for us—that of course is the daily challenge of the mission, and it’s why we pray in nature.

There are many layers of nuance to the mission to inspire American unity, and with a deeper contemplative faith view, artistic excellence, and congressional-level policy research, which you can find in the pages of Volume One and future volumes, we are remaking the way that we organize in American politics. The challenge of our time is to create a culture where we make our country more just and free when we collaborate and build trust. When we speak with an organized but diverse voice to say that the pursuit of unity matters, we use our power wisely and respond to current events from a place of wisdom and compassion.

Think of Liberatus as a grandchild of the National Geographic Society and the Center for Action and Contemplation. The creative cycle that we follow to produce and then distribute each volume means that we can develop and strengthen leaders for American unity. So, if you’re ready to push yourself to your next professional or creative PR, I’m eager to welcome you onto the Leadership Council!

The phoenix rises from the ashes to new life, and there are sources online that say that the early Church used it as a symbol of Christ. Creating a culture of unity means the death of the cycle of dysfunction, and that will first change us on the inside as we pursue the life of the risen Christ more. It won’t be easy—but choosing it on purpose is the meaning of endurance.

Build endurance, and welcome to the Liberatus Leadership Council,

-Caleb Paxton, Liberatus Founder

PS: You can view a full overview of my professional work history on LinkedIn. To view the leaders, creators, and their works that have shaped me as I build Liberatus, view the Leadership Library at the button below.

View the liberatus leadership library

YOUR ACTIVE PARTICIPATION WILL GIVE YOU:

A deeper sense of your leadership values and how you apply them to create value for others
Stronger ties to your local community
A deeper understanding of how we can inspire American unity, working at the intersection of contemplative spirituality and political organizing
A space to improve your artistic skills, including knowledge of story structure and how to connect it to the story of God in order to make political communication intellectually honest
A new physical or creative PR as you push yourself to the next level in life, and connection with others who are doing the same
An opportunity to respond to the challenges of our time, build and grow with Liberatus in the early years, and to create a culture of American unity for the next generation

Application Process

Applicants for the Liberatus Leadership Council will be selected based on the current size of the group and overall fit as we work to build something bigger than ourselves. The sequence of steps to join us will include:

1. Introductory conversation and application (in either order), including setting up your recurring donation (see below)

2. Liberatus evaluates fit, makes decision to move forward or not. (May ask for resume, references, etc.)

3. Applicant reviews and provides feedback on current articles related to leadership

4. Applicant and Liberatus make another decision about moving forward

5. If we move forward we will set up an onboarding experience. Your participation on the council will last for one year from the date of onboarding.

6. We will establish how and when we will connect once applicants are approved. Participation on the council will include: A: discussions on the fundamentals of leadership; B: how to advance American unity in your community; and C: action points for Liberatus, with an emphasis on outreach to your network to put more copies of each graphic editorial into readers’ hands.

7. After one year, Liberatus and participants decide on either a formal role with Liberatus or participants take what they’ve learned about leadership and creating a culture of unity in a political context into another role elsewhere in order to advance American unity in whatever capacity best fits their passions and calling.

Open formal roles encompass writing, photography, editing, graphic design, community building, and outreach, and they include positions such as board members, officers, race director, ambassadors, and mentors.

To cover some of the costs of the leadership development experience and content you will receive, Leadership Council participants will raise or donate $5,000 in their first year and will make regular recurring donations after that to to remain active, or produce the equivalent value in content creation. Please set up your recurring plan here and outline in the final question below how you will raise any additional funding to reach the $5,000 commitment. For content creators, we will share our guidelines on measuring the value of works created after signup.

Leadership council application

We recommend pasting your responses into this form after writing them in a Word document.

Write a few sentences responding to this excerpt from "Wolfpack: How to Come Together, Unleash Our Power, and Change the Game" by Abby Wambach: "The first time Pia met with us, she said: 'You are the best in the world. But there is still a higher level in you. You have proven you can win games. What I want you to work on is how you win games. I want us to continue to win, but I want us to win while honoring ourselves, our teammates, our opponents, and the game. We will win with creativity, innovation, and steady assuredness instead of just physical dominance. We will win beautifully.' Then she pulled out a guitar and began to sing 'The Times They Are A-Changin' by Bob Dylan." (pp. 73-74)

Write a response to this quotation from "The Wright Brothers" by David McCullough: "'There was something weird, almost uncanny about the whole thing,' wrote [a newspaper correspondent who traveled to the Outer Banks]. 'Here on this lonely beach was being performed the greatest act of the ages, but there were no spectators and no applause save the booming of the surf and the startled cries of the sea birds.'" (pp. 157-158)

Write a response to this quotation from "The Divine Dance" by Richard Rohr: "The cross is the standing icon and image of God, showing us that God knows what it's like to be rejected; God is in solidarity with us in the experience of abandonment; God is not watching the suffering from a safe distance. Somehow, believe it or not, God is in the suffering with us." (p. 132)

In what ways are you pushing yourself to become a better leader?

Describe what physical endurance means to you, and include any physical endurance challenges you have completed and any you are currently pursuing.

Please do feel free to to withhold details of your physical health that affect what you can choose to undertake.

Who are the best leader(s) you know and what did you learn from them?

What components of human energy do you purposefully manage in order to perform at your best?

If you were to become president of the International Olympic Committee, Speaker of the House, or the General Manager of an Apple store, which one would you choose, why would you choose that role, and what would you do first in each role?

What would you change about the Liberatus Kickstarter project page, and why?

You can find the page here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/liberatus/liberatus-journal-volume-one

Describe one of your leadership failures and what you learned from it.

What is your approach to leadership?

How would you articulate your vocation (calling, life's purpose) and how you express it in your career?

Do you view yourself as a good leader?

Write one sentence that addresses the current state of American politics that could unify the country, but is also a substantive statement.

What situations or issues have you encountered firsthand in your community or elsewhere that you hope to improve, either locally or through policy changes?

Liberatus is a 501c3 organization. Please do not advocate for specific legislation. Articulate something you've encountered personally and how you would want that situation or issue to be different.

In what ways have you contributed to America's dysfunction and disunity?

How do you define success?

What do you hope American culture and politics look like in 40 years?

Why do you hope to join the Liberatus Leadership Council?

What are the two primary ways you hope to contribute?

Choose from options such as: writing, editing, research, photography, graphic design, mentoring, outreach, donor relations, ultra & trailfest event planning, finance, legal, or board of directors

Describe your approach to conflict.

Describe a risk you've taken in life, if any, and what did you learn from it?

Describe a professional experience that you found to be deeply enjoyable, rewarding, and fulfilling, your role in the experience, and the factors that contributed to it feeling that way for you.

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Leaders act on a vision to better humanity. What time blocks do you intend to reserve on your calendar to move the mission forward?

Please be specific.

If you actively use social media, please list your accounts/usernames here.

Have you shared Liberatus with your friends, family, or colleagues? Describe how you've shared it, if at all, and why you have or have not chosen to share it with others.

Optional: Note any additional comments here.