Bedu: Bedouin Boy, Poet King

Bedu, a shepherd boy from Damascus, is enthralled when King Melchior arrives at his family's simple home with more than a hundred warriors and his beautiful granddaughter, Yasmin, in tow. When Bedu's father offers the king a feast, including a dinner with the family's last seven sheep and four goats, the king gifts Bedu five gold coins and sends him to Judea to replace the herd. But in this magical journey of self-discovery, what Bedu finds is greater in value than any livestock.

Bedu, a shepherd boy from Damascus, is enthralled when King Melchior arrives at his family's simple home with more than a hundred warriors and his beautiful granddaughter, Yasmin, in tow. When Bedu's father offers the king a feast, including a dinner with the family's last seven sheep and four goats, the king gifts Bedu five gold coins and sends him to Judea to replace the herd. But in this magical journey of self-discovery, what Bedu finds is greater in value than any livestock. Travelers have always relied on stars to guide their journey, and Bedu follows the stars to transform from what he 'does' to become who he is truly meant to 'be.' In the spirit of The Defense of Duffer's Drift and A Message to Garcia, this simple tale offers profound insights on leadership and living with a purpose.

Colonel David W. Sutherland (US Army, Retired), was one of 13 Brigade Commanders during "surge" operations in the Iraq War. He culminated his military service as the Special Assistant to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff with principle focus on Warrior and Family Support. He is a fierce advocate for service members, military veterans, their families, and the families of our fallen. Following his 29 years of service, Colonel Sutherland has consulted with corporations, nonprofits and government entities on the topics of leadership and organizational culture. He is also a nationally-recognized speaker and vocal advocate for transformational change that is driven by visionary, ethical and engaged leaders. He and his team at the Sutherland Partnership have developed tools to quantify what is happening inside specific corporations regarding culture (both positive and negative) and helps identify new ways to manage and enhance performance. His experiences on the battlefield have led him to believe that building a successful culture by informed leaders has become one of the most significant sources of competitive advantage and brand differentiation in business today. Culture is a fundamental driver of operational and individual performance as well as innovation, execution and overall company success.