Fernando Botero
Mexico
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Mexico on the Move
Sitting in a restaurant in London, my wife and I debated whether I should accept a professorship at a university in Mexico City or remain in London, a city where we didn't really feel at home. One of the things that weighed heavily in making our decision was that if we stayed in London, we would have easy access to Landmark classes. If we moved, Landmark courses wouldn't be available. I had seen from participating in The Landmark Forum that often when I was at a crossroads without any clear cut answers or directions, I approached situations as either/or scenarios, rather than approaching them with a creative solution or possibility. At that moment, in the restaurant with my wife, I was able to think beyond that old either/or approach. I looked at my wife and said, “Let's bring Landmark to Mexico!”
When I first talked to people at Landmark's headquarters in San Francisco about having courses in Mexico, the question they posed was whether I had sufficient support in terms of friends and colleagues who might help me make this happen. I told them I knew no one, but I wasn't going to let that stop me, and they would hear back from me soon.
I began by talking to people as I met them: colleagues, neighbors, students. None had ever heard of The Landmark Forum. But from my wife and I sharing about the difference the courses had made in our lives, people began to see what might be possible for themselves and their families. We held small, introductory events in people's homes, sometimes with just three or four in attendance. By the time we held the first Landmark Forum, 260 people were registered. We had to turn away another 50 because the course was too full.
The people who participate in The Landmark Forum in Mexico, like other places in the world, include the full spectrum of the population. In one, for example, we had a beautiful man, a farmer from a small village, who had to sign his application form with an “X” because he couldn't read or write. He was so attentive and took very seriously his commitments and his goals. In the same course, we had one of the most successful entrepreneurs in Mexico; the president of a very large financial services company and a graduate of a top US business school. Listening to both men from these very different backgrounds share about their experiences in The Landmark Forum was both humbling and inspiring.
Today, with several Landmark Forums behind us and more scheduled, we have built a solid team of people who participate in the Assisting and Leadership Program. We have a small office with two phone lines and a computer, two desks, and two chairs. We may be small, but the people here have a lot of enthusiasm and a commitment to expand our efforts not only in Mexico, but also throughout all of Latin America. While I am the director of Landmark Education in Mexico, my position is no longer necessary because people here, of which there are too many to name, have taken it on. That makes me happy. There is a solid leadership structure in place with Mamis Ramirez. Landmark exists in Mexico and will continue to thrive.
In addition to heading up Landmark Education in Mexico, Fernando Botero, 45, is a professor of economics at Universidad Ibero Americana, and president of a multinational business.
See more articles about Grads Breakthrough Stories.