Leadership in the extra mile

Posted: August 9, 2014 | Categories: Leadership

I’ll never forget that day.  It was one of the most important defining moments of my life:  I was in 6th grade and had just started the second week of class.  Our teacher, Mrs. McGinnis, had a very special announcement:  She said, “We are going to have an exciting project that we are starting today:  It is a class magazine.  It will contain all the events and highlights of the class plus special stories and other contributions from the class members”

As I listened to this, I thought, “That sounds like a lot of work.  I don’t think I’m interested”.  Then came the clincher:  Mrs. McGinnis concluded by saying “I am pleased to announce that the editor is going to be Steve Brainerd”  Hmm… No problem, I thought.  I can talk her out of it.

After class, I approached Mrs. McGinnis and politely and respectfully declined the assignment.  Nice try.  She said, “Oh no.  You don’t understand.  You are the editor.  Your name will be on the front cover.  If this magazine has nothing but a bunch of blank pages, that will be your choice”.  Checkmate.  Seeing there was no escape hatch, I asked her why she chose me.  She replied, “Because I have seen your writing, and you are by far the most talented and creative writer in the class”.  I looked at her and said, “Do you really think so?”  “Absolutely!”, she said.

I took on that assignment and gave it all I got.  It was a blast.  20 Years later, I came by to visit Mrs. McGinnis in her classroom.  She said, “I want to show you something”, and she proceeded to bring out that dusty old magazine.  I loved it.  Then I asked, “Where are those from your other classes?”  She said, “This was the only year we did them”.  She went on to explain, “It was early in my career, and you were the laziest kid I ever saw.  I said to my husband, if I can motivate him, I can motivate anybody”  She sure succeeded.

It would have been easy for Mrs. McGinnis to say “the heck with that guy”.  Instead, she challenged me, made me aware of my strengths, and believed in me.”  It was all I needed.  Mrs. McGinniss knew that a true leader takes others to a place they wouldn’t go by themselves.  We can do the same.