What does it mean to be a really great leader?
When you think of a great leader, who do you think of? Do you think of someone famous, an important Head of State, an influential author, an intellectual philosopher, a social change maker, a religious icon? Or do you think of someone you know, a family member, a friend, a colleague, a mentor? If you’re like me, you think of both!
If I think of some of the greatest leaders of all time, I immediately conjure up names like Winston Churchill, Indira Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, Aristotle, Mohandas Gandhi, and Martin Luther King Jr. I also think of more familiar people like my favorite authors, Zora Neale Hurston and F. Scott Fitzgerald, and singers, Nina Simone and Janis Joplin. These people stood for social justice, questioned the status quo, and thought beyond the barriers of conventional society.
However, if I think of the most influential leader in my life, I would immediately say my father. A man who embodies a lot of what I consider necessary characteristics to be a great leader – patience, kindness, generosity, empathy, honesty, strength, perseverance, commitment and integrity. But most importantly, he is a cautious risk-taker.
I never completely realized this until recently. I was traveling home to visit my parents before leaving for India, and as I turned the corner to my parent’s street I was completely blinded by the reflection of the sun. I strained to see what was causing it, and as I got closer I saw it was my parent’s house. The entire roof was covered with solar panels.
I was a bit amazed, surprised, stunned and impressed. As I walked inside, I immediately questioned “What’s up with the roof?”. My dad grinned proudly and said “Yeah, you like it! 36 solar panels!”. I was still in shock gazing at him, as my brother peered from behind. We exchanged smirks…we were both amused!
When you think of a great leader, who do you think of? Do you think of someone famous, an important Head of State, an influential author, an intellectual philosopher, a social change maker, a religious icon? Or do you think of someone you know, a family member, a friend, a colleague, a mentor? If you’re like me, you think of both!
If I think of some of the greatest leaders of all time, I immediately conjure up names like Winston Churchill, Indira Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, Aristotle, Mohandas Gandhi, and Martin Luther King Jr. I also think of more familiar people like my favorite authors, Zora Neale Hurston and F. Scott Fitzgerald, and singers, Nina Simone and Janis Joplin. These people stood for social justice, questioned the status quo, and thought beyond the barriers of conventional society.
However, if I think of the most influential leader in my life, I would immediately say my father. A man who embodies a lot of what I consider necessary characteristics to be a great leader – patience, kindness, generosity, empathy, honesty, strength, perseverance, commitment and integrity. But most importantly, he is a cautious risk-taker.
I never completely realized this until recently. I was traveling home to visit my parents before leaving for India, and as I turned the corner to my parent’s street I was completely blinded by the reflection of the sun. I strained to see what was causing it, and as I got closer I saw it was my parent’s house. The entire roof was covered with solar panels.
I was a bit amazed, surprised, stunned and impressed. As I walked inside, I immediately questioned “What’s up with the roof?”. My dad grinned proudly and said “Yeah, you like it! 36 solar panels!”. I was still in shock gazing at him, as my brother peered from behind. We exchanged smirks…we were both amused!
I questioned again “But what have the neighbors said? They can’t be very happy!”. He sternly replied, “No, but what can they say. Listen, this is a good investment. We’re the first in town to have them, you know!” My mother chimed in, “We’re the first in the entire area!”.
The house in South Jersey with all the solar panels!
Try to discover
The road to success
And you'll seek but never find.
But blaze your own path
And the road to success
Will trail right behind.
~Robert Brault
So cool! Where in South Jersey are they again?
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