How many people have never faced a single challenge or obstacle in their lives? The answer is assuredly no one. Why? It's obvious that ignorance is bliss and unless you are completely ignorant with no opposition to your ignorance...well you faced something! In life we all face obstacles and it our actions the define our leadership abilities. The great thing about our lives is that we each have the opportunity to be a leader. It does not matter your age, social standing, or beliefs, we are all in a position to be extraordinary leaders.Sometimes leadership can come from the most unlikely circumstances. It can start by a refusal to work with someone accused of sexual harassment like Gal Gadot's refusal to work with Brett Ratner on the Wonder Woman sequel. Perhaps it starts with the dumping of the tea in a harbor to symbolize unjust taxation or it was a defiant Audrey Hepburn who risked it all during WWII with the resistance against the Nazis. Maybe it starts with a little act of compassion like that of my Aunt Becky Carroll who co-founded the #standwithaleppo movement for Syrian refugees.
There are a million other examples around the world. What they all have in common is action? What we don't see enough of is positive action in the world. Someone told me a general principal is that what you put out to the world, you get back--basic law of karma. Today my karma is telling me that we all need to take action. It can all start simply!
When my son was young he was very ill and lethargic. I truly did not understand how ill he was. I had noticed that he had a flu or something and asked his dad to take him to the doctor since I had just started a new job. The doctor told my husband to take my son to the emergency room after he examined him. Well, I knew that when his dad told me that he was taking him the ER after the doctor saw him, new job be damned, I was heading there too. By the time I got the ER, my son's condition deteriorated. He was on 100 percent oxygen. I walked in to the ER like a mad woman. I think my theatrics probably put even Kramer to shame. He needed to be medivaced to Children's Memorial Hospital. He was admitted to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU).
That same night as I stayed in the hospital with my son, my husband called and said that my four year old daughter was ill. He brought her to the ER at Children's. She was admitted to a regular hospital bed on the 9th floor. The next couple of days, I spent a lot of time on the elevator at the hospital with my son still being in the PICU on the 2nd floor. Luckily for us, we were able to take turns getting some rest at the Ronald McDonald House.
My children are probably tired of hearing me tell this story because I used it for my Toastmasters International Speech competition in 2017. Two years later, I welcomed my third child and she too has heard the story too many times. She knows all about my appreciation for the Ronald McDonald House. One day while at McDonald's (a treat for her), she saw the collection box. She asked me if that is where I stayed when her brother and sister were in the hospital. I told her it was. She asked for my change and put the money in the collection box. Now she could have stopped there, but instead she reached into her little purse and pulled out her own money to put in the collection box. I knew right then that I had another natural born leader. A simple call to action!
Why you may ask is this a call to action? Because it was her first step in realizing the inequalities of the world and the need for compassion. That day showed me that she was going to go above and beyond just like all of my children. She has served on her student council, volunteers at the Food Bank, and she turned 12 only a couple of weeks ago! My son and daughter have volunteered to get people out to vote in the last election even though my oldest daughter was only 17 during the 2016 election. My children have taken the call to action!
Leadership can come from simple things like leading by example or being the change that you want to see in the world. Today, my call to action is this blog letting you know that regardless of age, gender, religion, sexual preference, country of origin, or socio-economic status you have the opportunity to make a difference. Simon Sinek, the author of How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action said, "Leadership is not a license to do less. Leadership is a responsibility to do more." Every day is an opportunity to be a leader. Hone your leadership skills and with the leader that resides in the core of each of us stand up to answer the call to action. Aspire to be a great leader, a better leader, someone you would be willing to fall.
As John Wooden, the basketball player and coach who won 10 NCAA championship in a 12 year span said, “Don’t measure yourself by what you have accomplished, but by what you should have accomplished with your ability.” As my children continue to do for me, may you inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more, and become more!
