It occured to me the other day that sometimes the greatest lessons in how best to lead is found in places that we don't necessarily think of right away. For example - your boss or supervisor at work is an obvious example of someone that leads you, as is a hockey coach... but when was the last time that you can think of a the people that influenced your formative years the most other than (or in some cases more so) than your own parents?
Teachers.
I can remember the names of almost all of my teachers from Kindergarten to Grade 12, but there was only one that really taught me lessons that I've held onto my whole life. Rob Lederer - my chem and biology teacher in grades 11 and 12. Everyone loved his classes - he found a way to be incredibly entertaining (even for 16 year olds) but still teach - not unlike Venus Flytrap teaching the molecule on WKRP in Cincinnati (awesome episode, if you ever get the chance). He was such a great teacher, in fact, that he was asked to give the keynote address at our high school graduation, and his speech has stuck with me ever since.
He said very little about going out and being successful, about how we were "just starting our lives now", blah blah blah... no, instead he told the story of his mom and him. Apparently, when he was in high school, they had the typical teenager/parent type relationship... he loved her, but couldn't show it and there were definitely times of acrimony between them. Then he spoke of one time in particular, when they'd gotten into an argument over some small piece of nonsense and he left the house, telling her how much he hated her and slamming the door behind her - and while he was out that night, she passed away from a heart attack.
The last conversation he had with his mother - he told her that he hated her.
To this day, while I may leave an argument with friends and family in disagreement, but I won't walk away angry - this is the lesson that I've held onto, and I owe it directly to this keynote address.
Thanks, Mr. Lederer.
~Guy
Teachers.
I can remember the names of almost all of my teachers from Kindergarten to Grade 12, but there was only one that really taught me lessons that I've held onto my whole life. Rob Lederer - my chem and biology teacher in grades 11 and 12. Everyone loved his classes - he found a way to be incredibly entertaining (even for 16 year olds) but still teach - not unlike Venus Flytrap teaching the molecule on WKRP in Cincinnati (awesome episode, if you ever get the chance). He was such a great teacher, in fact, that he was asked to give the keynote address at our high school graduation, and his speech has stuck with me ever since.
He said very little about going out and being successful, about how we were "just starting our lives now", blah blah blah... no, instead he told the story of his mom and him. Apparently, when he was in high school, they had the typical teenager/parent type relationship... he loved her, but couldn't show it and there were definitely times of acrimony between them. Then he spoke of one time in particular, when they'd gotten into an argument over some small piece of nonsense and he left the house, telling her how much he hated her and slamming the door behind her - and while he was out that night, she passed away from a heart attack.
The last conversation he had with his mother - he told her that he hated her.
To this day, while I may leave an argument with friends and family in disagreement, but I won't walk away angry - this is the lesson that I've held onto, and I owe it directly to this keynote address.
Thanks, Mr. Lederer.
~Guy
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