Our leader wanted to pay tribute to his father in a speech. My colleague was asking questions trying to draw out some life lesson from the father-son relationship. We listened as the son described his early family life. Eventually, my colleague reduced it all to that single sentence: "Well," she said, "it sounds like your father was steady in his approach and positive in his outlook -- which is what we all like about your leadership style."
So did the father ever say, "Son, be steady in your approach, and positive in your outlook"?
No.
Did the son ever say, "My dad was always steady in his approach and positive in his outlook"?
No.
It was the listener in this conversation, taking what she liked about the son as our leader and finding a way to match it with the description of the dad. And then she gave it elegant voice in 11 words averaging less than 1.5 syllables each.
We used her sentence early in the speech, and came back to it late. I was comforted by it the first time I heard it, and I'm comforted by it now. Give me leaders who are steady in their approach and positive in their outlooks, and I'll sleep well at night.
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