Impact of Leaders can be huge! Leadership Story
A while ago I posted a story titled a “Leadership Story that will Move and Inspire You.” It is about a leader who was willing to give his life for the enemy while serving them. I asked if there were leaders that you have admired like the one told in the story. I received the following posted comment from Susan Bee, a Principal at King & Kennedy Consulting Inc. in the Toronto, Canada Area. It is interesting the impact of leaders, either positively or negatively. It is an interesting personal story of how a leader, in this a case a teacher, can impact a child for years. There is an interesting twist to this story though. Read below.
Hi…my name is Susan Bee. You might have a similar story. This is my (bitter/sweet) story.
When I was young I moved from 2 countries and then to Canada. I was in grade 5 or 6 (unsure on that one)…but I really admired my teacher who I’ll never forget…Mrs. Smith. She was beautiful, smart and very collaborative. It was report card time and a group of us girls were walking home from school in absolute anticipation of opening our report cards! I didn’t really want to read mine. I didn’t know why, perhaps it was because I was just an average student and was very shy (at least I thought I was because that’s how my Mom described me). Just as I reached home I sat on the sidewalk and opened my report card and although I cannot remember any of the A, B or C scores…I was most interested in what Mrs. Smith had to “comment” on. It read “Susan is a very LONELY girl”. I was devastated because it fed right into my perception based on what I heard my parents say. I spent the next 10 years isolated, hanging out in my room and never participating in any groups or sports. Yet I really wanted to participate.
At the age of 18 we were moving. I was packing up some items in my room and looking over my school pictures and immediately grabbed the class picture from Mrs. Smith’s class. Then I found the report card and had a lump in my throat. As I read it I was shocked! The card read all along – “Susan is a very LOVELY girl.”
This was profound for me because I had already entered a beauty pageant and began my amateur cycling journey. Lesson….BELIEVE who you are. Go for it and NEVER EVER quit! PS. Read and re-read : ) It could be life changing!
Susan
What kind of major impact has a leader had on you in your life? I would love to hear your stories and would be more than happy to publish with your name and a link. Thanks!
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