There is an old Welsh fable told of a dog that had belonged to Llywelyn the Great, a Prince of Gwynedd in the 13th Century. He had been given the dog as a gift from King John of England. Prince Llywelyn’s wife had passed away and the dog was charged with watching the cradle of the Prince’s baby when he went hunting.

My phone rang and it was a call from the Parks and Recreation Department asking me to coach a fifth grade girls’ basketball team. After some discussion and inquiry, I found out it was a “left over” group of six girls from several schools who already had their “Team” formed.

I remember years ago a story I heard in Sunday School that has had an important impact on me all of my life. It was based on the legend of “Johnny Lingo.” Maybe some of you have heard it? Johnny Lingo is a fictional story about a woman islander in the South Pacific who was constantly belittled by her family and told she was ugly.

One important leadership skill is the ability to effectively teach, paired with a generous amount of patience. I love the following story and the powerful leadership lessons it contains for all of us.