Leaders. It’s almost impossible to experience life without having at some point a leader or mentor. Their knowledge and life experiences are major contributors to how our worlds are shaped. Each and every one of us views life differently, but those views are all echoes of the views and beliefs of those who have at one point or another been in positions of influence. The obvious first and major influences are our parents. Don’t believe me, just watch the first minute of this clip from the movie 42. It’s both wonderful and heartbreaking how powerful of an influence our parents are in our lives. Now, I don’t know the secrets to a good leader. I can’t write a book or blog post about what qualities make a great leader. What I can do is share with you four of the greatest leaders in my life - outside of my parents - who have made incredible impacts on me and helped make the person I am today. Zane Withers This amazing man has always been in my life. He’s the father of my best friend, Brandon, who was always like a brother to me. The Withers family have built their lives around the principles of honesty, hard work, integrity, and down-to-earth simplicity. Zane was my first Boy Scout Master. He’s a legend in the scouting community where I grew up. It was through Zane that I learned the value of the Boy Scouts Program. He showed how it was more than just a troop of boys getting together to do projects or activities. He embedded the fundamental principles of what it means to be a Boy Scout in my life so thoroughly, it’s still a part of me today. Many of the lessons he taught me when I was 11 to 13 years old I still hold dear. Ryan Nielsen Ryan was also a youth leader and companion to Zane when I was around 12 years old. He taught me that it’s okay to still have fun … even as an adult. I guess I had a notion like most young boys that when you get older you don’t goof around. Ryan, with his quirky sense of humor and over-the-top imagination, proved otherwise. It’s always okay to have fun, be a kid again, let imagination run wild, and be goofy. Geoffrey Dean Geoffrey Dean was a rock in my life as a religious leader. He too was one of my youth/scout leaders and helped me greatly in progressing and even achieving my Eagle Scout Award. He also helped me achieve my Duty to God award in the church’s youth program at the time. But even more than that, at a time in my young life when I struggled and needed not just a friend but a spiritual rock in my life, Geoffrey was there. He guided me and helped me learn and grow spiritually which helped lay the foundation of my conviction to my God and my religion. Mike Walker Finally, Mike Walker. Mike’s influence in my life is very different than Zane’s, Ryan’s, and Geoffrey’s. He was never my youth leader … he was just a friend. I remember one time tossing a football around with my buddy, Brandon, and Mike showed up. He was a counselor in the bishopric at the time so he was wearing a suit and tie. He took the ball, lined us up, and would have us run passing routes and throw us the ball. I remember thinking he was a horrible quarterback because we couldn’t catch any of his passes. They were always too far. But Brandon and I didn’t complain, we simply took it as a challenge to run harder and faster to get his passes. Later on, I learned that he was a great quarterback and was purposefully throwing them out of reach. He saw our potential and pushed us to achieve it. Mike often would tell my parents after something like this that if I continued with that mindset I would be able to achieve anything. So, what makes a great leader? I’ll let you glean from these stories what you think a great leader is. I only know this … if the leader, in whatever capacity he or she is in, does nothing more than elevate the lives of those they lead and inspire them to continue on and be better, then they are a great leader indeed.
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Michael N. WoolleyThank for joining me! Here I simply share my thoughts and ideas about life. Most of it is just my personal opinion so take it as you will. If you'd like to read fun adventures, then check out my YA FANTASY/ADVENTURE tab. You can also support me on Patreon where you'll then get more creative writing content. Archives
January 2020
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