The Greatest Leader I Ever Knew

If leadership can be passed down from father to son, I believe that it may be evident in my father as it was passed on by his. My grandfather died when I was about 13 years old, but I remember him as hard working, God fearing, and well respected by those in my hometown of Plymouth, Indiana. Myron "Cap" Botset never graduated from high school, but he established himself as a businessman in a landscaping and heavy equipment company and treated people fairly, never taking more than the job was worth. Grandpa was an Elder in the Plymouth Church of Christ and I remember him standing at the communion table reading from the Bible as he led the congregation in that special part of the worship time. As an Elder, the congregation looked to him for spiritual guidance and direction.

My grandfather's strong work ethic was exemplified by the fact that he never stopped doing something to provide for his family. His business was probably the most consistent part of his work history while it lasted, but when that folded he didn't just sit back and do nothing. He worked more than one job many times in his life to make sure his family was taken care of. His example of hard work and providing for his family was passed down to my father. I don't know how much of it was a verbal lesson in hard work versus just living the example and showing how important it is to take care of one's family, but I know my father learned it well and I have tried to live it too.

My father did graduate from high school and then on to college where he majored in mathematics and taught in the high school in Plymouth. Dad went on to graduate school when I was about five, but when he came to the realization that he could not support a family of five on about $6000 a year, he began searching for jobs in other fields. He was offered a job by Allied Chemical Corporation in 1969 and moved his family here to begin a new career. As I learned later, this was a very difficult decision as Dad thoroughly enjoyed teaching. However, he also knew he had to support his family (which by 1970 had grown by another son for a total of 6 family members) and didn't want to have to work two or more jobs just to make ends meet. Dad never really liked working in the factory, but he was able to still teach in Sunday School quite regularly for many years. I guess in that way he was able to still do what he loved, yet do what he had to do to take care of us.

My grandfather didn't lead battalions of men into battle, or engage in a successful political career that brought him fame and fortune. He rarely left his hometown at all because he was working to put food on the table. I remember him coming home from working at Burger Chef (that's right, not King, it was Chef), taking a nap, then going out to work in his mini farm where he grew vegetables for my grandmother to can. He was also a fantastic wood craftsman; he would make frames for postage stamps. But people knew Cap Botset all over Plymouth, Indiana and his reputation was second to none.

I know my father learned many lessons from my grandfather about hard work, treating people right because it's the right thing to do, and taking care of your family. As time went on, my father agreed to take in two of my mother's minor cousins who were in foster care in Indiana. They weren't his relatives, yet they were also being neglected by they system and not afforded opportunities they needed. Since the kids were wards of the State of Indiana, Mom and Dad were eligible for state subsidy. However, Dad knew the state would put conditions on him for how to raise the kids, so he refused the payments. For several years we had six kids living in the house and Dad only worked one job to provide. We never went without food and we always had enough clothes and shoes to wear. But I know Mom and Dad went without a lot of nicer things so we could have what we needed.

So who is the greatest leader I ever knew? Leaders grow new leaders and I believe my grandfather gave my father the tools needed to grow into the leader he became. My father has taught me and my brothers a way of life that includes concepts of selflessness, sacrifice, but most of all a deep faith in God and a desire to live a in way that demonstrates that. At 45 I am still working to live up to the standards my grandfather lived by. I just hope my children will be able to say they learned something from me that helped them become the man or woman my grandfather would be proud to have carry on the name.

September 2, 2007

As I have considered what constitutes leadership, I don't believe position alone to be a good definition of a leader. I have known people in positions of authority who did not inspire others to action, they were just able to give orders. Conversely, the people I have known to be good leaders were committed to the organization and became the catalyst for others to want to do their best. Those leaders do not have to be in positions of formal authority; informal leaders are sometimes more effective than formal ones.

I have been a part of volunteer organizations as well as paid job positions. In each type of organization there have to be those who lead. A "chain of command" or hierarchy is a part of any group with more than one person involved, without which the group would flounder. When I was in the volunteer rescue squad, there were people in positions of authority. And, since there was no pay for the time I spent on duty, my motivation to do what needed to be done had to come from inside myself. The individuals I answered to were not, in my opinion, always the "cream of the crop," but rather were the ones who spent the most time at the squad. The leadership demonstrated by some of the people in charge was more ego driven than inspirational. As a result, I learned to do what needed to be done and did well in spite of the lack of respect for the formal leadership.

As I have grown as a person, and have taken on formal leadership roles, my own style of leadership has been shaped by many people. I have tried to learn good leadership techniques from those whom I respected, but equally important to me has been what I have learned from those I have not had the greatest of respect for. For whether it is in my church or at my job, one of the most important pieces of leadership is to be trusted. If those for whom I am responsible don't have trust in me, then all I am is an order giver and not an effective leader.

An aspect of leadership that I haven't previously given much thought to is this: just because someone has followers, are they truly a good leader? Even if the followers truly believe in what the leader is espousing, is leadership just the ability to get people to trust them and follow? Jim Jones had many people following him to Guyana and utopia, but was death a positive outcome for them? People trust the Rev. Sun Young Moon, but is he a "good" leader? Leaders of militia groups have many people under their influence, but do they represent "good" leadership? I could go on with many cult and radical group leaders and in most cases probably make an effective argument that they lack a moral center that keeps them from going astray. Then again, many will say something like, "whatever they want to believe is o.k as long as they don't hurt me."

In our society, should our leaders allow people to do whatever they want as long as no one is hurt? Are there absolute rights and wrongs that should be tightly adhered to by our government leaders? I believe leadership is as much about standing for what is right as it is influencing others to do the right thing. Politicians will take a stand against an issue like abortion or gay rights at one point in their career, but later, if it appears politically expedient, will change to attract more voters. Did the issue of abortion or gay rights become more right or less wrong than before? Again, standing for what one believes in and remaining firm in that belief is the hallmark of a good leader.