“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”
~Martin Luther King, Jr. US civil rights leader youngest to receive Nobel Peace Prize 1964 We all have difficult events and experiences that shape us as people and leaders. They can give our lives constructive meaning and purpose or we can hide from their consequences and push them away. They can be big things and not-so-big things.
Ten years ago this month marks the anniversary of an event that took me down a path I wouldn’t have dreamed of traveling. On it I witnessed true courage and accountability time and time again. During that period, I had no idea how I’d get through it, let alone the person I supported. Looking back though, it has completely transformed my life personally and professionally. Indeed, it was the catalyst for my becoming a coach.
Let me back up for a minute. During my days at the University of Toronto I played for the men’s squash team. At the beginning of the 1990 season I was surprised to meet a fit, outgoing and lovely young lady also trying out for the team. Her name was April Ferguson. There was no ladies squash team at the time so she just decided that she’d try out for the men’s team instead. “Humph”, I thought to myself “I like this gal.” Sure enough, she made the team.
I was swept away by her determination, smarts and zest for life. Not to mention she was pretty cute. I remember describing her to my brother as a red Ferrari (April has wonderful red hair). She seemed to blow by me puttering along in the ‘medium-play-it-safe’ lane of life.
Later in the season I finally found the gumption to ask her out. An exciting few years of dating followed and in 1995 she agreed to marry me (I was thrilled!). In September of that year, eight days before our wedding, she hopped on her bike to finalize plans with our wedding photographer.
She never made it.
She was hit by a car that failed to yield at an intersecting street and was knocked unconscious. Her injuries were so severe she was airlifted to St.Michael’s Hospital in Toronto and wasn’t expected to survive. She slipped into a coma that lasted 28 never-ending days. We weren’t sure who or what would wake up if ever.
She did emerge and began a very long road to recovery which included three months of hospitalization and five years of rehab. They were the most difficult years we’ve had to face emotionally, physically, and financially.
In the face of miserable odds, she started all over again, completely all over again - re-learning to talk, walk, tie her shoelaces and do countless other simple tasks. She’s ended up a tri-athlete, an amazing mother of two and an informal ambassador for the brain-injured community in Ontario. Indeed, she has spoken at countless engagements and made dozens of media appearances in the local and national media. She’s impacted thousands upon thousands of people.
Was it unbelievably hard? Yes. Many, many tears of frustration were shed along the way. Did she ever want to throw in the towel? Yup, lots of times.
Here’s the point: April refused to fold her cards. She’s played the ones she was dealt, crumby as they seemed at time. In a toughest of situations where it would have been easier to blame and complain, she took accountability. She truly owned the circumstance, did something about it, and then some.
Want your team to be accountable? It starts with you. Show them.
Coaching Fieldwork:
This story is obviously a dramatic one, yet there are many situations where we can “fold our cards” on a daily basis: A business result we didn’t foresee. A relationship that isn’t working the way you’d like it to. A mistake you made that has caused difficulty for someone, or just yourself.
Accountability is avoided both consciously and unconsciously and comes in many forms. What are your favorites?
• Do you have a tendency to blame others or the environment for the situation?
• Have you ever avoided the matter completely and hoped it would go away?
• Do you worry or feel terrible about something in particular, consistently?
• Ever dug in your heals and waited for the other person to change?
• Have you found yourself talking a lot about a situation, but avoided action?
If you’ve identified something and started beating yourself up for not taking accountability, remember you’re human.
Ask yourself:
Why is it really bugging me? (Tell yourself the TRUTH)
What can I do about it?
Then do it.
Simple. Not easy.
Yet it’s what strong leaders do.
By Jamie Broughton of Footprint Leadership. If you're ready to build a stellar business and career without working harder than you already are, get your complimentary Leadership Springboard Workbook and tips now at www.footprintleadership.com
Are you an Accountable Leader - To learn more about this author, visit Jamie Broughton's Website.
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Jamie Broughton
(Visit Jamie's Website)
Jamie Broughton is the founder of www.Fo
otprintLeadership.com . He specializes
in working with emerging leaders who want
to create highly engaging, rewarding
businesses and careers. Among other
things, his clients have experienced $250M
sales increases and created $10M profit
product lines all without selling out on
the important stuff.
He has been featured in the Globe and Mail
and on CBC Radio among others. He is the
author of the forthcoming book, “Get the
Best From Your Best: An Executive Guide to
Developing Top-Talent.”
If you're ready to build a stellar career
and business without working harder than
you already are, get your complimentary
Leadership Springboard Workbook and tips
now at w
ww.footprintleadership.com/corporate/resou
rces/workbook_ezine.html
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