Some people laugh at the notion of being nice and decent and noble. “That’s a sign of weakness,” I
her. Nope. It’s a sign of strength. Soft is hard. It’s easy to put yourself first. It’s easy to get angry when
someone disagrees with you. It’s easy to complain or condemn or take the path of least resistance. What
takes guts is to stand for something higher, to behave greater and to be of services to others. Like
Mandela, Gandhi. I wish I could be one – quarter as good as them.
Gordon Gekko got it wrong:
Greed isn’t good. Good is good.
Sorry for ranting, but this is a big topic for me. I’ll be the first to tell you I’m far from perfect. I’m just
a messenger – an ordinary man. But I’ll tell you one thing – I do my best to be good. That quest keeps me
up at night. And I hold myself to a standard far higher than anyone could ever expect from me. Do I always
get it right? No. Am I always at peace and without anger? No. Do I always model my message? No. I try to
each day but I slip sometimes.
I’m not saying that treating people with respect means you don’t hold them to high standards and
expect excellence from them. It doesn’t mean you don’t se boundaries and get tough when you have to.
Showing leadership isn’t about being liked by all. It’s about doing what’s right. And what’s good.
39.
Grace Under Pressure
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said in a speech: “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.” So true.
What we are as human beings presents itself more fully in times of adversity than at times of ease. Anyone
can be positive, polite and kind when things are going well. What distinguishes people with an extraordinary
character from the rest of us is how they respond when life sends one of its inevitable curves. They don’t
crumble or surrender. They reach deeply into themselves and present even more of their highest nature to
the world.
Just a couple of hours ago, I want on the runway, ready to fly home from London. The flight had
been delayed by a few hours so it felt good to be so close to takeoff. I had my iPod in place, a new book to
read and my journal. Then, the pilot’s voice came over the public address system: “The ground crew has
found a metal instrument in one of the tires. We regret that we must cancel this flight.” The reactions that
statement provoked were fascinating.
One man close to me became belligerent to a flight attendant. A couple in another row grumbled
loudly. A businessman in a dark suit actually kicked the seat in front of him. Yet some passengers
responded differently, with a quiet humanity. An elderly gentleman smiled as he helped others take their
bags down from the overhead compartments. A teenager, rather than trying to rush off the plane like most
of the other passengers, stopped to help a woman with a disability. The lady sitting next to me laughed and