Courteous or Committed

Leadership is not merely a courtesy one gives; it’s a commitment one lives.

I have spent the majority of my years walking in and out of facilities through

doors provided by those who designed and built the structures. The attention to detail in

the architectural design coupled with the rigid commitment by the builders to follow the

design provides hope for those who desire to enter or exit the facility. I applaud their

efforts, but who provides hope in and for humanity?

I submit to you that it is the people who will either hold those doors open for

those who are entering those facilities or walk through and close the doors behind them.

You’ve been there; you know what I’m talking about. You’ve been walking up to a door

with your hands full, or quite possibly walking with crutches, or worse yet seen a blind

person moving toward the door and watched as a person walked through the door

allowing it to close behind them without any regard. I am just wondering what your

thoughts are right now.

You’ve also been there when you personally experienced or saw a person hold

the door. How they diminished the importance of oneself and raised the value of another

for a brief moment in time. How that one small act of consideration made two people

smile. How that the phrases, “thank you and you're welcome” dismissed the phrases,

“forget you and thanks for nothing.”

I remember one time, watching from a distance, as I was moving toward the

office building door seeing this gentleman walking slowly toward the door with a cane

when a person was entering the facility. The person noticed the man with the cane as

she entered the facility. The lady looked as though she would hold the door for the

gentleman but instead entered the building allowing the door to close on him. I saw

another person pick up his pace to get to the door before the man got to the door, so

that he could hold the door for the man.

What was the difference between the Gal and the Guy? Two words, “value and

commitment.” I hope that the Gal would’ve held the door had the gentleman been

closer, but that would’ve been a mere courtesy because it didn’t really cost her any time

or effort. The guy that sprinted to the door, well that was value and commitment

expressed through action. Authentic leaders value people and commit to providing their

best as a leader. What kind of leader are you?