Unforgettable

Saxon White Kessinger, penned a poem, “The Indispensable Man” comprised of

a few words with so many second and third order effects. An excerpt reads,

“Take a bucket and fill it with water,

Put your hand in it up to the wrist,

Pull it out and the hole that’s remaining,

is a measure of how much you’ll be missed.”

In the work-a-day world, one could see this poem’s first order effect as a

metaphor addressing pride and arrogance using humbling words that declare the truth

that, as a leader, you are not at all indispensable, but just because you are not

indispensable, doesn’t mean you should be unforgettable.

Unforgettable leaders are those who realize that our words are verbal

expressions of our character, and our actions are our signatures validating who we are,

whether we like it or not. Unforgettable leaders take “CARE” with the words they speak

and the things they do. They take time to CONSIDER the consequences of what they

say and do. They ANALYZE the second and third order effects and the ramifications on

people, processes, and practices. If the analysis proves detrimental, they will REVISE

their modus operandi to better serve functional and operational success. Finally, these

leaders EMPLOY measures that can mitigate challenges and meet the demands that

best support organizational success.

Unforgettable leaders are those who learn the art of tapping into potential,

touching the hearts of people, and ultimately turning troublesome problems into

promising triumph. Unremarkable leaders are those one can easily forget, Unforgettable

leaders are those that are relational and remarkable. Which are you?