So, what's your dad do?

DISCLAIMER: This article is a touch personal in nature, however; there is a core message within that I truly hope resonates beyond the personal and speaks to those up and coming leaders who may be struggling with finding their sweet spot and style.

My son had a friend over to the house the other night to hang out. Not one of the myriad of XC or track pals that seem to have moved in when I wasn't looking, but a new pal. One I had never met. I happened to be in my office next door that shares a wall with his bedroom and I overheard a Q&A session between the two of them. That session, albeit short and sweet, both cracked me up and choked me up simultaneously.

You see, his friend asked him, "So, what's your dad do?" I immediately thought to myself, 'Oh boy, this is going to be interesting!' I was prepared for (given the fact the apple doesn't fall far from the tree) a reply akin to something you'd hear on 'Deep Thoughts by Jack Handey.' To my surprise, and without missing a beat, Ian replied, "Oh, dad's a servant leader for *Fox Rent A Car (*yeah, I know; lo siento Gerardo...I'm still trying to get his head wrapped around the whole Europcar Mobility Group USA with Fox as a group subsidiary thing)." His friend replied, "Cool. What's that mean?" Now then, before I share his reply, let me explain Ian and I have never had a direct, one on one conversation about servant leadership and/or what the denotative definition of it means. What I can tell you is that Ian, like most all kids, was always listening through our shared wall, whether I knew it or not, for nearly two years of my working from home during the pandemic. Ian answered his question with, "Well, essentially it means he works for his team, not the other way around. He believes it's more important to focus on what you put into people than what you get out of them." His friend replied, "Sweet. How many tries did today's Wordle take you?" I know, not a Shakespearian dialogue by any means, but remember; these are two 17 year old boys. I was not only taken aback by his answer, but by the fact he actually verbalized it as opposed to texting it.

So, why write about this? Simple. As I sat in the Owasso High School PAC this morning attending the senior awards ceremony and watched my son, my best friend, James Ian Busking, be nominated for the Servant Leader, aka Mr. Owasso, Award, I couldn't have been more proud. Or so I thought. When the winner was announced and Ian learned he was the second runner up and was then the first one enthusiastically clapping for the winner, I knew right then and there; my boy gets it, and praise be, judging from his damn near verbatim quote from my LinkedIn profile, he at least got a touch of it from dear old dad! He knows my style of leadership is all about serving others, driving engagement, fostering the growth/development/success of others, listening, and understanding it's not about me. NOTE: Should anyone happen to have examples of any Ian behavior contrary to the aforementioned and feel compelled to share, I will casually mention that his room also shares a wall with his mother's art studio...just saying.

So, to you young, up and coming leaders out there, I realize that each individual leader will eventually settle into their own particular, unique style of leadership, likely rooted in one of the typical coach, autocratic, visionary, servant, etc., - and let me be clear, there's no right or wrong ones - I would simply and humbly offer a few pieces of advice I have found useful over the years no matter which style you make your own:

1. Remember that there is always someone listening.

2. If you focus more on what you put into your team than what you get out of them, you will likely get more out of them than you could ever have imagined!

3. No matter your style, the job of a leader is to create more leaders.

Fin ;)