Every time I begin to think nothing can
surprise me — something does!
In my mailbox, I found what was obviously a large hard-cover book,
concealed in a plain brown wrapper. Little did I know what irony awaited me!
Last October, Kathleen J. Wheelihan and I were invited by the Hillsdale
County Intermediate School District in Michigan to address a group of more than
250 student leaders from eight high schools for a leadership forum. We
gained some valuable insight from that experience. My work requires me to
travel this great country of ours from coast to coast on a regular basis.
One common thread I have found — regardless of which state I may be in
— is the media coverage of today's teenage population. Most of what I
read, hear, or see is story after story about our teens being addicted to
drugs, sex, alcohol, and violence.
Well, on that chilly October day in Hillsdale County, I spent an entire
day with over 250 addicts, and I'm proud to say that I enjoyed every
minute of it! That's right, the teens I spent time with were all addicted
— addicted to fun, fellowship, leadership, community, their schools,
their families, their futures, and each other.
I observed inquisitive faces listening to my message of what it was
going to take for them to succeed in business and meet the many challenges
awaiting them after graduation. I marveled at their intelligent questions
and comments reflecting their concerns and aspirations. I watched and
listened to them demonstrate their creativity, dedication, enthusiasm,
responsibility, and intelligence as they worked in teams to create action
plans to give back to those who have long supported them. Their creative
plans included projects for their communities, families, and school
organizations.
I saw pride in their stride and smiles on their faces as they shared
ideas, met new friends, and simply made the most of this exciting
experience. Although I knew only a few of the many participants before the
leadership forum, I was extremely proud of every one of them for
demonstrating a side of today's teenagers that the media so often neglects
to share. And I hope they were proud of themselves as they returned to
their schools and communities with the knowledge they acquired that day.
Today, many months after that leadership forum, I opened the large
plain brown wrapper to discover an obviously well used copy of a Dr. Seuss
book entitled Oh, The Places You'll Go! Inside the front cover of
this book was a two-page handwritten letter from a young lady who had
attended that leadership forum months earlier. In short, she offered
thanks for the many things she had learned at the forum and expressed her
appreciation for our recommendation of a number of books the students
might find helpful. She pointed out that she was so encouraged by our
message that she was seriously considering a change in her college
curriculum that would accelerate her entree into the world of big
business. She has also visited our website several times and enjoys what
we offer there.
As a token of her appreciation she wanted me to add this book to our
corporate library. She pointed out that her grandfather has been reading
this book to her for years and introduced the book to her as one of the
greatest leadership books ever written for children. I could tell by the
worn cover and dog-eared pages that this classic had been enjoyed by many
over the years.
Enthralled by her letter, I quickly sat down with the book and finished
it in short time. Her grandfather was so right! Dr. Seuss had done it
again! Here's a short sample of his very unique wisdom:
"You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes.
You can steer yourself
Any direction you choose.
You're on your own. And you know what you know.
And YOU are the guy who'll decide where to go!"
I could tell by her words that this book had meant a lot to her over
the years and, for that reason, I'll appreciate her generous gift more
than any words can ever express. That book, along with that very special
letter from that very special young lady, now occupies a place of honor in
our corporate library. I highly recommend that you add that title to your
own personal and business library as well. And, as the title suggests, I'm
sure we're going to hear from this young lady again in the not-too-distant
future! This particular surprise was, indeed, a pleasant one.
Harry K. Jones is a professional speaker
and consultant for AchieveMax®, Inc., a firm
specializing in custom-designed keynote presentations, seminars, and consulting
services. Harry has appeared all over North America addressing topics such as
change, customer service, creativity, employee retention, goal setting,
leadership, stress management, teamwork and time management for a number of industries,
including education, financial, government, healthcare, hospitality, and
manufacturing. He can be reached at 800-886-2MAX or by visiting
http://www.AchieveMax.com.
Publication Date: Summer 2001
