Every now and then a leader will emerge during a time of crisis. Hurricane Irene blazed through my backyard and so many others along the eastern seaboard. But, what really emerged was a hero from within the devastation.
A television news story recently captured the heroic leadership of an ordinary citizen supporting his neighbors during the tragic events. One man from an everyday neighborhood in America, Buddy Palmore, shared his power generator with neighbors after Hurricane Irene blew through the region.
First, this simple act of one man sharing a generator during a significant power outage was an act of service. An important quality for a leader is to think about serving others. It was evident from the very beginning that this good neighbor was thinking of others when he thought about their welfare. He thought about being of support others despite his own challenges with the aftermath from the storms.
Additionally, it was not just the gesture of sharing the generator but that made this a new story. But, rather it was noteworthy that he took time to think strategically about helping others in need. In this case, he methodically recalled each neighbor by name and what their unique family or medical needs might have been during the crisis.
Finally, Buddy wasted no time stepping to the leadership plate. He saw a need and filled it. Without being asked he took charge and managed to be the declared leader on a “generating power rescue mission” in his neighborhood. No that is a super hero!
If there were more people like Buddy who took the time to step up, step out, and seek opportunities to be of service then our world would benefit greatly from the ordinary and unsung leaders among us.
-Dawn McCoy, author of Leadership Building Blocks: An Insider’s Guide to Success
