Best Leadership Story Ever!

When I graduated from high school, I decided to enlist in the United States Air Force. There was just one small problem...

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When I graduated from high school, I decided to enlist in the United States Air Force. The idea of earning money for college, building a career and seeing the world intrigued and excited me. My friends were surprised. My parents were supportive. There was just one small problem – I had to lose 15 pounds to meet the weight requirements.

So all summer long I ate hard-boiled eggs and green salads. I ran around the neighborhood trying to jog off the weight. And slowly it came off.

Then came the big day when my parents drove me to the Induction Center in Buffalo NY. I was eager to board the plane to basic training, but first there was a physical to face.

I sucked in my breath and stepped up on the scale. The little old man in the white coat, with the bald head and wire-rimmed glasses moved the weight slowly across the bar. I froze and watched as it settled in place just short of the goal.

My future fogged over as he said, “I’m sorry, young lady, but you don’t pass. You’re three pounds too heavy.”

I was devastated. Who knew how long I’d have to wait before I could join. It would be embarrassing to face my siblings and friends. We’d already said our good-byes. My sister had already moved into my room.

So I waited for Terry Nichols, my recruiter, to find me as I sat in the hall pondering my fate. He was a tall, thin man who had been very encouraging during my Summer of Sacrifice. He was eager to hear my news, but he could tell something was wrong.

“What are you doing sitting out here?” he asked.

I said, “I’m not going, Terry,” as the tears started to slip. “I still have three pounds to lose.”

He sat quietly for a minute, then jumped up and asked, “How bad do you want to join the Air Force?”

“It’s the most important thing in my life.”

“Okay then, we’re not done yet.” And he opened the door to the stairwell and said, “Follow me.”

Together we ran up and down the stairs of the Federal Building. We ran until my legs were so wobbly I could hardly stand. He ran beside me and ahead of me urging me on. He could have just let me give up, but he didn’t.

After I could run no more, Terry got me scheduled for a re-weigh. The little old man with the glasses was surprised to see me back. I stepped up on that scale and watched again as he moved the weight across the bar.

It settled to a stop — at a half-pound-too-heavy! I looked deep into that man’s eyes and prayed for a miracle.

He leaned over and whispered, “Young lady, I’m going to let you pass. But if you EVER tell ANYONE about this, I’ll haunt you till the day you die!”

So, I tell this story every chance I get, and I haven’t been haunted yet!

5 Leadership Lessons Learned

I learned quite a bit from Terry that day — lessons that have helped me navigate the rough waters of managing others.

1. Nothing motivates people more than the example we set by our behaviors

2. We need only take the first few steps to inspire people to action

3. You can gain more mileage by running beside people rather than in front of them

4. “Scales” can only measure so much — character is counted by commitment and action

5. If you want to join the team, you must be willing to put in some work in advance

“If keeping all the bodies moving was half the battle, laboring alongside a crew, subject to the same hardship, put the foreman’s direction beyond reproach. Rather than leading with oratory, he was expected to demonstrate what he wanted from a crew—by doing it. If he could hammer faster and cut straighter, his leadership was a forgone conclusion.” —The Foreman, by Working Man