Leadership Begins in Small Ways
A year after my stem cell transplant following a cancer relapse, I rolled up my sleeves for eight vaccinations (four on each arm — ouch! 😬) — the same ones I had as a child, decades ago. After the transplant, my old immunity was gone; I was, in essence, starting over. Tiny vials, yet monumental in meaning.
Why, some might ask, would a 40-something, post-transplant survivor willingly submit to a childhood regimen, especially with the ongoing controversy sweeping the nation? Because leadership isn’t only a skill exercised in boardrooms, office cubicles, or on stages. It’s also a daily act of courage, discernment, and accountability. It’s choosing what is right, even when it’s uncomfortable, inconvenient, controversial, or unseen.
I thought of every stage I’ve walked: TEDx, SXSW, the Academy Awards Celebration red carpet. I thought of the countless leaders I’ve coached and interviewed. And what did I realize? The greatest acts of leadership are often those done in quiet. They’re in preparation, prevention, and the discipline to protect what’s truly worth saving: life itself.
These eight injections remind me that true (adaptive) resilience is built not just in crises, but in the decisions we choose to make consistently and consciously. Choosing to honor science, wisdom, and care for myself and others is not just a public health measure — it’s a declaration that I choose life. And in that choice, there is much courage to glean.
Ultimately, leadership shows up here. In the small, steady acts. In the daily vigilance to protect what we truly value. In the courage to do what is right, not what is always convenient.
May this be a quiet affirmation: to lead, to protect, and to rise...even when no one is watching. 😌
If this post resonates with you, I invite you to reflect on your own quiet acts of leadership today.