I made a wonderful discovery early in my faith, and I attempted to put skin on it and live it out as I continued on my personal leadership journey. Myaha moment is when I discovered that leaders were different in almost every area of their life!
Leaders see the invisible …
hear the inaudible …
think the inconceivable…
believe the incredible
attempt the impossible…
achieve the supernatural…
Leaders see, hear, think, believe, and attempt things that the majority does not. It doesn’t make one any better just different. Of course, if the leader truly wants to be a difference maker then they must feel deeply about something bigger than themselves. A leader sees whatcasual observers fail to grasp; they see the value of something rather than merely the price.
During the final days of the 2012 Major League Baseball regular season, an amazing story captured America’s imagination. It was the inspiring account of Adam Greenberg’s opportunity to live out his dream. Seven years two months and 24 days after his MajorLeague career began andseemed to be over on just one pitch. Yet, now the 31-year-old-outfielder was given the opportunity to get another plate appearance thanks to the Miami Marlins. This is the account as reported by Willie Weinbaum on one of my all time favorite websites, ESPN.com/baseball:
“On the first and only pitch that the left-handed hitting Greenberg faced in the majors on July 9, 2005, he was struck in the back of the head by a 92-mph fastball from the Marlins left-handed pitcher. Greenberg who played for the Chicago Cubs, fell to the ground just moments after the thrill of stepping to the plate as a pinch-hitter in the ninth inning, he had to be helped from the field and taken by ambulance to hospital. In the days months and years that followed that ninth inning appearance Greenberg dealt with post-concussion syndrome, dizziness, severe headaches, double vision, nausea and eventually the reality that the minor leagues might be the highest level baseball he’d ever attain, other than that one fleeting experience in the majors.”
There are a multitude of leadership lessons in this story. First the perseverance and hard work by Adam to never let go of your dream. Then the gracious gesture by the Miami Marlins who captured the spirit of sportsmanship. However, the game changer was the work of filmmaker, Matt Liston, who for months conducted an online drive to get a team to give Greenberg an at-bat. He had video endorsements and more than 20,000petition signatures at change.org but it took somebody who has a background in film and drama to see the value and the beauty of this moment. Perhaps, it was inspired by one of the greatest baseball movies ever made, Field of Dreams, and that’s the story of Moonlight Graham who only played one game in pros. Matt saw what most failed to see – the beauty in the dreams of a little boy who works tirelessly to reach the highest level.
Think Bigger:
How do you see the invisible people in your life?