Time to step up

Time to step up

Seventy-five years ago (April 13, 2020), Harry Truman started his first full day as President of the United States.   Eleanor Roosevelt had summoned Truman to the White House the day before to advise him of the President’s death.  Truman, a humble man, asked Eleanor, “Is there anything I can do for you?”.   Mrs. Roosevelt, perhaps echoing the thoughts of the entire country, responded, “Is there anything we can do for you?  For you are the one in trouble now.”

Truman was one of the last people anyone would have looked to in a crisis.  Victory in Europe would come in about a month.   Japan would be another story.   

Truman was very undereducated for a president, having only finished high school.  He had failed at several businesses.  His vice-president position was the result of backroom dealing and compromise.  He would not have been anyone’s first choice to wrap up a world-wide war and to bring the world back to whatever was going to pass for normal.  Yet he did lead and most historians rank Truman among the top 10 US presidents, rising in recent years.

So unexpected leaders are among us.

This is an important time for parents to lead.   Kids are getting lots of “papers”  and "packets" being sent home from school.   There are expectations for online learning.  But teachers are not in the room.  Students will need a great many supplementary learning experiences.   Like it or not, families will need to step up to the plate to home-school their kids.  This means spending time with the work sent home.  It means following up with online lessons.  It means reading to your kids and perhaps watching historical or science documentaries and discussing them.   It means taking time away from your own working from home work to make sure your children are learning something.  It also means limiting the drug of video games and screen time.   It is too easy to sit your child in front of a screen and get some time for yourself.  Leaders lead in different ways in different times.  Now it is your time.

Teachers can really have it easy.  Let’s face it, the public schools are completely unprepared for this digital continuity of learning stuff.  As a teacher you can really take the easy way out.   Many school systems are only requiring a couple of hours a day of online teaching.  Some districts are only requiring a couple of hours a week with “busy work” as follow up.  You can take that easy way out.  You can worry about your own kids or your own life and just do the minimum that is required while you receive your entire salary and benefits.  Or you can lead.  You can step up to the plate and find Utube videos, more interesting articles online for kids to read, you can even post videos that you yourself have made.  In essence, you can do your best to teach school.  Leaders lead in different ways in different times. Now it is your time.

Employers, you too can lead.   Times are tough economically and many businesses are finding income slashed.  Are you doing the most possible for your employees?  Are you supporting and helping them in any way that you can afford to do?  This pandemic will be over at some point.  Economic life will come back.  You will want those experienced and competent staff members to be with you as you rebuild your business.  Are you with them now?  Leaders lead in different ways different times.  Now it is your time.

The man experts expected little of rose to the occasion and led our nation and Europe through recovery of WWII.   He had a sign on his desk, “The buck stops here”.  When it comes to leadership, what sign is on your desk?