A year ago this week the movie “Invictus” about Nelson Mandela was released. In the movie, Morgan Freeman as Nelson Mandela asks “How do we inspire ourselves to greatness, when nothing less will do?”
Nelson Mandela is a very inspirational leader and the movie Invictus is a very inspirational dramatization of the 1995 Rugby World Cup victory by South Africa (buy on Amazon for $11.99). However, inspiring others to greatness is not necessarily dependent on great leaders or great events. Greatness can also be inspired by ordinary people doing the right things.
Senior Transportation Consultant Chris H. provided an example of how anyone’s actions, even seemingly insignificant ones can inspire hundreds around the world. Chris received a forwarded email from a friend whose son received the email from someone totally unknown. The son of Chris’ friend had been the captain—a year ago—of a high school basketball team; the son in his role of captain took himself out of play because he thought it was best for the team. Soon afterwards a Washington Post sport writer wrote about the situation. This article went around the world...which brings us back to the email received yesterday:
“The article from the Washington Post last year on you,” wrote the email writer, “the team captain who pulled himself from the starting lineup, was so inspirational. I sent that article to everyone I work with, and I’m in an Army unit in Germany, a civilian. We have about 50 soldiers in the organization in addition to about 150 civilians, like me. We see articles almost every day about Iraq/Afghanistan and the incredible deeds done by soldiers in combat. Ironically, however, at no time was I ever inspired enough to do what I did when I read about you. Like I said, I sent that to everyone here, and many people I’ve served with previously who are now all over the country, and some overseas like me. What you did is the kind of selfless act that leadership is all about, and the kind of act that we spend a lifetime trying to develop in soldiers, but you already had this trait as an 18 year old high school student. I wish you the best with college. No doubt you don’t need luck because you’re the kind of person already that successful colleges produce.”
“Did what was best for the team”
The Washington Post article described how the high school basketball team started their season with wins but soon suffered a series of inexplicable losses. The team captain approached the coach and asked to be pulled from the starting lineup. After making the change the team won 8 of 9 games and became the Virginia AAA Northern Region champions.
When asked about his decision to take himself out of the starting lineup, the 18 year old team captain explained how his presence was “clogging up the middle and drawing an extra defender” to the team’s 6’ 11” center. “Being out of the starting line up (still with plenty of playing time) helped with spacing on the floor,” he said. "I just did what was best for the team.”
“He had been watching ESPN since he was age 4,” reports family friend Chris, “so he picked up on the problem before the coach figured it out which could have been too late to save the season.”
“It just goes to show you,” comments Chris, “that leadership sometimes comes from an unexpected source and what inspires others to greatness might just be a simple, unselfish act on behalf of the entire team.”
To Answer Nelson Mandela's question (“How do we inspire ourselves to greatness, when nothing less will do?”): Ask for greatness in yourself first…then you can ask for it in others.
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