Brother George

You know what draws me into a story and captivates my interest?  The ability to relate something of myself to the story.  An author's ability to relate to his readers is the mark of a most excellent writer.  Starbucker, writing over at Talking Story does just that here.  I'd be willing to say that most folks who read his story will feel as I do.

I had a Brother George in my life.  Her name was Mrs. J.

Mrs. J was my eleventh grade Accounting & Computing teacher. She was six years older than I and heart-stopping gorgeous.  Even though it was thirty-four years ago, to this day I can still envision Mrs. J in her tough, exacting demeanor, demanding that we perform with accuracy and correctness.   I learned volumes on proper business etiquette and communciation, typing and bookkeeping.  My problem however, was teenage-punkitis - an inflamation of a bad attitude, which prevented me from appreciating a teacher like Mrs. J until years later.

I believe that the common thread with teachers who make an impact in our lives is that demanding style.  They refuse to let you be less than you are capable of being.  Come to think of it, that's not a bad trait for a boss either.

Comments

[Rosa Say]

Aloha Dave,
You are so right about Starbucker’s story; he’s taken all of us down memory lane!

Your last paragraph recalls a favorite quote for me. In fact, it’s the epigraph I chose for my book, Managing with Aloha:

“Treat people as if they were what they ought to be, and you help them to become what they are capable of being.” —Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832)

[Chris Brown]

Dave:
Your story jogged my memory of a similar situation during my junior high days. How painful it is to think back about how we treated a teacher who was giving it her all. I guess I should keep that in mind while dealing with my own young teenage daughter. Thanks for the blog.
Chris

[Starbucker]

Thanks for your kind words, and you are so right about carrying over many attributes of teaching to leading. It also seems like your "Mrs. J" had a lot in common with my Brother George! I suppose that was the thing about accounting - there was an "exactitude" to it that demanded focus and discipline. Once again, my thanks, and you've also gained a new subscriber to your blog!