Recently I had a front row seat to what good leadership looks like. My 11-year-old-daughter, Miss O, is a new 6^th grader at a middle school with 850 kids total for 6^th, 7^th and 8^th grades.

She came home one day and told me that she was late to her 5^th period science class. Apparently, as she leaves lunch to walk to class, she often encounters a girl who has spilled out a game to play with. Miss O stops to help her put it back in the box.

But on the day in question, the girl had spilled out 4 games so there were hundreds of cards that needed to be sorted out. Miss O stopped to help. Then the girl’s educational assistant came by, asked if Miss O would continue while she and the girl went off to class.

Right as Miss O was finishing, her 5^th period class walked by on the way to picture day so Miss O joined the line.

When the school notified me that Miss O was absent from 5^th period, I told them the story and clarified she was late but not absent. The attendance person wrote me back to let me know it was all taken care of.

End of story, right? The system worked as it should and all was fine.

Except Miss O came home from school the next day with the kicker. When she stopped again to help the girl at the end of lunch, the principal showed up to thank her, gave her some candy and a school pin, and walked her to 5^th period so she wouldn’t be marked late.

Amazing. In a school with 850 students, the attendance person must have mentioned to the principal the story of this one girl stopping to help someone. And then he made a note of it to stop and recognize her. She had chosen to do this all on her own so it wasn’t about being noticed. But what the principal did boosted her natural inclination to help enormously. It’s one thank you that is likely to have a ripple effect through her years.

I was recently reading, Unleash Your Humanity by Yasmine Sherif. Yasmine is a human-rights lawyer that has worked within the UN system for more than 30 years. She writes about what she’s learned about leadership,

“I have learned that humanity rises less through obligation and more through willingness. Leadership is not about becoming perfect. It is about being present and showing up with awareness. Humanity can rise, not from obligation but from desire and joy. We do not need to search the light, we can be the light—not flawless, but steadfast.” – Yasmine Sherif in Unleash Your Humanity

Like the principal at my daughter’s school, showing up with awareness matters. It spreads something viral – inspiration and kindness.

P.S. I was lucky enough to interview Yasmine Sherif about her book and what she’s learned about how we can all be the light. The Life of Try podcast with Yasmine will release on Wednesday, 10/21 and Yasmine’s passion and energy are infectious! Please subscribe so you don’t miss it!

P.P.S. After hearing about what the principal had done, I emailed the superintendent of Seattle Public Schools to tell him the story. He responded about 10 minutes later and copied the principal, the principal’s boss, and the HR department. The ripples of goodness keep echoing on.

(featured photo from Pexels)

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