During the end of March, I had to take a leadership course for my organization.   This course was mandatory after you reached a certain level in the organization, and I had just received a promotion.   I had finally reached that level.   At the beginning of the course, we were told that we were going to have to create our own leadership philosophy.   We had to use a style called Pecha Kucha, which is a Japanese style technique of presenting.   It is essentially a Power Point presentation with no words present on the slides.  You could only use pictures to describe what you would be speaking about.    I was delighted when the instructor said that we could create a Haiku or do performance art.  Essentially, we were allowed to be creative.   That is not something you have the luxury of doing at work, so I was excited.   A haiku was too short for what I wanted to do, so I decided to write a full-length poem.   

                When I was involved in another leadership program, I had the opportunity to shadow someone in a top leadership position.   The one thing that she instilled in me was that she could not do her job without people.   People are what make a leader great.   They help them do their job more effectively.   Pulling from that experience I decided to make my poem about the importance of people in leadership.   This poem spoke to looking out for people, working with them, and solving issues together.   That was basically the gist of it.   I wrote this poem earlier in the training, and then went over it every day to make sure it was perfect.  Each student’s presentation had to be 4-6 minutes, so I was also practicing my timing.   I didn’t want to go over or under.   I was excited when I finalized everything.   We had a sign-up sheet put out the day before, and I signed up to be number four.    I didn’t want to be first, but I didn’t want to wait too long.  I knew my nerves would get the best of me.

                When it was time to get up, I recited my poem (along with an opening and conclusion for the presentation).   I heard the affirming responses from the audience and was surprised by the effect it was having.   But I was in awe at the end, when people came up to me and told me how much it meant to them.  Apparently, my poem about the importance of people to a leadership role had a bigger impact than I had intended.   I thought I was simple completing a project.   I never thought that people would find it comforting, or that they would even like it.   I have always loved writing, but I have also doubted my ability to write well.   I worried whether it would be good enough.  Will people like it?  Does it make sense?  This experience gave me the answer I needed.  

                Most of us are passionate about something we would love to do, but fear can paralyze you into not doing it.   I never thought my poetry was the best, but something in that leadership philosophy poem resonated with my classmates.   Maybe it was something they needed to hear at that time and moment.  Your passion could be something that someone needs.   It could be something that makes the world a better place.  They will miss out on it if you hold it back.  Even as I write to you, I still have my doubts.  I still have my fears.  Can I make it work?  I’m not sure how it will all come together, but I’ve decided that I am going to at least try.  Go for whatever you are passionate about.   You may just help someone with something you didn’t know they needed.