A Bus Driver? Is This About Leadership? You Bet!

I received an email notification from the middle school (grades 6, 7, and 8) I attended about the passing away of Jerry Lee, who was the bus driver for our school for literally 60 years, from 1947 to 2007. He began shortly after serving our country in World War II.

Jerry is described as

• a dear friend to everyone
• humble
• cheerful
• generous
• young at heart
• always had a kind word for everyone
• loved a good laugh, and
• personified all that is good about human nature

Leadership includes how we help people feel about themselves. That is what Jerry did so very well. As a bus driver, he was encouraging to everyone, did his best to assure everyone felt good about themselves. He instilled confidence.

Jerry was a model for being polite and well-mannered.

Isn’t this what we who have leadership responsibilities should be doing, helping our people feel good about themselves, letting them know we care about them, their well-being, and success?!

In fact, in his autobiography, John McEnroe, one of the greatest tennis players of all time, who attended our school, acknowledged Jerry as his “bus driver from my middle school years, who made me feel special at an early age.”

Leadership does not come from our title, it comes from our ability to influence others, whether we are a CEO, senior executive, mid-level manager, the receptionist, working in the mailroom, or wherever we are in our company. We can all help others.

Jerry Lee modeled the qualities that we as leaders in business need to embody to help our people feel good about themselves and reach the potential they desire.

We can all learn from everyone.