Three Minute Leadership- 10 Things a Janitor Can Teach You About Leadership
To: The Great Leaders Who Have a Passion for Continuous Learning
Col. James Moschgat, Graduate United States Air Force Academy, Class of 1977, tells the story of William “Bill” Crawford, a man who changed his life at the Academy. “It’s not life that’s important,” he writes, “but those you meet along the way that make the difference.” Bill Crawford was a janitor during his time there – a quiet, unassuming man who kept to himself and did his job well. One day Moschgat and a classmate were reading a book on World War II and they ran across a name, Private William Crawford. They learned much more about Crawford’s incredible life and leadership – he was a Medal of Honor recipient.
This experience was a life-changing moment for Moschgat. From it came profound insights for his own life and the lives of great leaders captured in his “10 Things a Janitor Can Teach You About Leadership.”
1. Be Cautious of Labels. Labels you place on people may define your relationship to them and bound their potential. Sadly, and for a long time, we labeled Bill as just a janitor, but he was so much more.
2. Everyone Deserves Respect. Because we hung the “janitor” label on Mr. Crawford, we often wrongly treated him with less respect than others around us. He deserved much more, and not just because he was a Medal of Honor winner. Bill deserved respect because he was a janitor, walked among us, and was a part of our team.
3. Courtesy Makes a Difference. Be courteous to all around you, regardless of rank or position.
4. Take Time to Know Your People. Life… is hectic, but that’s no excuse for not knowing the people you work for and with. For years a hero walked among us at the Academy and we never knew it. Who are the heroes that walk in your midst?
5. Anyone Can Be a Hero. Don’t sell your people short, for any one of them may be the hero who rises to the occasion when duty calls. On the other hand, it’s easy to turn to your proven performers when the chips are down, but don’t ignore the rest of the team. Today’s rookie could and should be tomorrow’s superstar.
6. Leaders Should Be Humble. Most modern day heroes and some leaders are anything but humble, especially if you calibrate your “hero meter” on today’s athletic fields. End zone celebrations and self-aggrandizement are what we’ve come to expect from sports greats. Not Mr. Crawford-he was too busy working to celebrate his past heroics. Leaders would be well-served to do the same.
7. Life Won’t Always Hand You What You Think You Deserve. Sometimes you just have to persevere, even when accolades don’t come your way.
8. Don’t pursue glory; pursue excellence. Private Bill Crawford didn’t pursue glory; he did his duty and then swept floors for a living. No Job is beneath a Leader. If Bill Crawford, a Medal of Honor winner, could clean latrines and smile, is there a job beneath your dignity? Think about it.
9. Pursue Excellence. No matter what task life hands you, do it well. Mr. Crawford modeled that philosophy and helped make our dormitory area a home.
10. Life is a Leadership Laboratory. All too often we look to some school … to teach us about leadership when, in fact, life is a leadership laboratory. Those you meet every day will teach you enduring lessons if you just take time to stop, look and listen. I spent four years at the Air Force Academy, took dozens of classes, read hundreds of books, and met thousands of great people. I gleaned leadership skills from all of them, but one of the people I remember most is Mr. Bill Crawford and the lessons he unknowingly taught. Don’t miss your opportunity to learn.
These lessons are simple and profound in their guidance. They tell us to look into the lives and hearts of those whom we serve, to find there an understanding of the richness that drives them and the beauty that they alone can bring to the world. In doing this, we will also find understanding of ourselves… in quiet listening that opens our eyes to our own possibilities. John W. Gardner, statesman, wrote: “Leaders come in many forms, with many styles and diverse qualities. There are quiet leaders and leaders one can hear in the next county. Some find strength in eloquence, some in judgment, some in courage.” Find the great leaders all around you, and help others find them also. We will be amazed at the beautiful and incredible richness that we will find in those so very near.
Have a beautiful day and a magnificent week!!!
Mike