by Jesse Ford DTM District Director
Leadership is tough. It’s messy, it’s hard and it will make you question every decision you make, even if you know that it was the right one. Becoming a leader is not about arriving at a destination. It’s a journey wherein we continue to learn and grow each and every day. Some days being a leader will make you feel like you are doing nothing right. Other days you may feel like you are finally getting it. Both days can still continue to teach us many things.
As I look back over the last seven, almost eight, months it got me thinking. A wise leader recently challenged me to always be in a state of reflection but not to let it keep me from seeing the future. They also asked me what I realized was one of the hardest questions that I thought would have been the easiest. What was the question? “If you could go back and do this year over again knowing what you know now, what would you do differently?” I, of course, instantly thought to myself that well … Of course, I would change things but that’s silly … I had to go through things in order to learn and grow. If I knew them already then what would be the point? Boy I thought I was smart … but boy was I wrong.
I kept thinking more about this question. I started to remember all the decisions I made and all the things I have done. Then it hit me. I started thinking of all the people I have interacted with and things I have said and realized sometimes I need to really take a minute and try to remember to see things not just from my limited point of view. I know there were a lot of good things I did this last year. I know there were a lot of decisions that were the right ones.
In the end, I realized that although I do sometimes wish I could go back and change things, the good news is that I can change now and try to be better going forward. Forest Gump (one of my favorites) says, “Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re gonna get.” Well, you know what? I am grateful to have some chocolates, and I am grateful for a place like District 25 where I get to grow.
