Who Can Unite Us?

 

In my thirty (30) year long global management development facilitation and consulting career, including twelve years of designing and delivering Brown University's, public, fifty (50) hour long "Practice of Management Certificate Program," female participants, more often than males, asked classmates whether they preferred reporting to a female or male boss.

One hundred (100) percent of the time, the woman posing the question volunteered she'd choose, in all circumstances, a male boss. The questioner usually had a vitriolic experience with a female boss. 

This intrigued me because one of the best leaders or managers I've known was my mom.   

She died in 1979 of stage IV melanoma when she was forty four (44) and I was seventeen (17) and co-captain of the Madison Football Dodgers, NJ's top ranked high school football team. 

When she died, many of my friends and classmates had no idea she was ill.  She received her early death sentence in 1971, and underwent drastic surgeries, requiring over two thousand (2,000) stitches, to remove her infected lymph system. 

Despite this, she never complained.  She upped her game.  She treated her kids with love and support and all of our friends with respect and dignity and humor.   She maintained strong friendships and continued to serve her community.

Had it been a possibility, I would have voted for my mom for President of the United States.  She was one of the first women to be elected as her school's student body president, in 1952.

When she and my father returned to Madison to raise their family, she was instrumental in creating programs where children of all races and socioeconomic segments bonded with music and play.

Our neighborhood was unique for the late 1960's.  As race riots ripped apart Newark, only fifteen (15) miles away, my diverse public elementary school was filled with fun, love, learning, and safety. Play has no color. 

Often I wonder what my mom would think of today's political environment.  She was most interested in influencing decency, and resilience. 

She'd probably consider today's candidates entitled and selfish, two traits she hated.  Instead of condemning their behaviors, she would just act the opposite. 

She would vote for the candidate who is most willing and able and allowed to unite America.

For who would she, and will you, cast a vote?

#leadersarentbullies #BeTransparent #metoo