“Hi there.  My name is Jack and I’m with Dickson’s Coffee.  I have some great coffee and new products I’d love to show you.  We’ve just come out with a fabulous pancake mix – how ‘bout I whip up some fresh pancakes for you?”

And with that pitch my dad attempted to sell to a restaurant owner on his route in the interior of BC.

Unfortunately his sanguine introduction was not met with the desired response…

“Get the blank out of my restaurant you Navy blankety blank!”.

My father, in shock, turned around to leave.  Clearly he was not welcome here.

But then another aspect of Jack MacLean came alive.  Who does this guy think he is talking to me like that?  And dad wheeled around to give this little air force vet a taste of his mind…

“Who the blank do you think you are, you rude blankety blank…”.

Dad went up one side of him and down the other in a very effective verbal barrage designed to put this man in his place.

Having said his peace, and having served up a large portion of the right thing to do, my dad turned to walk out of the restaurant.  However, from the kitchen came a voice belonging to the restauranteur’s older brother, and business partner;

“Hold on there – I want to meet you.  That little blankety blank has needed a talking to like that for years.”

Dad stayed.  They connected, and dad sold a schwack of product that day.  And, they became an ongoing customer.

That story from the early years of my father’s career encapsulates much of what I admired about him.  He was bold.  He took charge.  He pushed through resistance.  He persevered.  He didn’t hold grudges.  He was a fun-loving, faithful friend.  He had a way with words.  He stood up for what was right.  He didn’t take any guff.  He was strong.  He had ambition.  He worked hard.  He did what was right, even if it was costly.  He was determined.  He had grit.

My father progressed from a route salesman to become VP of Sales and Marketing over the span of a 40 year career in the coffee business.  He was a good man and a good leader.

When we think of great leaders we often think of renowned leaders we read about in history books, or who have been made famous through the media for their accomplishments.  However, the leaders who have had the greatest impact in your life are probably not those kinds of leaders.

If I were to ask you what person has had the greatest impact in your life I bet you would tell me it was your father, or mother, or grandparent, or sibling, or relative, or someone very close to you.

Why?

Two reasons: they cared for you, and they helped you be better.

That’s what great leaders do – they care for those they lead, and help them to be and accomplish more than they thought they could.  Leadership is simply helping people be better.

My father was a great leader.  He cared for me, and he helped me to be and do more than I thought I could.  Much of the values I carry, and much of who I am is because of my father’s influence.

So who influenced you?  Who led you, perhaps without even knowing it?  Who was a great leader in your life and who probably doesn’t even see themselves as a leader?  They simply cared for you and helped you to be better than you thought you could be.

Thank them.  Express heartfelt gratitude for how they helped you be better.  Say what needs to be said, because life is short…

On Thursday November 26 at 6:48 pm this world lost a great leader.  My father slipped from this life into the arms of his saviour Jesus to begin the next chapter of his life journey.  Dad left the cocoon of his earthy body to be transformed in a fashion he could never have imagined.

Thank you dad.  I will see you again, but not yet.  Not yet…