Never Forget Who You Are

You frequently hear reports of leaders who for a time “forget who they really were” and who lost touch with reality amidst the trappings of success and their station in life. Many a state governor, congressman and business executive have fallen prey to this fall from prominence and public grace.

 

Several recent events reminded me of the story about a former United States Under Secretary of Defense who was delivering a corporate speech to a gathering of over one thousand business executives several years ago.

 

During his presentation, he paused for a moment to take a sip of coffee from the Styrofoam cup which he was holding. As he briefly gazed at the cup in his hand, he interrupted his presentation to then say…

“When I spoke last year at this same venue for this very same event, I was at the time the Acting Under Secretary of Defense. I was flown to this event business class. When I arrived, there was a car and driver waiting to take me from the airport to the hotel where someone had already checked me in. I was then taken directly up to my room.

The next morning we I came downstairs, there was someone waiting in the lobby who then took me to this very same venue where I was taken to the back entrance and then escorted directly to the green room… At which point I was served a cup of coffee in a beautiful ceramic mug.

It is now a year later… and I am no longer the acting under secretary. This year I flew coach and then took a taxi to the hotel where I checked myself in. This morning, I took another taxi to this same venue… walked in the front door… and found my way back stage on my own. At which point I had to ask… Do you have any coffee? After which someone simply pointed to the coffee machine over in the corner. I then poured myself a cup of coffee in this Styrofoam cup.

The object lesson is this… the ceramic mug of coffee was never meant for me. It was meant for the position that I held. What I ‘deserved’… was a Styrofoam cup.

As you become more successful… As you do well in life… You will be rewarded with many advantages. People will refer to you as ‘Sir’ or ‘Ma’am’… They will carry your luggage… They will hold doors open for you… They will bring you a cup of coffee or tea without you even asking for it. But it’s not meant for you, it’s meant for the position that you hold… And when you move on… they will give all of those things to your successor.

Never… ever… forget who you are… and that what you ‘deserve’ is a Styrofoam cup.”

I can personally relate to the former Under Secretary’s message, as I have had a somewhat similar experience a few years back myself. After boarding my U.S. Airways flight from Dulles International to the Denver International Airport in Colorado, I soon found myself along with the rest of the passengers and crew grounded on the tarmac for over three hours due to several mechanical difficulties with the aircraft.

After finally disembarking from the disabled aircraft, we boarded another plane for the flight to Denver. Unfortunately, by the time that the plane finally took off, it was more than apparent that I would miss my connecting flight out of Denver to Helena, MT. Moreover, the 10:20 PM, flight was the last flight out for the night. Therefore, I was destined to be stranded in Denver later that night.

Prior to the delayed take off from Dulles, I placed a cell call to my client contact in Montana to inform them of the unexpected delays and that I would miss my connecting flight in Denver. I was advised to just relax and enjoy the flight and to call them once I had landed at Denver International.

Upon touch down in Denver at 12:30 AM, I immediately called my contact who instructed me to proceed to a specific gate at the airport where a car and driver would be waiting for me. They reassured me that I would not be spending the night stranded in Denver and that the driver would explain things more fully from there.

As I proceeded through the airport terminal, I saw extensive lines of my fellow co-passengers waiting to deal with a customer service representative about their unanticipated circumstance and how the rest of their night would unfold. Then too, I didn’t exactly know how mine was going to unfold either.

When I got to the specified gate, I was met by a very polished chauffeur who whisked me away in his limousine and then informed me that we were going to the commercial side of the airport where a private jet was awaiting me. My first thoughts were… are you kidding me? Are you talking to me?

A few minutes later we arrived on the commercial side of the airfield which was completely dark with the exception of one brightly lit facility which belonged to a corporate charter company. As I entered the facility, the gentleman at the front desk inquired… are you Mr. Swank? To which I replied yes. He (the owner) replied… I don’t know who the heck you are… but you must be someone who is pretty darn important to get me and a top notch private pilot out of bed in the middle of the night!    

He then introduced to me to my pilot who escorted me to our corporate charter. Moments later, I found myself viewing a gorgeous western night sky while aboard what I equated to be my “Pretty Woman” flight (hope you grasp the movie reference). A little over three hours later at 3:40 AM, we quietly and discreetly touched down in Helena, MT where my contact was patiently awaiting my arrival.

For many people, this event may have seemed very surreal. After all, it was potentially a once in a life time experience. While my ego could have soared for a moment, it never did. For I realized that it was entirely about the agenda for the next business day… it wasn’t about “me”.

In closing I, like the former Under Secretary urge you to keep your head about you and to realize the perks which you enjoy are for the position you hold or will one day hold and are not for you. The top CEO’s of America’s Fortune 500 companies typically only have an average tenure of about three and one half years.

So, never ever forget who you are and where you came from. Your deserve a Styrofoam cup… just as I deserved coach and a night stranded in Denver.

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Copyright © 2015 Developing Forward | Thomas H. Swank, CBC