DISCLAIMER: The intro to this post is a bit verbose, but trust me, there is a very good point in here.

Long ago in my life, I was fresh out of college and really did not know what I wanted to do with my life at that moment, nor for the long term. All I could think about was that I was no longer under the stress of going to classes (yeah, like that was a lot of stress), what bar I was going to that night that had the best deal, or where my car keys were the next morning (or where my car was for that matter). That was all part of my past, but I did not know what my future would hold. So I took the path of least resistance, I stayed on with the company that had happily employed me throughout college, a little company by the name of Fedex. After graduating college, I did take a step up in the world of Fedex and became a courier (yeah, that was me driving around the van, delivering your packages…beep, beep, heres your package).

At the time, this worked for me. I was making good money (well at least I thought I was, but would later find out I was not), was living with friends and having a good time. Although I thought that the days of figuring out which bar to go to that night and loosing my car keys were a thing of the past, apparently they were not. Living with a bunch of guys kind of perpetuates that sort of behavior regardless of college status. Needless to say, I still did not have any real direction in terms of a career, I was living for the moment.

All of this changed on Christmas night, 1995. I will spare you all the details behind the meeting, but I met my wife that night and my life changed forever. We started dating immediately, and have been together ever sense. She stuck by me when I was a Fedex courier, supported me and gave me encouragement when I decided to spread my wings and get a white collar job (tried selling copiers and faxes for awhile, what a disaster that was), and when I was unemployed for a month, she stood right beside me. I quickly found a job in the career that I am currently in (thanks to her and her parents) and I have stuck with the career ever sense. Shortly after kick starting my career, we were married and living the dream, two incomes, no kids, a house, the whole nine yards.

Somewhere along the line, I asked her how in the world she was able to stick by me when I was a courier, a copier and fax salesman and an unemployed, broke guy. Her responded quickly with a very simple answer. She said she knew in her heart that I would be somebody, that I would rise up from where I currently was and go on to do something great. This, she was sure of. She had 100% confidence in me and my ability. I had never had someone say those things to me nor feel that strongly about me and my potential. That is one of the thousands of reasons I love her dearly, but the fact that she saw something in me that I did not, and was able to guide me to brining it out and become all that I can be is remarkable. Now I am not saying that I have gone on to be one of the great leaders of the free world, but in relative terms, I have come a long way baby (and I am not finished yet).

Having faith in someone’s ability even when they do not and being able to guide them to bring that out is something that a leader can do. A leader recognizes talent when it may be masked by insecurity, lack of confidence, a bad attitude, what ever it may be. Leaders see that potential and bring it out, making those around them better and give them the confidence to rise to new levels. In my mind, an effective leader elevates those around him, by making his team better, he / she in turn gets better. It is an upward spiral effect, everyone feeds off of each other, confidence levels rise, potential rises, productivity rises. It takes a wise man/woman to recognize those diamonds in the rough, and it is there job to polish them into the brilliant stone they can and should be.

For me, I owe it all to my wife, she took a chance on something she saw in me that I did not, and I am forever grateful for that. She is a smart, strong woman and I am lucky to be graced by her presence in my life.