Entering Grade 8 I was introduced to a new style of leadership that I will never forget. My home room teacher assembled the class and stood at the front of the room behind a podium. The first words out of his mouth were “I am God to you this year. I hold your future in my hands. Follow my rules and you will be ok”. I can’t remember the rest, I only remember the message. Like many of my classmates, this took us off guard and set us back a bit as we were all looking forward to high school followed by a post secondary education. I didn’t respond too well to this type of leadership and did not have my best performing year coming off a string of good years. At the end of the year, the recommendation from this self proclaimed God was that I set my sights lower and not consider post secondary education, just get the basics.

Thankfully my parents built me back up, convinced me otherwise and I was capable of much more. I went on to high school and ended up with an Engineering degree followed by a career of increasing scope and leadership.

My preference in leadership has always been to build people up and help them reach higher, knowing that I will be there to support them should they stumble. Build confidence rather than tear people down and destroy it. Thankfully I didn’t listen to the advice of my Grade 8 leadership.

One day when I returned to my hometown I took a trip to the local hardware store to pick something up for my Dad. To my surprise (and to be honest bringing a smile to my face), the Grade 8 self-proclaimed God was stocking shelves. I never understood his motivation in his leadership style and really didn’t care enough to ask him.