- Edmund Burke
Have you seen anything that troubles you lately? An employee being treated unfairly by a powerful leader? Maybe you overheard an innuendo that you know makes an employee uncomfortable? What about a colleague being overwhelmed with their workload and you realize you can step in and help with your team?
I'd love to hear from you.
Hello Jay, great question. When I was at school in the 1970s I won a prize, the inaugural Bruce McCallum Memorial Prize for spoken French. Bruce was a fellow pupil of mine at school who wasn’t well and he sadly passed away a few months before the prize giving. I remember his funeral well. The place was packed and lots of us school boys lined the pathway in the church grounds. Bruce suffered more than his fair share of bullying when he was alive and sadly, a few kids in the line persisted in their rudeness even on this sad day. I remember thinking I should do something about this. I asked some of the kids to shut up and got told where to stick it. I didn’t have the bottle to do any more and just stood there feeling awkward. On the day I received the prize I was introduced to his parents and felt quite overwhelmed. Overwhelmed that I’d won something and overwhelmed at my memory of Bruce’s funeral day and the fact that I didn’t do enough. I’ve still got the prize, a copy of David Attenborough’s Life on Earth. I don't stay quiet any more - so at least I learned something I guess.
ReplyDeleteHi Doug...thanks so much for sharing this story. These painful,and real, life moments for young people clearly stay in their memories forever. I appreciate you sharing this powerful experience!
DeleteHi Jay - me again :)
ReplyDeleteI linked to your post from mine today - it just kinda felt right. Here's the link in case you and your readers are interested. Keep on keepin' on.
http://stopdoingdumbthingstocustomers.com/brand/turning-a-blind-eye/
Loved your post Doug...thanks for sharing here as well!
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