Coaching Emerging Leaders
Yesterday I had a great mother-daughter day in Amsterdam. We really enjoyed each other’s company. After a full day of shopping and sightseeing we arrived tired but happy at our car in the parking lot, where we had parked on the top floor. When I tried to start the car ... nothing.
I had left the lights on. Maybe the instant shock of realization followed by all the horrific scenarios racing through your head is familiar to you. I thought, "How am I going to fix this?!?"
It was about 10 seconds when my daughter jumped out of the car and said, "Don't worry, mom, I will get some help. Stay here, it will be all right."
I saw my 20-year-old daughter disappear confidently (and beautifully) into the parking lot. I stepped out of the car and sat there in the sun, looking over Amsterdam. I was already enjoying the burst of confident energy I just had witnessed, my own sense of guilt melting. About 10 minutes later she reappeared with a man from Q-parking close behind, grinning from ear to ear. He carried a little starter with him and 5 minutes later we were on the road again. On our way home, we talked about what just happened. "Yes," my daughter said, "I know that I am able to act in an instant when it counts." We talked about the time she acted on helping a boy who had just had an accident right before her eyes and some other stories. Also, we talked about how happy the man from Q-parking was that he was able to help us. He just started working there, and it was the first time he used this little device.
It was a great opportunity to see my daughter’s wisdom and leadership capabilities. It was a great opportunity to realize once again that a promising new generation of leaders is emerging and we, the generation that came before them, has had a huge influence on them, helping them finding their place in the world. Whether we realize it or not, we are their primary role models.
On a different occasion I had asked my daughter, "What is the most important thing I taught you?"
She said, "You taught me not to be afraid of anything." Yes, it was that fearlessness I witnessed there in the parking lot.
For me this little adventure fuels my inspiration to keep working on my own leadership development.
What are YOU teaching our next generation?
