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other matters to deal with when I demanded to it in terms of “rising to the challenge.” It was
know why the crossing guards weren’t in trouble more of that “seeing something that needed
for being late. And thus began my journey in to be done” thing that I mentioned earlier.
leadership. However, don’t let me mislead you—I don’t
I must have learned some of my leadership have some kind of hidden super power of self-
skills from my mother. When I was eight years motivation. Many of my leadership roles have
old, I wanted to be a Cub Scout. We had a Boy happened because I said “Yes” when someone
Scout Troop at my school, but no Cub Scout asked me. We just elected our new Trio and
Pack. I told my mother I wanted to join Cub Division Directors, who now have the huge task
Scouts, so she made calls, wrote letters and did of filling dozens of Area Director and other
what it took to start a Pack at the school. Keep leadership roles for the coming year. They
in mind that this was long before the Internet, might even ask you! I urge you to consider the
so it was not a trivial task—kind of like starting opportunities and say “Yes” when they ask you
a Toastmasters Club. I didn’t realize how much to rise to the challenge.
effort it took until many years later. I went on
to be a Boy Scout and Explorer Scout, which all
turned out to be incredible learning experiences
for both life and leadership skills.
Throughout school, the military, my career,
and more recently, Toastmasters, I often found
myself in leadership roles. I never thought about
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