By Dara Rudick, CAE, MHQ CEO
I didn’t expect two city turkeys to teach me a lesson in leadership.
As I drove my just-washed-from-winter car down a neighborhood street, two spirited turkeys advanced on my shiny vehicle — apparently a mirror for turkeys looking for trouble — stopping traffic.
I confidently jumped out of the car to shoo them away. They didn’t seem to hear me, so I escalated my gentle verbal shooing with a bit more physical presence. I moved toward them. They still did not seem to understand, so I increased my encouragement to guide them into the median. Another driver passed congratulating me, “way to go!”
For a brief moment, I was proud.
Then I got scared.
I turned back to the turkeys, who were now advancing on me. I was prepared for a bear attack, so I got loud and big….and so did one of the turkeys.
A kind walker offered her dog to scare the turkeys away. She gently offered, “He can help.” “Yes, please!” was my unusually quick acceptance as I envisioned turkey beaks and claws entangled in my hair.
The walker and her large, lovely German shepherd, Laredo, walked up and got the job done. The turkeys sauntered away with their dignity intact. Deeply grateful, I thanked the walker and Laredo for their life-saving service. Laredo looked up with gentle eyes that said, “That’s my job!”
I was touched by the moment, relieved to have a face free of turkey scratches. The universe (and Laredo) saved me.
As leaders, we’ve all been there. In a moment of unexpected crisis, sometimes driven by our own decisions, we’re lost. The stakes are high, and we assume we need to figure it out on our own.
If we’re lucky, just the right helper may appear. Being open to recognizing and receiving this help may be the hardest thing – and the smartest.
In my city turkey showdown moment, when Laredo and his owner valiantly appeared, offering assistance, I understood something about leadership that I won’t soon forget: when the right help shows up, say yes.
About MHQ
Driven by the vision of a thriving, vibrant community, MHQ is a woman-owned, world-class management company that delivers customized services. Founded in 2013, MHQ has provided association management services since its inception, as well as infrastructure to organizations in a range of industries. We serve professional and trade associations, as well as government and public sector entities. For more about MHQ, visit https://www.management-hq.com/.
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