The Great One & The Lucky One (page 3)
Long story short, I learned to sell, had fun, made life-long friends, and kept the job. A career was there for the taking. It was simply a matter of how much do I want it, how hard will I work, and can I learn from mistakes. Richard kept watch from a distance and provided incremental challenges and opportunities along the way. In the absence of self-confidence, sometimes we need someone else to believe in us. That’s what he did for me.
“He trusted me to do a good job, didn’t look over my shoulder, and I was committed to not let him down. That philosophy worked out pretty well, at the end of the day.”
He didn’t fully understand his impact upon so many people who trusted his lead. He was just doing his job and we were doing ours. As a result, we built an amazing company, and “Lifetouch” became a household name.
Thirty-five years later, having just retired, I was excited to have lunch with The Great One. He would never want anyone to call him that, and is most likely wincing in disapproval right now. What followed will forever be priceless to me. In casual conversation, he simply and concisely defined the essence of leadership.
It was a beautiful summer day in Minnesota and I had just officially retired. My family is living the dream, and I wanted to thank the man who made it possible. We were to meet at his favorite hotel in Bloomington, and I was nervous about seeing him again. I can’t really explain why. It was like I had reverted into the young kid he hired so many years ago. He was the greatest leader I have ever known personally, and I felt a need to thank him for taking a chance on me so many years ago. Our journey was one of pride and passion, and on this day we were reminiscing over lunch.