BLUF: today's post points you to a moving and powerful short article that teaches (at least) two important leadership lessons
Last year, one of the best books I read was a collection of non-fiction short stories by Gene Weingarten, who also writes the "Below the Beltway" column for the Washington Post. The book is called "Fiddler in the Subway", and is fantastic - Weingarten is a superb writer. He's humorous, engaging, and chooses topics that start along a certain path and often end at a very different place to where you may have thought. Even though this post only deals with one story in the book, I thoroughly recommend reading the whole book, which you can purchase via Amazon.com here.
The most moving story in the book to me was "Fatal Distraction". You can read it at the Washington Post here (although this doesn't include Weingarten's introduction that's in the book which adds another element to his telling of the story). The article is probably the most harrowing journalistic reporting/story I have ever read. Read it with someone you love or on your own, as it's sure to shake your composure as you go through it. The book, and especially this story were a great reminder to me of one of the most important leadership lessons I have learnt - that no one is infallible.
- Seek first to understand, and;
- No-one is infallible
Last year, one of the best books I read was a collection of non-fiction short stories by Gene Weingarten, who also writes the "Below the Beltway" column for the Washington Post. The book is called "Fiddler in the Subway", and is fantastic - Weingarten is a superb writer. He's humorous, engaging, and chooses topics that start along a certain path and often end at a very different place to where you may have thought. Even though this post only deals with one story in the book, I thoroughly recommend reading the whole book, which you can purchase via Amazon.com here.
The most moving story in the book to me was "Fatal Distraction". You can read it at the Washington Post here (although this doesn't include Weingarten's introduction that's in the book which adds another element to his telling of the story). The article is probably the most harrowing journalistic reporting/story I have ever read. Read it with someone you love or on your own, as it's sure to shake your composure as you go through it. The book, and especially this story were a great reminder to me of one of the most important leadership lessons I have learnt - that no one is infallible.
The story is multidimensional and portrays so many emotions. In addition to reminding me of infallibility, it's also a great reminder to seek first to understand. It's easy to jump to a reaction like, "what a terrible parent!". It takes great insight, vulnerability, and empathy to first ask "what could have caused this to happen?". This is a hallmark of Weingarten's writing, not to mention of great leaders.
I'll leave it with you and let you reflect on the story - any more description that I add won't do it justice, however, I'd love to hear your reactions and any other lessons you take away from reading it.
I'll leave it with you and let you reflect on the story - any more description that I add won't do it justice, however, I'd love to hear your reactions and any other lessons you take away from reading it.
It took me a while to get to this article, it's rather lengthy. Well worth the time to read.
ReplyDeleteHeart wrenching, devastating, and impossible to truly understand what these parents go through. I hope to never, ever know.
That said, the lesson for me is that judging without truly trying to understand simply isn't acceptable.
I teared up so many times reading this article. You'd think it would be at the thought of losing a child, but it wasn't. I felt a deep sadness for the absolute torture these parents must live with now and forever.
Particularly touching was the part where one parent walks up to the other in a hallway during a court hearing to tell him he shouldn't be ashamed. I lost it.
We are all hopelessly flawed. We need to recognize that in how we see others, and how we live our lives.
It took me even longer. I just finished the Post article and will be ordering the book today. Great writing style. Much along the lines of Tipping Point where human cognition, bias, and accumulating environmental factors have profound influence on what happens next.
ReplyDeleteOne of the most interesting parts of the story for me was the unintended consequences of child safety seat regulations. One has to wonder how much of a contributing factor it plays in some of these cases.
We never have total control over anything, especially when we think we do.