Be Human - Just be There [ Story]

A nurse took the tired, anxious serviceman to the bedside.

“Your son is here,” she said to the old man in the hospital bed.

She had to repeat the words several times before the patient’s eyes opened. Heavily sedated because of the pain of his heart attack, he dimly saw the young uniformed Marine standing outside the oxygen tent. He reached out his hand. The Marine wrapped his toughened fingers around the old man’s limp ones, squeezing a message of love and encouragement.

The nurse brought a chair so that the Marine could sit beside the bed. All through the night the young Marine sat there in the poorly lighted ward, holding the old man’s hand and offering him words of love and strength. Occasionally, the nurse suggested that the Marine move away and rest awhile. He refused. Whenever the nurse came into the ward, the Marine was oblivious of her and of the night noises of the hospital – the clanking of the oxygen tank, the laughter of the night staff members exchanging greetings, the cries and moans of the other patients.

Now and then she heard him say a few gentle words. The dying man said nothing, only held tightly to his son all through the night.

Along towards dawn, the old man died. The Marine released the now lifeless hand he had been holding and went to tell the nurse. While she did what she had to do, he waited.

Finally, she returned. She started to offer words of sympathy, but the Marine interrupted her.

“Who was that man?” he asked.

The nurse was startled, “He was your father,” she answered.

“No, he wasn’t,” the Marine replied. “I never saw him before in my life.”

“Then why didn’t you say something when I took you to him?”

“I knew right away there had been a mistake, but I also knew he needed his son, and his son just wasn’t here. When I realized that he was too sick to tell whether or not I was his son, knowing how much he needed me, I stayed.” I came here tonight to find a Mr. William Grey.

His Son was Killed in Iraq today, and I was sent to inform him. What was this Gentleman‘s Name?

The Nurse with Tears in Her Eyes Answered, Mr. William Grey…………. 

The next time someone needs you … just be there. Stay. Make someone's day. Raise your own Self-Esteem, with Humility.

This is what makes you a truly motivational leader [ Story ]

Close to a battlefield over 200 years ago a rider passes a group of exhausted soldiers who were digging themselves into an important defensive position. Noticing their section leader was mounted as well, and shouting orders at the men to work faster, dig deeper and threatening to whip anyone that didn’t complete their work within the hour.

Asked by the stranger, “If this is so important why are you not helping?” The section leader advised that he is in charge, and the men must do as he says. The section leaders exact comments where, “You should help them yourself if you feel so strongly about it.”

Much to the surprise of the section leader the stranger dismounted, and worked in the trenches, side by side with the men until the job was finished. Once the work was done he congratulated the men, and approached the puzzled section leader.

“Next time your rank prevents you from supporting your men, you are to notify top command and I will provide a more permanent solution,” said the stranger, who was now up close and easily recognizable as General Washington.

This lesson is a fantastic one for supervisors and leaders that you are coaching to help them – help their own teams. The ultimate goal is to realize that you’re only a true leader if you’re willing to do the work of your team without complaint, when they need you most. This is what makes you a truly motivational leader.