Timeout for Leadership-your one-minute leadership idea

Game time adjustments #9

Would it help?

Fact:   Probably not.

Last night I found myself unable to concentrate.  I could not focus and ultimately when I went to bed, I could not sleep.  I had myself all wound up over the times that we are living in.  If it was not some political crisis, complete with fear mongering (on both sides), it was the spiking COVID numbers and the doom and gloom of the near future.

I only found some inner peace when for whatever reason the memorable dialog from the 2015 movie, Bridge of Spies jumped into my head.  And yes, I found some solace in these words and have already posted them above my desk.  I have made a promise to myself to repeat these words throughout the day and maybe it will become some sort of inner peace seeking mantra for me.

Bridge of Spies focuses on the United States negotiations with the Soviet Union on a spy exchange in 1960.  The United States was trying to secure the release of spy plane pilot Francis Gary Powers who was shot down over the Soviet Union, and the Soviets were seeking the release of Rudolf Abel, a convicted KGB spy.

The defense of Abel and ultimately the prime negotiator of this back-channel release was by lawyer James P. Donovan who was skillfully played in the movie by Tom Hanks.  Rudolf Abel was superbly played by Mark Rylance.  Throughout the movie (on at least three occasions), Donovan asks Abel if he is worried, specifically about facing the death penalty and his potential execution.  And on each occasion when Donovan asks this question, Abel responds by asking Donovan a different question, “Would it help?”

Of course, no matter how bleak Abel’s situation may have been, worrying about it would provide no benefit.  It certainly would not change the outcome of his personal crisis. 

Now, I have to personally follow Abel’s advice when I am prone to fret about our country, COVID, or any situation out of my control.  My level of worry or personal stress is not going to change any outcome of any situation.  Worrying is nothing more than a wasted emotion.

I need to focus on what I can control.  Worrying about something out of my control is a useless waste of time.  My anxiety over these situations is a wasted emotion.

I ask each superintendent, principal and teacher in our schools right now to try to adopt Abel’s mantra.  When you find yourself laying awake at night, or making yourself physically or mentally ill about any situation that you have absolutely no control over ask yourself, “Would it help?”

Kudos to all educators right now.  You remain our heroes.  Thank you for your front-line service.