Leadership: It’s About Commitment
What could teaching leadership and obtaining a travel visa possibly have in common? The laws of leadership apply to both, of course.
A couple of years ago, I was blessed with an invitation to travel to Ghana with a group of student leaders from the University of Washington. As one of the faculty, I was excited about sharing leadership principles with the students and our Ghanaian hosts.
Several days before my departure I smiled to myself as I thought, “After my meeting on Tuesday, I’ll be on my way to Accra, Ghana’s capital city.” And as I always do before a big trip, I slipped into my usual routine. I began reviewing my “to do” list to check off any remaining items: Buy a sturdy pair of walking shoes. Check. Pack a gift for my host. Check. Copy my itinerary for my husband. Check. Copy my travel visa. My travel visa… where is my travel visa? Only then did I realize that in my excitement about my upcoming trip, I’d forgotten to apply for my visa.
As a frequent traveler, I couldn’t believe I’d forgotten something so important. However, without the mandatory visa from the government of Ghana, I knew I wouldn’t be able to board the plane in Seattle.
Breaking my commitment to the student leaders was out of the question. In fact, it didn’t even enter my mind. Instead, I shared my predicament with my husband, and we both kicked into high gear, brainstorming solutions.
It was Saturday. My flight was the following Tuesday.
Together, my husband and I scoured the Internet, gathering the required information. We learned that it could take up to three weeks to obtain a visa by mail, which was out of the question. We looked at each other and realized we were thinking the same thing: surely, there must be some way to obtain a visa in a shorter period of time—and certainly before my Tuesday flight.
We had three whole days! Even though they were closed for the weekend, I called the Ghanaian Embassy in Washington DC. Their recorded message stated that if someone applied for a visa at the embassy in person, the process could take about 24 hours. Just what we needed to hear! My husband booked a flight to DC.
Were we crazy?! We didn’t think so. We were simply on a mission to keep my commitment to those student leaders.
That Sunday, my husband flew across the country from Seattle, Washington to Washington DC to ensure that he’d be at the embassy first thing on Monday morning to apply for my visa. When the embassy opened, he did just that. The clerk told him to check back with her at 3:00 that afternoon—not for the visa, but to learn whether or not the embassy was able to process it that day. Dutifully, my husband returned at 3:00 p.m. When he did, the clerk told him that they were only able to process two visas that day. One was for a woman who had gone to the embassy that day as well as for several days beforehand. The other visa, by God’s grace, was mine.
Visa in hand, my husband dashed to catch a late flight back to Seattle. But thunderstorms delayed his departure, causing him to miss his connecting flight. Fortunately, there was a later flight. Just after 3:00 a.m. on Tuesday morning, he arrived home—about 12 hours before my flight.
During my two weeks in Ghana, I spent many hours with my students. They were hungry to learn about leadership, and I was eager to pour into their lives. Our classroom was a lovely veranda, just a few steps away from the Atlantic Ocean. I remember sharing with them the words of my friend John Maxwell, “Everything rises and falls on leadership.” Indeed it does—especially honoring our values and keeping our commitments.
About the Author
Gloria Burgess is an inspirational speaker, best-selling author, and a featured writer for the John Maxwell Team blog.
About 20 years ago, she left her corporate career to launch her leadership consulting and executive coaching company.
She loves nothing more than inspiring organizations and individuals to dig deeper, reach higher, and achieve the impossible.
The author of several books on leadership and legacy, Gloria is a member of the John Maxwell Team.
Contact Gloria at http://www.johncmaxwellgroup.com/gloriaburgess/