WHO HAS PACKED YOUR PARACHUTE?

For the most part our society, our workplace, or our schools are places where people are only concerned about one thing:  SELF!  Think for a moment, if someone handed you a group photo of a recent trip you went on, what would be the first thing you do with this picture?  Well, if you are like me, you would try and find YOURSELF!  You see, by nature we are very selfish people.

Leaders cannot afford to be selfish. Instead, leaders are people who place the needs of others before their own.  Leaders are people who are capable of showing care and appreciation to those around them. Leaders are people who desire to serve others unconditionally.

There is a great story of Charles Plumb who was a US Navy jet pilot in Vietnam.  After 75 combat missions, his plane was destroyed by a surface-to-air missile.  Plumb ejected and parachuted into enemy hands.  He was captured and spent 6 years in a communist Vietnamese prison.  He survived the ordeal and now lectures on lessons learned from that experience.

One of the main lessons Plumb learned was the importance of recognizing others.  He realized that he is forever grateful towards the young man who packed his parachute. (read more: http://www.charlieplumb.com/book-insights.htm)

As leaders, I believe it is important for us to think of the people in our life who have "packed our parachute"!  Many of us would not be where we are today, without the help and support of our very own "parachute packers".

Sometimes in the daily challenges of life we miss what is really important.  Oftentimes, we fail to say thank you, or give a compliment, or do something nice for someone for no reason at all.  As you go through this day or week, I encourage you to appreciate and recognize people who have packed your parachute!