Hidden Figures No More

John Glenn, Buzz Aldrin, Neil Armstrong, Sally Ride, Guion Buford, and Ronald McNair are the names of astronauts who have stoked the imaginations of many to consider what lies beyond the clouds.  They did not get to space by themselves.

Quarterbacks, kickers, running backs and receivers get the credit for the points that are scored in football games.  They did not score without help.

Heads of States, CEO’s, Generals, Admirals and other leaders on many levels get the credit for whatever success or failure occurs while they are in that position.  They did not gain that acknowledgement alone.

When you turn the handle on your faucet, do you think you cut the water on? When you flip the switch for your lights to come on, do you think you did it? When you cross the stage at graduation, are you the only one succeeding? There are many who never get their name called, or who operate behind the scenes, so that what is visible accomplishes what it does. 

For every John Glenn there are several Katherine Johnsons whose work makes reaching the stars possible. For every Joe Montana or Patrick Mahomes, there’s a Bill Walsh and Andy Reid who help them maximize their abilities.  For every Barry Sanders or Saquan Barkley, there is a Lomas Brown and a Lane Johnson clearing the way for them to run. Every leader depends upon a team in order to accomplish a task.

Just as a leader needs a team, a team needs a leader.  All leaders, or all teams, do not always accomplish what they set out to do but they all accomplish what they did. The leader may get the praise or the blame, but it is all of the team that contributed to the results you have.

In our current environment we participate in, the results that we see happening around us are either passive or active.  Hate to tell you this, but there is no single person to blame for what we see happening around us.  Passivity does not exclude you from responsibility and activity does not give you exclusive rights to the results either. If the way you are operating now is giving you disappointment, then it must be time to change your approach. 

It is time for you to start attending your local meetings of the city council, county commission, school board, planning and zoning, development authorities and all other local agencies that have the decision-making responsibility to impact your daily life.

It is time to embrace the responsibility we have as the hidden figures who clear the way for the known figures so that our contributions are not tolerated and undervalued but appreciated, celebrated, and acknowledged as the necessary parts of society who keep us functional.