I received a letter this week that really touched my heart and describes beautifully why leadership matters.  I will keep the names anonymous, but this true story is too good not to share.  Here are a couple of paragraphs that display the difference a leadership training organization like the Team can have.  The Team teaches leadership principles to improve people’s lives in all areas: faith, family, finances, fitness, and friends.   I hope you too are blessed to get letters like this in your leadership journey.  Here are a couple of paragraphs from the letter.

Thank you for the life of my son.  As a single parent, I was hopelessly depressed, broke, mother with a 16 year old teenager who had dropped out of school and was interested in nothing until Team came along through Round Table members ______.  I took _____ to a major function because my prayer was to reconnect with him on the long drive.  I knew I was losing him and had run out of options.  Hearing you and your leaders speak resurrected our relationship and his enthusiasm for life!   ………..

He just turned 18 ….. and the system has transformed him into an honor roll student, a diligent athlete who competes in Taekwondo competitions and has advanced 6 belts in 6 months.  I am most proud that he lives a life of service as a matter of choice, serving this past summer on a mission to a Mexican orphanage and urban mission for foreign refugees and the homeless. …….

How can I ever repay the blessing of bringing a dead son back to life?  I feel like the widows in the Bible who had their dead sons resurrected by Jesus (and the prophet Elisha in the Old Testament.)  Your work is sacred!  ….. Thank you all from the depths of my heart.

Yes my eyes did well up in tears the first time I read this.  I do believe leadership is a noble calling.  What an opportunity to give back the blessings bestowed upon you to others through leadership!   This is a great example of the ripple effect in action.  Because a mother was doing right in attempting to reconnect with her son and because the leaders of Team were doing right in attempting to give back some of their blessings—a connection was made to her son!  The ripple effect states you do not know how many shores the ripples will hit when you do acts of service to others.  I thank everyone for sharing their stories of how leadership has impacted your lives.  Tell others about this site so I can hear their stories also.  If someone searches Orrin Woodward Leadership it is the first item so you don't have to remember the URL.  Keep leading and growing!  God Bless, Orrin Woodward.