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We often picture leaders at the front of a group, charting new territories for others to follow. Yet there are countless leaders whose efforts take place in the back of the room, or the bottom of a configuration. Their often invisible contributions spark dormant seeds of possibility in the hearts of others, whose unscripted ripples can alchemize into the fabric of a community, becoming impossible to trace back to one single initiator. Around the globe, these stories remind us of the collective strength that lies in the distributed constellations of goodwill behind many unsung heroes.
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This year, 51% of school districts in the United States report shortages of school bus drivers. When 63-year-old Mike Mason learned his county's school district was down 125 bus drivers, he knew he had found his next chapter. After an impressive career spanning roles as a U.S. Marines captain, the FBI's fourth in command, and Fortune 500 company executive, it's no surprise that Mason's retirement was short-lived. With an active mind and a heart of service, he had more to contribute to society. Not only does Mason drive the bus -- he voluntarily waxes it. Not only does he get paid a fraction of his former salaries -- he donates all his bus driver earnings to charity. Mason's joyous and diligent spirit of contribution is an infectious example of a deeper kind of leadership. When asked, "Do you sincerely believe that what you're doing today is as important as what you were doing at the FBI?" Mason immediately states, "I do. I think, in our society, we need to get next to the idea that there are no unimportant jobs."
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Jennifer Lount-Taylor and her husband Ron Taylor recently made a gesture of kindness that seeks to inspire a community. The couple purchased $50 gift cards for every employee at a hospital in their hometown of Nelson, British Colombia, Canada. They bought gift cards not only for doctors and nurses, they also included all of the support staff. The couple wanted to revive the gratitude the community showed for health care workers early in the pandemic, when people banged on pots to cheer on health care workers. Lount-Taylor says that the gift cards were secondary to the letter they wrote to hospital staff. She hopes that others in the community follow suit. "I just want people in this community to understand it doesn't have to be the size of the gesture. It is what your words say, what you show in terms of your gratitude."
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photochur | Pixabay
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Imani LaMarr, a 21-year-old Lincoln University student, is also a single mother of 6-month-old Christopher. When she told her professor, Aqeel R. Dix, one day that she needed to miss class and the quiz because she could not find care for her child, she was floored by something unexpected. Her professor encouraged her to bring her son to class. Even more, "I'll watch him for you," said Professor Dix. LaMarr was able to take her quiz and focus on listening to the lecture. "He taught the whole class, holding Christopher," LaMarr said. "Christopher was quiet as a church mouse. He didn't cry. He didn't make a peep. He just watched all the students." Since then, the professor and student have forged a mentor-mentee relationship, helping LaMarr push through tough times of being both a mother and student. "When you're great, I'm greater. We all help each other," said Professor Dix.
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Candice Seplow | Unsplash
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Across the Netherlands, South Africa, and the United Kingdom, national closed-circuit television (CCTV) data revealed that in 9 out of 10 public conflicts, at least one bystander, but more often several, will intervene to help. A long tradition of research provides evidence for the "bystander effect" a phenomenon which describes bystander presence inspiring a diffusion of responsibility among individuals and constraining their motivation to intervene in emergency situations. But this research shows the opposite, that the more bystanders present, the more likely someone will intervene. The researchers suggest we stop asking "why don't individuals help?" and instead start asking "what makes intervention successful?"
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UNHCR
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Refugees living at Minawao camp in northern Cameroon have turned the area green, providing shade, improving the soil, and attracting water. As part of a UNHCR project to reduce carbon emissions, they have planted 360,000 seedlings in the past four years on an area as large as 250 football fields. Thanks to the shade cover provided by the trees, food can now be grown in the camp. Refugees use eco-friendly briquettes, made from household waste, for cooking, which creates jobs as well as saving trees.
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