At St. Francis, we have a young altar boy, Cade Beard, who is a joy to watch as he can make things pretty interesting for Father Albeen and his parents, who are also faithful altar servers.
During Easter Sunday Mass, Father Albeen sprinkles holy water on the congregation during church service. Our young altar boy enthusiastically asked Father if he could help and walk around with him to sprinkle the holy water. Father Albeen quickly responded yes and handed the pail of holy water to him. He instructed him not to spill it and to follow close to him as he would dip the sprinkler (aspergillum) into the water as they went.
Our young man, in his enthusiasm, quickly swung the bucket too sharply and spilled some of the holy water. Father Albeen quickly assumed control of the holy water, but rather than admonishing the young boy, he patted him on the back and encouraged him to continue to walk with him as he sprinkled the congregation.
After making his rounds through the congregation, Father Albeen handed the bucket of holy water back to our favorite altar boy, who again spilled water as he made his way to the back of the church. Smiling, Father Albeen continued as others quickly cleaned up the spills.
We have two wonderful leadership and life lessons in this little story. The commitment and desire to learn and serve by the altar boy is something to admire and for all of us to reflect on our mindset. Are we demonstrating commitment to the things of significance and are we eager to learn and grow?
For leaders, one of the most important things I witnessed in this Easter service was the leadership demonstrated by Father Albeen. I call it the “I have your back” leadership support. Father Albeen clearly had his back and supported him in still participating in this holy ritual.
When leaders have our backs, when we have others’ backs, we can take risks to be better, to stretch for our full potential. My challenge to each of us is to push ourselves to stay in learn mode and find ways to have someone’s back. Everyone needs sponsorship, advocacy, and encouragement to reach their full potential. Have a growth day today, I’ve got your back!
If you want to be part of building something bigger than yourself, this book is a great place to start! Jon Gordon on Leading with Significance
Grab your copy of Leading with Significance to find more magnetic insights to help you on your unique journey.
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