One hard fact about life that I, in my sophomore year of high school, came to terms with was that, even though I try really hard to put myself out there, go the distance, however you choose to say it, that sometimes, I am going to fall pretty hard, and probably hit my face on the way down. But I also earned that the best part of falling down is getting back up and remembering to tie my shoes.
Late into my freshman year after two complete years of being in the marching band, I decided it was time to take on a more powerful and influential role. I decided to audition for section leader. All the seniors were about to graduate and there was a big gap in age in our section and I had been marching the longest. I thought I had the spot in the bag. It was mine and they were already writing my name down. But alas, a junior who joined late into his high school career auditioned and got it. This really ticked me off because I thought I deserved section leader. I had marched the longest, it was MY spot. The negativity had started to posses my attitude, my actions, and my happiness and all summer. I stayed bitter, up until band camp started in mid July.
Up until this point I had always been known for how happy I am. I am undoubtedly a overly positive person, but this band camp had been different. I had a bad attitude and I was being too selfish to notice how it was affecting everyone around me. I was making a toxic environment for everyone around me. This continued for most of band camp, and part of July, I put on a happy face for my band director when he was around. But for the most part, I was a negative nancy until one day in September we were at practice. It was hot, humid, and a difficult rehearsal and I looked around at everyone and thought, what am I doing here? What is my role?, how am I making this band better? I had failed at obtaining the title of section leader, how could I even make a difference? But then it hit me, every great leader I had didn’t need a title to make them a leader, they just were. It was then and there that I learned the difference between systematic leadership and servitude leadership. My whole life I have loved helping people and making them better, and I never required a title to be a good person. So why was I letting a label get in the way of my excellence? Why was I letting it get in the way of my wanting to help people. I decided then and there that I didn’t need that title, in fact I didn't even want the title, I just wanted to help people.
Having this revelation most definitely changed my outlook on life forever. I realized if I wanted to help people, I had to devote myself to seven things that I had learned about at a Dr. Team Leadership clinic. I had to Listen more, I had to be more Enthusiastic because attitude spreads like germs, and I wanted our band to be healthy. I had to Acknowledge what was going on around me so I could act, rehearse and perform better. I had to Dedicate everything I did to being excellent. I had to always have Energy so that I was able to keep the forward momentum of the band moving. I had to be Responsible not just for myself but for everyone around me. But most importantly, I had to be more Sensitive to others. I had to understand before being understood. With these seven things I knew that I would in turn become and create strong LEADERS for the band.
This new way of thinking led me to so many different and great places in my life. I’m a happier person, I am more confident person.
Yes, I fail at becoming section leader that year.
But who is to say failure is always a bad thing.
