“Good leaders set vision, missions, and goals. Great leaders inspire every follower at every level to internalize their purpose, and to understand that their purpose goes far beyond the mere details of their job. When everyone is united in purpose, a positive purpose that serves not only the organization but also, hopefully, the world beyond it, you have a winning team.” – Colin Powell
Rest in Peace Former Secretary of State and Retired 4-Star General Colin Powell
10 Essentials of Dignity:
- Accepting Identity
- Recognition
- Acknowledgment
- Inclusion
- Safety
- Fairness
- Independence
- Understanding
- Benefit of the Doubt
- Accountability
- Dr. Donna Hicks PhD, Leading with Dignity
Dignity has power. I learned the power of dignity long before I read Dr. Donna Hicks books. I just didn’t realize it then. My journey on the road to dignity started with my mother and my 2 brothers. Our life was hard growing up poor in the inner-city of Boston but it was amazing because we had each other. My mother taught us that even as your Black men in a single parent home we had the same chance to be successful. It wasn’t going to be easy but if we put the work in, we would be able to do it. It took me awhile but I believe my mother has 3 sons she can be proud of.
I also had the honor of getting to know two great men. My children’s great-grand fathers Poppy and Grandpa Hally. I learned many valuable lessons from each of them. These two men were WWII veterans. I have a great fondness for our WWII veterans. I understood how those times where back then for people who looked like me (Black) but I also understood the sacrifices that were made so that I could live the life I have today.
Poppy taught me how to listen. He taught me the value of accepting people at face value. He taught me about understanding and giving the benefit of the doubt. Those Tuesdays of golf at Bass Ridge in Hinsdale, Ma meant so much to me. And the fact that he heard me sing “Music of the Night” from Phantom of the opera which led to him listening to that opera daily until he died made me realize that we were able to cross both racial and generation barriers and create a friendship I will always value.
Grandpa Hally was a WWII veteran and decorated Navy Frogman. Our journey was a little more challenging. It was a 10-year long journey for both of us to overcome our differences. What I learned from him was my ability to accept him for who he was, give him the benefit of the doubt, and acknowledge that I needed to open up more in order to create a relationship. When I was able to let go of my anger and open up to him it changed everything. I got to learn about the man on the inside. I found out we had more in common than we did in differences. We were able to break down those generational and racial walls to become a family. He died in September of 2020 and a day doesn’t go by that I do not think about him.
My life experiences have led me to Dr. Hicks’ book on dignity. I believe that if I did not have those experiences, I might have looked at dignity differently. I am blessed for the life I am given. I am blessed for all those who are or have been in it. Dignity has given me the power to grow as a person and it has open doors that I thought were closed.
I am humbled
Charles Redd RN
Dignity Freedom Fighter
FYI today starts Hallmark Christmas movies. Yes I watch all of them
Dignity Freedom Fighter 