Bill Reeves: On Leadership

While he served as head of the Boys School (1976-1986) and Middle School (1986-1991) and as an ethics teacher from 1992 until his retirement in 2007, those privileged to share the Collegiate journey with him profited immeasurably from his wit, wisdom, erudition, and Solomonic guidance.

 

An ordained Episcopal clergyman, Bill also provided counsel to those struggling with professional and personal hardships, and that counsel continued long after he retired. His words were always well conceived, heartfelt, and comforting. His advice was sage. He was truly a mentor and guardian angel.

 

Maya Angelou has been quoted as saying, “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, they’ll forget what you did, but they will never forget how you made them feel.”

 

With Bill, who epitomized grace, selflessness, and Zen-like calm, people actually remembered his words and actions, and they truly remembered how he made them feel.

 

Bill – he was, without pretense, always “Bill” – passed away in September 2019 after a period of declining health. In the time since, as the world has become more and more dysfunctional and volatile, I’ve often wondered, What would he say?  What would he do? How can I channel my best Bill Reeves to help family and friends (and myself) find equilibrium and peace?

Many of the issues that weigh heavily today result from the dearth of strong, consistent, effective leadership, or so it seems.

 

When Bill preached from the podium or pulpit, he often spoke of the importance of that sometimes elusive quality of virtuous leadership.

 

One of his memorable stories involved not leaders in the traditional sense but geese.  Yes, geese.

 

Why do geese fly in a V-formation? he would ask.

 

Energy conservation, he would explain, but the real reason was more profound and subtle. By drafting off those in front, much as runners and cyclists do when training or competing in groups, geese can reduce wind resistance. And those who have provided a buffer from the wind can drop back into the pattern when fatigue sets in while other more-rested members of the flock assume the leadership role.

 

Bill’s point, among many, was the importance of functioning as an efficient, cohesive unit, sharing responsibility, relying on one another other, and trusting one another.

 

By trusting, he posited, you engender trust. By respecting, you command respect. By working together for the greater good, everyone feels a sense of ownership and value.

 

Another of Bill’s stories involved wolves. Though he told it, as I recall, without a visual aid, I’ve since seen it illustrated on various Internet sites, but the image he created was no less vivid than the graphic depiction.

 

Wolves, he said, travel in single-file formation. In the front are those challenged by age or infirmity. They determine the pace.

 

Next are the strongest. They protect those who struggle.

 

Next is the heart of the pack, not the strongest or weakest, but those who draw sustenance and strength from the others.

 

Behind them are those who are among the strongest. Their responsibility is to offer protection from assailants who might attack from the blind side.

 

Finally comes the leader, the last in the formation. By trailing the pack, he has a clear view of the others as they process along their devious path, positions himself to act in an instant, and provides a classic, if instinctive, paradigm for servant leadership.

 

Bill’s message – indeed, his credo – is that leadership is not about displaying power. Instead, it’s about cultivating relationships built on fairness and decency, kindness, and an abiding faith in and loyalty to one another. It’s about setting aside your ego. It’s about taking care of your people.

 

True to his humble, compassionate, conciliatory nature, Bill Reeves – through his stories and, indeed, his life – taught us to care for each other, recognize and celebrate each other’s attributes, minister to the most vulnerable, and summon the best from ourselves and in others.

 

Let us never forget his salient message amidst these troubling and cacophonous times.

         ~ Weldon Bradshaw