The other day a note arrived with news of the death of Jerry Soria. He was the manager of the distribution center for Manhattan Industries until his retirement. Forty years ago, he was my immediate supervisor and, more importantly, Jerry was my mentor. He came to be one of the most important people in my life.
In the Midrash Kohelet Rabbah 3:5, we read of Rabbi Abin’s visit to the home of his friend and colleague Rabbi Mana. He had come to offer his condolences after learning of the death of Rabbi Mana’s wife. “Are there any words of Torah you would like to offer us in this time of grief?” Rabbi Mana asked. Rabbi Abin replied, “At times like this the Torah takes refuge in silence.”
Unable to attend the funeral that was to be held on the other side of the continent, I took walks to reflect on the life of Jerry and what he taught me. Here on Mayne Island, life and death blend naturally together. Death feels different here than in the urban and suburban environments. Life and death are not engaged in a struggle. They embrace as the body of lovers merging into one body. A deer’s carcass returns to the earth to feed other creatures. A tree falls. As it rots it nurtures new life. This is the natural blending of life, life’s vitality and beauty, and is nourishment for the soul when we allow ourselves to be open to the harmony of the natural process. In our times, we attempt to hide death, block and tuck it away from our vision. It is a fallacy to think we can. Death is an ever present reality. Yet we are confronted by a choice.
In the scriptures we read, “I have put before you life and death, blessing and curse. Choose life” (Deuteronomy 30:19). Each day we make a choice of how to live. Judaism is life affirming. Emphasis is placed on living a life of ethics and caring, of making the world a better place and “myself” a better person. Jerry was a man who chose life.
As I walked, passing through the woods, thinking about Jerry, I found my thoughts turning to another day and another man named Jerry. The date was 18 September 2003. I was attending the dedication ceremony of the University Of Michigan Gerald R. Ford School Of Public Policy. I had spent time with President Ford on other occasions. Among those attending to honor President and Mrs. Ford, was Paul O’Neill. O’Neill had been the deputy director of the Office of Management and Budget from 1974-1977 during the Ford Administration. At the time of the dedication, he had only recently resigned from the George W. Bush Administration as U.S. Treasury Secretary.
During his comments, O’Neill told the story of President Ford at a press conference to introduce his budget proposals in January of 1976. At the end of his statement to the gathered officials, as well as the national and international press, President Ford opened the floor to the media to ask questions relevant to the budget. Until then, no president since Harry Truman had taken such a step. A question was raised concerning a successful program. Acknowledging the question, Ford gave credit to O’Neill, then invited him to come forward to respond.
Ford could have responded to the question. Instead, he acted both graciously and humbly. He was, as O’Neill and others who knew him intimately will testify, always seeking facts, and sought to understand them within the structure in which those facts were found. He wasn’t arrogant. He let the light shine on others.
At one conference, I personally discovered how gracious President Ford could be. During a break at a meeting, I approached Marvin Kalb. At the time, Kalb was at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard. He was moderating our meeting. I raised a question with Kalb that seemed to be at the center of our policy discussion. Kalb concurred, but he advised that due to the sensitivity of this particular issue, we table the question as the president might be offended. I agreed to his request. Moments later, after our discussions resumed, Kalb raised my question. Immediately, President Ford sternly looked across the table at me. Somehow he knew who was behind the question. I had nowhere to hide. As the meeting broke up, I approached him to apologize for offending him. “Nonsense, Charles. I wasn’t offended. It was a valid question and point. I think Brent Scowcroft gave an excellent response.”
Jerry Soria, like the president, wanted facts, knew facts and their context. He was attentive to the activities and details of the warehouse. In meetings, one had to know the facts and be precise and concise in the presentation of information. He was also gracious. I recall a meeting with Jerry and two vice presidents. I presented my position that was the polar opposite of the vice presidents on a matter of policy. Jerry listened patiently to strong differences of opinion. At one point, he gave me a hard look. My position should have cost me my job. Instead, Jerry defended my opinion; then persuaded the vice presidents to implement it as a policy. When I inquired why he took the risk, he responded that my position was the more ethical of the options. His values were rooted in his faith.
Values are enduring. As Paul O’Neil stated that September day 11 years ago, “There is no more meaningful legacy than the legacy of value.” Ford’s values were, as he often said, to tell the truth, work hard, and come to dinner on time. That last point was another way of saying honor your parents. Those who worked in the Ford Administration were guided by loyalty to the man. “Whatever you do, make sure President Ford would be proud of you.” That also summarizes how those of us who worked for Jerry Soria felt.
On reflection, both men shared common leadership qualities and values. They both led by the strength of their character and the depth of their ideas. Neither came from a background of socioeconomic advantage. One Jerry went on to become president of the United States during, as Henry Kissinger observed, the worst crisis since the Civil War. Few people realize the complexity of presidential leadership. Even fewer appreciate the burdens of that office. The other Jerry was the manager of a distribution center. Most people give little thought to what is involved in running a distribution center; including some of the people who were Jerry’s bosses. There is very little in our life today that hasn’t passed through a distribution center: receiving, stock, inventory control, quality control selection, packing, shipping. Sounds easy until you have to run the operations on a daily basis. Jerry made it look easy, though those of us who were paying attention saw the strain, particularly on his stomach.
For me both of these men defined those qualities necessary for effective leadership.
- Know, understand, and accept yourself.
- Honesty and integrity are essential.
- Lead by example.
- Treat others with fairness and respect.
- Be consistent.
- Have a genuine sense of service towards others.
- Be dependable and reliable.
- Be willing to accept your limitations and those of the people around you.
- Have good verbal and written skills that allow you to concisely, accurately and effectively convey facts and thoughts.
- Know that listening is essential to good communication.
- Don’t be surrounded by those who say “yes” all the time. Accept that “no” can be a positive response.
- Be able to value, balance, and utilize the diversity of people, ideas, and skills that are put forward by both subordinates and superiors.
- Give others their due credit.
- Always be learning.
- Be a patient teacher.
- Possess a strong work ethic and be prepared to go beyond what is required.
- Have a vision and develop how to implement that vision, being adaptable to the environment and changing conditions including how those changes can impact your vision.
- Own the risks you take and don’t blame others.
- Don’t accept goals less than worthy of yourself.
- Remember you are replaceable.
As I finish writing these words, the sun is setting. The sun does not set on a life well lived. And we who survive a loved one—be they a parent, a spouse, a partner, a friend, a mentor or a leader— we must re-enter the world. We must choose life—a life full of meaning and purpose.
Photo Credits:
© Charles van Heck, all rights reserved.
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