Page 50 - The EDGE Winter 2025

and performance.
When leaders approach challenges positively
with resilience and an open mind, they create an
environment where creativity flourishes, collaboration
thrives, and their team members are empowered.
This encouraging atmosphere inspires team members
to voice their ideas, engage more deeply, and respond
to challenges with a solutions-oriented mindset. The
right attitude will breed a culture of trust and respect
and foster a commitment that yields high performance
"Brian Mee had the best presentation I’ve witnessed and innovation, making everyone feel confident and
on the topic of “Ethics”. It’s my belief that Brian capable.
didn’t just speak on ethics; he lived it from day to In essence, great leaders create the conditions
day. . necessary for innovation and success by fostering a
I remember a time when Brian had just given his supportive and inspiring environment. This positive
presentation on Ethics and afterwards, we got into a atmosphere encourages individuals to strive for
separate discussion on the issue of ethics. I had asked excellence and view challenges as opportunities
Brian’s advice on a situation to see if he would have for growth, resulting in enhanced performance and
done anything different. Brian conveyed to me that he achieving the team’s goals. Ultimately, the right
believed ethics to be a topic not just practiced during attitude acts as a catalyst for achievement, enabling
an eight-hour day in the workplace but rather the way leaders and their teams to reach new heights of
a person lives their life. Brian’s simple explanation success.
was the fact that ethics is something lived, not taught. -Brian L. Mee, SFO, RSBA, M.Ed.
It’s more than just black and white print on paper
telling people about a “Code of Ethics”. His simple
test was being able to look into a mirror and be
content with the person looking back. If you always
believe that you’ve done the right thing or made the
right decision, it’s the best we can do."
-Gary Barkman, ACBS, NIGP-CPP, CPPB, Mesa
Unified School District #4

Ref lections on Leadership "I once saw Brian over the weekend when my wife
and I were shopping at Costco. He was pushing his
August 19, 2024 cart and a box that was sticking out of his cart hit the
"Great Leaders understand that the right attitude will set elbow of a little girl sitting in another cart. The little
the right atmosphere, which enables the right response from girl was crying and upset while Brian instantly went
others." John C. Maxwell
The idea captured in this quote from John Maxwell to apologizing. As he went back to shopping, I could
resonates deeply with those who seek to define see that he was looking around as if he was wondering
great leadership. It underscores the fundamental if anyone saw what happened, so of course I ran up
connection between a leader’s mindset and the to him and said, “Hi, Brian!” The memory sticks
overall environment in which they operate. A leader’s out for me because I was always so used to seeing
mindset is not just a powerful tool but a significant Brian saying the right thing and doing the right thing
responsibility that can shape an organization’s culture that it was easy to forget that he too was human and

|
50 THE EDGE WINTER 2025