Page 24 - The Edge - Fall 2020

Col. Athens' Recipe for Leadership – Competence, Courage, Compassion

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last class of the day and as the students were leaving the
classroom the cleaning lady would enter. The question:
“What’s the cleaning woman’s name?” The students
thought it was a joke. They asked, where’s the real test?
It turned out that none of the students had ever talked to
her or knew her name.

“That is the real test,” Athens said, quoting the professor.
“We talk about leadership all semester and not one of
you took the time to ask that cleaning woman what her
name is. You missed the boat.”

People in the periphery of our lives, people on the side,
are still people – they have stories. “Are we so important
that we don’t even see them – that we really don’t have
time to talk to them?” Athens said.

Athens said he asked another son, a college quarterback,
if he knew the names of the people who bring water to
the team, the person who changes the scoreboard, or the
old man who cleans the equipment. The son dismissed
his father’s question, saying all he needed to know was
how to pass and run. Athens said the son replied: “What
difference does it make if I know their names?”

To which Athens said, “If you’re going to be a leader grabbed a mighty fistful, even for a 4-year-old. The
and a humble leader, you’ll know their names.” So the president said he didn’t think he had ever seen anyone take
son took Athens’ advice and reached out to the team’s so many jellybeans. “Good for you, son,” Reagan said,
helpers. Soon other players followed his lead. “That’s according to Athens. Some would have seen that incident
leadership,” Athens said. as an interruption, Athens said, but the president didn’t.

Athens told of meeting then-President Ronald Reagan Athens said there are two words he needs to say more
at a White House event. His son Arthur, the one who often: “Thank you.”
eventually joined the Army and went to Iraq, was 4 and
was in a backpack strapped to Athens. They were in He closed by again addressing his “poster heroes.” “You
the receiving line in the Roosevelt Room and the son are heroes, and because of that education is still going on,
spotted a full jar of jellybeans, a favorite of Reagan. No because you’re providing the courage and the leadership
one would take any, Athens said, because it was believed to allow those in schools to carry on their mission. This
Reagan felt he could tell a lot about someone by the way is really a tough time. As we lead in crisis, in times of
they eat jellybeans. adversity, it becomes even more important to lead with
competence, courage and compassion undergirded with
“Nobody really knew what he meant,” Athens said. humility.”

Anyway, Reagan overheard the youngster plead for Colonel Arthur Athens can be reached at: artathens@gmail.com.
jellybeans, took the jar and held it out to the boy, who

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24 THE EDGE FALL 2020