IT TAKES COURAGE

Bill had most of the characteristics I would want in a leader—he was that good. But after a certain point, Bill's abilities took a back seat to how he regarded me as a person. Development is painful, problem solving is difficult, and one can't grow professionally without hard knocks. It takes courage to endure such challenges, and Bill's leadership encouraged me. When I failed, he challenged me to overcome. He knew I could. He never explicitly cheered me on—it was in his bearing, how he spoke with me, and the subtle guiding principles such as those Thomas Sweeney espouses.

Originally I stated that Bill's unique leadership qualities seemed to be unified in such a way that their sum was greater than the individual parts. In retrospect ...

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