A Mindset of Duty

Upper Mesa Falls is truly a breathtaking natural wonder. The Upper Falls is a thunderous curtain of water as tall as a 10-story building that pours over remnants of an ancient volcanic super-eruption that spewed ash over much of the current US. The falls were inaccessible to most until early in the 1990s when a walkway was built complete with viewing areas extending over the falls. The area holds a particularly close place in my heart for a couple of reasons. The first was that the mayor of Island Park, who was a close friend of mine, married my wife and me on the platform immediately over the precipice of the falls. The second, and equally dear to my heart was that the entire walkway and platforms were the brainchild of my father, who designed the area for the US Forest Service, where he was an employee for over 30 years. 

My father was an Architect and Engineer and loved his work in the outdoors. His work at Upper Mesa Falls won him 11 national design awards. Primarily due to the accessibility afforded to handicapped visitors who wanted to view this amazing site. This was his life's work, to make the outdoors accessible to those who otherwise would not have access to such natural wonders. He designed several places like this throughout the country that are visited by tens of thousands of people yearly. In fact, each time we were at the falls, we could find him talking to people and explaining how the walkways and platforms were built. He truly loved to see everyone enjoying what was once only accessible by the few willing to hike down the steep hillside. Because of my father, I have been blessed with a true love of the outdoors and have done what I could to pass that love along to my children.

So why do I tell you this account of my father in relation to having a mindset of duty? My father retired from a high-level position in the forest service. However, unless you knew him, or worked with him personally, his title was never mentioned, or leveraged. People knew my father as a gifted architect and engineer who had a deep desire to provide access to everyone so they could enjoy the outdoors as much as he did. Throughout my life, he constantly would tell me that a job is only to put a roof over your head and food on your table. It was what you did at your job that provided service for others that was truly important. He exemplified this same example in his personal life as many who knew him as someone who provided service to others in many capacities. 

Law 35 of the 50 Laws of Intelligent Leadership states that “True leaders are driven by a sense of service to a greater community – a sense of duty to something more significant than themselves."

I viewed my father as a great leader, but he was not the only great leader I can thank in my life. I have been very fortunate in being mentored and coached by many people who I view as truly great leaders. Each of them showed me that being a great leader means being a servant leader. These leaders are dedicated to much more than their title or personal position. 

The best leaders are deeply committed to a larger whole. This could be their family, their organization, their country, their community, the list could go on. This mindset of duty is very different from believing that you are owed something and that you are entitled to certain privileges or advantages simply because of your education, position, title, your alma mater, or your actions. Those beliefs will inevitably lead you to act in ways that will (perhaps unintentionally) undermine the success of your team members, and any project that you are a part of. True leaders are not entitled but instead are driven by a sense of something more significant than themselves.

I recently had to say goodbye to a very dear friend whom I had known for several years. He escaped the war in Bosnia with his family and rebuilt his life here in the United States. I came to know him as a truly great servant leader and because of the hardships he endured, he understood the value of making others’ lives easier. At his funeral, there were so many from various ethnicities, backgrounds, and religions that came to honor his legacy as a truly kind human being. I was always awed by his capacity to serve others unselfishly. He was one of those people who left an indelible impression on the people who surrounded him. Both in the workplace and in life. 

In the end, it is our legacy of servant leadership that we pass on to those we have mentored and influenced as leaders. It is not the mindset of entitlement that people will remember us for. If you can embrace this duty mindset, then you will embody the kind of broader perspective that leaders need to guide the evolution of not only themselves but any organization they are part of.

Personally, I now have the honor of working with leaders who are at various stages in their lives. From young emerging leaders to seasoned CEOs. All of them are working hard to transform themselves to become better leaders not only personally, but for their organizations as well. Personally, I have some great mentors in the coaching business that I learn from daily. It is truly a rewarding line of work.

Reach out to me for a time to talk about leaving a legacy of duty in your life and organization. Schedule some time with me to talk here.

About the Author

Rich Baron is the Director of Culture Transformation and Training as well as a Master Certified Intelligent Leadership Executive Coach at John Mattone Global. With a wealth of expertise spanning over 25 years, he has excelled in various realms such as cultural transformation, operational leadership, executive positions, and coaching individuals from emerging leaders to CEOs. Rich hosts "Mainline Executive Coaching ACT," a podcast acknowledged by Feedspot in 2023 as the foremost Executive Coaching Podcast worldwide. This recognition is based on an evaluation of numerous podcasts on the internet, taking into account factors such as web traffic, social media followers, and timeliness. The podcast enjoys a substantial following in more than 70 countries and 600 cities across the globe.