A Journey in leadership and life with one of
the Greats...
Despite how we start off in life, we are
truly the product of our own decisions and what we do as a result of them!
Where our decisions come from is as important as where we are going in life.
The joys, the sorrows and everything in between enrich our “inner selves” on a
daily basis. It projects forward into the person we are becoming, which often
varies from the person we aspire to be. Yet should we discard our dreams, hopes
and ambitions, we could say we have survived life but feel cheated by not
living it; looking from afar at what could have been whilst cast out to sea.
Bearing this in mind, we often talk to the
ones we love about such inner thoughts growing up and as adults. One of my
kernel inspirations has being my dear mother whose humility, strength, wisdom
and fortitude has inspired me as a small boy to adulthood and onwards for long
as I live. In light of her passing in the early hours of Wednesday 26th
2016, I can categorically say that her love, guidance and counsel have earned a
place in my heart, which I will always be grateful for. To understand why I am
sharing this story about one of the strongest influences on my own views of
life, leadership and love; allow me to share my mother’s story from humble
beginnings as a small farmer’s daughter to the night superintendent of one of
the most respected private hospitals in Ireland.
Born in September 1929, she was one of five
children and was raised in a loving home that worked hard and lived frugally as
a way of life. My mother’s first incarnation with the wider world came during
World War 2 working in the county home as a Nurses Aid (caregiver). She found
it hard to talk of her time there but from what I can make out from talking to
her on the topic, she was deeply appalled at what she saw. She was resolutely determined
to input humanity back into the caring of others. She went to Bradford in the
United Kingdom and trained as a nurse just after world war two. Once again, she
dealt a caring hand to the horrendous injuries the war had inflicted on
civilians along with the fighting men of the British and Allied Armies. Her
life eventually returned to Ireland taking all the lessons she had learnt in
the 1940’s and applied them all the way through to her retirement in the 1980’s
as the operational head of Nursing for the Mater Private Hospital at night. She effectively practiced servant leadership running a private hospital’s nursing staff by night and was a
busy mother by day!! Doesn’t she sound like a superhero? In my eyes she was a true superhero and
always will be!!
So, you can see why I would feel a tad
selfish withholding some of the leadership and life lessons my mother thought
me so in her honour, it is my pleasure share with you what she shared with me!
Equally ranked, allow me to explore some of
the kernel lessons I learnt from my mother through the years, which I still
hold dear today:
True character - “When all is said and done,
it is not he who inflicts the most that wins, it is he who endures the most who
is truly victorious” Susan Mulhall, August 1979 peeling carrots over the
kitchen sink.
Never give up - Life can be cruel and unfair. We can lose more then we gain in
money and wealth yet we manage to live to tell the tale. Never let life’s
little defeats seem big and never give up! A better day will eventually come!
Leadership – Never let title or position in life stop others from talking to you
about what is on their mind. Your sole purpose is to them in that moment;
making them believe they can be better then they feel they can be. If they
believe in themselves, they will rarely let you down.
Prudence – Understand whom you are dealing with and never let a good story
blind you to the truth of whom they are or what they want you to believe.
Honesty – Don’t let temptation be a reason to betray yourself. If you are
honest with others, you are been true to yourself.
Integrity – Conduct yourself honestly even if it gets you into trouble.
Feeling pain over doing the right thing is better then feeling guilt over doing
the wrong thing. Life tests us in many ways and even if you are bruised by
circumstance, integrity will shine like a light in you for others to see.
Prejudice – Don’t judge a man by the colour of his skin; judge him if you
have to by his actions and the colour of his heart.
Judgement – Never rush to judgement on what you don’t understand; seek to
understand first and judge only if
something good can come from it.
Love – Fancy things are no substitute for real love, love unconditionally
and you will be loved in the same fashion.
Life – Live as you see fit, be prepared to stand up for what you truly
believe in and never give up. If you can look back on an honest life, it will
have being worth it.
This article is dedication to my dear mother,
Susan Mulhall RIP, 1929 – 2016! May all that is good in this world and beyond
celebrate her life! For those she leaves behind, she has earned a special place
in the hearts of everyone who knew her and will never be forgotten!
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| Susan Mulhall RIP 1929 - 2016 |
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