As we approach 2023, VIM Executive Coaching recalls an old school memory of an old school man who turned-out not so old school, after-all.
He was an WWII veteran, an Army-Air Corps navigator, who had seen a great deal of action in Europe. Indeed, toward the end of the war, his bomber was shot down and he was taken prisoner. Upon his return to the states after the war, he fell on hard times, and despite his war record and many medals, no one gave him “the time of day.”
He was eventually given the spectacular career options of either working as an attendant in a gas station or going door-to-door selling greeting cards.
He had a fool’s dream perhaps, but it was a dream nevertheless. He owned a banged-up, Remington typewriter, was a fairly decent writer, and liked the advertising business. Though he tried to get into the advertising business, no one would give him a job. He decided to start his own agency.
Knocking on many doors
The young man (by the way, this is a true story) was so broke, he couldn’t afford a suit. He paid a printer (on loan) for a small packet of business cards, typed a capabilities brochure and went door-to-door, office to office, in his uniform and announced he owned an advertising agency. After days of trying, a company (as we remember the story, it was an undergarment company!) took a chance on his work. The company liked his self-assuredness and, we like to think, his Purple Heart and Bronze Star.
In any case, one client led to another, then to many, and over time, he built a great advertising and public relations company.
He said that after his bomber was shot down and he was parachuting to earth (injured and burned over his face and hands), he realized two things: life is brief and we must be mindful that we can own our fears or fear can own us.
Perhaps as the result of his training as a navigator or the fact that his wife loved antiques, the man became fascinated by grandfather clocks; indeed, clocks of any kind. He built quite a collection of such devices. In the beautiful office of his advertising agency, the executive maintained one beautiful clock in its mahogany case. Before each workday, he polished the clock and made certain the movement kept perfect time.
He was well-liked by his employees in a high-stress business, and was frequently kidded about his favorite expression, normally reserved for employees not performing up-to-par: “I see by the old clock-on-the-wall, you owe me a report (or copy, or marketing plan, etc.).”
It was a not-so-subtle reminder that they were falling behind and needed to do better.
I am here for you
Despite the pressure of the business, he was present for his employees. He listened to them and cared about their lives. There were times, to be sure, when he was forced to “let people go,” and in fact, other times when he brought people into his office when he asked, “We both know advertising isn’t for you, so tell me, what are your dreams? It’s time you pursued them.”
When the company was put up for sale (he retired a wealthy man), he met with everyone who was working for him. As they spoke, most often to the steady heartbeat of the beautiful mahogany clock, he told each that life is precious and to be mindful and not be afraid, ever, of being true to themselves.
It occurred to us, at VIM Executive Coaching, that he was underscoring two, highly important tenets: to be mindful and to be authentic. These are often rare attributes in the lives of many over-stressed executives. Sometimes it takes a story of an old-school man, with his old school clock to make us remember what is important.