My mum, the change agent

On a hot summers day, twenty-six years ago my mum made one decision that would change all future Shepherd family holidays.

Tired of having three kids under ten pinching, punching and arguing with one another in the back seat of the family car, mum calmly* told dad to pull over.

She stepped out of the passenger side, opened the rear door and said to my brother “get in the front”.

Confused, my brother did as he was told while mum clambered into the back middle seat, in between me and my sister.

There we all sat for the next seven hours, in what quickly became a calm and subdued car ride.

My mum did what mothers do instinctively. She decided to lead with generosity, empathy and service to her team.

Leaders have the same choice.

To intentionally make decisions that create change.

To make these decisions in pursuit of a better version of our future.

To do so with generosity, empathy and service to our teams.

Some events in this story have been altered to protect those involved**

**Read: my mum follows this blog

Originally published at https://abev.blog