As you go through life you are bound to encounter certain people who are larger than life. I’ve been blessed to have this happen several times. Today I wanted to focus in on a man I met over 30 years ago. I was a nobody and he was a somebody. But from the first day I met him, he treated me like I was the most important person in his life.
As luck and fate would have it, he eventually became one of my bosses. Working with him every day made my job exponentially more fun. He had a proven record of success and he graciously shared his expertise with everyone.
His success was based on his ability to communicate. His command of a room was exemplary. Whether it was a conference room or an arena, he had the listener captivated. He inspired, motivated and made you want to be a better employee. More importantly he drove you to be a better person. Before Jordan came along, I (and many others), wanted to be like Mike.
I could share dozens of stories of Mike’s ability to motivate, to lead by example, and to achieve successful results. He often reminded me of a swan. A swan will glide across the water with pure grace. Under the water the swan is paddling madly, but above the water that fury goes undetected. Mike handled his role the same way. Never showed stress and always looked in control.
I moved on after a few years, but we always kept in touch. He never forgot a birthday, a promotion or just reaching out to check on me. When my son was born, Mike was like an uncle. He took my son to the movies or out for ice cream. Mike organized a group to go to Tennessee for a Vols game more than once and included everyone’s kids on the trip. A memory neither me or my son would forget. Mike and his beautiful wife even flew 1000 miles to attend my son’s wedding.
I’ve tried to paint a picture of a successful man who has touched thousands of lives and made a difference. He did this by always being positive. His attitude never waivered no matter the circumstances. Over the years, he has met all of his health challenges with a “glass half full” persona. There has been no mountain too high for him to scale.
He has been a role model in every sense of the phrase. You could never leave Mike without him making you smile So allow me to tell you a story that always makes me smile. I hope it will make you smile as well.
We had just left a restaurant where all the wait staff were magicians. The menus were handkerchiefs used as props by the magicians. They were collected after we ordered. So we thought. Following the delicious meal and table show we walked out into the chill of a biting January wind. Our little group was walking behind Mike when he turned and said, “I have a magic trick of my own.”
He began waving his hands in front of his stomach and then dropped them to his fly. With a deft touch he unzipped his pants to a gasp from the female in the crowd. Then with an “Abracadabra and a Voillee” he began pulling something out of his trousers. It was the menu the waiter was supposed to have collected from each of us. This may not seem funny to you the reader, but to us it was Mike at his finest. Never missing a chance to provide his audience with a memorable moment. I’ll never forget that magical evening, capped off by Magic Mike.
That was just one example of a man who has given so many memories and so much of himself to every person he has touched. More than 30 years later I am still learning from him. We should all want to be like Mike. God Bless you Mike.
Until next time…