A takeaway about leadership grandparents

The wonderful writer Edith Hamilton shares a tale from antiquity, about a famous Greek artist “who painted a portrait of a boy holding a bunch of grapes so lifelike, the birds flew down to peck at them, and the people acclaimed him as the master-artist. ‘If I were,’ he answered, ‘the boy would have kept the birds away.’” 

The best leaders stay eager to grow and humbled by their limitations, no matter how much power, prestige and praise they receive. 

Over time, ego-feeding accolades mean less & less to them. Genuine connection across status and age means more & more. 

They want to be good “grandparents” to rising generations of growing leaders. 

Why? Because someone did it for them, and they want to pay it forward. Or because no one did, and they want to do better. Sooner or later, one way or another, the best leaders give themselves to future leaders. 

Is this true of all senior leaders? No. 

Will all the good ones have time to meet with you? No. 

But try from time to time, connect well with even one, your life changes wonderfully for the better. So does theirs. 

They don’t need compliments on their “paintings” from the past. They want to make the rest of their life a masterpiece, and they can’t do it alone. 

Don’t give up helping them give back. 

Each can’t do for all, but many have time for a few, and some have time for you. 

That’s the takeaway:  Adopt leadership grandparents.