Hurricane Harvey gives us the opportunity to seriously think about one of the BIG questions:  What’s Really Important?    For hurricane sufferers, it’s a real question.  When you evacuate, what goes with you?  The most common scenario is for people to move their family photographs and similar valuables to the second floor, grab the pet and leave.  (BTW: FEMA learned from Katrina that people won’t abandon their pets.  They stay to save their animals.) I will admit to being puzzled by homeowners who risk life and limb to prevent looting only to later have everything washed away in the flood.

If you lived in Houston, what would you do?  What would you take?  Others in the Southern states will have to answer this question before too long. West Coasters have to answer that question when it comes to fires, floods, and mudslides. We all encounter the circumstances where we have to ask the big question.

Interviews with Harvey victims often are about “I lost it all.”  Once in a while, there is a different story.  Stories like the homeowners who replied, “I survived cancer 5 years ago, I’m happy to still be here.”  Stories about adult children who cry with relief when their elderly mother is found. And stories about DACA dreamers who die trying to rescue flood victims.

Ever since I read Victor Frankl’s book, Man’s Search for Meaning, my choice of the book to be shipwrecked with has been easy. I often tell people that if they are only going to read one book this year, pick Man’s Search for Meaning. It is one of the most widely read books on the holocaust and at the time of Frankl’s death in the late 90’s, had sold over 10 million copies in 24 languages. (Wikipedia has a nice summary of the book, but can’t come close to touching the power of its ideas.)

As leaders, one of your most valuable roles is to help your team answer questions like this.

Recently I came across this YouTube video that was part of a presentation that Frankl did in the early 1970’s. I think it’s a powerful explanation of the leader’s role in supporting others to find the meaning and purpose in their life. I think it’s worth the 4:21 minutes to watch.

Click here if the video isn’t showing below.

What do you think? What is your role as a leader?

How Will You Know What’s Important?

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