While I do not profess to be a deeply religious person (even though I consider myself to be spiritual) I DO believe in Angels and the need for them in our lives. I also believe that some days we are the Angels and we do not even realize that what we did….in a very small….seemingly insignificant way…touched another when they needed it most.
If you Google “Archangel” the definition that returns is “An Angel of High Rank”. Now you may notice that the title of this blog is ARK Angel NOT Archangel and that is done with purpose. I would like to submit that we should all find ways to be ARK Angels throughout our daily lives. I am under NO illusion that any of us get our wings but I do believe that it is important to strive for never the less.
So…what is an ARK Angel? ARK stands for Acts of Random Kindness and I believe that when you take the time to do them…you in effect…become someone else’s angel.
Why does this come to top of mind? Well I’m glad you asked…..
My daughter’s high school (Corona Del Sol in Tempe Arizona) endured a very tragic event a few years ago as an 18 year old senior made the heart breaking decision to take his life in the breezeway near the gym at 9am on May 12th, 2015. The initial texts I received said that there was a student with a gun on campus. We live close to the school and I could hear the helicopters and sirens from our home. My two daughters and my husband all on campus while this unfolded. Then came the news that the lockdown was a precautionary measure as they dealt with the unfortunate loss of the student.
We will never truly understand what Acts of Random Kindness or support he needed in those final days. What it did bring to light for the whole community was the importance of showing kindness to others at all times as you never really know what others are struggling with. This goes not only for students but for the families and staff members that were impacted by this event. If any good came come from it, it is that the students banded together and showed great resilience. There was an immense focus on the support resources available to them which may have saved more lives.
Lastly…in an incredibly touching and healing act…the teachers of Corona Del Sol performed an ARK as the students returned to school the next day….
What does all of this have to do with our leadership journey? We all want to come to work and do a good job. Some days, between our personal and professional lives, it is harder for us to be positive or bring our “A” game. I urge you to find a way to perform an Act of Random Kindness for your team…for a peer….or for your boss. Someone you thought was being negative or difficult…take the time to find out why…they may be dealing with a struggle that you are not aware of…don’t write off their attitude…try and understand it.
Be the change you would like to see in the world…become someone’s ARK Angel!
Leadership Questions of the Week for YOU:
· Can you think of a situation recently where you were the ARK Angel or where someone else was that for you? How did it make you feel?
· How important is ARK in our relationships or do you feel that these do not affect them as much as I think they do?
· Does doing an ARK fulfill a spiritual need for us that we didn’t know was missing?
Thanks for reading and remember…YOU make a difference!
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