From wise leaders

A few weeks back I had the honor of attending a celebration for my friend and colleague Ed Davis, who recently retired as Boston Police Commissioner. 

I listened closely to Commissioner Davis speak about his career, and in his reflections, I heard him echo the sentiments of leaders from various sectors, across time and place.   He talked about the importance of building a good team to help set and attain goals.  He spoke about the importance of relationships with diverse constituents - those who benefit from your public service, and those who you partner with to deliver those services.  He spoke about the importance of thinking - taking the time to think, and spending time with those who think differently.  And lastly, he spoke about mentorship - specifically, how he benefited greatly through mentor relationships.

These ideas should be of value to those who lead, those who manage, and those who participate more directly in the delivery of service.  I think we would all benefit from taking these ideas to heart in any role that we play, now and in the future.

Speaking of leading, here I am surrounded by winners - the Red Sox Trophies, and my good friend Capt. Kevin Sullivan of the Lowell Police Department