Acts of kindness

I know I haven't finished posting all my trip stories, but I'm must cut into my regularly scheduled posting (or lack there of) to post a quick note.

Today I received an unexpected gift – a new Ipod. It was quite a shock to me because it came from my former boss (he departed over the summer), who had talked about getting them for our whole team sometime last year. To be honest, I never believed that I was going to receive a new Ipod when the discussion arose. Mainly because sometimes I’m usually from the school of realists and believe those types of things don’t generally come to fruition, especially for me. And because most gifts like that don’t tend to fall out of the sky ;-).

So I never really thought much about after the initial conversation. But low and behold today I opened a package up old marketing materials sent over to me and inside was a gift of a shiny new Ipod and a note. And it just happened to come from the nicest people I’ve encountered in my life (no he did not buy me off with an ipod to say this for him).

Really, my former boss Jim just happens to be one of the nicest people I encountered in my life. He’s an honest, caring, professional and personable man. I was truly lucky to be able to work with someone who cared not just about what he did in and outside of his job, but the people who surrounded him too. That’s kind of an ironic statement in our day and age (especially in a corporate environment that promotes and praises people with a cut-throat nature).

I just hope one day that I will be able to take a page from Jim’s playbook. My hope is that I will be able to practice some of the same leadership characteristics that he showed me by leading with support, kindness and encouragement. So I'm dedicating my latest playlist to him and all his future endeavors as he settles into his new freelancing life:

1. Leather – Tori Amos
2. Life In a Nutshell – Barenaked Ladies
3. Shakin’ – Rooney
4. Hey Girl – Dashboard Confessionals
5. Immobile – Autour De Lucie
6. Norwegian Wood – The Beatles
7. This Charming Man – The Smiths
8. Hold Me – Fleetwood Mac
9. Eastern Glow – Album Leaf
10. Seaside – The Kooks
11. German Test Drive – Spymob
12. Crystal Village – Pete Yorn
13. Proof – Coldplay
14. With Or Without You – U2
15. I’ll Find A Way – Rachel Yamagata