Cheryl Klenk

Text version of Cheryl Klenk keynote remarks

Since I was asked to give an example of how I exemplify courageous leadership, after MUCH thought, I was reminded of two stories that bring inspiration and a smile to my face every time I face a challenging situation. So I'll tell you those stories now.

Each year, shortly before Christmas, we gather as a family -- my mom, my mother-in-law, and my sisters -- to bake cookies for the holiday. This particular year I had purchased 3 dozen eggs in preparation for the baking frenzy that was approaching. On "baking day," I began to notice that quiet. . . .that certain calmness. . . . that could only mean that my 4 year old was doing something that could possibly take hours to clean up. As I rounded the corner to my kitchen, I saw my son standing behind the island with all 36 eggs broken and dripping off the sides of the island onto the floor. His hands and clothes dripping with the goo.... I felt my breath quickly deflate my chest as I said, "Oh, honey...what have you done?". . . . Completely disgusted with the situation, he looked at me and said, "There's not chicken in any of these"

"You, " I said to him, "are an optimist".

My second story involves a phone call from a very angry nurse aide working the night shift on our unit. When I arrived on the floor, she met me in the hallway and, in an angry voice, stated: "I have something to show you."

She walked me over to a commode in the hallway and, lifting the lid, said, "See? The day shift left this dirty commode right outside the room. That tech is back in the morning, so I'm going to walk him up to this commode and show him what he left for us to do."

I said, "Well, that would be one way to do it...but then the commode would have to stay out in this hallway and then you would be guilty of leaving it out here too.. . . Maybe it would be better if you and I clean up this mess so that the patients don't have to pay the price for our forgetfulness, and we can talk with the day tech in the morning. That way, we won't be guilty of the very thing that we don't like in others." . . .

With a change in attitude, even our failures become our successes. I am successful because I try. I am successful because I fail. I am successful because I have the courage to try again. More than any single event...it is a mindset, an attitude, a determination to be a positive force that defines my leadership style.