Chad Willardson usually talks about money, wealth, investing, entrepreneurship, and wealth management – focusing on helping 8- and 9-figure entrepreneurs enjoy increased lifestyle and financial freedom by removing their stress about money, increasing their cash flow and freeing up a lot of their time.
However, one of his personal posts caught our eye
He described a young man, Adam (from the Bahamas) 🇧🇸 his newest hero.
Back Story
As a worker on a cruise ship headed to the Bahamas, Adam noticed that Ms. Betsy (Chad’s mother) had a difficult time getting around. It turns out she was suffering from her fifth year of Parkinson’s disease.
While other tourists (including Ms. Betsy’s family) were snorkeling, 20 year-old Adam stayed on the boat, offering to help get her into the ocean to enjoy that unique experience.
Saying ‘Mrs. Betsy, I will keep you safe’, Adam did just that, treading the ocean next to her and holding her afloat.
‘There were huge smiles from mom’, says Chad.
Once Adam got Ms. Betsy back on the boat, he swam to the bottom of the ocean and found a big beautiful shell, on which he wrote a short message for her.
Here’s the icing on the cake. Thrilled that his mother had been gifted an experience of a lifetime, Chad led a LinkedIn campaign to find out exactly who Chad was, and the company he worked for – and asked his contacts to join in him in ensuring Adam was tracked down so that the company he worked for would be rewarded with huge business contracts being sent their way. They succeeded!
The Lesson
Chad ended his LinkedIn post: Reminder – don’t go through the motions, don’t just do your job.
And he’s right: Most business consultants — and workers as well — agree that empathy is a critical leadership skill. There’s no question that the ability to step into another person’s shoes shoes and understand their situation and challenges is a powerful trait that builds trust and faith.
A valuable lesson for entrepreneurs. And anybody for that matter.