|
Hi Reader, Welcome to Your Dose of Mana — a quick, weekly note with: A Reflection on What Remains 1 Real Story Losing a parent to Alzheimer’s is strange. In many ways, you lose them twice. First to the disease. And then, later, to death. The long goodbye clouds your memory. It becomes harder to remember who they were before the disease took hold. What’s been lovely since my mom died is how much has resurfaced. Through conversations. Stories. They’ve helped me rediscover her again. My mom was deeply engaged with life. She loved words. She loved reading to me, doing voices for every character, reciting poems from memory during bath time. She was highly responsible, fiercely independent, and full of grit. While working full-time, she went to law school at night because she always wanted a professional degree. It mattered to her. She was generous. With her time. With her attention. With her support. Even when she didn’t agree with my choices, she stood behind them. Her support was unconditional, despite being right about nearly everything in my life. One day, when she was well into her Alzheimer’s experience, we were driving along the Beltway. The Beltway. With some of the worst traffic in the nation. She looked out the window and said, “This is a lovely road.” Said no one ever about the Beltway. Trying hard not to laugh, I asked her why. “Well,” she said, “there are so many trees. And such good signs telling you where to go.” She wasn’t wrong. Even then, she was present. That moment was a turning point. In my life. That moment showed me the value of being in the present moment and appreciating it for what it is. That moment changed me.
1 Leadership Insight What my mom taught me in that moment had nothing to do with Alzheimer’s. It had everything to do with presence. Even as so much was being taken from her, she was still choosing how to see the world. She noticed what was there. She appreciated what remained. She engaged with the moment in front of her, not the one she had lost. Leadership works the same way. Not in big speeches or bold declarations, but in the quiet, daily choice of where we put our attention. What we notice. What we amplify. What we allow to define the experience for others. Long after roles end and strategies change, what people remember is whether you were present. Whether you paid attention. Whether you chose to see possibility or only constraint. That’s where legacy actually lives. 1 Practical Takeaway The next time you find yourself frustrated, impatient, or focused on what’s missing, pause and ask: What is here right now? Because presence is not passive. It’s an active choice. And sometimes, choosing to be fully present with what is—rather than what you wish were different—is the most meaningful thing you can offer. To others. ATTENTION: FREEE SPECIAL EVENT Workplace drama isn’t random. It’s reinforced. On March 10 at 12 p.m. ET, I’m teaching how to break it in my invite-only webinar, Reply, and I’ll share the invite. 1 Dose of Art A little whimsy. A little joy. A little doodle.
Doodle by Gary Schechner, 12/8/2025 Even though this is a “mass email” I mean it when I say—let me know what you are up to. Reply, book a Zoom, pick up the phone. I’d love to catch up. And if leadership, culture, or people challenges are taking up too much brain space lately— Thanks for letting me show up in your inbox. More joy. Less friction. Always. |