Vicki Anderson

Along with so many others, I have been deeply moved by the loss of Tim Russert. I am a steady NBC News fan and Tim was such a solid figure of information on the political arena. However, he was a person who commanded respect and admiration not only because of his knowledge, but because of his leadership. Over the last few days people have been coming out of the woodwork to comment on how he impacted their lives by caring about them and taking an interest in their careers, their families, and their sports teams. He mentored, encouraged, and helped many.

Tim Russert was a model of a leader who is all about serving others. A client of mine said there are people who are about “here I am” and others who are about “there you are.” I think Tim Russert was a “there you are” person. It made him so endearing to others because he truly was interested in them.

My grandfather was a humble farmer in a small town in mid-America. He was quiet, gentle, loving, hardworking, and generous. He knew everyone and always had a helpful energy in the Masons, Lions Club, or local Farmers group. I am still awed by the fact that when he died at the age of 90, people stood in line for hours at the funeral home to say goodbye to him and they finally had to shut the door.

Perhaps if more people thought less about themselves than about others, we might have a more positive world. Perhaps it doesn’t require being famous.