Two Things My Teacher Told Me

My story started in my senior year of high school, but like a movie with a slow-forming plot, I didn’t realize the lesson I was taught until I was in my 40s.

I had a teacher in high school named Jack Bottinger. His nickname for me was “Ball and Chain,” and he is a contributor to this page, so I hope he sees this. He really made me push myself in a way I never had before. I was good at sports but didn’t apply myself in the classroom enough to be eligible to play.

When I met him, he told me two things that I use today in my profession as a leader: “Surround yourself with good people” and “You have to have passion in everything you do.” At 18 these words were powerful, but I really didn’t understand them until I had to lead people.

I hope he knows how much he inspired me then, and does even more now at 50. If I had met him as a freshman, I believe my life could have been better, and I would have been eligible to play sports and excel.