Opinion: ‘What I’ve Learned So Far’ Men of the Year edition

Scott Crise

Recently, the Foundation for Springfield Public Schools held a reunion celebrating the 30th anniversary of the book, “What I’ve Learned So Far.” In 1993, one of the 2023 Men of the Year, David L. Harrison, an author and current poet laureate of Missouri, compiled submissions from SPS students and teachers who were asked to write a response to the prompt: “What I’ve learned so far.” Responses were overwhelming. Some were funny and some profound, including, “You can eat a chicken if you kill it” and “If you make a C in art, life goes on.” While the submissions were written over 30 years ago, they still hold true today, and reading through them made me think about the Top 10 leadership skills I’ve learned so far from other leaders, including the current and past Men of the Year recipients:

1. Be a positive role model for others, embodying qualities such as integrity, ethics and empathy.
2. Be an innovative thinker, but don’t be afraid to use ChatGPT to get your juices flowing.
3. “The best leader is the one who has sense enough to pick good people to do what he wants done, and the self-restraint to keep from meddling with them while they do it.” —Theodore Roosevelt.
4. Leaders drive progress and push the boundaries of what is possible. Instead of asking, “Why?” they ask, “Why not?”
5. “If you think you are too small to make a difference, try sleeping with a mosquito.” —Dalai Lama, paraphrasing an African proverb.
6. Great leaders recognize that soft skills, such as self-management, active listening and communication skills, are vitally important.
7. “People who enjoy meetings should not be in charge of anything.” —Thomas Sowell.
8. We all fail at times, but good leaders don’t give up. They learn from their failures.
9. “Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great.” —Mark Twain.
10. Springfield Business Journal always gets it right. The Men of the Year have made notable impacts on the community, culture and their industries. They use their influence and resources to bring about positive change and make a lasting difference. They are wise, thoughtful and proactive and our community is better because of each of them.

Congratulations to the 2023 Men of the Year. Being named one of the Men of the Year is an outstanding accomplishment and is so well-deserved for every one of you. As we celebrate this amazing honor, please continue to pass on what you’ve learned so far to others and remember that you are never too old to learn. 

Scott Crise is the manager of gas plant operations for Associated Electric Cooperative Inc. and a 2022 Men of the Year honoree. He can be reached at scrise@aeci.org.