Over twenty five years ago I listened to my boss tell me that ‘two wrongs don’t make a right” as he fussed at me for my explanation of why I left dirty paint brushes to dry up and get ruined. I told him that my co-worker had left them so why should I have cleaned them. I stood there dumbfounded as I realized I was just as wrong as my co-worker by not doing the right thing and cleaning the brushes.

That is one of the many lessons I learned from Bob, the best supervisor I have ever had. He made a point of knowing his employees strengths and gently coaching me through challenges I had not even recognized I had. I witnessed him do this with all of his employees. I watched Bob do the filthiest of jobs himself at times, because he would never ask us to do something he was not willing to do. He had an uncanny/intuitive way of knowing when I was bored and frustrated, so he would send me off to do some day or two long project by myself that was out of the ordinary. It was probably the third or fourth time he did this that I caught on to what he was doing.

I discovered that by sending me off by myself with a challenge was grounding for me. It centered me and gave me new found motivation, purpose and a sense of accomplishment. He had high standards and expectations that taught me how to take pride in my work. Not just pride in the finished product, but attention to detail along the way and pride throughout the process.

When I went away to rehab for 28 days, Bod mailed me a letter with a photo of the park entrance. He wrote a message on the back of the photo that said, ” so you don’t forget your way home”. I cried when I received it…

Bod sadly died suddenly of a heart attack in his mid forties. I will never forget all the lessons he taught me and am grateful for the opportunity to have worked with and for him.

Thank you Bob!