If it’s a choice between words and action then action wins every time.
I’m not a Monarchist. The idea that you get your parents’ job is ridiculous if you’re a binman let alone Head of State. The institution is an 11th century anomaly.
That said, a woman dying was a mother, grandmother and great grandmother too and I’ve known the bleak sadness of grief.
But reflecting, two images of Queen Elizabeth II stand out.
The first is Elizabeth shaking hands with Martin McGuiness. She lost an uncle to the organisation he belonged to. He would say he lost people, too. Shaking his hand wasn’t a physical act. It was an act of reconciliation.
It said: ‘if I can, so can you.’
The second image is alone in church during COVID grieving her husband. By doing so, she observed the rules that 160,000 other families observed. She could have side-stepped these rules but didn’t.
It said: ‘if I can, so can you.
Both are profound moments of leadership.
Sometimes, its not the framing of the words in the Facebook post or the edit of the viral video that makes all the difference but the actions of leaders.
As a communicator that impresses me.
Dan – a powerful and thought provoking reflection.
However, given the timing of Philip’s death I can’t help but see the humility in the fact that it was more of a case of “If YOU can, so can I”… a choice that evaded many so called leaders at the time.
Good point, Jon.
Perfect, Dan.
Unlike so many royals – and so many others – she kept her opinions to herself and just got on it.
To her, there would have been no other choice.
Absolutely, I was reflecting on the word ‘duty’, too. I’ve heard her talk about this as a motivating factor. I used to hear it a lot from my Grandpa, too.