How many times in your life have you witnessed true greatness? That greatness may have been an accomplishment, a lasting remark or observation, or just a person known for being great at something…so think back…when have you been in the presence of greatness?

I’ve been fortunate to have seen many great people along the way; people I’d consider to be among the best at what they do (or did): The Three Tenors, Bo Jackson, Eric Clapton, Dick Schaap, Jim Collins, Michael Jordan, Harry Connick Jr., Steve Ballmer and Jerry Seinfeld…. Each name is easily recognizable and their awe-inspiring abilities typically unquestioned. With their name, their aura and their reputation, just being in their presence and marveling at their abilities in action was, in each case, memorable.

When watching such superstars showcase their talents, I find myself sitting back and just soaking it all in. Whether “it” was the unbelievable fret board work of Clapton, the centering and motivating message of Collins, or listening to Schaap tell sports stories, it was easy to get lost in the moment understanding that I was witnessing something very few people could do at that level of quality. But what about the times when we are a part of greatness and do not realize it? What about the amazing people and experiences we’ve shared that just failed to register as anything but ordinary at the time? Unfortunately, it often takes distance or time to realize the quality of some of the not-so-obvious greatness in the people we’ve worked with or the accomplishments we’ve witnessed or even participated in.

Lee Johnson, Rudy Stoehr, Bonnie Robertson….three names with little meaning to most people but, to me, each represents greatness. Johnson was my Manager when I recruited for

Concordia College and I continue to be amazed at the recruiting lessons I put into practice today despite not having worked with Lee for nearly 10 years. Stoehr was the most passionate, energetic, empathetic and unique teachers I had in all my years. I’d venture to guess that hundreds of students from Lincoln East High School might call him their favorite teacher over the years but I’m guessing most, if like me, didn’t realize just how great he was until after we left school. I worked with Robertson at Great Plains (Microsoft) in Fargo, and while she would have no idea she had any impact on me at all, she re-affirmed my desire to maintain a career path driving results in the People side of business. Her skill, business acumen and value-driven work ethic remain a great motivator for me today.

It’s this second type of greatness that I’d encourage you to think about. Who are the people in your past who touched you with his or her greatness? As important though, I’d ask you to wonder if you’ve ever been considered great by someone else? If so, do you know what you accomplished to earn that respect? While it isn’t always comfortable to do so, I hope you’ll take the time to consider times when you have been great…what created the situation? What motivated you to perform? What did you bring to the table that those around you did not? And perhaps most important, have you been able to repeat that level of quality?

I truly believe that everyone has the ability to be great…it might be a fleeting moment of greatness, impacting someone in a way that you aren’t even aware of…or it might be an obvious greatness easy for all to see. The challenge for all of us is to find a way to create those moments of greatness just a little more often and to encourage those around us to achieve that greatness as well. Very few people possess the worldly talent of a Jordan or a Clapton…but I’d like to think that we each have some Robertson or Stoehr in us just waiting to be noticed.