Whether you are Democrat, Republican, or some other political stripe, you've gotta hand it to the dynamic leader Ann Richards, former two-term governor of Texas. Richards faced and recovered from her own alcoholism, and died sober last week, at age 73. In an "Appreciation" in yesterday's New York Times, Maura J. Casey wrote:
"She didn’t hide it. “I like to tell people that alcoholism is one of my strengths,” she said. She was right. Alcoholics know that seeds of healthy recovery grow from the need to mend their own flaws to stay sober, one day at a time. Ms. Richards faced her imperfections fearlessly, and that enabled others to be fearless, too, if only for a little while."
We are all recovering from something, and Richards showed leadership, particularly in her own recovery:
"A politician who left rehab and wondered how on earth he was going to avoid drinking when he got home well after midnight found Ms. Richards waiting for him when he arrived. As governor, she started treatment programs in Texas prisons. When she visited, she would tell the inmates the simple truth: “My name’s Ann, and I’m an alcoholic.” Her imperfection had become a source of inspiration for others."
Richards is a shining star, a source of inspiration that will outlive her as a source of strength to others. That's what I call leadership, Texas style!
