An Ordinary Person’s Tribute to an Extraordinary True Leader: Tim Russert
Sunday, June 29th, 2008My friend Bette Price writes,
I never met him face-to-face. But, every Sunday morning, without fail, we got together in my living room; he and me; this incredibly intellectual genius graced with a enormous amount of humility and humanity. For one engaging hour I would watch and listen intently as he would respectfully probe deeply into the opinions of the day’s foremost newsmakers, always totally focused on getting to the truth of their positions on the day’s critical issues. Yes, if it was Sunday, it was time for Tim Russert and Meet the Press.
But, Tim Russert was more to me than simply the host of television’s top Sunday news show-he was a friend I had come to trust and respect; a man whom although I had never met, I knew I could believe in. A man whose fairness rang true with every question he asked and a man whose very presence conveyed the strong underlying values that you instinctively knew guided his entire life. Beyond his political savvy and intense ability to challenge the status quo, you also knew that what was most important to him was his love of family, his love of faith, his love of this country and his enduring quest to ensure that all he did in both his public and private life reflected truth and integrity-the right thing to do. A man of genuineness and integrity was also the unanimous picture painted from every colleague, prominent leader, every broadcast competitor, who all spoke of their remembrances of Tim in the wake of his untimely and sudden death.
No question about it; Tim Russert was a true leader- a true leader by every sense of the term. He didn’t just give lip service to the concept of building people; he did it. He mentored the young and constantly challenged the seasoned journalistic professionals he worked with to reach new heights and to do it with accuracy and integrity-an aspect of journalism frequently missing in today’s blur between “talk” and “news.” Just listening to his longtime newsroom colleagues, like Tom Brokow, Andrea Mitchell or David Gregory, it was amazing to hear how their personal and professional lives were so greatly enriched daily by just being a part of his team. One can only imagine the incredible impact of the young, upcoming future journalistic leaders fortunate enough to begin their careers working with this incredible man.
Contact Bette at bette@pricegroupleadership.com