The term spirituality is a phrase or characteristic I would be hesitant to use for myself. While I have faith and believe in my core that there is a power more omnipotent and prescient than myself, I've never been drawn to organized religions. Maybe it's going to a high school with religion embedded into its ethos, perhaps it's just fear, who knows. It is something that I admire in people, having true faith takes courage, passion, and belief.
Jimmy McDermott was someone I worked with for many years at FranklinCovey, and he embodies someone spiritual, not in the zealot, preaching about the end of times, but in the way he carries himself and how he is a man of faith at his core. Jimmy has what some would describe as a handsome and thoughtful baby face; for football fans who watch Quarterbacks, he reminds me much of Kirk Cousins. Someone who never places blame, carries himself with dignity and always has a positive outlook on life. He's a hard man to rattle, although he and I've been through it together so I've seen it come out sometimes.
Work Challenges and Shared Responsibility
I joined FranklinCovey in 2014, taking over all digital experience, and had a massive task before me. Rebuild the entire digital ecosystem, from website to tech platform, all with a tiny team and various stakeholders. Jimmy was over events, the main acquisition channel for FC and we held over 100 events annually. Hence, his workload was similar to mine, but the entire company also rode on those events for the majority of revenue.
Jimmy was my go-to person for all things FC, as he knew the product in and out and had a boundless energy that I would draw from when times were difficult. We worked closely; we shared war stories, complained about our boss, shared wins, and developed great campaigns. But having many years behind me at FC, the thing that stands out, and after having lunch with him was so apparent, was his zen-like calm and positive outlook.
A Time to Grow and Change
He spoke about his last role and the massive toll it took on his mental and physical health, the challenges, the impact on his family, and how he would prioritize work over family. It all culminated in him finally saying no more, resigning, and taking the time to reflect and spend time with his family and friends. We all have those feelings of looking at our work, job, or career and thinking what am I doing? Is this all worth it? But having the courage to say no and pivot is a quality I admire and applaud. It's the belief in yourself that it will be fine and that my worth isn't attached to a job.
I think we can all take a page out of Jimmy's playbook and evaluate our passions, desires, and goals, weigh that against our current situation, and make sure that our priorities are closer aligned to our core tenets, whatever they may be.
