Sunday Reflection: Loss And Leadership

“I was no chief and never had been, but because I had been more deeply wronged than others, this honor was conferred upon me, and I resolved to prove worthy of the trust.” -- Legendary Apache leader Geronimo, who died 110 years ago today.

A defining wrong that he suffered was the slaughter of his mother, wife and his three small children by Mexican Army troops in 1858 when he was only 29. It's a valuable insight into how leaders are selected in different cultures; in Geronimo's case, it was because he had suffered the most grievous loss.