Summary: Last week I was speaking to a group of Assistant Principals near Montgomery, Alabama, when I noticed a familiar face at a table near the back of the room. <br> I saw a man whom I had met the day before on my ride from the airport to the conference center. Mr. Willie Lewis, a retired pastor, had told me his wife asked him to find something to keep him busy. So, he began driving for Uber. Now he had arrived early to drive me back to the airport.<br> As we made our way through the streets of Montgomery, we chatted about our work and families. He had been an author and also served as interim pastor to many congregations during his retirement. As we passed an exit sign for Selma, Alabama. I asked him if he had seen the movie, Selma, about the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.<br> “No, I haven’t seen the movie,” he said, “But I’ve been to Selma many times. I’ve been on that bridge when there were thousands of people there.” <br> I looked at him for a moment. “Would you mind if I asked how old you are, Mr. Lewis?”<br> “I’m 78-years old,” he said. “I graduated high school when I was 15. After going to seminary in Michigan, I came back to the south to pastor.” <br> “One time,” he continued, “I attended a church service where Dr. King was preaching. A friend led me back to the office where Dr. King was waiting for the service to begin. When I was introduced to him, he said, ‘There’s an extra ministerial robe in the closet there. I’d like you to wear it and open tonight’s service with prayer.’”<br> As we drove along, I realized then that Reverend Lewis didn’t need a movie like Selma to understand or appreciate the significance of the Civil Rights Movement. He was driving me to the airport, but how I wished I had the rest of the day to just listen to him and ask questions.<br> Rising to the Occasion<br> It is interesting how some individuals rise above the crowd in moments that are bigger than they may realize at the time. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. is certainly one of those people.<br> I didn’t’ watch the 2004 Democratic National Convention. But I remember a teacher talking to me the morning after he had watched the convention on TV. <br> “I’m not sure how I feel about John Kerry,” my friend told me, “But I’d vote for that Illinois Senator Barak Obama if he ever ran for President.” <br> I wonder if Senator Barak Obama knew at the time how many Americans thought the same thing. <br> I remember hearing similar comments as a boy when Governor Ronald Reagan won over the entire 1976 Republican National Convention when he was endorsing the Ford/Dole Presidential ticket. His charisma and command of speech made other candidates look weak in comparison.<br> Maybe these men knew the potential significance of their moments on a national platform. And maybe they didn’t. At the same time, there are many other men and women, like Reverend Lewis, whose names may not be in history books, yet they have significantly influenced their own communities. <br> These thoughts have all been going through my mind the past few days as I’ve wondered how often are we unaware of the significance of the day-to-day moments we encounter? Specifically, I have been thinking about conversations with educators who are looking for the next opportunity in their leadership.<br> Making the Most of Opportunities<br> Recently, Eric Davis, Chief Operations Officer at Wilson County Schools in North Carolina, was leading a Twitter chat on the topic of “Interviewing” through his popular #Engagechat.<br> I enjoyed the great questions, comments and feedback from Eric and the other educators who joined in. Sometimes aspiring principals will ask me how they should best prepare for upcoming interviews. And sometimes experienced colleagues will talk to me about interviews or conversations they are having in their career growth.<br> You may be interviewing candidates for openings in your school or district.
