Who is in charge? It’s an important question that may keep us all grounded as we
Viewing Teams meetings, I’m always reminded that humility is virtuous. Recently, after meeting with our Execs Michael W. Dyer and Skip McCormick for Cornerstone 2.0, I reflected a little bit about this new journey we are on to make Cornerstone great again. In 2018, we negotiated the sale of Cornerstone Technologies 1.0 to Sonasoft Corporation (SSFT-OTCQB). Part of the negotiation was that I would become CEO and perform a capital raise from prospective investors upon closing. But the stress and fatigue caught up to me from the months prior, resulting in a bout with Bell’s Palsy. For those who don’t know, Bell’s Palsy is a virus that typically paralyzes one side of your face and, in severe cases, can impact your speech. I was that lucky person.
It was humbling enough to not look “normal,” but on top of that, not speaking well caused me to withdraw from the investor meeting. During the two-month road to “recovery,” I learned to embrace my infirmity. Though I felt like hiding, I accepted this season of humility. I showed up to work and took every appointment where I wouldn’t be a distraction to the business (i.e., anywhere I was expected to speak at length).
The Cornerstone/Sonasoft staff and our customers were sensitive and gracious, and it made me appreciate them that much more. As God would have it, I have retained a bit of the crooked smile to this day when I get fatigued. Moreover, gratitude and grace are intertwined in a beautiful dance that enriches our lives. When we are grateful, we acknowledge the gifts we have received, and in doing so, we invite more blessings into our lives. God’s grace, in turn, amplifies our gratitude, creating a cycle of positivity and growth that propels us forward. It’s a good reminder of who is in charge and to have a spirit of gratitude and thanksgiving for another journey I have had the opportunity to experience.
I continue to move on and always try to tap into the bottomless well of humility—and it’s one we all have access to. Although it is sometimes difficult to see past our differences as people and professionals, our pettiness and desire to be perceived by others as spotless in character, we all come up short now and then. This journey with Bell’s Palsy under those high-leverage circumstances deepened my understanding of who really is in charge, and the agency we all have as people to be authentic, acknowledging our flaws in humility, while staying cautious as to not indulge them.
This leadership team, this new adventure, the team members at Cornerstone in every department I learn from each day, and the environment we’ve cultivated at Cornerstone 2.0 seldom fails to bring a smile to my face, even (and especially) as I don that slightly crooked smile.