Diplomacy is the way to go

The ability to conceive an idea, communicate it and change the beliefs of others is power.           To influence without proselytizing, leading without dictating, and to negotiate without enforcing one’s will upon another is the power of diplomacy. Misdirected power is to abuse it, but to use power on someone else’s behalf is the epitome of altruism. During my matriculation at Howard I have had the opportunity to use my leadership and communication abilities to alter the judgments of a body of people that were potentially the architects of another’s misfortune.

While visiting my fiancé’s family in Detroit I had a chance to attend a hearing of my fiancés little brother, William. At his high school William had recently been diagnosed with severe depression and ADHD.  William was in a situation where a group of boys threatened to jump him, and in his angst he grabbed a knife right before school in order to protect himself. During that school day he was so frightened his body shook so uncontrollably that the knife fell out his bag. A teacher in the vicinity saw the knife and William was suspended shortly after. The argument was, “Did William’s ADHD and depression play a role in this situation?” The result of the hearing would keep William suspended or he would be expelled from the school district. The committee would hear from the family and themselves who were school administrators, and faculty who seemed to have had their minds made up before we arrived. The day before the hearing I had gone over William’s report from his ADHD testing. His testing indicated how much his ADHD affected his ability to plan, stay on task, and to make decisions while thinking about the consequences those decisions may have. The average boy his age was in the 80^th percentile range while William was below the thirty percentile range. These statistics proved how his ADHD impacted his life. I explained these statistics to the committee for they all had the same report I had been shown, whether or not they read it was another story, but as I chose my words wisely and spoke softly I could see the look of astonishment as they marveled at my power. A power that influences others with a conceived idea and changes their beliefs of an individual. That power has allowed William to receive tutoring from the school while he has been suspended, but
 still able to turn in every assignment and test missed.

            All and all the committee emailed my soon to be in laws and expressed that the support of the family and the words of the daughter’s fiancé (Me) weighed their decision heavily. The only way to lead with power is through diplomatic power. To use your diplomatic power for what is truly magnanimous is to be a great leader and I was truly glad that I could make a difference in the life of one so bright as William.