Let Peace Begin With Me

My good friend Teagan found this piece on Linked In by ……

Angela Ahrendts  

Senior Vice President, Apple Retail

I’ve always tried to focus my comments on simple leadership lessons I’ve learned that might somehow, somewhere, someday help others. I’ll admit, I’ve been struggling recently to find one that’s relevant around the holidays.

On Wednesday, I was listening to the radio on my drive home and I heard an old song that took me back to my childhood. I hadn’t heard it for a while, and wow — in that moment, it really moved me. I remembered playing it on the piano growing up. Amid all the turmoil in the world today, hearing the lyrics again really hit home.

The song is “Let There Be Peace On Earth.” There are many wonderful recordings, but the one I heard on the radio was my favorite. It’s by the brilliant B.J. Thomas.

Not sure if it’s my age, experience, empathy, exhaustion or just the reflection that comes this time of year, but that night I kept hearing the words over and over in my head:

Let peace begin with me
Let this be the moment now

Then it hit me. What better universal leadership lesson to share and reflect on at this time of year?

I thought, I want my kids, my friends and family to hear this song. I want coworkers, partners, acquaintances to hear it. I just felt this overwhelming desire for more people to hear this wonderful message. After all, as leaders of families, households, businesses and communities, we all know the power of uniting people around strong, simple, positive messages.

Brothers all are we
Let me walk with my brother
In perfect harmony

I can’t think of a better message to share with you this month. May it move you as it did me, and may you feel the desire to share your favorite rendition in your sphere of influence. There’s no better gift to give than one of hope and peace.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays

Angela