T.D, Gunther was the first leader I came to admire – President Reagan, the second

T.D, Gunther was the first leader I came to admire – President Reagan, the second

My grandfather was Tiller D. Gunther. Born on the Tradewater River in Dalton, Kentucky in 1888.

One of my favorite photos of him is standing by their old mule, Sally. Sally was stubborn. But Papaw knew how to lead the mule around the stump.

Papaw plowed ground along with his twin Uncle Kell using two contrary mules and a Lister plow.

Much like Aunt Anzie, he was a man of great wisdom.

He would say, “Life is simpler when you plow around the stump, son.”

That wisdom served me well over the years in government, corporate, and public service. When the obstacle appeared much bigger than I could manage, I would call my team together.

“How,” I would ask, stoking my pipe and sitting back to hear the advice, “do we get around this stump?”

I got many wonderful suggestions. At times though, I just went around the damn stump and bore the consequences later.

Of course, I ensured when I did; I was always making my bosses look good. Now and then I would get admonished and a correction. However, that rarely happened because when the boss looks good, everybody is happy.

President Ronald Reagan said it best, “A leader, once convinced that a particular course of action is the right one, must be undaunted when the going gets tough.”