A Genuine Kind of Leadership
- Rich Washburn
- Nov 17
- 2 min read
So, here’s one you don’t see every day.
I was heading out for an evening ride on my Segway — nice night, around eight-ish — when I see a couple coming in through the outer doors of my building. The guy’s carrying what looks like a heavy box, so I hold the inner door open for them. He nods, quiet, humble, just doing his thing.
His wife smiles and says, “Do you know who this is?”I say, “No — should I?”She says, “This is the mayor.”
Turns out, it was Mayor Samson Borgelin. No cameras, no staff, no entourage. Just him and his wife, going door-to-door delivering turkeys — one box at a time.
I told him he should stop by my mom’s place; she’d love to meet him. He did — knocked on her door, handed her a turkey, took a picture, shared a few kind words, and made her night.
Now, here’s the part that really hit me: in a world where “if there’s no photo, it didn’t happen,” this wasn’t about any of that. He didn’t have a camera crew. He wasn’t doing it for likes or headlines. He was just out there doing good stuff.
I don’t know his politics. I don’t even know much about him beyond that short interaction. But I know a good man when I meet one — and this guy? He’s the real deal. His wife told me he’s been at it all day, arm sore from lifting turkeys, joking he’s gonna look like Popeye by tomorrow.
That’s the kind of leadership that sticks with you. Quiet. Genuine. Human. Sometimes the smallest gestures remind you what community is supposed to feel like.
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