It was my day off from working as a reporter for CBS News in Hollywood when my boss called and said, “Stevie Wonder is having a press conference. Will you go?” I lived in Santa Monica and the press conference was in Hollywood. It was a long drive, but I reluctantly said yes.
It turned out to be the day Stevie Wonder saved Motown, by re-signing with the label. I interviewed him about it and was waiting by the elevator ready to go home when a man came up to me and said, “Mr. Wonder requests the pleasure of your company in Mr. Gordy’s office.”
Intrigued, I entered Berry Gordy’s penthouse suite of offices. There were about 7 people in the room, including the founder of Motown, Berry Gordy, himself.
Stevie Wonder was sitting at the piano, where he sat and played and sang to us the whole afternoon.
It was raining. I was looking out at the Hollywood hills, and thinking, “Wow. How did this happen to ME?”
If it hadn’t been my day off, I couldn’t have stayed to soak in the music. Since then, I’ve thought about it when life doesn’t proceed in a “reasonable” manner. So often, things that appear detrimental turn out to be beneficial.
If you are in a leadership position, be open. Be alert to the unexpected. You may be presented with a pleasant surprise.
By Shar McBee, author of “To Lead is to Serve”