The Power of a Selfless Leader: A Lesson From Angus McGillivray

This is the first in a series of Management Moments by Doug Dickerson, a weekly column designed to bring inspiration to those in the workplace and beyond.

Entrance to WWII prison camp with Japanese guard on the gate Far left in the photo Japanese guard house. Courtesy: Hellfirepass.org

(Charleston, SC) - In his book, Through the Valley of Kwai, Ernest Gordon shares the true account of life in a World War II Japanese prison camp. The story is about a man who through giving it all away literally transformed a whole camp of soldiers.

The man’s name was Angus McGillivray. Angus was a Scottish prisoner in one of the camps filled with American’s, Australians, and Britons who had helped build the infamous Bridge over the River Kwai. The camp had become an ugly situation. A dog-eat dog mentality had set in. Allies would literally steal from each other and cheat each other; men would sleep with their packs and yet have them stolen from under their heads.

Survival was everything. The law of the jungle prevailed…until the news of Angus McGillivray’s death spread throughout the camp. Rumors spread in the wake of his death. No one could believe big Angus had died. He was strong, one of those whom they had expected to be the last to die. Actually, it wasn’t the fact of his death that shocked the men, but the reason he died. Finally they pieced the story together.

The Argylls (Scottish soldiers) took their buddy system very seriously. Their buddy was called their “mucker,” and these Argylls believed that it was literally up to each of them to make sure their “mucker” survived.

Angus’s mucker, though, was dying, and everyone had given up on him, everyone but Angus. He made up his mind that his friend would not die. Someone had stolen his mucker’s blanket. So Angus gave him his own, telling mucker that he had “just came across an extra one.”

Likewise, every mealtime, Angus would get his rations and take them to his friend, stand over him and force him to eat them, again stating that he was able to get “extra food.” Angus was going to do anything and everything to see that his buddy got what he needed to recover.

But as Angus’s mucker began to recover, Angus collapsed, slumped over, and died. The doctors discovered that he had died of starvation complicated by exhaustion. He had been giving his own food and shelter. He had given everything he had.

They began to pool their talents—one was a violin maker, another an orchestra leader, another a cabinet maker, another a professor. Soon the camp had an orchestra full of homemade instruments and a church called the “Church Without Walls” that was so powerful, so compelling, that even the Japanese guards attended.

The men began a university, a hospital, and a library system. The place was transformed; an all but smothered love revived, all because one man named Angus gave all he had for his friend. For many of these men this turnaround meant survival. What happened is an awesome illustration of the potential unleashed when one person actually gives it all away.

Do you want to improve the climate in your organization? Do you want to see morale improve? Do you want to rise to the next level of productivity? Consider the power of a selfless leader like Angus McGillivray.

When people in your organization begin to think and act in selfless ways, amazing things begin to happen. Suddenly, people begin to think of how to work together, share resources, and move forward together with shared success. It all begins with simple acts of selflessness.

Lee J. Colan said, “We were meant to give our lives away. Spend more time living your legacy instead of worrying about leaving it.” Being a selfless leader in your workplace is one of the greatest contributions you can make.

So, what does a selfless leader look like? A selfless leader as modeled by Angus McGillivray is known as one who puts the interests of others ahead of his own, doesn’t care who gets the credit, inspires others to selfless acts, and leaves a legacy for others to follow.

In your workplace; a selfish leader or a selfless leader; the choice is yours.

Doug Dickerson is the former editor of the Berkeley Independent newspaper in South Carolina and is currently the director of university relations at Charleston Southern University. Doug’s writing has been recognized by the South Carolina Press Association, having won awards for enterprise reporting, series of articles, and for humor column writing. Doug’s passion for communicating leadership principles and personal development is crystallized through his Management Moment column and leadership columns he writes. Read more of Doug’s columns on his blog at dougsmanagementmoment.blogspot.com