The Instructor in the Tee Shirt

In suit pants and a tee shirt Bob Z. was loading class materials in to the hotel in Cape May when I arrived. I am not a suit and tie type myself, so I was delighted to see Bob carry in his shirt jacket and tie on a hanger.

We had met each other several times previous to this, but it was clear to me that we were going to click on this project.

Bob and I were tandem teaching this class and it was to become as much a foundation of a friendship, as well as a training experience for the small but mighty group.

As the sessions went on we learned to trust each others styles, and by session 8 or so it was more of a tag team delivery than a “which part are you doing?” approach.

The conversations prior to class, and the debrief following, were certainly my favorite part of the sessions in Cape May. One of the strengths I learned to respect in Bob is his ability to focus on each individual class member, and to not just remember, but “know” things about them. The level of care and concern for each individual’s growth inspired me to put more energy into listening to my participants at a deeper level.

There was an awesome sense of responsibility in Bob’s purposeful preparation and delivery of each session. This reminded me of the importance of the work we deliver in the class room.

This sense of purpose is part of Bob’s soul, it carries over into his personal life, and most importantly his family.

Bob grows in wisdom, as the years move forward. This wisdom is shared with all of us who come in contact with him.

It is a delight to work with Bob, and a joy to hang out with him.

I have heard it said that, “Our life is like a tree, and our reputation is the shadow the tree throws off”, Bob’s shadow is one of trust, respect, genuine concern, integrity, and a joy of life. It’s comforting to be in that shadow on a pretty regular basis.