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When the gunfire ceased nearly 3 dozen promising lives had ended: A professor doing valuable research about cerebral palsy; Future psychiatrists, biologists, international business executives, and engineers; Musical minds with songs yet to be written and sung; Charity workers, leaving a void for the needy others will fill or that will go unfulfilled; Many hopes, dreams, promises, aspirations, and potential were lost.
The following day the remaining students and faculty, alumni, family members, political leaders, and others gathered to gain a sense of what happened and how they would face the future.
It was a magnificent program of reflection and contemplation during which powerful words were spoken, none more powerful than the words at the conclusion.
Nikki Giovanni, professor of Black Studies at Virginia Tech, approached the podium using poetry to express her feelings. “We are sad today, and we will be sad for quite a while. We are not moving on. We are embracing our mourning. We are Virginia Tech. We are strong enough to stand tall fearlessly, we are brave enough to bend and cry, and sad enough to know we must laugh again.”'
She concluded in a very powerful voice:
“We Are Virginia Tech.
We are the Hokies!
We will prevail!
We will prevail!”
Then the quiet crowd leapt to its feet as one in a spontaneous and repeated chanting of the school's rallying cry, “We are Hokies! We will prevail!”
The powerful lesson for business people
Disappointment faces us each day as we build careers, business, families, and our life. It is not uncommon to face set-backs, albeit not nearly as severe as what has been set upon the students, faculty, and families of Virginia Tech.
We suffer a missed promotion, lost sales, lower than expected pay increases, and harsh words and insults. Sure we deserved the promotion. Yes, we made the best proposal for the new account. Definitely we did nothing to deserve the words of hatred or insult launched in our direction.
However these setbacks should not become our daily focus. We can dwell on the suffering and see the process healing and forgiveness as a struggle. Indeed it is. As Giovanni points out we know we must move forward.
Summary
Many will spend the next months and years examining what happened at Virginia Tech. They will prognosticate how it could have been prevented, as if it could have been. They will look at the lessons to be learned. These are both valuable activities when kept in perspective.
They majority of the time should be spent in looking at the future. How we can be stronger. How we can best make up for loses. How we can once again see hope and optimism. How we can develop new dreams and make them happen.
As Nikki Giovanni so eloquently challenged us, take time to reflect, but remember you must laugh again. If you do, your career will excel, your business will grow, and life becomes much more rewarding. You will prevail. You will prevail.
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