Frozen is totally appropriate today. It’s in the movie theaters, Mother Nature is certainly trying her best to put the deep freeze on the year’s end, and when your company is in discussions to be sold it seems frozen is the easiest plan of action. Still, we are moving ahead trying to complete the business before the holidays, get the last minute gifts in this short Christmas season, and push through without thinking that I might not have a job at some point in the near future.

During a snowy night this weekend, we watched Invictus, the movie about Nelson Mandela and his transformation of his country as he took office, using the national rugby team as the tool to unite the country. There were so many examples of great leadership amidst all of the chaos of that time and needs of the divided country. Doing the unnatural by purposely keeping those things which the previous regime held dear provided a platform where unity was possible, through shared struggle and victory together against great odds. Getting to that point required taking unpopular actions but as Mandela says in the movie “You elected me as your leader. Let me lead you!”

Obviously with Mandela’s recent death there is a corollary, and with a possible takeover at work, this also resonates. And with so many issues where people cannot come together in this world, I wish our country’s quarterback had a game plan such as this.

I don’t know how to wrap this up in a clever or witty bow. I will say, just thinking of Nelson Mandela as he was portrayed in this movie makes me want to push forward in the struggles and questions in my life. And if I can find the ways to bring people closer together, bring them onto the same team, and build a platform for further success, this is a fantastic course of action.