Thoughts on Leadership, by Terrie01
Title: Thoughts on Leadership
Author: Terrie01
Summary: In the wake of the storm, Sheppard and Weir have a chat.
She stood on the balcony outside her office and leaned forward against the rail. Her head
was tipped back so that the sun warmed her face, and her eyes were closed. John leaned
back against the railing, resting his elbows against the top of it. "Enjoying the weather?"
"Let's just say I have never been so glad to see the sun in my life," said Elizabeth.
"Yeah. I know what you mean." He looked back over his shoulder at the ocean. "We got
lucky this time, didn't we?"
"We did, Major. Very, very lucky. But it wasn't just luck that got us through this. We have
good people here. Without them, luck wouldn't have been enough."
"Yeah," said John. "Rodney, Ford, Beckett, they all came through when we needed them
to."
"So did you," said Elizabeth.
"I just did my job."
"Maybe, but you did it amazingly well. Don't sell yourself short here. You're part of why
we've gotten this far."
"So why don't I feel like a big success?" asked John.
"Because that's part of leadership. You know the old poem, 'Laugh and the world laughs
with you, cry and you cry alone?'"
"Yeah. I've heard it."
"Leadership is like that. The gains belong to everyone, because you get there as a team.
But the losses... The losses are yours alone, and you wonder what you failed to do."
"I wasn't supposed to be the leader, Elizabeth."
"That doesn't matter now, does it? This is where we are." She gestured to the ocean that
surrounded them. "This wasn't what we expected. Wraith, Genii, food and power
shortages. But we've adapted. And, even if you don't believe it, you've adapted, too."
"Oh, really?"
"Yes, really. Having the position isn't the same as being a leader. Even if Colonel Sumner
had lived, you would still be one of the leaders here. That's just the sort of person you are.
And you're good at it."
"But am I good enough?" asked John.
"I think so. I believe so. I have to. It's part of being a leader."
Author: Terrie01
Summary: In the wake of the storm, Sheppard and Weir have a chat.
She stood on the balcony outside her office and leaned forward against the rail. Her head
was tipped back so that the sun warmed her face, and her eyes were closed. John leaned
back against the railing, resting his elbows against the top of it. "Enjoying the weather?"
"Let's just say I have never been so glad to see the sun in my life," said Elizabeth.
"Yeah. I know what you mean." He looked back over his shoulder at the ocean. "We got
lucky this time, didn't we?"
"We did, Major. Very, very lucky. But it wasn't just luck that got us through this. We have
good people here. Without them, luck wouldn't have been enough."
"Yeah," said John. "Rodney, Ford, Beckett, they all came through when we needed them
to."
"So did you," said Elizabeth.
"I just did my job."
"Maybe, but you did it amazingly well. Don't sell yourself short here. You're part of why
we've gotten this far."
"So why don't I feel like a big success?" asked John.
"Because that's part of leadership. You know the old poem, 'Laugh and the world laughs
with you, cry and you cry alone?'"
"Yeah. I've heard it."
"Leadership is like that. The gains belong to everyone, because you get there as a team.
But the losses... The losses are yours alone, and you wonder what you failed to do."
"I wasn't supposed to be the leader, Elizabeth."
"That doesn't matter now, does it? This is where we are." She gestured to the ocean that
surrounded them. "This wasn't what we expected. Wraith, Genii, food and power
shortages. But we've adapted. And, even if you don't believe it, you've adapted, too."
"Oh, really?"
"Yes, really. Having the position isn't the same as being a leader. Even if Colonel Sumner
had lived, you would still be one of the leaders here. That's just the sort of person you are.
And you're good at it."
"But am I good enough?" asked John.
"I think so. I believe so. I have to. It's part of being a leader."