What a 13 year-old taught me about leadership and humanity
We all have the capacity to lead – not just in moments of certainty, but in moments that test the very heart of who we are.
On a recent trip to Luxembourg and Belgium, I met a boy named Emile Mostade. He was 13 – curious, lively, and full of plans. He told me about helping in his father’s bike shop, fixing neighbors’ bicycles, and maybe, one day, tuning bikes for races. He dreamed of seeing the Belgian seaside and proudly showed me the accordion he loved to play. There was a quiet resilience behind his smile.
I didn’t actually meet Emile in the flesh. A real child of 1944, he “guided” me through an interactive exhibit at the Bastogne War Museum. Emile had been sent from his small village to Bastogne – tucked into the northern Ardennes – because his family thought he’d be safer there. When the German offensive encircled the town, he and dozens of townsfolk sheltered in the basement of his uncle’s café for more than a month while the Battle of the Bulge raged. Emile survived; his parents did not. After the war – still a child – he took over the family bike shop and eventually became a respected figure in European cycling, including the Tour de France.
I already knew the facts of the Battle of the Bulge: frozen weather, troop movements, staggering casualties. I’d watched Band of Brothers and pored over history books. Yet none of that ever landed quite the way Emile’s voice did. His hopes, losses, and life after the war turned a famous siege into something more personal.
The exhibit also introduced me to others who survived the battle: Mathilde Devillers, a young teacher shielding her students; Hans Wegmüller, a German lieutenant torn by conscience; and Robert Keane, an American paratrooper from the 101st Airborne. Each individual brought a different perspective. Different choices. Different stakes. They reminded me that behind every major event and situation are people living through it – and that, as leaders, we must never lose sight of that.
Just beyond the museum, the star-shaped Mardasson Memorial honors the 76,890 American soldiers killed, wounded, or missing in the Battle of the Bulge. It is solemn and immense. Yet the strongest impression I carried away was a boy with an accordion. That single connection did what raw data or even words on a page never could: it made me feel why the battle mattered – and to whom.
In leadership – whether we’re shaping strategy, steering change, or launching a new idea – we often start with the what and the how. The real power arrives when we also ask: why does this matter and to whom? Who will carry the decision forward? Who will remember it? Metrics track performance, but connection creates commitment. A plan doesn’t come alive until it is rooted in lived experience – until we grasp not just the goals, but the people behind them.
Tomorrow’s leaders will operate in a world defined by real-time analytics and AI-driven dashboards. The temptation will be to focus on optimization alone. That is exactly why we must stay students of the past. Human stories give context to the numbers; they remind us that leadership isn’t only efficiency and execution – it’s empathy and meaning. Emile’s experience shows that leadership can be quiet endurance, rebuilding after loss, or simply holding onto hope when the lights go out — but it is always about real people.
So, as we design our next big initiative, let’s keep asking: Who is this for, and what story will it let them tell? Because in the end, every breakthrough, every chart, and every data point still lands on a human being. And that’s where real leadership begins – and where it matters most.
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An Invitation to Lead Differently
Leadership Outside the Box is dedicated to exploring the next wave of leadership, fostering out-of-the-box, future-focused thinking for leaders at every level. Through columns, interviews, videos, and real-time observations, I hope to spark your insight, challenge assumptions, and support your growth in the art and science of leadership. As the founder of Story Board Advisors, and having had the privilege of working for decades as a CEO, board director, executive coach, university faculty, and writer, my goal is to help you think differently, lead intentionally, and think about what is ahead, so you can truly make a difference in the world.
I invite you to read along and share your views. You can reach me at suzanna@storyboardadvisors.com.
Very moving- such important questions- thanks.