As the pandemic took hold, Myra Goodman Smith turned to a quotation from 20th-century motivational writer and speaker William Arthur Ward — “The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails” — inserting “leader” in place of “realist.”
Leadership Metro Richmond’s signature program, Leadership Quest — which seeks to build relationships among business and nonprofit professionals — quickly shifted to a hybrid platform and added workshops, open to anyone, on sustainability, nonprofit board work, and inclusion and diversity. “We recognized that leadership development needed to continue,” she says. “We didn’t fold up the tent.”
Goodman also began hearing from people in the community, expressing concern in the wake of the George Floyd murder and asking how to take action.
“We got calls from people saying, ‘I want to do something,’ ” she says. “But we needed to take a moment and breathe to get through our emotions. As an African American woman, I had to manage myself … while helping people understand what was happening. I told [inquirers] to look at your resources, your networks, your abilities to make a difference.”
At home, Goodman and her husband cleared furniture from a rarely used living room and bought a pool table — replacing one they had years ago. Now, she says, their daily game is a welcome source of relaxation. “I do walk a lot, but this is something my husband and I share,” she says. “It’s something to take my mind off the world.”
