That is why I don’t worry, I pray and take action!” and this is how she lived her life, by praying for action in all of the endeavors she faced, big or small. This brings me back to her visit to my school that one day to visit my teacher and principal. I struggled at a young age to speak clearly. My mother saw the challenge of my enunciating and vocalizing certain consonants, letters, and words, and this troubled her immensely. This was the reason my mother took time out to visit my school. She had scheduled a meeting with my teacher to plan for and address my difficulty with speaking. I didn’t know at the time this was a concern, but it was for my mother, as my speech impediment was something she wanted to be addressed, and refused to let it become a hindrance for me. So, after my mother’s meeting at my school, they developed a plan where I would spend thirty to forty-five minutes a day with a speech therapist. I didn’t mind the plan they developed for me, but I hated that it was always during the middle of the day in class; the speech therapist would enter our room, announce my name, and let everyone know what she was there for. You see, my family, we are all private and prideful people—sometimes to a fault— and openly sharing our business was not something we subscribed to or offered up freely. Just imagine this proud little six-year-old, sitting in his chair, waiting for the clock to strike, and seeing this lady walk into the door like the town crier every day without fail and say, “Cleophus Franklin Jr., it is time for you to come with me to go to your speech therapy class!” She didn’t know the friends I had in my neighborhood feasted on that type of intel like vultures on fresh roadkill. Hey, Cleophus, what’s the problem, you can’t talk, right? Ha, ha, you have to go to class to learn how to speak and learn the sound of S is different from the sound of F. Ha, ha, ha! I can tell you, I despised speech therapy class, and I had to do it for two years. But I also got through it, and I owe my mom a great debt of gratitude. The reason why is her “long-game” strategy worked out perfectly for me. It gave me confidence and turned an impediment into a strategic advantage. She saw a problem, took action, developed a plan for her son, and flawlessly executed it. My mom’s investment into perfecting my speaking hindrance helped propel me to the many leadership and executive-level roles I have held with prominent global businesses. With her love and persistence, today I teach MBA students as a co-professor and senior corporate fellow at the University of Houston, Marilyn Davies School of Business. I have had the honor of being inducted into two Hall of Fames, one as an athlete and the other for outstanding business excellence. I am also an entrepreneur and author of two books, which include many of my mother’s timeless wisdom and sage advice as a tribute to her legacy. My mom’s strategy to address my speech difficulties early on has also allowed me to become a respected keynote business and inspirational speaker. Lastly, my mother gifted me her strong drive, tenacious spirit, and determination to always resist but make sure you also create. She also helped me learn and appreciate the power between talking about something versus doing something about it. It always brings me great joy after I have delivered a keynote or completed a presentation to have someone come up to me and say, “You are one of the best speakers and presenters I have ever listened to!” I always smile and say, “You have my mother to thank as I developed this ability from a kiss on the forehead early in my life, which gave me not only my start but my confidence.”
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