Bill Leslie: The issue of control

Most of us like to be in control of our lives including our work. But when is it best to surrender some of that control? That was one of the most interesting questions that came up at a grand event in Raleigh last Friday.

It was the North Carolina Awards Program for 2018. This year there were six winners of what is called North Carolina’s highest award. The honors were handed out at the Raleigh Convention Center.

I love the story of Gene Roberts, one of the most incredible journalists of our time. The Wayne County native helped the Philadelphia Inquirer win 17 Pulitzer Prizes in 18 years. As executive editor of the newspaper, Gene says he recruited young, hungry and talented reporters and then “got out of the way” and let them dig, work and uncover big stories.

Earlier in his career, Gene reported on big stories himself, including the civil rights struggle, the Vietnam War and the assassination of President Kennedy.

Bill Leslie to receive highest civilian honor in NC

Another North Carolina Award winner for public service was actually part of the big story. Carolyn Coleman was one of the early African-American activists arrested during restaurant sit-in protests in the South.

Later, Carolyn led efforts to challenge at-large elections of judges, county commissioners and school board members across North Carolina. Her efforts led to redistricting and the election of the first two African-American members of Congress since Reconstruction in North Carolina.

Barbara Millhouse won a North Carolina Award for creating one of the country’s most outstanding collections of American art. The granddaughter of R.J. Reynolds is responsible for bringing works of American masters to the Reynolda House Museum in Winston-Salem. I have never been to the museum but I received a personal invitation at the awards ceremony and plan to visit very soon.

Michael McFee won the 2018 North Carolina Award for Literature. The Asheville native and UNC-Chapel Hill professor is a brilliant poet. Michael told me he always carries around a little notebook so we can write down interesting things that happen to him throughout the day. These little notes become fuel for poems. Early in my career, I also carried around a little notebook of phrases and thoughts and Michael has inspired me to do it again.

It’s all about teamwork in the busy world of William Roper, another North Carolina Award winner. You need a team when you have as much on your plate as Dr. Roper. The UNC Health Care chief and dean of UNC’s Medical School was recently named the interim president of the entire UNC system.

Roper says you can get so much more done in life if you work as a team and give credit and praise to your team members.

I was deeply honored to win a North Carolina Award this year for my careers in broadcast journalism and music. I credit a natural competitive fire, good education and a transistor radio for my success. As a child, I put the radio under my pillow at night and listened to music and newscasts and tried to emulate the announcers. Using a $17 guitar, I started writing music in the eighth grade. I did my first radio newscast on a commercial station at age 17. I found two worlds that I dearly loved – broadcast journalism and music. I pursued them both with passion and purpose.

All of the award winners were treated to a splendid reception at the Governor’s Mansion followed by a dinner and awards program at the Raleigh Convention Center. Governor Roy Cooper presided over the black-tie ceremonies and handed out the awards with help from Secretary Susi Hamilton of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.

It was truly one of the most exciting days of my life. It made me prouder than ever to be a North Carolinian!