Well, technically I had met Chuck Wolfe previously. So maybe this should be “Re-Meeting Chuck Wolfe”?

Nah – I veto that.

Why?

Because even though we meet people – and know people – those people can still amaze us. And when they do it can feel like you are meeting a totally different person.

Chuck Wolfe amazed me.

It wasn’t the breadth of his knowledge on LGBT issues. It wasn’t any specific knowledge of LGBT politics. It wasn’t even his track record as Executive Director of the Victory Fund.

They were all impressive, yes, but I’ve seen that knowledge and those skills in many others. None of those things amazed me.

What amazed me was the way he communicated those things. You can be the most brilliant person in the world, but without a way to communicate and express yourself you end up being an ordinary genius.

So few who have Chuck’s knowledge have the gift to communicate.

Now, I have met many intelligent people who specialize in a field and have risen to the top in that field. There is usually one word I think of immediately when I think of those people – EGO.

Not that it’s always a bad thing…some people with ego’s are nice and ego does make the world go ‘round to some degree. But there is a limit.

Nothing about Chuck Wolfe said EGO. He was welcoming and open and willing to discuss anything I brought up. But not only discuss it – give an amazingly clear and concise answer that made me think there was a speechwriter waiting somewhere in the wings.

If we had more leaders – gay or straight – who could communicate like Chuck Wolfe we would have a completely different political landscape in our country.

Hopefully as I travel from state to state I will meet more people – more leaders – with this skill.