The Art of Healing: A Leadership Imperative

Mark Raymond, Jr.

Unless you are in the medical profession, healing is not often thought about in terms of a leadership goal. Two recent stories connected leadership and healing, marrying them into the scope of thinking, being, and doing. A beautiful part of the connection was how the small changes or adjustments in each story made a seismic difference.

On what he considered a normal day, Mark Raymond Jr. dived off a boat into a lake and hit his head on the lake bottom. He fractured his fifth vertebrae and was put into a medically-induced coma. When he woke up, he couldn’t walk or use his hands. At the age of twenty-seven, Raymond went from being an outdoorsman to being a loner consumed by the psychological and emotional despair of suicidal thoughts, guilt, depression, and grief.

Spending three months at a California rehab facility, Raymond watched as individuals got out of their wheelchairs and participated in gym workouts. He was inspired by what he experienced and decided to create a gym back home in New Orleans to do the same for others like him. He challenged the norm by recognizing and instituting the small adjustments that took into consideration how the body connects with the gym machines, which made a big difference for those with spinal cord injuries, cerebral palsy and other disabilities.

Raymond founded the Spilt Second Foundation. The name reflects the amount of time it can take for life to completely change, as it did for him. His mission for the Foundation is to provide clients a sense of belonging in a supportive environment where they are pushed to get better and embrace their purpose. Raymond says that being a quadriplegic is his superpower to help others heal.

Small Changes

I first wrote about Michael Kiwanuka in 2021 to exemplify the journey of recognizing and embracing “Your Sound.” He discovered that his sound was not what he thought people wanted him to sound like, but rather, about bringing out that which sets him apart.

A recent New York Times article on Michael was entitled: “Music Heals Me. So That’s What I Try and Do.” This mindset is a crucial part of the communication Kiwanuka strives for in his songwriting. He discovered additional ways of expressing his voice while making his latest album, Small Changes. He says that he settled into simple chords and progressions to allow people to relate more easily. Kiwanuka discovered the various parts of himself he enjoyed as well as those he wrestled with. He found the courage to tell his stories, so people could connect and feel into the experience. When he sees people in the audience crying, his connection is affirmed. Kiwanuka says that his “utopia” is in moving people in ways that can reveal meaning.

Art can heal:

—As we embody the energy of melodic rhythms and powerful lyrics.

—As we experience compelling visuals that evoke emotional resonance.

Leadership can heal:

—When we make small changes to deepen communication, empathy, and compassion.

—When we look beyond our own interests and make adjustments to empower the potential of others.

Small changes and small adjustments can be a pathway to healing. We just need to figure out what those changes or adjustments need to be and take action.