When It's Time to Change

(No AI Was Used to Compose This Post)

I was so clever and prepared. Barry Williams, a.k.a. Greg Brady from the Brady Bunch was coming to my school at the perfect time (if you're not of a certain age, picture Zack Morris from Saved by the Bell). I was hosting a show called "Classic Cheese" at my university's radio station. The show featured 70s-era pop hits, and wasn't I just a genius to think I could join the autograph queue and ask Mr. Williams to record a quick promo for my show? I had a short script written for him, there were fresh batteries in my recorder and my confidence oozed. He had to love this, right? I didn't want an autograph or a photo. All I wanted was his voice. I'd be promoting him as much as he was promoting Classic Cheese! Oh, this guy was going to love me. 

"Don't meet your heroes," they say. When I hear this adage, my memory always goes back to Greg Brady.

For many years, the narrative in my memory was that Barry was a jerk. He didn't want to record my promo, and he didn't even want to listen to my beautifully succinct elevator pitch. He slowed down the autograph line more than me! But the truth is, Mr. Williams didn't have any reason to know or trust me, and I had no Plan B. And, if I'm really honest, I was a brat when he turned me down. I was the jerk.

So many metaphors...

In many ways, we are the Barry Williams characters in our campus dramas. We have opportunities to be kind, but as conduct officers, we often have to say no. Sometimes it's because of a policy, sometimes it's because we're being asked to support something that just isn't right, and sometimes we just need more time to think about a request but extra time is not an option. I wish I'd had this empathy when I met Greg Brady. I wish I'd had some creative alternatives just in case the promo recording hadn't been an option.

Nerding Out on Creativity

Fast forward to 2026, when I reached out to a different hero, Keith Sawyer, who immediately said yes to my invitation to appear on Ms. Behavior. Dr. Sawyer is a creativity scholar and the author of two of my all-time favorite books - Group Genius and Zig Zag, both of which I've used for inspiration in classes, workshops and leadership. He hosts one of my favorite podcasts, the Science of Creativity and his Substack blog always gets my brain buzzing. He's all that, and maybe he's the reason I was more creative as the date for his interview approached.

As the interview date got closer, I kept hearing the mantra "Don't meet your heroes," in my head, but I also had a wiser voice coaching me. "You've learned so much from Dr. Sawyer. That doesn't go away." "Tell yourself, Colette, that no matter what happens, Group Genius will still
be something you absolutely love." "Use this interview as a learning opportunity."

Well, let me tell you, folks, Keith Sawyer is warm and kind and curious and thoughtful and everything you would want a hero to be. I hope you'll listen to his interview for yourself to glean creative ideas to innovate your conduct practice. 

As for you, Barry Williams, I offer an apology for putting you in an awkward position and not respecting your very reasonable boundary. It's been almost 30 years since our encounter, and I still love your music and the life lessons Greg Brady taught me when I was young. Maybe, because of Greg, I still cling to idealism in my career. Just like the Brady Bunch showed us, a happy ending is always possible.