Alex Lepe
Running Toward the Roar is about running toward the moments of fear in our lives. We all have moments of fear that define and change us. Just like a gazelle that runs from the male lion’s roar and into the waiting trap of the female lioness, running from fear hurts us. But when you face fears and look at them as challenges to overcome, you escape the waiting lioness. Fort Worth’s own State District Judge Don Cosby says every day is a Running Toward the Roar moment. He stays grounded and ready for battle by following the law and the “Code of Judicial Conduct.” Cosby jokes that with every decision he makes, only 50 percent of people will agree with him. In business, there are many difficult decisions that leaders will have to make, usually on a daily basis. While there is no way to make the right decision every time, there is a process to make the best decision at that right moment.
Accept that sometimes the right answer isn’t cut and dry. There are no right answers. The decision must be based on the most current information at that time.
Commit to one path and take it without hesitation. Make decisions based on fact, like Cosby in the courtroom. Do not waver because the desired outcome will not be accomplished.
Growing up, Cosby did not have life easy, but he took his struggles and hardship and turned them into his story of success. Cosby’s father abandoned him, his brother and mother, leaving them with no money and no place to live.
His mother took a kitchen job at the Lena Pope Chapel Hill Academy, and Cosby and his brother attended Chapel Hill. Cosby enjoyed living at the Lena Pope home. There were lots of boys his age to make friends with. He said it was great having enough boys around to make up two baseball teams. Cosby and his brother received academic scholarships to Trinity Valley School.
Once the school year was underway, their workload became much larger than the previous school year. He recalled the homework being difficult, not only because it was challenging, but also because of the sheer amount of kids around all the time. It was not always easy finding a quiet spot to study. Cosby would seek solace in his mother’s room. The Lena Pope home adapted with Cosby and his brother as they grew.
The rules changed to allow them solitude for study times. Great company cultures do the same thing. They grow with the employees. It is important to do culture checks with your employees so you can make sure they have the knowledge, tools and resources needed to do their job to the best of their ability.
Cosby attributes the Lena Pope Home to helping him stay positive in his youth during challenging times. Much of our life and belief system is programmed in our younger years, and positive influences can inspire success. Cosby was taken in by Bob Bolen, the future mayor of Fort Worth, and his wife Fran. The family was raising five children of their own but still invited Cosby into their home to help mentor and guide him in his youth. To this day, Cosby still quotes Bolen, “Leave it better than you found it.” The Bolens mentored Cosby and taught him to be a good citizen. They taught him:
In life, there are leaders and there are followers;
It takes both to make the world go ’round;
Leaders must inspire the followers; and
The mark of a true leader is the ability to encourage and influence another person to succeed.
Cosby has always loved the law. At a young age, he got to meet prominent judges in his city where he enjoyed seeing the many people who came in and out of the courtrooms. He formed an appreciation for the fairness and compassion a judge can have while holding a trial. And there was Cosby’s love of reading, a big part of a judge’s job. He was admitted into St. Mary’s University and passed the Texas State Bar in 1980. After graduating, he worked in the legal departments for Sunbelt Real Estate and at AMRESCO, but the time came where he decided to go after his dream.
He packed up his family and moved back to Fort Worth. Two years after moving, Cosby decided to put his law degree into practice by running for state district judge, but becoming one did not come easy. He did not win his first election but did continue to serve in the district, and when another judge passed, he was ushered into office.
Cosby’s most memorable Running Toward the Roar moment was in the case of a trial where he was friends with both defense and prosecuting attorneys. It was a high-stakes, multimillion-dollar case that Cosby admitted was one that ended up where the decision he made severed the friendships. His job as a judge came first.
If anybody asks Cosby if he ever has thought about changing careers, he will say no. His wife and children encourage him to stay the course and continue to pursue his passion. When asked what is next, Cosby wants to teach. He says Bob Bolen inspired him to give back. His success formula he would give to readers is made up of commitment, focus, perseverance, strength, faith and family.