Oh what a warm, glowing, smiling face, accentuated by sparkling eyes! That was a decade ago and Mr. Nice was newly retired then after a rewarding career. He and his wife had children and grandchildren they're proud of, and were looking forward to enjoying more time spent in doing good for those around them. Recent photos of him though, showed a tiredness and resignation. When we do meet occasionally, his eyes reflect pain and disappointment. Yes, he still sacrificially plods on with his good works - he is sincerely passionate about them! He is a genuinely good person.
What on earth had happened? Well, in his desire to be of service, he had volunteered for a leadership position among a group of influential people. He felt that he now had the means and drive to be a positive influence alongside them. 'They' were glad to have a 'head', but he soon learnt that 'they' had their own ideas about how objectives were to be achieved. He had to make several moral choices during his association with them andand chose to go with the flow. A case of 'the tail wagging the dog'?
Like most, he chose the line of least resistance even kept silent when he shouldn't have. He wanted to be everyone's Nice Guy. BUT silence and/or inaction is a decision in itself, and he increasingly lost the respect that had taken him an entire lifetime to build. What a waste! Sure, he was still Mr. Nice but no longer was he accepted as a leader. His personal brand lost its shine and his personal pain increased. Sigh. Meanwhile his 'they' colleagues too lost their credibility while those who perservered with standing on principles gained reputations for being dependable in tough situations.
(History tells us that groups want Leaders who are decisive and directional - look at the depth of influence that (even eventually destructive) leaders from Hitler and Genghis Khan to (peace-promoting) Gandhi and Buddha had and still wield!)
Perhaps you are facing difficulties with taking a stand in your community? What are the risk-to-impact factors to sustaining your brand? I'd be glad to listen and help you to clarify what YOU really want to do to stay in a gainful position. Call me at 6-03-21697704?
BRING ME THE BRAND, I'LL INCREASE ITS PROFITS!
No comments:
Post a Comment