Is not it ironical that inherently all leadership laurels, saintly sermons, pious preaching and quotable quotes revolve around values, virtues and quality; yet our addiction and admiration for profit and power always reign supreme? If a CEO of a company takes fat salary and bonus, a promoter garners millions of dollars of fund in initial public offering of his start-up, top boss manages his company to make handsome profit or a political leader ascends to high power, media, press and general public would adore and elevate him next to the God, go gaga for what he speaks, wears or eats. Have you not observed that such persons, who sit on profit and/or power, are being made by media and press heroes of nation, saviors of societies and even visionaries of Universe? Are such sycophancies justified simply for reasons of money and muscles of power? May be that media and press are unable to sell their stories to common public without bringing profit and power in limelight! But then, same media or press would raise flag against sycophancy and be seen as upholder of moral values!! So, there is a big contradiction!!!
Let us assume that some of above leaders or bosses are indeed deserving but unable to deliver in difficult time, what happens then? Everyone would simply dump them! Most of personal growth materials, motivational discourses or moral essays talk of success and failure as two sides of the same coin i.e. life; but it goes for a toss, when it comes to exhibiting or executing it in open. We seem to be only concerned with what would sell to fraternity and get us profit and publicity! Is that not true?
We always love to talk and read about story of a successful person when he or she has got success after failure. However, we write off same person, when he/she fails after success! Is not it an intellectual bankruptcy that we term failure an opportunity; but fight shy of welcoming it or at least talk of how that person is fighting a failure and surviving to get success?
Look at events of charity held in most countries. These are generally presided over by who are popular or powerful, but not charitable! It seems it is public, which supports cause of who holds chair or cosmetic charisma; rest is secondary and is good for lip service!
Further, you can observe some of leaders, who have lost power. They appear dejected and disillusioned. They seem to have forgotten that loss is meant to revitalize and resurge. They might be the ones, who orchestrated that power is poison! So what is the deal, if power is lost? Contradiction is also true of employees in most organizations – if their bête noire becomes their boss, suddenly they would not only like to become his blue eyed boys/girls, but also idolize him! Present generation of employees believes in high standards of conduct but would not hesitate to clap for sub-standard expressions or writings, if coming from bosses!!
Research shows that what you support would also swarm you! So, if you are a party to contradiction like above, it would also become part of your life taking you through cycles of success and setback, highs and lows!!
Points to ponder!
Shake your conscience; most likely you would not like the above state, which our society has come to. Please challenge yourself with following questions:
- Unknowingly, have you started following double standards?
- Though you talk of virtues; do you walk with vices?
- Has “living in contradiction” become part of your character?
How about trashing any or all on the above, if true? Take a constructive and consistent view of every situation and you would turn a new leaf in your life! You would usher in change the way you think and do things, like never before!!
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