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dafremen
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I was thinking about leadership the other day. I was thinking about how some folks look at leadership like its some sort of animal combat for dominance. They squabble for 19th century Darwinian materialist supremacy like elephant seals; barking "Winners win, losers whine." That's their mantra. That's how you beat a conscience, by the way: with a mantra. These people will justify their sociopathic behavior with meaningless catchphrases like, "Hey don't hate the player, hate the game." Has anyone EVER seen a game without players? No players, no game. You know why people say meaningless crap like that? Because deep down, they know they are being scumbags. I'm not sure that's leadership worth following.
Now other people take on leadership like its some sort of parental role. And while they're assuming the part of Daddy, they figure "What the hell? Why not make it fascism?" I think we've all been in the vicinity of this sort of "leadership." Hell, we're currently soaking it (make that drowning.) Me personally? I KNOW I've been guilty of that sort of thinking. "If only they would just listen!" But maybe that's not for them, young Daf. Maybe trying to force people to follow when they don't feel it isn't the best approach. Maybe that's not leadership.
Maybe leadership is like being a kindergarten student after the teacher has left the class; looking around, you see that some of your friends are worried. And some are hungry. And so you look for a way to make things better for them, because you are moved inside to act. Maybe leadership then, is turning to the distressed and offering them reassurance and words of comfort. Maybe it's searching for whatever solution seems reasonable and will help people. While the rest of the world is playing, fighting, judging and exploring, maybe leadership is about doing what needs to be done so that everyone else can continue playing and fighting and judging and exploring..maybe.
Or maybe you find the teacher's snack time stash of milk and cookies. That's where real leaders separate themselves from the scientists and explorers. Because real leadership will find a way to convince that class of kids that raiding teacher's stash or NOT raiding it is exactly what THEY want to do..they will follow because THEY want to. And this seems most crucial of all: if it's TRUE leadership, they'll be glad they did.
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