When you expect too much from people who, you thought, were to show good leadership, of course, you get disappointed, you carry yourself a heavy burden, you don’t miss to be a mess yourself, you find yourself getting mad unwittingly, you curse. Need I say more? These are the marks of how unhappy you could be in an environment that capitalizes on delivering results while forgetting the right way of attacking the issue and dismissing the importance of just being a human. All they ever want and make sure is for you to follow their own voice as they only hear it, spread yourself too thinly with their little or zero help, stressing yourself out too much.
There are a number of scenarios wherein you want to scream at the top of your lungs because something’s amiss in your little environment. Something mishandled, mismanaged is a legit cry for foul. When mismanagement occurs, you can’t expect too much from your own people. Those at the top got to be kidding for faring poorly in that aspect, and the ripple effects aren’t forgiving. From accomplishing things on time to the simple treatment of your people, they couldn’t get any worse.
How you see your followers matters in a no-nonsense manner, for good leaders beget good followers. Let us start with misusing the word in everyday conversation, which gets us in some real trouble. Trouble is a bubble, it blows up. In the case of those people who are supposed to guide, to lead, misusing the word is as powerful as a punch straight in your face. Can’t you be careful with the choice of words or the tone of your voice? That’s the same question being repeatedly hoped for by a follower who tries to peek through any degree of sensitivity where the leader should know better about it.
It is a fact that some people can just be plain mean. It is probably how their system works, that’s basically how they survive in the first place. Being mean, rude, is bullying, which brings you back to your old childhood enemies. You rationalize why; you try to understand the hostility because they are probably just being cruel only to be kind. That’s the heart of a good follower, to see the good in them. But there is, of course, an area of hurt as you tire yourself of trying to fathom their meanness.
It is ludicrous to think how these people have risen to the top. Through plain tyranny? It doesn't make sense because Hitler has long been pronounced dead. Through their genius? But it’s obvious how their low EQs overwhelm their high IQs. That said, it doesn't make them all the worth of respect. I am a follower myself, not the easiest you can call a leader, but I could grade myself those people down to the bottom. Sometimes, a funny thought comes to mind, telling them, ‘Where is the John Maxwell in you? Haven't you read one of the leadership guru’s books? How about Robin Sharma’s The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari’. I laugh at myself to pale off all the worries.
I remember a book I've read 4 years back by Thomas à Kempis. It is The Imitation of Christ. My good boss wanted me to read it and let me borrow. I haven’t read the whole book, but I remember the first few chapters. What sticks to my mind is to always treat others as your betters, to keep on improving yourself and no matter how bad some people are, you have to see in them a different light, or at least the good through them. But triggered emotions flare up, and you get emotional sometimes because you respond to what they press hard on you. Even if you are the most patient person that you are, there is a tipping point wherein you just can’t take all that you perceive as against you as a person, trespassing or violating your peace.
I wish I have the powers in my command to be at peace all the time.
Image: Lucky Plaza, Orchard, Singapore
