When you have some level of success, there is a real danger of being put on a pedestal.
There are right ways and wrong ways to acknowledge success. It is one thing to appreciate and respect individual accomplishment. Believing that a person could achieve similar success in any other endeavor is a different matter. In fact, it can be risky to follow advice or make hasty assumptions about various situations based on our choice of role models. For example, Bruce Springsteen is a highly talented songwriter and musician; however, there is a notable disparity between his songwriting and his personal life. He is not a deity; he is a man. Thinking he has life all figured out isn’t fair to him or you.
I see the same thing in business circles. Leaders who have achieved some degree of success are held up as paragons of business acumen and virtue. It takes an evolved person not to fall victim to this trap and believe their own press. Sadly, if you read the business media, you will notice that many of them are quick to embrace their own esteemed status and offer opinions on many things they know nothing about. The truth is that what works for one person may not work for someone else. In addition, taking intellectual shortcuts or jumping to fast conclusions based on what you believe to be true is a slippery slope. The scientific method remains a reliable guideline for testing your hypothesis. Without factual substantiation, an opinion remains merely a point of view. Moreover, most circumstances are usually unique and situational.
Ideologues have always concerned me because they believe too much in what they say, rarely listen to other perspectives, and demonize or denigrate their opposition. They spend most of their time proselytizing or defending their views, rather than challenging and expanding their understanding of what they already believe. They are almost obsessed with creating converts to their viewpoint. They talk at people instead of engaging them in two-way conversations. Their opinion is always what matters most. People who disagree are often labeled as ignorant or misinformed, perceived as possessing character flaws, or viewed as barriers to progress. We have plenty of such people on both the right and left in Washington, DC, now. If nothing changes, a crisis of leadership is looming that will be difficult to overcome. Nature has a way of dealing with broken ecosystems.
All the above being said, I certainly believe there is a lot we can learn from others who have reached the pinnacle of their respective professions. Just make sure you are careful about whom you study and what you can truly learn from them. The diversity of input is much more important than embracing like-minded views or validating what you already believe. We can learn as much from others’ mistakes as from their successes. No one has it all figured out, and anyone who thinks they do is foolhardy. The future will always be much different from the past or present. The more I age, the more I appreciate what I don’t know. It is the gray areas of life that often prove to be the most challenging to navigate. Sometimes there are no easy answers.
If you are someone who is already held in high regard, I urge you to exercise caution in your beliefs and the importance you place on your own opinions. Confidence can quickly become arrogance. Study the history books, and you will find countless examples of leaders who ultimately falter under the weight of their pride and ego. Life has a way of humbling us all.
I often tell my clients that when you think you have it all figured out, it’s time to consider selling your business or letting someone else take over. Leadership is about asking the right questions and searching for the right answers, not simply applying what you think you already know. Avoid becoming an expert on what others should be doing and focus instead on becoming the best you can be. We are all constantly evolving. There is no leadership philosophy or set of techniques that is applicable in all situations.
Pedestals are for flowers and artwork, not people
Related articles
- What Leadership Was and What Leadership Has Become (shoretelsky.com)
- Leadership & Self Deception: The Invisible Poison (kxw1.wordpress.com)
- When Leaders Fail: Is There a Point of No Return? (leadershipspirit.wordpress.com)
- Leadership is Sacrifice (thesixelement.wordpress.com)