Reach your goals with an honourable plan
A culture of unreachable leadership
Opinion piece
Here we go again.
Another unrealistic goal was handed down from leadership, and I was not given time for any input. Often, from the government to the corporate sector. Accept it and figure out how to make it happen.
Now you are trapped in the corner, so we will have to "lie, cheat, and steal" (as the saying goes) or lose our jobs. Where does this come from? It is the desire for self-protection that primarily causes employees to cheat. That corrupts decision-making and the way money gets “earned”.
Ethical fading, caused by excessive pressure to hit short-term goals, can lead to unethical decisions and create an uncomfortable and damaging work environment.
Today we learn from Simon Sinek and Lee Ellis.
Ellis says "it's so critical for the honourable leader to have a keen understanding of the human domain. We must face the dangerous reality that people desperately want to succeed at all costs". When we ask the 'why', 'why am I here, why do I get up', we need to shift our mindset that our goal is to help them be successful.
So, the honourable in the room should be an honourable plan, an honourable why. Read "Engage with Honor: Building a Culture of Courageous Accountability".
We do not teach people how to have uncomfortable conversations, give and receive feedback, or social interaction, which are more valuable skills than maths and English for life.
Why are we so scared of failing or being seen as an instrument of failure? We should have honest conversations with our peers about some of the things or traits we have in our lives. Traits that make us prone to tolerate fear or doubt that prevent us from living a happier and purposeful life.
Be aware
Having an awareness of blind spots and the skills needed to be a better person is essential for having value in the lives of others. Again, not how others view me, but how I add value to the lives of others. A lot of the magic is in this very one and simple task 'be truthful'.
Sacrificing for something you love is different from sacrificing for something you do not, and having a purpose or cause can provide a reason for the sacrifice.
Sinek says, "challenge yourself and your crew to not tell a single lie for the next 48 hours and be mindful of how you express the truth". But, understand that "sometimes we can only tell the truth when the conditions are better for it to be received".
So this asks us to implement sound judgment, the proverbial ‘guard your tongue’ and add ‘with timing’. Your CEO had a nervous speech on camera and afterwards seemed relieved and asks you whether you think he did well. Frankly, it was a disaster, but imagine saying "I was happy to see you engage the journalists without fear and that you had all the knowledge to answer some tuff questions".
Rather, the next day, make time, face to face, and then say, "I thought about your interview again from yesterday, and there are some ideas I have on how you could best listen to the questions before answering with all the statistics".
Or telling your partner that asks you whether she looks fat in this dress; "I think the other dress complimented you more".
My Selfie and I have dimmed the view of where the line should be drawn for being pro- or anti-social. For being truthful versus hurtful. For being on a self-put pedestal. We have confused pro-social activities and made them selfish instead of using them to serve others.
Divided attention
Divided attention is not an asset or a good trait. Interrupting others by not being present is rude. We cannot say we are involved, because we cannot decide when we are present - it is up to others to recognize it.
You will see it in your opponent or colleague's face, whether you are a good listener. Whether you understand, whether you are asking relevant questions and whether your input is contributing to their WHY.
Sinek makes it simple, and we need to simplify our "Whys" today. "Sacrificing for another is the most beautiful thing we can do, and it gives our lives purpose". Sacrificing your time, food, resources, and energy for someone else is part of why you exist. Not to gather and hide for the winter.
So let's be creative communicators and use curiosity and humour to ask questions, challenge perspectives, and share illuminating ideas to help create a sustainable and fulfilled world. Let's evolve into more creative ways of listening and being truly present in the now. If you are doing something and it stresses you out more than it rewards you and others, you might need to redirect the course.
To meditate on it so that the truth can unveil itself and the situation for what it really is.
Because, by over-compensating to meet short-term goals, you might start losing grip on what is honourable and what is truthful. Then you sacrifice your own dignity to conform. We have to find and practise good ethics to be sustainable and to maintain trust. Else if you are having an affair with someone or something that is not in congruence with the purpose you breathe from your soul, your core identity, you will lose grip on reality and on who you really are. Shortly put, think before you act and listen before you speak, and know your WHY.
*Natasja Beyleveld is the managing director of NaMedia.
** Opinion pieces and letters by the public do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial team. The editors reserve the right to abridge original texts. All newspapers of Namibia Media Holdings adhere to the Code of Ethics for Namibian Media, a code established jointly with the Media Ombudsman.