I am writing today slightly bewildered.
A friend of mine is now working for an alumni association in another state. He posted a letter to his FB page that was written by the president of the university where he explains that this week, halfway into the last year of his contract, he had been notified that it will not be renewed at year-end. I read the letter and the back story on his tenure, and I am thinking why would they not want to keep a leader like this at the helm of their university? (Note: I am clearly aware that there are always multiple sides to stories of this nature, but please take a deep breath and lets (for argument sake) say that it boils down to a difference of opinion.).
In the last several weeks, we have seen a long tenured university president dismissed due to abject failure of leadership in regards to allegations coming from their athletic department.
In the past two weeks I have been (unfortunately) blind-copied on several back and forth e-mails between another university's donors and its leadership. Trust me when I say there were no pointed, tempered, honest discussions going on there.
In the last several months at another institution, I have seen two executive leaders banter back and forth like ping pong balls in an effort to completely avoid making a decision...on anything.
A "super" committee formed out of Congress (and lets just say that someone needs to come up with another title other than "super committee" because there is nothing "super" about them...individually or as a whole) admitted complete failure (yesterday) publicly while their two co-chairs distributed a statement where the nicest thing you can say about it is that they kicked the can down the road. It was disgraceful.
I am the biggest optimist out there, but I am disgusted by the lack of leadership I see around me. It seems to me that we say we want leadership in our politics, our schools, our companies, and our homes..but we lie. Yes, I said it...we LIE. We promote idiots in our politics, we let leaders in our schools go if they dare to speak their mind, we hire and promote "yes men/women" in our companies, and we railroad over our parents and spouses in our homes.
Leadership?! We have to start being honest with ourselves on what the definition of leadership is, and then we have to be honest with ourselves if that is REALLY what we want....or if it is just another word to toss around that "sounds good".
We need leaders....true, competent, honest, bold, intelligent, thoughtful, brave, and compassionate leaders...in our politics, our churches, our companies, our schools, and our homes.
To heck with what we "want"....this is what we need, and it has to stop mattering whether they are man or woman, black or white, went to the right college or not, the right religion, the right political party.....can they lead? Can they LEAD?
We need leaders and in the absence of leadership we will believe whatever is projected onto us....
Stop.
We need leaders. If you agree, then start being one.
We'll all be glad you did.
...because that is the point....it starts with YOU and ME.
Sunshine Dreams to You ~ Today and Every Day! :) Labels: Leadership