I have to admit I am a real Survivor fan. I have watched the show for many seasons and I find it a fascinating study of leadership (good and bad) and followership (good and bad). The show is filled with crazy team challenges, small group alliances and tribal councils. Most of the contestants play a game filled with ethical compromise, dishonesty, and questionable strategy. The game has virtually no rules and the goal is summed up in the show's three word motto: Outwit, Outplay, Outlast. There are rules, however, to each challenge....some times the challenge is for a reward..... and sometimes the challenge is for immunity. Immunity keeps the winner safe at tribal council where one of the players is voted off by the other tribe members. All goes as normal until ten people remain, then those contestants voted out form a jury. The final three players then face the jury and the jury votes to decide the ultimate winner of the game.
I find it so interesting that the players strategize in amazing ways (some lie, flip on a promise, and blindside a member of their alliance) just to stay in the game another week. BUT... when it comes to their decision as a jury member, everyone looks for the person who has played the most ethical game and they condemn the player whose has lied the most and betrayed their confidence.
Russell Hantz, from Dayton, Texas, is a prime example of this phenomenon. Russell appeared on back-to-back seasons. He made it to the final three during both seasons. Russell controlled the game from day one until the final tribe member was cast to the jury. He manipulated, lied, and carefully thought through every move of his strategy. Each member of the jury was eliminated from the game as a result of Russell's authority. But when it came time for the jury to vote for the winner, Russell did not receive a single vote... on either season! Why? Because at the heart and core of the jury, they are looking for character; they are hoping to find a leader with integrity; they are wanting to support the good guy; the are striving to find righteousness.
I really appreciated Russell's creativity and his zeal for the game. He did not violate any of the established rules of the game (since they are almost non-existent) and he was always focused on how to move ahead toward his goal. It is interesting to see the unwritten rules that the players place on the experience. Russell beat every member of the jury with innovation, manipulation, coercion, and intimidation. These same weapons of survivor cost him the ultimate prize.
Some leaders in organizations make the same mistakes in life. The goal for the Russell leader is to defeat the competition and avoid being voted out. Relationship are secondary if not tertiary. Integrity is not to be valued above profit. Success is defined in terms of how well you played the game, not in terms of the kind of impact your life might leave on the game. Daddy Warbucks expressed this rather succinctly in the Broadway show, Annie, "You don't have to be nice to people on the way up, if you're not planning on coming back down."
But if you hope to leave a legacy; if your goal is to impact the lives of others; if you strive to be a servant leader; if your reputation is priceless in your personal economy, then relationships are paramount.... building friendships is important.... constructing a culture of collaboration is a top priority.... influencing, modeling, coaching, and mentoring others is a key to your victory.
Every leader wants to win. No visionary dreams about losing or failing. But some leaders define winning in different ways. When we get to the end, does the scorecard reflect the number of buildings erected, the financial assets on the balance sheet, the awards and blue ribbons in the trophy case, or does it reflect the number of lives that have been changed because of the compassion and love of the people in the organization, the sense of doing something significant in the world, and the strong bond of kindred spirits striving together to stand strong to shared convictions.
Is the game of life about Survival or Sacrifice? Is it about Outwitting and Outlasting or about Outgiving and Outloving? Can we play the game in such a way as to reach the top, but lose the prize? What will the jury say about our leadership?
Survivor Logo downloaded from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Survivor_%28U.S._TV_series%29
Great article.
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