ing on perseverance. In the first time in 21 seasons of Survivor, two contestants quit on the same day. And it is not on the third day or the tenth day, but on day 28! Before they left the game, they were one of only 8 players left standing. With less than two weeks before the final tribal council, the two contestants decide to walk away. As a loyal Survivor fan, this is simply unacceptable.I was not a fan of either of the young women who decided to have their torches extinguished, but the lack of character and perseverance was so disappointing. One of the two, in my opinion, did not have a chance to win - I think she would have gone to the final three because the strongest players would have seen her as no threat to win. She played the game as a villian and failed to demonstrate much integrity throughout the time on the island. The other, however, fit the role of a potential winner. She was quiet, flew under the radar most of the time, and towed the company line when it came to voting. When it gets down to the final three, the jury typically votes for the player who played with the most kindness and was least offensive. She was a good candidate for that scenario. But, no matter, they both eliminated themselves because they could not persevere to the end.I think that time, good food and a dry place to sleep will quickly bring regret to the two deserters of the game.
There are lots of lessons to be gleaned from this episode. There were enough illustrations for a week of sermons on selfishness, humanism and individualism. Lots of thoughts about fortitude, mental and physical weakness, and the power of discouragement. It is a good episode to review in light of the concept of temptation. In our moments of weakness, we can find ourselves at the point of despair, when in reality, it has only been raining for a few hours.
But for me, I walked away from the episode shaking my head, wondering about the lessons of perseverance. Sometimes the differences between poor leadership and effective leadership can be best seen in the context of perseverance. When the circumstances look grim and the details of life are not supporting my vision, it is easy to consider the option of folding up the tent.... of taking your marbles and going home... of closing your book and taking a nap. The call of taking the easy way out and the temptation of avoiding responsibility, often has alarming appeal to my intellect. It is easy for me to criticize the survivor game players, but I have never been in their shoes. For all I know, I might have bailed before the first week was over. But I have walked in my own shoes and I am pretty convinced that we all have been faced with the notion of giving up and walking away toward the easy life at the Ponderosa.
In times of difficulty and stress in the real world, people look to the strong for encouragement; the team huddles around the stability of the leader; the organization rallies behind consistency and diligence. It can be called bravery and courage... it can be labeled confidence and faith... it can be inscribed as fortitude and guts... but whatever you call it, perseverance in the midst of the storm produces character and strength. It is fairly easy to lead with the sun is shinning and smiles are on the faces of the stakeholders. But when the giants begin to enter the land and the dark clouds of the monsoons appear on the horizon, leadership takes on a whole different meaning.
And yet, the crises of life often present the opportunities to lead. The financial crunch, the poor decisions of others, or the abandonment of faithful followers can all be the conduit for transformational leadership. It is out of the ashes of failure that great leaders can emerge. Warren Bennis (2002), in his book, Geeks and Geezers, talks about the crucibles of leadership. Challenges and discouragements abound, but our responses to them are the key to victory. Bennis says, "the ability to find meaning and strength in adversity distinguishes leaders from nonleaders. When terrible things happen....leaders find purpose and resolve" (p. 108).
This week's episode of Survivor irritated me, but I hope that my perseverance in the crucible of leadership will have a better ending. I pray that I might find purpose and resolve when the crucible arrives.
Bennis, W and Thomas, R.J. (2002). Geeks & geezers: How era, values, and defining moments shape leaders. Boston: Harvard Business School Publishing.
Rain photo found at http://blogs.eveningsun.com/mull/2008/05/rain_rain_didnt_go_away_now_we.html
No comments:
Post a Comment