Human Beings need other Beings to really be human. Maybe you’re like many of us and point to John Wayne – “The Duke” – and some of the old westerns to refute this point. The solitary figure that rides off into the sunset – the rugged individualist – the conservative viewpoint.
Americans have been raised to accept the fact that we should all be able to do what we need to do without anyone else’s help.
“If you really want to get something done, do it yourself!” That’s all well and good but I suggest that if you take a closer look, you will see that’s just not true. Oh, sure – you can point to many famous folks and when you hear their stories, you may hear that they had it rough and pulled themselves up by their bootstraps and all that – but I still say – there was someone that helped – that connected – that inspired them. It may have been a parent, a teacher, a coach, or a friend – but someone somewhere made a difference for these pillars of society.
One can only get so far all on one’s own.
I think of Denzel Washington – coming from his tough background and becoming a mega-star and uber-wealthy – you know he had to fight a lot of battles to get where he is and he has. But we also find out he was part of the Boys Club of America. Do you think that he may have found help there?
But I know, there are still those out there who feel they don’t need anyone for anything…the “John Waynes” or “Lone Rangers” of the world…and that is fine. I get it. But I just want to point out that John Wayne still needed his horse and the Lone Ranger had Tonto!
Relationships and connections to another being are extremely important. It just takes one person to take a positive interest in a child to make all the difference in the world for that kid. And for that matter, sometimes it takes a different unconditional loving being – like a dog to help a child open up. Research shows that some of the best therapy for healing from a traumatic event is the acceptance and loving relationships of others. It has also been shown that just one person – intervening for another being bullied – can change the situation. One other being can make a big difference.
Making a difference is important to most folks that I encounter. We have our passions and drives but many of us struggle to figure out the best way to use these powerful energies for the greater good. (I highly recommend doing volunteer work as an option.) I believe this is when we need to become very aware of all that is around us and be alert to opportunities that are presented to us. (It’s the Little things that lead to the Big things.) We may run into someone or a group of someones who are doing something that interests us. Or we may happen upon a challenge or need that we feel must be addressed.
And the relationships and connections that we have or that we gain from venturing into these new adventures can help boost us into a comfortable position to be able to ride on to make great things happen.
I have found this in my own latest undertaking with the foundation that I work for. In fact, one of the greatest things about the position – besides knowing I can make a difference for others who need me – is the opportunity to meet some amazing people.
I had the great fortune to be granted an opportunity to meet with an amazing individual who runs a major, well-known non-profit organization in South Florida. His ultimate mission is to make dreams come true for children in need. Just speaking with him on the phone for a brief minute I could hear the light in his voice. His joy and passion for what he does was even more evident when we met in person. Mr. W took time out of his very demanding schedule to spend time with me and to answer my questions. One of the impressions that struck me very strongly is the self-assuredness of the man. He was definitely in alignment with his values and was confident and comfortable in his purpose. It made even more sense during our discussion about the importance of “Branding” for an organization. (Now, don’t become confused – I don’t mean branding in the sense of livestock.)
As you may know, branding for an organization is important to help others become aware of the organization and to help the organization become familiar and then recognized and share-able to others.
Branding is a huge part of building a trustworthy reputation.
Well, Mr. W took this idea further by explaining that he educated his staff on the importance of branding even to the extent of making them aware of how their own actions affect the organization’s brand. That was an issue that I was well aware of. But Mr. W. took the issue farther. He also explained that an organization can affect our own branding – meaning our own personal character and values. We are each our own “Brand.”
Being part of an organization or group that negatively affects our personal brand can be unhealthy.
He gave the example of the CEO’s relationship with a board. If the CEO is expected to reach certain objectives but is not granted the tools and support to do so, then the relationship is dysfunctional. It is not only unhealthy for the organization as goals and missions will not be accomplished, but the stress that is caused to the CEO as he fights against the alignment of his own branding (as he tries to make himself accept less than the quality of work that he prides himself on) can manifest in physical, emotional, and psychological destruction. So in essence – he was sharing the importance of staying true to one’s self.
My mind went to so many high profile cases that hurt so many people because folks did not stay true to their branding or moral compass and allowed a mob mentality or group-think mindset to influence their actions. The most recent example is playing out with the alleged abuse scandal at Penn State. Joe Paterno, Legend and Head Football Coach, and the University President have both been fired and the shock and outrage that has erupted almost drowns out the true essence of the tragedy. Simply put – wrong was done (or allegedly done) and not enough was done about the wrong.
Mr. W’s advice resounded in my head as I faced stressful challenges the very next day after meeting with him. Sometimes we feel as if we are the only ones who really care or understand what needs to be done to make things happen. We are given objectives and goals that we agree with and know we can accomplish given the right support and tools. Sometimes we end up taking on the weight of the world and throw ourselves into our work too much – we become so driven and emotionally attached to outcomes that we can allow the challenges or lack of support to stress us out to the point of becoming ineffective. This ineffectiveness can damage the work or organization as well as ourselves. So what I had to do was to step back, evaluate the situation and detach emotionally. Then I could proceed accordingly with calm. And yes, that isn’t always easy. One of the tools that helped was our own Success Planner. Just reading over the page, filling in the blanks and making my list – helped to ground me again and thus allowed me to realign with my own purpose.
I reminded myself of my ultimate goals and reduced the current challenges to their proper size of “insignificant in the long-run.”
My point is – you can make a difference. You can actually make a big difference for the greater good – particularly if you allow healthy relationships and connections into your life. Maybe you can become a volunteer for a cause you believe in. Or maybe you go to work for an organization that seems to support your own skills and goals. The relationships and connections that can and will form can be wonderful and nurturing when in alignment with your own “brand.” But when situations become questionable – take Mr. W’s advice and be true to your own brand.
See you on down the trail!
