Complex Numbers

Revisited: "Getting the Lead Out"

Today's historical excavation takes us back to 2019, at a time when I was apparently participating in the 30-Day Blogging Challenge... though I neglected to note that in the entry: "Getting the Lead Out" 

For context, my current >4 year daily blogging streak wouldn't start for about another month, and, obviously, this was in the Before Time.

The prompt I was writing to started with "What characteristics do you admire in a leader?" and continued to build on that. I'm not sure I really addressed all the nuances of the prompt, but I'm okay with that, especially now that it's >4 years later.

I am a Bad Example. I even printed up "business" cards with my name followed by "Bad Example."

My friend's ex-wife never liked me. She called me his "bad influence." I should have run with that, instead.

But I'm not always. Case in point: it might have been the month after this entry appeared, maybe not, but let me set the scene: California, the home of two of my friends, married to each other, and their kids. Breakfast time. Someone made pancakes. I poured a small amount of syrup onto said pancakes.

The mom, talking to the youngest kid, maybe 12 or so: "See how he doesn't drown the pancakes in syrup?"

The dad, to me: "Bet that's the first time you've been held up as an example of self-restraint."

Everyone involved, especially me, had a good laugh at that one.

Basically, I don't want to be a leader. I don't like it. The benefits don't outweigh the constrictions, for me. I admire those people who can do it...

I worded this poorly, I think. There are lots of people who are "leaders" that don't deserve, or get, my admiration, or even respect. Evangelical TV preachers, for example. Most politicians, from any political party. Certain billionaires. Thing is, those types get all the press. I'd be hard-pressed to cite an example of a leader I actually admire, at least in terms of naming someone well-known. Being well-known probably works against you, there; not one of us is without our follies and drawbacks, and being in the public eye tends to put a magnifying glass on them.

What I should have said was probably that I have some respect for those who can balance things well enough to be both a good leader and, mostly, still be what I'd consider a good person.

But there's one thing I hate more than being a leader, and that's being a follower.

Still true.

Fortunately, life isn't binary, and I choose Option C: going my own way. It's enough to be responsible for my own situation, and I'm not always so good at even that.

Not everyone has that option, I know.

Another thing I'm terrible at is motivating people. I like it when people motivate themselves. Any attempts I make in that direction always seem hollow to me. But I think good leaders find ways to motivate their team, though how they do it might as well be sorcery for all I understand it.

A few weeks after this entry, I did one on Emotional Intelligence, or EQ. I only remember this because I was skimming nearby entries while trying to remember the context of this one. I probably could have related the two concepts at that time, but I didn't. In summary, I question the whole concept of EQ because it seems self-referential: they define EQ as the quality needed to achieve success (based on a narrow definition of success), and to achieve that kind of success, you need a higher EQ.

My point being that I imagine it takes those same qualities to be an effective leader.

Anyway, yeah, this is kind of rambling, but the bottom line is: don't look to me to set examples, unless you enjoy drinking at bars.

Again, this was the Before Time, so the difference now is I'd end that sentence with "home."