What if Irony is Judging Others for Lacking Empathy?
When we use the word
lead
let us be clear
what it is
we are leading.
If we are leading
people.
Then let us be explicit
that what we mean by
lead
Is leading
people.
Not money.
Not decisions.
Not strategies.
People.
Yes,
we need
money
decisions
strategies
to lead
people.
But those are the means
not the end.
May we remebmer that.
I want you
to be happy.
I want you
to be happy.
Don’t you know
that I do?
Why don’t you know
that I do?
What must I do
so you’ll know?
Why must you
continue
to hurt me?
Sometimes
we hear from the very people
to whom we intentionally express
our appreciation
that we don’t appreciate them
enough.
Let us not confuse
our intent to appreciate
with our impact.
Getting what we want
is not always
what we want.
What we want
is sometimes
to feel surprised.
And rarely will we feel surprise
by fixing
what we don’t want.
I’ve noticed
that one of the easiest ways to get likes
is to say something that make people feel heard.
One
of the easiest ways to make people feel heard
is to bad mouth people
they don’t feel heard by.
Judging employees as lazy
may fulfill the bosses need to feel heard.
Judging bosses as toxic
may fulfil the employees need to feel heard.
Bu this only creates divide.
To go beyond this
is the challenge we face.
There are times
when we judge others
as wanting us
to sacrifice for them.
And yet,
when we ask
we may realize
that what they actually want
is what is best
for us.
May we dream big
even seemingly impossible
dreams.
But then to make steps toward it
may we
do only as much as we can take responsibility
The smallest simplest yet heaviest
burden we CAN carry.
Otherwise,
we bite more than we can chew
as we get in over our heads.
Or
if we cannot carry the burden
may we have the courage
to admit our inability to take the responsibility
alone
and ask for help.
When someone
underperforms
we can let them go
or support them
toward better performance.
But supporting them
because we’re afraid of the conflict
that may ensure in the process of separation
breeds impatience
frustration.
We often worry
whether the choices we make
may be right
or wrong.
The problem is
that we will never know.
Not because we wont know
after time has past.
But because as time goes by
more things will happen
that we may credit
or blame for our choices.
Given this,
the challenge may not be
making the right
or wrong choices,
but rather
developing the responsibility,
as in our ability to respond,
to the ever so complex situations we face
having made the choice.
One way
in which our thoughts
and behaviors
are guided,
is the belief
that since I suffered,
either
you should also
or you should not.
It’s easy to judge
one to be better
than the other
But the nuance
is that our it may be more effective
to let our suffering be our suffering
and let others decide for their own
and take responsibiltiy
for their choices