Greetings Leaders,
My oh my, there is a lot going on in the world these days.
Over the past few years, I have noticed a rise in examples of celebrity leadership, rather than character leadership. People in leadership positions are being drawn by the spotlight. This has almost always been natural among political leaders. They put on their leader face in front of the cameras and talk about how they are attempting to save the world. Then we learn how, off camera, they are cutting special interest deals or are completely unwilling to consider another point of view. Thus, we question their character and lose trust in them.
There are other examples as well. Zillionaire Jeff Bezos gets enormous attention for building rockets to take the rich and famous on short trips into space. Yet I have heard no one ever say they want any part of working in the Amazon culture. Elizabeth Holmes, founder and CEO of Theranos, was a press favorite a few years ago as the youngest and wealthiest self-made female billionaire. Unfortunately, her company was a complete sham and today she sits in prison.
We all remember Dr. Anthony Fauci, who people from all political persuasions would say seemed to be enjoying his rock-star fame during the pandemic, while the credibility of the CDC continued to suffer. At this moment in time there is Elon Musk, a truly gifted and inspiring inventor and entrepreneur, who has become the celebrity du jour – not the admired leader – for his notoriety in attempting to re-tool the government.
Interesting that for none of these so-called leaders just listed is there much acknowledgement about their character. But their celebrity is certainly apparent.
Sadly, we appear to be living in a celebrity-driven world. We are reminded of this every election cycle when famous people like Oprah or Duane “the Rock” Johnson have legitimate support to run for President. Think about that.
Some will argue that it is easier to get promoted or considered for a better position if you have moments in the limelight. No disagreement. That said, if you want to be considered a true leader, your limelight moments need to illuminate your rock-solid character and competence, not just your charisma or political savvy.
Keep in mind that we all face inevitable battles between the angel of character sitting on one shoulder and the demon of ego sitting on the other. Might your demon be able to convince you to sell out a little bit of your true self for a nice bump upward in pay, position, power, or something equally as ego-gratifying. As human beings with blind spots, we can delude ourselves into thinking we would “never” do so, at the exact moment other people see us doing just that. What if those others are right?
May we all become – and develop those around us to become – leaders of great character. There is a well-known principle that says, “the best way to do well is to consistently do good.” May you attain great prosperity and recognition, by leading with integrity, being willing to sacrifice for a greater common good, and always doing the right things for those around you. I am thinking those would be pretty good things to be famous for, wouldn’t they!
Lead on.
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