The seismic events of the year 2020 will no doubt reverberate for years to come. Other than the pandemic and the societal uprisings, a third thing I think we can learn from is leadership. Here are some take-aways:
- It has been said that we get the leaders we deserve. The last four years in the US have shown us the ugly side of our country, almost in a caricatured manner. Yes, we need to heal the ugly face of racism. We need to support the underserved in our society and not blame the victims. We need to look at how we value our environment. We need to value science and not engage in magical thinking. We need to treat each others are equals and not perpetuate rankism and elitism. We need to be mindful that words have consequences.
- When I look at how the common people in our country and other countries have banded together to stand up and say "No more!" I am moved and inspired. Two images come to mind. First, elected leaders are like the large game animals in wild areas. What prompts them to move? The common grass. Be like the succulent, green grass and entice our leaders to move in your direction.
- The second image comes from the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Have you ever seen it? The highlight is the large balloons of cartoon characters being led along the parade path, seemingly squeezed between the huge skyscrapers. The balloons are like elected leaders. Who leads these balloons? Just common people, holding the balloons by ropes and walking along the parade route. Be the rope-holder, and keep walking.
Yes, 2020 will be talked about for years to come. But let's use the power of these lessons learned to create a better future for all of us.
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