A Need For Harmony

There is no question that the world we live in continues to become more chaotic, negative, contentious and divided. What is interesting is that feelings run deep and emotions are controlling actions. When this happens in what I call a negative tornado the results are never good as we have seen all over the news. It is heartbreaking and sad to see such division and hate.

The real-time access we have to pretty much everything today because of technology and social media no matter how hard you try it is difficult not be exposed to all this negativity. We are seeing the media, celebrities, business leaders and individuals pointing blame at others for not saying the “right thing” when expressing regret and condemning acts of hateful groups and individuals. I will say right here that there is no place in this world for those who make it their mission to destroy the lives of others for the color of their skin, their beliefs, who they are, etc, these groups and individuals are the bottom of the bottom and will not ever win. However, the truth is, the more people try to point blame the more they are adding to the viciousness we are currently experiencing and actually helping to add fuel to the fire of those despicable groups and individuals. So what does all this have to do with leadership?

We are seeing the rise and fall of great leaders on a regular basis. Why is that? Leaders must be able to lead no matter what the situation is. There ability to quickly address problems and then create a movement to resolve the issue sets a great leader apart from others. However, when there is so much division and disdain for what is happening, even great leaders will stumble and fall short at times because of the scope or breadth of the issue. What I have experienced is that during these times, leaders need to take every opportunity to learn from their missteps and then quickly make a course direction without compromising their values or who they are. This takes incredible inner-strength and self-awareness. In short what a leader must find quickly is a way to bring some type of harmony. Harmony is defined as an “agreement; accord; harmonious relations; a consistent, orderly, or pleasing arrangement of parts; congruity.” It will not always be a conscience but it provides the opportunity for all parties to move forward in a positive manner.

I feel this quote is perfect for what our world is experiencing right now:

“Where there is righteousness in the heart, there is beauty in the character. When there is beauty in the character, there is harmony in the home. When there is harmony in the home, there is order in the nation. When there is order in the nation, there is peace in the world.”  A. P. J. Abdul Kalam

Can you imagine if each of us, especially are leaders, could make this quote a reality in their lives? We would quickly see a complete paradigm shift that would have incredibly positive results. When there is harmony there is an environment where healing and happiness can happen. As a leader, there are going be times where decisions are made that will have negative impacts. These impacts will be felt most when it effects the lives of others. The key is to quickly find a way to create harmony so that the culture becomes one of healing and happiness. This will ensure your success. I know because I have experienced this numerous times in my career.

Let’s commit today to increase our willingness to create more harmony in our own lives and in the lives of those around us. Let us be proactive in showing love, concern and empathy. Let us remove from our thoughts anything that would promote negativity and hate. We can all be great leaders, we don’t need a title.

Time to go be hero.