To be human at a higher level of consciousness is belonging to places where there's differing views and vigourous debate, yet mutual respect, a valuing of difference, and a willingness to collaborate. I celebrate this more.
The test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposing ideas in mind
at the same time and still retain the ability to function.
F. Scott Fitzgerald
Fitzgerald's insight is a key to successful leadership, in politics, business, and everywhere else.
It mystifies me that we get hung up about other people's opinions and what other people believe or don't. The fact that some people resort to protests, and at worst violence over this, is a sign of their lack of intelligence, and total lack of appreciation of, and gratitude for, what it means to be human.
How amazing that despite the lessons of history, we're still fighting one another in some places and are unwilling to co-exist.
The slippery slope begins when we take offence at someone else's opinion. This mystifies me too. Your opinions are yours not mine, so how can I possibly be offended? Only when I choose to is the answer.
I choose to not be offended regardless of what other people's opinions are and how they're expressed. I have enough trouble being accountable for my own intentions, feelings, thoughts, behaviours, actions, let alone concerning myself with yours!
When beliefs are personal and behaviour universal, success follows
A client of mine is a devout Christian. Another client is a devout Muslim. Yet another client strictly follows what she sees as the Buddhist way. Still another is Jewish to his bootstraps. I could go on. I know people from most walks of life who strongly believe what they do. I greatly admire each of my clients whether we share beliefs or not.
What we do share is the understanding that belief is personal and behaviour universal.
To collaborate successfully we respect and value the personal. We know that respect is earned and mutual success possible through behaviour.
Central to most belief systems is a faith of some kind. Faith by definition cannot be proved. If it could be proved it wouldn’t be faith! The ‘proof of the pudding is in the eating’ the saying goes, meaning what we do counts for far more than what we believe. As one of the Apostles of the Christian Church is reported to have said, “Faith without works is dead.”
A lot of faiths are dead, dying, or in trouble today because the actions of a few of the faithful betray their stated beliefs. I meet a lot of people more interested in being right, than being compassionate for example. Compassion for me is at the truthful heart of all the world’s religions. Compassion is not a belief, it's a behaviour.
If we are not living and breathing a compassionate life we render whatever we believe as null and void, regardless of what we say.
A new world is being born. Compassion is a key component. There is a place for faith in this new world. For me belief is personal and therefore deserving of respect. What really matters in the universe though is behaviour.
Some people have asked me what has compassion go to do with the future success of my business? My answer is - Everything! particularly in a world where being purpose driven and people focused, and seeing technology as an enabler and enhancer of the human experience, is the leading edge.
Be remarkable.
Ian
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