YES! AND… Creative Gorilla # 91
“Sometimes our best intentions do not go amiss; sometimes we do as we meant to,”
Sheenagh Pugh, poet in the poem, “Sometimes”
“Creative Leaders inspire the heart”
Is it ever too late to do the right thing?
This year, our family, along with many others, has suffered from a poor decision by a Government appointed official, one that applies regulation retrospectively, despite Government promises to the contrary. Although we have sympathy and support from Members of Parliament, we are told that the only way to overturn this unjust ruling is to seek a judicial review at great expense.
I have many feelings about this; annoyance, resignation, frustration. But my strongest feeling is one of sadness. I’m sad because the easiest and right course of action would be for the official to change their decision, but they won’t.
One lesson I learned in management is that it is almost never too late to change direction, correct a poor decision, do the right thing. Some will argue that it is a sign of weakness. A creative leader would argue that it is a sign of strength to be able to admit that you are wrong and to make an appropriate change.
Most of us will make the wrong decision or take the wrong course of action at some point in our personal or working life.
We may make the decision / take the action for the wrong reason e.g. for personal advantage. Or we may go awry because we misread or misunderstand factors in the situation.
And it will not always be external feedback that tells us we have not got it right. Sometimes our intuition will sense it, that nagging sense that something is not right. This is the moment of truth, when nobody else knows it is wrong but we do. Do we carry on and trust that nobody notices or do we do the right thing? The answer is obvious if you are a Creative Leader.
I believe that Creative Leadership starts with a precept or principle; each individual will seek to do the right thing.
If everyone followed that precept, how much better might the world be? That’s a thought to take you in to Christmas and the next year.
Reflecting on the previous section, it seems that there is some kind of model that could be explored here, i.e. we have internal and external reasons for making decisions and internal and external sources of feedback on the outcome of that decision. Is there a model in this? Ponder on it and if you can build on the idea, do let me have your feedback.
I have known “Sometimes”, the poem mentioned in the quotation, for many years. In fact, it was read at my wedding and I think it is inspiring, although Sheenagh Pugh doesn’t necessarily agree. If you would like to read the full version and her comments, please go to the web site Minstrels:
Minstrels is a useful resource (click on “Index” for other poems) but I couldn’t understand why there is a poetry web site on the server of a college specialising in computer sciences. So I did a little digging and found the following comment in the FAQ from those who compile it:
“We’ve long felt that the average person didn’t read (or re-read, for that matter) nearly enough poetry. “Minstrels” is just our way of trying to rectify the situation. Our goal is simple: if we can brighten up people’s days, make them think a little, make them feel a little, perhaps encourage them to buy a book of poetry… well, if we can accomplish any of these things, we’d be more than satisfied!”
What a great example of creative leadership in action!
If you are celebrating it, have a wonderful Christmas and New Year. May the next year bring all you wish for, let the sun shine on you and a smile play often on the lips of you and those around you.
John Brooker I Facilitate, Innovate, Transform.
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