Fifty Shades of Gray
Dr. Foster Mobley // Business, Quotables, Wisdom Leading
There are many sides to every issue. Said differently, reality comes in at least 50 shades of gray. Our views are colored by our experiences, morality and sense of ethics, and differ from those of others. Understanding this is a fundamental tenet of wisdom. Understanding this allows us to respect nuanced arguments and take diverse points of view into account before making decisions.
Unfortunately, some in our culture approach discourse as extremists. Extremists see all things in black and white. Either you are with them or against them. If you don't love President Obama, you're a right-wing redneck. If you support gun control, you hate the Constitution.
Extremist thinking breeds hardened fanatics who can't and won't compromise. We see its effects daily in the Middle East and in the U.S. Congress, but it's also a common phenomenon in organizations. When a leader's strongly held position is challenged by contradictory evidence or opposing preferences, the result can be anger, punitive action or chaos.
Here's why. Extreme views are often camouflage for strong emotions, including (and especially) fear. An effective leader welcomes multiple points of view on a topic not only because s/he's not threatened by them but because s/he may actually be empowered by them. Conversely, extremists' deepest fear is that not only are their beliefs might be wrong, but that their very sense of self-worth is diminished if they are. They cloak that insecurity behind often boisterous irrationality and anger.
One path toward cultivating wisdom is recognizing when your anger is a primitive reaction to one of your beliefs being questioned. A wise leader is constantly questioning his/her own views and inviting others to challenge them as well. Unlike the loud voice, it's the true sign of strength. I'm guessing you're up to the challenge.
What are you doing to create an environment where all beliefs are openly, respectfully questioned?