Tuesday is election day in America – perhaps one of the most significant decisions in a decade.
In my work with leaders I’ve learned that there are two major blocks to progress, innovation and breakthrough, which lead to dysfunctionality:
- Blind Addiction: to a belief, ideology, philosophy, tribe or person.
- Judgment: A passionately held belief that I am right and others are wrong.
The first block quite often leads to the second one – as in, “My party is right and yours is wrong”.
As we approach this election these two dangerous habits could take us down a very bumpy road. Blind addiction may cause us to vote for the party we have always voted for, even if a careful analysis might suggest that a different party could be more effective this time around. Judgment makes people defensive and angry – one of the reasons why we have such embedded partisanship in Washington, which has disappointed so many and hobbled our potential.
I am not arguing for any particular party or leader, or for anyone to set aside their duly considered beliefs. And I am not making a political statement.
What I ardently hope is that everyone will take a deep breath, consider what the Founding Fathers would have wished for us now, and which choices represent the best options for us as individuals, as a community, for the world, and for our environment.
As in any great leadership issue – and any great decision – let us choose wisely!
The more deeply emotions are vested in a belief, the wider the chasm of polarization, the more disruption in mutual consistencies, the greater the rift in adversity. One simply leads the other. Outcome – our creative potential is curtailed, and we are left holding on to certainty for dear life.