2017 a challenge for us all

Let me cut to the chase, 2016 was a bit bonkers and 2017 looks to be about to take that and raise the stakes and the only people that can really make a difference is us, here is why.

• Politic
• Propaganda
• People
• Profit

There is no doubt that in the connected world we live in, there is a strange paradigm going on for us all, to which some of us seem happy to ignore and others are acutely aware.

The world is in a unique moment in time

Politically the People have spoken and there has been a protest against the status quo, a status quo that seemed to be magnifying and extending the feudal system of old.

We the People work hard and they the Politicians and the Profiteers (large corporations), will under the guise of a commercial imperative and trickle down economics (a pretty well disproved and flawed paradigm) drive the market as hard as they can and we will work harder, with less resource and less support than ever before……great.

We are, just to make it worse, sold a story of greater work life balance and a sense that we are all moving to a more enlightened state of social insight and enhanced quality of life. This is done primarily through a constant barrage of marketing and social media lifestyle offerings, all designed to engage us to buy into this Utopian and aspirational drive for commodity. This in turn keeps you, me, over extending in our drive to achieve the aspiration.

This then is the propaganda.

The world is in a moment of choice

Right now, more than any other time, the world is short on leaders, who at a global and even local level can catch the zeitgeist and enthuse us to act.

We have over the last decade, seen a never ending sea of leaders and heroes stripped of their integrity and taken from that place they held in our hearts. Be that through their lack of judgement, thirst for power and/or greed. Whatever the reasons, the message is clearly being sent ‘you can't trust anyone to be your leader in the sense of a bullet proof hero or figure of admiration’.

Here is the truth as I see it

We are in a moment in time where the news media is both amazing and out of control. Where it both adds huge value to the world and takes from it. I was quite enthralled by Denzel Washington’s holding the media to task.

I wanted to be say what he said, but found this clip and he said it better……darn it….but credit had to be given.

I’ve typed out what he says, as I think it's that important:

If you don't read the newspapers you are uninformed, if you do read it you are misinformed

DW: "If you don't read the newspapers you are uninformed, if you do read it you are misinformed"

Reporter: "What do you do?"

DW: "That's a great question. What is the long term effect of too much information? One of the effects is the need to be first, not even to be true anymore. So what a responsibility you all have. To tell the truth, not just to be first. But to tell the truth. We live in a society now where it's just first, who cares, get it out there, we don't care who it hurts, we don't care who we destroy, we don't if it is true, just say it, sell it. Anything you practice, you'll get good at. Including BS.

My point is that things have always been like this, nothing has really changed, there was always bad news, at one point the Vikings used to invade a village and ransack it, the average lifespan was mid thirties and more people died of pneumonia after World War 2, than WW1 & 2 combined, there has always been rubbish stuff happening.

The difference now, being the media flow. Finding things out used to take months, now it is 'seconds to instant' with social media streaming beating live news.

The IMPACT

The reality is that the human race is prone to elements of manipulation, this is primarily due to being animals with all the mixed up DNA and chemicals that make us flawed.

We seek safety, connection, affection and a sense of meaning which in a vacuum the shallow, opportunistic and bullies can step into.

That is where we are and yet in a world of the Kardashian, there is a sense of change and a sense of possible misdirection.

BREXIT and Trump didn't happen because people liked TRUMP or wanted to leave Europe, they occurred as people realised the system was broken and protested.

Even the X Factor did a subtle change if you spotted it. It used to ridicule people, it still does it to a point but now generally just to those that probably deserve it; however it stopped highlighting people who had obvious issues, as it damn well needed to. Yet for years it did so and would have continued in the search for ratings, what happened was people went “this isn't right, I’m telling my kids not to bully and shame people yet I'm sitting down on and Saturday night and doing just that”. The medium of entertainment had been polluted and then corrected by us, using a social conscience and a social medium.

This is what is needed

So I teach self defence and within that a reoccurring message I have for people which is,

no one is coming to save you, it's just you, don't look for help, if it comes it comes, get on with it

This is in essence the same for us all today, we are the leaders of ourselves, no one is coming to save us, if they do then great but don't bank on it.

In a time of unprecedented awareness

The need is for us all to lead and not wait to be led, there is both a social and commercial imperative

The need is for us all to lead and not wait to be led, there is both a social and commercial imperative to:

• Bravery
• Be curious
• Challenge where needed
• Seek understanding
• Don't allow bullying
• Call out selfish & self centred acts
• Bravery

I've put bravery in twice as you’ll need it, to do it and need it to see things through.

I recognise that we have leaders of society and leaders of business however none are to be relied on. In particular in the commercial world many senior leaders are driven by their own needs, doubts and fears, with the most senior unfortunately being often (not always) the most culpable for their actions as they wrestle with their own hopes and self-doubt.

Your rights aren't a permission

You don't have to wait to lead, no one has control over that list above, other than you.

Granted you aren't a leader ‘of’ the world, nor perhaps a leader ‘of’ your business however you are a leader of self with a right to recognise the issues within society and business.

No one can stop you being a leader IN the world, no one

• Your right is to be human, to be yourself and hold a position.
• You can also be marginalised and fired for doing things that rocks the boat.

That's why I put ‘brave’ in twice.

Don't be stupid

There's no need to commit career hari-kari, however you are needed.

The danger we face is the presumption someone else is going to help shape the world that we want to live in.

we can't presume someone else is calling the fire brigade.

It's up to US

I’ll just say it again

It's up to US

___________________________

Guy Bloom is a Leadership Evolutionist with a commitment to bring the future of leadership into the present day and help businesses create a sustainable, legacy driven, commercially savvy environment.