Apparently, at the end of last year, the dark and cold December nights might have had a massive influence on my take on the future of the world. Proof that we are indeed affected by our environment. Praise the one lucky enough to have good souls around to bring light, uplift mood and restore balance.
Blessed is the one who can access alternative views of the world, and my very good friend Claire Smith – quintessence of British spirit and distinguished former member of the Foreign Office, helped me just do that. So, here is why one should not indulge, too much, in a doom-monger view of our world, according to Claire.
First of all, leaving people with no option other than despair is a bad philosophy. Remember, Pandora did open the box and let out all the ills into the world, but there was hope left at the end of it all, to offer some relief.
Second, putting people into a despairing mindset could lead to bad decisions, according to Daniel Kahneman’s book Thinking, Fast and Slow. Influence comes from words – planting ideas – and change comes with words, so deciding to present information focusing on the negative side can only generate negativity.
Third, and turning to political leadership, it is tempting to seek a conquering hero, the man of destiny with seductively clearcut and rapid solutions to messy problems, but is it realistic? One of my astute business partners said to me over dinner this week: “Such a person does not exist. And by the way, we are a long way away from the apocalypse. Push comes to shove, reason and prudence will always prevail.”
Finally, remember, cynicism and apathy are not really what makes the world go around or what will make it a better place. Granted I am not thinking about money right now. It is more about a sense of purpose and responsibility.
So where does it leave us?
In a world more than ever a delicate patchwork of dark and light, black and white, good and bad, and where we now have a duty to act – and Claire will wholeheartedly agree with me:
• Isolate the “dark”, analyse it and look for appropriate remedies. Find your own “dark” based on your own views of the world, defined with your lenses and including your biases. Find it with your own sources of information. Stop lazy and complacent thinking.
• Decide to become a factor of change and hope, and start with generating your own ideas about cures. It is not that easy, I agree, and here is a tip on where to begin.
Dislocation and disconnection are, for Claire and me, the cornerstones of change. Personal values are misaligned with the economic, political and social environments, financial gurus are disconnected from bank customers, politicians disconnected from voters, business leaders disconnected from employees, and the list can go on and on.
Tackle dislocation, to rekindle a sense of being in a situation that feels right for you. Focus on defining what it means and what are the steps to get there.
Address disconnection, by pondering on the lack of real communication, the fact that today, no one truly listens anymore. Everyone is in an emitting mode – asking, commanding and demanding. So just quieten, pause and listen, not to the big scary world, but to the people around you. Get in tune with your own little world, and start from there.
Bottom line, embrace one concept – heal yourself, others and ultimately the bigger picture. In 2016 let us all aim to become healers. Let us work to repair the broken links, help people get back into a place where they feel in tune, at ease.
Let us work to shape and influence our surroundings. Start small, start gently, and start where you really have power, influence and interest.
Rome was not built in one day, but it was built one stone at a time. Be the builder of tomorrow. This is what Pandora left in her box – this is what hope is truly about.