Reality television has gone too far. Programming like The Apprentice, Survivor, and American Idol all smack of a heavy dose of sensationalism and only a pinch of authenticity. On most channels there are depictions of the most outrageous, the best of the best, the most death-defying, or the completely bizarre featured for a mind-starved public.
What happened? The world has been dumbfounded. People have been led astray and do not consider how to connect on a personal level. It is the same way when people tweet, blog, friend friends on Facebook, and send email to communicate behind words and face-to-face communication. There is no sincerity.
At the end of the day, no one suffers more than our leaders. Why? Our leaders are expected to go beyond mundane and ordinary. In fact, we expect our leaders to advocate intelligently on our behalf and on a personal level. Whether or not it is everyday conversations, speeches, or interviews, there are expectations we have from our leadership. And we do not have in mind that they gush with a colorful vocabulary of adjectives. On the contrary, we want them to be sincere and show a genuine interest.
Furthermore, we come to know that our leaders will not cut corners to serve us. While there is something to be said about amazing and fabulous feats there is something even more special about a leader who goes the extra mile. It is not always just about presentation or the external but really about how there is integrity and more meaningful commitment.
A simple quote comes to mind: “Life is not measured by the number of breaths you take, but by the number of moments that take your breath away.” Otherwise, as Donald Trump or “The Donald” of The Apprentice says, “You’re fired!”
-Dawn McCoy, author of Leadership Building Blocks: An Insider’s Guide to Success
