Do you want to enter your new calendar year . . . as children?
“I’M RIGHT!”
“No! I’M RIGHT!”
That argument wakes my wife and me most Sundays. I’ll drag myself out of bed and stare downstairs at the two red-faced toddlers below.
“Play together nicely or you have to come back to bed!” I’ll say. It’s the most fearsome threat I know. “Find a game that makes you both happy. Now!”
It works almost every time. Neither toddler gives in—they simply find some new game on which they both agree. The kids find a new way to collaborate, they have more fun—and mom and dad get more time alone in bed together.
As we grow up, social media strengthens our voice, but at what price? Social media draws us into pitched battles on high-profile issues such as trans bathrooms and the right to install ‘bump stocks’ on our guns. Such issues play a critical role in defining who we are and where we stand in today’s society.
But aren’t we also acting like toddlers at the base of the stairs? We’re yelling, screaming, and certainly not giving in. Yet we’re also under-serving issues on which we can agree—those same issues that would lead to meaningful social progress.
Individuals play critical roles in solving our social problems. Yet critical value for ourselves, for businesses, and for society overall comes from strategies built on common ground.
We are each a leader with respect to some aspect of our life. We must light the way for others through strategies that help us engage, connect, and, eventually, change.
Is there an aspect of your life in which you could provide more meaningful leadership and strengthen collaboration?
Please share your thoughts in the comments or by sending me an email: info@RodWallacePhD.Com.
Our society cannot just survive. For the sake of our children, it must thrive.
Happy holidays to all!
Rod
Dr. Rod Wallace is an economist, consultant, and speaker who helps businesses make more money by solving society’s problems. A Fulbright Fellow, he has led multi-organization billion-dollar initiatives worldwide and partnered with a Silicon Valley pioneer to explore the impact of Artificial Intelligence on society.
Rod speaks about how to integrate social responsibility into business to maximize profit and purpose. He highlights digital technology’s impact on society and the strategies and tools with which business can solve our big, systemic problems.
Contact Rod at info@RodWallacePhD.com.