One of my clients recently returned from his African holiday and couldn’t wait to tell me about his adventure. He and his extended family had done it all but he was mostly taken aback by what was far from done at all. His visit to South Africa had seared him with how divided it remained.
Nelson Mandela, you see, was elected the first President of South Africa in 1994. They’ve only been working at becoming ONE,if you will for 20 years. Twenty years is next to nothing. We’ve been working at it in this country for 200 plus years. We’ve come a long way and still are far from getting along. The problem for most of us in this gotta have it now kinda culture, is we haven’t a clue when it comes to how far we’ve come. You see, since we don’t study history we mostly repeat it. We focus too much attention on the few who have broken bad and too little on the tons who’ve built bonds across racial, cultural, political, and religious boundaries. The facts are we’ve come a long way.
Unity, the heart of high performance in any system, takes a ton of time. The larger and freer the system, the lengthier the process. Take heart as you face whatever divide within. Keep perspective. Take heart as you face whomever it is you’re trying to unify with as well. Take heart. Unity within takes time. Unity with another, even more. Unity with you and your tribe, more still. Unity across race, culture, religion; even longer. God, give me your perspective; my own, not so much. God, help me see people the way you do. God, help me…
BUILT TO LEAD 