I’ve been accused of sounding angry lately.  Here’s why.  This country was built on something called free speech.  Not only free speech, because free speech on its own is useless.  Free speech only works if someone is prepared to listen.  Note I said ‘listen’.  I did not say ‘agree’.

You know what I’ve noticed?  Many executives don’t tolerate free speech at work.  And they seldom listen.

If this country became great because people could speak their minds freely in the hope of influencing others, why is it that so many executives believe that the way to build a great company is to get junior people to shut up?

My problem is that I know I am fallible, which is why I keep asking people ‘so, what do you think?’  I wonder what our world would be like if more CEOs entertained the idea of possibly being fallible.

When is enough enough?

Talk about fallible.  Have you heard the one about me being charged by a lioness?  Oh, you have.  Well, a funny thing happened when I told that story again recently.  I suddenly remembered how quickly fear disappeared once the lions had feasted.

You see, animals are only nervous when lions are hungry because lions only hunt when they are hungry.  Only Man is always hungry.

So let’s be honest with ourselves.  It is this always-hungry that has landed us in this mess.  This always-hungry has led to companies over-reaching and people over-spending.

Line up or be bashed

I like capitalism but I don’t like greed.  No, that’s not quite right.  I don’t mind greed.  Be as greedy as you like.  What I don’t like is when one person’s greed is another person’s pain.

That is my one big problem with capitalism.  Greed without care.

I would like capitalism even more if CEOs were to lead according to ‘first do no harm’.  (But then, anybody who has looked a lioness in the eye would think that.)

Actually, I do know CEOs who lead like that.  And let’s not forget that this is all about leadership.  Leadership is often very simple.  It is not what you say that matters.  It’s what you do, consistently.

And when what you say is aligned with what you do, then you won’t be bashed.

Come to think of it, when you’re aligned with your own sense of self you won’t struggle so much with the little deaths of daily capitalism.

What happens when someone loses a regular income?  Something little dies inside.  These little deaths show up as a little less self-respect, a little less self-confidence, a little less smiling, a little more frowning.

We all face these little deaths at some time or other.

(Warning! Corny bit ahead.) A caterpillar must face a little death to become a butterfly.  But the caterpillar doesn’t know that, which is why you never see a happy caterpillar.

Me, I keep smiling.  I have faced these little deaths before.  And I’m simply not willing to stay a worm or become lion food.