Can We Maintain Balance as We Lead and Influence Other?
Just brokers are leaders who know that the equilibrium of their society's psyche (i.e. the prevailing attitudes, beliefs, and values that permeate within a society), is very fluid. That equilibrium requires a constant balancing act to maintain. If left unchecked, it produces societal values that are selfish, in the interest of a few, rather than collaborative, catering to the needs of many.
The critical issues like social inequity and injustice, income and wealth parity, environmental stewardship and climate change, that we are facing today, demand our leaders to step-up and become “just brokers” to maintain the delicate dynamic equilibrium between regulation and safety, advancement and prosperity, and health and wellbeing of all people and our planet.
Just brokers do a few things well:
1) They don’t rely on simplistic cause-and-effect thinking to solve problems. They are accustomed to identifying systemic root causes rather than merely treating symptoms.
2) They create peace and prosperity for their communities by offering policies that facilitate advancement and wellbeing, positively contributing towards the greater good of the communities they are a part of, without fueling its degradation or demise (i.e., negative unintended consequences).
3) Because they are mindful about solving society’s critical and complex challenges, they learn to suspend their biases as they are push for critical thinking through diversity of opinion and thought for stimulating creativity and ingenuity.
Solving complex societal challenges of today requires a two-pronged approach. On one hand, it demands high-intensity large scale transformative efforts for challenging and changing entrenched systems and structures. On the other hand, it needs low-intensity incremental change that gradually builds momentum towards influencing ways of thinking and associated behaviors.
Most leaders often overlook the importance of a systems approach to grasp the interconnectedness and interdependence of macro and micro change processes. By not viewing problems through a systems thinking lens, such leaders are unable to comprehend the complex web of relationships and feedback loops that contribute to the problem, and therefore are at a disadvantage when it comes to identifying potential leverage points for maintaining the dynamic equilibrium in the overall psyche of their community.
This aspect of leadership fosters rational decision-making within the collective mindset and behaviors of the community members; logic that rides on understanding, diversity of thought, respect and dignity. For without it, the equity and fairness in decision-making that is required to produce harmony and peace fueling the greater good of society, is lost to individualistic “what’s in it for me” attitudes and practices.
You don’t have to be in a leadership position to initiate this balancing act. Positive change can come from anyone who is willing to take action and work towards betterment. You don’t have to be a leader to be a “just broker”. While leadership can be an important factor in high-intensity transformational efforts, anyone can play a role in creating positive low-intensity incremental change within their own sphere of influence. The journey begins with self-reflection, analyzing our own attitudes and behaviors and taking personal responsibility for our actions.
In my own journey, marked by imbalances, I have found the following five universal principles incredibly helpful in aligning my intentions with my actions:
1) Life must be preserved at all costs. (i.e., Is the nature of the action I’m about to take harms human life, or any life for that matter?).
2) Dignity cannot be taken away. (i.e., Am I being unjust or undignified in treating someone based on their race, religion, gender, disabilities, etc.?).
3) Reason must prevail over emotions. (i.e., Do I uphold rationality and calmness when faced with conflict and/or misunderstanding, or do I just emotionally react to it?).
4) Wealth cannot be made negating any of the other 4 principles. (i.e., Are my financial or economic gains coming at the expense of negating the other principles?).
5) The Future cannot be bargained for gains of today. (i.e., Do I factor in the long-term consequences of my actions, rather than prioritizing short-term gains at the expense of the future generations?).