by Papa_Stan
One of the villagers recently posed the question, “Is it better to be right or popular?” While it’s a legitimate question, it’s also a no-brainer for The Village. “Right” trumps “popular” everyday in The Village. Even better is the fact that the villagers have a pretty common understanding of right and wrong. For that reason, the lines are fairly clearly drawn and the case is very clear-cut… popularity without integrity is of little value. On that, we can all agree. The question, though, stirred up for me a less clear quandary. Is it better to be effective or authentic?
We all strive to be effective AND authentic. As a matter of fact, most of us believe it is actually our authenticity that makes us effective. While that may be true inside the safe confines of The Village, what happens when we are called to be effective in our external dealings? Do you ever exchange authenticity for effectiveness at work, at school, or at play? Do you ever shield others from your true self in order to be effective?
Sometimes this alternate nature is represented by the masks we wear. We change our hairstyles or our dress to make us most effective with our audience. Sometimes we use a particular tone or voice inflection with our co-workers than we might use with the fellas from the neighborhood. You can be brutally honest with your brother and have to be a bit more tactful with your teaching assistant. We have all done it. In those cases are you being authentic? Some might argue that people are complex beings and the ability to morph in and out of various characters (or characteristics) is a useful talent and really represents the totality of who we really are.
The masks are one thing, but what about pretending to agree with something or be someone because you know the ruse will result in effectiveness? Before you answer too quickly ask yourself, “Have I ever laughed at a joke that I didn’t think was funny?” “Have I ever clapped for a speaker whose speech missed the mark?” “Have I ever complimented a host whose meal was less than appealing?” Examples like these are often benign encounters, but what happens when the stakes are a bit higher.
The danger comes when you are tempted to accept values that you don’t agree with or reject principles that are important to the way you live your life – and doing so under the guise of being effective. I imagine politicians have to constantly struggle with the dilemma of supporting a position that they don’t agree with in order to garner support for a project their constituents so desperately need. It’s perceivable that a military leader be faced with rejecting established principles in order to save the lives of the battalion. Even religious leaders, at some point, must have to turn a blind eye to societal ills in order to further a greater good.
Authentic vs. Effective. You make the call.
We all strive to be effective AND authentic. As a matter of fact, most of us believe it is actually our authenticity that makes us effective. While that may be true inside the safe confines of The Village, what happens when we are called to be effective in our external dealings? Do you ever exchange authenticity for effectiveness at work, at school, or at play? Do you ever shield others from your true self in order to be effective?
Sometimes this alternate nature is represented by the masks we wear. We change our hairstyles or our dress to make us most effective with our audience. Sometimes we use a particular tone or voice inflection with our co-workers than we might use with the fellas from the neighborhood. You can be brutally honest with your brother and have to be a bit more tactful with your teaching assistant. We have all done it. In those cases are you being authentic? Some might argue that people are complex beings and the ability to morph in and out of various characters (or characteristics) is a useful talent and really represents the totality of who we really are.
The masks are one thing, but what about pretending to agree with something or be someone because you know the ruse will result in effectiveness? Before you answer too quickly ask yourself, “Have I ever laughed at a joke that I didn’t think was funny?” “Have I ever clapped for a speaker whose speech missed the mark?” “Have I ever complimented a host whose meal was less than appealing?” Examples like these are often benign encounters, but what happens when the stakes are a bit higher.
The danger comes when you are tempted to accept values that you don’t agree with or reject principles that are important to the way you live your life – and doing so under the guise of being effective. I imagine politicians have to constantly struggle with the dilemma of supporting a position that they don’t agree with in order to garner support for a project their constituents so desperately need. It’s perceivable that a military leader be faced with rejecting established principles in order to save the lives of the battalion. Even religious leaders, at some point, must have to turn a blind eye to societal ills in order to further a greater good.
Authentic vs. Effective. You make the call.
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3 comments:
Very thought provoking. I think you're right...we've all done it. But I don't think adapting to your environment makes you less authentic. I think it means you're perceptive and adaptable.
However, I think you're right when you say "The danger comes when you are tempted to accept values that you don’t agree with or reject principles that are important to the way you live your life – and doing so under the guise of being effective." That's just it, you're not actually being effective...it's just a guise.
So I think you can be authentic and effective.
Stanley has eloquently stated the conundrum we face: "The danger comes when you are tempted to accept values that you don’t agree with or reject principles that are important to the way you live your life – and doing so under the guise of being effective."
While it is often hard to hold true to our values and principles, especially when in the midst of a storm, I have never regretted when I was able to successfully do so!
I good friend of mine spoke on this topic: "authenticity rules, hypocrisy rots." Young people especially can smell hypocrisy a mile off because it gives off an awful odor. Authenticity means bearing what is good and it means bearing our warts too. Unfortunately, Corporate America often calls or demands for effectiveness (along with efficiency, etc). However, the older I get, I will opt for authenticity over effectiveness (especially, if effectiveness means being fake). But like Courtney, I think we are more effective when we are authentic.
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