We are at that time again where opposing views of the world are presented in ways that do not serve anyone. As I listen, watch and participate (way, way too much for a sane mind) I sadly realize that no matter what happens, we continue the practices that gridlock our future. I can imagine that “shining city on a hill.” But wonder how we can get there when we refuse to create a shared vision together.
In any organization, large or small, there are competing ideas, visions, philosophies, and methodologies to achieving success in a complex world. However, until the organization creates a powerful, shared vision of the future, forward movement will be stopped, gridlocked. When this happens, people tend to go low.
We gossip, tell stories about each other. We focus on and criticize the personal traits of other people that we don’t like. We exaggerate each other’s faults and negate our ideas. The focus is on breaking down the people with opposing thoughts rather than on the ideas of what can we build together.
The vital life-energy of any organization comes from moving from where we are now towards a powerful shared vision of what we want to create together, and how we want to treat each other. Creating alignment to the common goals drives peak performance in nations and in life.
It’s easier to go high when we share a vision.
Since the country was founded, we the people and our candidates have frequently focused time and energy on what we don’t want. In recent years this has become the norm in our political conversations. We focus on what we don’t want. We spend all our time and voice expressing the list of what we don’t want. And, we go low.
What do you think we attract? Yup, more of what we don’t want. Energy goes where focus goes. Michelle Obama’s recent quote was “when they go low, we go high.” That’s the language of energy. At Clarity™ we call that above-the-line thinking.
What would happen if we all began to focus on our biggest shared desires? For example:
We want economic growth and possibilities for everyone.
We want an education system that serves every student’s biggest dreams.
We want to permanently defeat extremism in all its forms.
This isn’t simplistic, pie-in-the-sky thinking. We can remain realistic about the complexities and challenges we face together, but we place all of our mental resources on always evaluating ideas through the shared vision filter, not perceived personal deficiencies. That’s going high.
A society that has as a part of its guiding vision “when they go low, we go high” will continually create a dialogue that serves the common purpose.
If you want me to listen and move to possible alignment, go high,
Gary
