Why?
My thinking over years was hugely influenced by people like God, Joseph Jaworski, David Baum, Aristoteles … for that I will always be grateful and I will keep on learning. If you were to ask me however why business fail easy what comes up in my mind is the following:
- The inability of leaders to make their intent clear and then communicate the purpose and vision and values in a manner that normal people can not only understand but also become enthusiastic about.
- They find it hard to see the whole and how interconnected it all is.
- They cannot work with the end in mind and therefore be pro-active in what to do right now.
- They seldom reflect on reality, just the bullshit. They defend territory instead of play with the creative space between entities.
- Their conversations and or processes seldom allow them to reflect on alternatives and move into the creative zone.
- They get stuck in not having the right person for the right reason on the job.
- They always compete, but then in a very almost destructive manner.
I guess what changed it for me was the privilege to write my story into the stories of others.
The legacy I think is when others start to write their stories again into mine. In this sense we are free to change the stories by which we live. I guess it was only when who I am, and the business I do became one, that I started to understand that I am a player in the context of change and significance. I choose my own story as I actively participate in it and play the role that destiny had for me. Nothing describes freedom for me better than the realisation that we can advance and I have a role in it to play.
In the last five years as I facilitated many great businesses I have learned so many things that are generic to all of us and I sometimes wonder why.
The observations that follow are what inspired me to do this work and keep on doing it. In some of my observations there might be a subtle sarcasm, don’t interpret this as skeptic or me being negative. Just understand this is the way it is for most people out there:
- Most people are fine until you meet them up with leadership then the energy levels drop.
- Most people end up doing what leaders allow them to do.
- Often the masses stayed more or less the same and so also their working conditions. It is only the leadership that has changed and now the performance is bad.
- Most people will never see the whole and the interconnectedness even if I show it to them, they still don’t see it.
- Most people are reactive and very linear in their approach of doing their work. They find it almost impossible to interpret the complexity of their environment and then manage it proactively with the end in mind.
- Most people will never stop to reflect on what is really happening. When under pressure they become victims and doers of what they are told. As a result total disempowerment. When under pressure they don’t see anything - they see nothing.
- The correct leadership style and the role of the leader in a specific context seldom get defined. They find it hard to distinguish when it is a good time to tell, to speak, to listen, to facilitate, to guide, to coach, to mentor, to be quiet.
- When they run out of clock time, it is as if there is no sense of urgency. Initially I thought it was only because of a lack of empowerment, but now I understand it is because they never accepted ownership as if it is theirs.
- We find it hard to share information in a constructive, facilitative manner.
- It is as if most people are always dependant, waiting for someone to lead them whilst the thought of having a leader scares them.
- When we were not spoon-fed the bugger up started.
- People when under pressure and need to explain will always go in denial and by doing so cover their own backside.
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CALLIE ROOS – www.callieroos.com
From: Special Forces Operator. Land and Sea Survival Specialist. Pastor. Senior Military Staff Officer. Community Leader. Honorary Game Ranger.
To: Facilitator. Speaker. Author. Philosopher. Change Agent. Mentor.
Callie Roos has a unique blend of leadership experience crossing the boundaries of nature, military and the spiritual realm making him one of the biggest game changers of his time.
Callie is able to use his philosophies and experiences from the wilderness and lessons learnt in the military and corporate world to bring new revolutionary thinking and solutions to everyday businesses, future leaders, youth and communities. He follows a unique approach as he uses the African Bushveld Savannah as the backdrop against which he unpacks businesses and their operations.