fandomhigh | Leadership: Wednesday, Period 1, Class 10 (3/18/09)

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Leadership: Wednesday, Period 1, Class 10 (3/18/09)

"As leaders you will not always be popular," Nathan said as he passed around that week's handout. "Let's face it, if absolutely everyone agreed on what was the right thing to do you'd be out of a job. I don't care if you're running on a free chocolate for everyone platform. Someone out there, somewhere, won't like it.

"We'll get into making unpopular decisions in the next couple of classes. For today I want to focus on this: you are not a leader to be liked. You are not a leader to make friends. You are a leader because you can do what it takes to bring about what's best for the whole - be that your company, your squadron, your country, or anything else.

"If you want unconditional love get a dog. Though frankly those might not always agree with you either." Nathan smiled briefly, remembering something. He shook it off and moved on. "When you make your decision you have to stick to it, even if people don't like you. Now part of this is your own leadership skills. You have to believe that you've made your decision for the best possible reasons. Everything we've worked on up to this point has helped give you the foundation for that.

"This is also not about ignoring good advice. Again: you need to understand before you make these decisions who gives you good information and insight. And this isn't about what if you're making a bad decision - we'll get into the fun of that next week. No, what this is about is those moments where you know what needs to be done and people hate you for it. There's going to be tension all around you. Your popularity has dipped so far in the polls it's hitting negative numbers. Your own mother is giving you the evil eye and muttering about writing you out of her will. You have to find it in yourself to ignore all of that and stuck to your guns. Remind yourself that you're not in it to be liked, you're in it to do what you think is right.

"For today's class you're going to practice that. Pair up. Take turns with one of you as the leader and the other as the one who doesn't like the leader. Leaders, you've decided to abolish a law that says guys named Nathan aren't allowed to own property. Now I like you a lot, but your partner hates this idea. Dissenters - your job is to try to put pressure on the leader to change his or her mind. This law's been on the books for thousands of years, if the law is changed there'll be rioting in the streets, the entire economic system will collapse - whatever. Have fun. Play around with it. Leaders, stick to your guns. Remind yourself that it doesn't matter if this person agrees with you or not. See how long you can hang in there before you switch roles.

"Remember to play nice and don't make anything personal," Nathan added. "Though once you have the job you'll find that the press and everyone else might not be so kind. But we're not so life or death here.

"As always I'm here if you have questions."

[ooc: OCD is up!]

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"Just because you think it's stupid doesn't make it bad," Lee retorted.

"No, but I'm not the only one who thinks so, and besides, it is a bad idea," Tahiri said. "Everyone knows guys named Nathan don't have the favor of the gods because of their name. If you let them own property, you'll invoke the wrath of the gods on all of us."

When it eventually sank in what she was saying, or rather where she was actually getting it from, she'd be a little horrified, yes.

"You're only seeing the immediate ramifications," Lee said. "I'm seeing the benefits of this for everyone in the long run. This is a marathon not a sprint."

"Hard to run a marathon when everyone's morale's been slagged, or all the competitors have torn each other up before the gun goes off," Tahiri persisted. "That move isn't going to go down well with the public at all. It's just about heresy -- did you even think about how that's going to affect people?"

"So, why should you get more rights than Nathan?" Lee asked. "What's he done that makes you better than him? I was thinking more of trying to be equal here. Make it easier in the future for everyone to be equal."

"He's unworthy in the eyes of the gods because of his name," Tahiri answered -- not snapping, exactly, but her voice was a little tight. "It's not about equality, it's about preserving society. Treat the unworthy as if they are, and it'll doom us all."

"Do you want to be the one to tell Nathan he's a secondhand citizen?" Lee asked. "Because be my guest. I'm sure he'll take that well. AS for the gods, I disagree with them. And nothing is going to change ever if there's not some change here. We'll grow stagnant and murky."

Tahiri crossed her arms over her chest and leaned back in her chair. "He should be used to it by now. That's how it's always been, so why should it be a surprise now if he is one?"

She hadn't addressed the notion of change yet; she was still working that one out.

"He doesn't deserve to be," Lee said firmly. "He is no different than you or I. And the gods and their silly rules only show that they are not about helping our civilization survive, they're about control. You want me to keep this rule but what would you be telling me if the gods decided to make you just like Nathan is?"

Oh, she snapped now. Or someone did; it wasn't Tahiri who recoiled at the idea of being a Shamed One, and it wasn't her reflexive disdain for them that flared up. "I haven't done anything to deserve that," Tahiri half-snarled. "You're the leader -- aren't you supposed to be the avatar of the gods and their will? If you're trying to go against their will maybe you shouldn't be."

"Has Nathan done anything to deserve that?" Lee snapped right back. "You're so intent on this rule staying in place but you have no frakking idea why it's in place, do you? Don't you think the gods could have just been picking on someone one day and they picked Nathan?"

He took a breath and shook his head.

"Nathan hasn't done anything to deserve that. And I'm the leader. I lead. I'm fixing a wrong. An atrocity, as I see it. You're so ready to slap a label on Nathan but you have no idea why you're doing it, do you? You're doing it because the gods say to do it. Think for yourself. They don't own your frakking mind."

"That's how it's been. That's how it's always been. That's --"

Tahiri stopped short, and her eyes went wide, all the fight draining out of her posture.

The odd timbre was gone from her voice, too, when she spoke up again. "I think I'd like to concede this argument."

"Okay," Lee said, nodding. "Have we met formally yet? I can't remember. If not, I'm Lee. Nice arguing with you."

"Tahiri," she answered, and if they had it wasn't coming to mind at the moment. "Sorry about getting carried away there."

"Nothing I can't handle," he assured her. "Got my big boy shoes on. Nice to meet you, Tahiri. I didn't mean to snap."

"No, it's okay. I kind of pushed you there," Tahiri answered, not quite looking at him. "Because for the record, I think you're right."

Shut up in there, Riina.

"I think I'm right too and it's always easier to argue something you believe in," Lee said. "So, your side was harder. Still, situation like this, hypothetical or not is gonna be hard to solve."

"Yeah." Tahiri rubbed at the back of her neck and made a face. "This is why I kind of hate politics."

"Yeah, me too," he said and laughed. "I leave it to my father for right now. Politics never make everyone happy. Someone's always going to hate you."

"Your dad's a politician?" Tahiri asked, sounding sympathetic.

"Military official, actually," he clarified. "But, politics and military are pretty intertwined. He's not a straight politician but he knows what he's talking about."

Sometimes.

The look on Tahiri's face definitely suggested she knew the feeling. "Ugh, tell me about it. It's such a mess, isn't it?"

"Always," Lee said and shook his head. "Funny thing, I sometimes wonder if they prefer it that way so they have something to do."

Tahiri thought of Leia and grinned. "I don't think they'd know what to do with themselves with nothing going on."

"And playing cards would just turn into a political bloodbath," Lee decided.

Leadership: Wednesday, Period 1, Class 10 (3/18/09)

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