In response to last week’s question, "Should you take on a leadership role if you can't be a dictator?," my writing and sailing friend Rich counsele,d "While there are days when the 'there is only one captain and he is never wrong' rule would make the day go quicker much more efficiently. However, there is also a rule that 'the captain is responsible for everything that happens.'  The smart captain listens to what his crew is telling him and acts on it. This can come in handy when there are icebergs about."   To this, my dad's beach buddy Bob  concurred, "No.  Only a wussy snowflake would think it possible to tell everyone all is well when the water is rising after the dam broke." 

My engineering friend Steve called out, "I’d say you shouldn’t take on a leadership role if you are a dictator" as my computer networking friend Andrew explained, "In the management classic 'Think and Grow Rich,' Napoleon Hill talks about 2 types of leadership:

1.       Leadership by Consent (cooperation)

2.       Leadership by Force (dictation)

“Leadership by consent of the followers is the only brand which can endure.  Reference is Ch. 7, Organized Planning, the Crystallization of Desire into Action.  So the only way you can be a true leader is to be a 'servant-leader,' not a dictator (the latter is not even a valid form of leadership, since you are not leading as much as coercing)."

My temple friend Kevin shared ,"Long ago, when I was being interviewed for my first temple board position, David Strauss, at the end of the interview, asked me if I had given any consideration to being the temple President at some point.  After I got over my initial shock at such a suggestion, I replied with what I basically believe about leadership:  Leaders can only be leaders if they have earned the respect of those who are going to follow.  Leadership is never to be a one-way street nor should ever be taken without understanding that truth."   My sailing friend Norm agreed, interjecting, "A good leader delegates to the team.  A bad leader 'dictates' to the team.  I will only take on a leadership role if I can have a good team that I can 'delegate.'  Nobody likes to work for a dictator."  

My cycling friend Ted alternatively concluded, "Yes-because being a dictator is not all it's cracked up to be. For all you Game of Thrones fans, look what happened to King Joffree!! As the "dictator" of my dental practice, I can tell you I would love to let someone else handle the crap from time to time. Then of course, this leads to the implication of this entire question-should "The Donald" be president? Well, let's leave that for a special edition of HMMMM!!"

Then my cousin Wes replied, "It depends on whether you like herding cats. Most of my group projects end up with me as leader and me doing all work, hence me as de facto dictator" to which my equestrian friend Royce added, "Only if you are pulling the strings."

Then please send me your thoughts about this week's "things that make you go 'Hmmm' ":

            How do you elevate a grunt?

We don't stop laughing because we get old. We get old because we stop laughing.  Make it a priority to have fun and make others laugh.

Hal

Thanks to Demetri Martin, Steven Wright and George Carlin for the inspiration for Hmmm.