Ethical Leadership Returns to Fashion
My perception is that we are in the midst of one of the lowest points we have ever experienced in the world when it comes to demonstrated noble big-vision leadership. When I say “we” I mean all of us alive now, from the newest baby to the seniormost life veteran.
Whatever happened to ethics? Whatever happened to statesmanship? Whatever happened to noble ideals?
Politically, we see time and again bitter divisiveness as the rule of the day. Despite popular talk of “bipartisanship”, stopping the other team seems to be the goal, regardless of outcome, based on evidence I see. Bolsheviks align from the left to punish productive earners through odious levels of taxation and regulation, and Fatcats out on the right lure pitiful wage slaves into helplessly providing egregious profits.
Popular gods of the times – multi-millionaire sports figures – cause us to gasp and wince at scandalous betrayals of trust. Betrayal of family (wild tigers), betrayal of sportsmanship ideals (shrieking profanity at officials), betrayal of humane living (dogfight investors), and betrayal of healthy living (ballplayer dopers) cannot fail to sadden any idealist.
How ‘bout those bankers and money movers? CEO paid 385 million dollars for the few years it took to destroy Lehman Brothers, devastating the financial security of countless hard-working Americans but providing for a full lifetime of over-the-top luxury for one heartless former CEO now sipping drinks with fellow killers at private beachfront palaces. And that’s only one; there are plenty more like him in the private and government sectors.
Anyway, you get my point. I do not see much heroic behavior these days. I see a lot of selfish taking with little regard for the grander welfare of all.
So what would it take for things to change?
Most will not like this because it is so undramatic and so middle of the path, but…
We need balance, heroic big visioned big brained big hearted big shovel and big stick balance.
Where does balance start?
We have an ideal – warrior protector virtue, in the real original meaning of the word virtue as “manly valor perfected through taking care of all”.
We have a vision of what blocks such an ideal from blossoming – imitation of warrior strength, in the sense of confusing manliness with “mean little boy” taking whatever desired by beating anyone who might get in the way.
We cultivate that balance by becoming as strong as possible through training and becoming as ethical as possible through study.
I have been saying it since the 1980s. The ethical warrior winner gets everything he or she needs, and the world is a better place as a result of it.
Want to see what that kind of training looks like?
Join me and my friend Jack Hoban for a full day of ethical warrior preparation March 13 in Newark, NJ. Enroll at RGI and become part of our revitalization of the responsible warrior leader taking ground in a long overdue battle.
18 comments to “Ethical Leadership Returns to Fashion”
Sensei,
The world is managed, management being in my experience, achieving a specified goal by means of force of will and consequence, “do this or this will happen to you”; leadership on the other hand is not about consequences as much as buy in to the “leader” or an ideal and as a result achievement.
Sadly we not only tend to be managed or manage others (children, spouses, our environment) we also tend to manage ourselves through self talk.
What we need for ourselves firstly (but never ending there) and then spiraling further and further out from us is leadership, leading inspired lives based on ideals and values that can only but inspire and drive one forward, purpose. without purpose is akin to without a compass, morally and otherwise.
Some of this might sound familiar.
http://bit.ly/9w5pcM
Mr. hayes,
I am amazed and honored that I can say I now a man who truly believes in saying what needs to be said. My belief is that this great nation has fallen into socialized slavery and we accept everyday even though we know there is a better way.
You have a great voice and I beleive and hope you will leave your blog up.
I wish you and Mr. Hoban the best of luck on your leadership seminar and have many potentially gifted leaders attend.
Thanks for blazing a trail where one is needed.
Two days ago I found the enrollment sheet for this unique event and very much wish(ed) I could be attending If I hadn’t already promised to attend a wedding on the other side of the country the following weekend. I imagine many others may have similare scheduling and financial offsets.
An-shu, would you please consider holding an annual events such as this or making the material otherwise available for those of us so interested?
I see that as the popularity of the true warrior ideal grows the world gains the fulfillment, enlightenment and respect it has for so long sought and deserved. I believe once true ethical leadership is more widley recognized by the world we will see a fashion boom that will resonate the real benefits of power and leadership.
Thank you An-shu and to everyone else who has been such a catalyst for true positive change in our world!
Now more than ever it seems critical to cultivate our own inner compass. Much of what is discussed as ‘critically important’ in the popular discourse is meaningless nonsense or willful misdirection. Much that is easily brushed aside deserves our consideration and careful scrutiny. It sounds like this training with Anshu and Mr. Hoban will be a large stride in the right direction. I don’t think I will make it to the training, but I am very glad it is taking place. Gambatte ne!
I am very happy to say I will be there and I am looking forward to this event.
Thank you Mr. Hayes for sticking your neck out there and saying what needs to be said.
as far as a solution to these problems on a social level I see a noble ideals base on this line of thinking, found here:
http://www.thevenusproject.com/
I an not sure if you may feel this is relevant but I guess all things can be considered.
Anshu you are dead on with this one. This is by far my favorite post you have ever written. I think a lack of moral leaders and an influx of immoral media portrayals is large part of the problem. I respect the messages you bring and you as a person.
Humankind will change when people truly understand they are one… then we can share the worlds resources equally.
Naturally,
bartholomeus
Bravo. I ultimately have faith that the people of this great planet will see through the deceit that both extremes use to pander, polarize and plunder!
Thanks for years of honesty An-shu!
Bob Malone
(Boston, Ma.)
I agree with your opinion. Everyone has a political agenda for whichever circumstance their life holds. There are too few many who hold the ideals of living to benefit for a greater humanity. It truly is a matter in balance of power. The path that is our art is a way to realise our own convictions despite the challenges we face.
Honesty, trust and respect have been relegated to the dust bin by todays society where a golfer has to apologize but the President *(former) doesn’t have to for the same act.
I don’t believe there are many who would train as we did in the 80’s and accept what befell us anymore without consulting a lawyer.
The decline of western civilization has reared its head and is climbing out of the tomes and into reality.
I agree with what Mr.Hayes has posted. There’s a movie called Zeitgeist on youtube. It has 3 parts, and it actually echoes some of the things Mr.Hayes has written. Look it up. Peace.
Thees are strong words, words of a true warrior one that people should respect and should fallow. I to see that it twisted world, yet the white man has spoken with forked tong’s that the world has copied to a fine art. I am a contractor I have had contract’s with the state of California, in contracts I am held to contractual obligations and responsibility’s. Yet when the State goofs up and other people suffer from it including the honorable California Highway patrol there is no form of recourse of recovery. Even though they are held to contractual obligations as well. We all suffer from those who do not keep to there word. I was raised in a world when a man gave his word in a hand shack to an agreement and that was binding as strong to swearing on the Bible. It is truly sad to see the world tern sour wear a contract is meaningless. This is why I study Ninjutsu the way of the Shinobi Warrior and a member Soka Gakkai International we are all fighting for a batter tomorrow. It is good that warriors met in the struggle of life and death, My words of death are in my hands and sword, words of life are in the seed that I sow it shale be Life.
Ethical is an element a human will find in their actions when those actions are based on not only the moral grounds of what is right and wrong in the sphere of Natural Law (ie a man can own what he has earned or purchased through mutual exchange) but also on rational thought and reason (ie a man has a right to private property and that right extends to how he manages that property). Ethical action is the result of the acceptance of the TRUTH behind this Natural Law that binds human interactions, both morally and rationally. It is moral and rational for a man to choose to give some of his property to the poor if that is his wish; it is immoral and irrational for another to appropriate that man’s property for the purposes of redistribution.
Some in our society support this immoral action because it is done for the ‘public good’, and have abdicated their individual rights, and the responsibilities that come with them for the illusion of certain other false rights that are offered to them (ie the right to a job or the right to health). It is not society’s responsibility to provide anyone with anything. Society only exists as a collection of individuals that respect the other s right to their property and life and the liberty to pursue that life in an ethical way. When all individuals practice this type of ethical behavior, that society is not in conflict.
This is the ideal the Warrior Protector fights for, as it is expressed in our student creed.
Unfortunately, some leaders in our government today do not believe that a man has a right to personal property. They do not believe in expressing the truth with thoughtful reason, or communicate peace of mind. Instead they believe all property, if owned, was stolen in some manner and must be redistributed according to their own belief system and assumptions; they have no use for the truth if it does not support their own world view and instead of communicating the peace of mind that comes with the attention to personal responsibilities they preach demagogy and instill chaos and fear of one’s fellow man with the empty promise that only they can protect you from that chaos and fear if you will simply relinquish your responsibilities to them for the good of humanity and because we are all one.
The ideas that “we are all one” or of a “greater humanity” cannot be attained through the dictate of laws or the redistribution of wealth; only through the reality that each individual take responsibility for their own wants and needs and respect the property and rights of others. The belief that someone has a right to what they have not earned is neither moral nor rational, in the same way that we, who study this art, do not have a right to its skills, knowledge or power without the toil of earning it.
An-Shu’s willingness and desire to speak on these subjects, and how it fits in with the ideals of what we study only speaks to the courage and confidence he has developed through personal experience and careful thought. We are all benefited greatly by his willingness to share and his desire to instill in us the need to not only feel, but also to think. Balance.
I stand with Mr. Hayes completely.
I too agree with the Anshu’s post. I believe that it all comes down to accountability. There is a major lack of accountability in today’s society and too much blame is placed on others.
From the banking crisis recently to general governance, the power of the people has been slowly stripped away. No longer does the public hold power over the elected officials.
Who in corporate leadership positions stood up and said this is our fault? Greed was the overriding factor and now the rest of the World has to suffer the economic fall out for the extremely limited few whom remained unscathed.
There truly is no honour and ethical leadership and if there are there are far to few to make an impact on the whole.