The Edge of Reason

In Leadership is an Art, Max DePree writes that true leaders must “define reality” and define the values of an organization (termed as “civility”).
“Civility might be defined as an ability to distinguish between what is actually healthy and what merely appears to be living.” Have you recently wondered, given the state of affairs in our building regarding morale, working conditions, and lack of quality management (accountability), whether our workplace is ‘living’ or ‘dying’?
Maybe your difficulty in observing any signs of vitality around here is our Air Traffic Manager’s desire to lead with an “edge.” He has disregarded employee input, misrepresented his motivation behind recent working conditions and practices, and, most costly, implemented standard operating procedures which will (and have begun to) totally sap the creative energy and physical well-being of his employees. DePree states, “A leader can tell the difference between living edges and dying [edges]. To lose sight of the beauty of ideas and of hope . . . to frustrate the right to be needed, is to be at the dying edge. To be a part of a throwaway mentality that discards . . . persons and families, is to be at the dying edge.”
Our Manager views us as an expendable mean to his budget-driven end. He will gladly “throw us away” at the drop off a headset if we don’t straighten up, be error-free and exude compliance. He has repeatedly disrespected his workforce and found every available opportunity to exploit any loophole that allows him to deprive his employees of their rights—not to mention privileges. He has done his best to disrupt any sense of “team” or cohesion. “To ignore the dignity of work and the elegance of simplicity, and the essential responsibility of serving each other, is to be at the dying edge.”
Instead of new plans, procedures, and policy, please give us our right to feel respected and dignified once again. Value us, who should be your most valuable asset and highest priority. Finally, understand this,
“In a day and age when so much energy seems to be spent on maintenance and manuals, on bureaucracy and meaningless quantification, to be a leader is to enjoy the special privileges of complexity, of ambiguity, of diversity. But to be a leader means, especially, having the opportunity to make a meaningful difference in the lives of those who permit leaders to lead.”
We need less management and more leadership.