I've been doing some soul searching lately...recently I've been rather short-fused and have had the tendency to blow my top - so to speak - at the slightest provocation. Is it an ego thing? Yes, to a large extent, I'll admit. I guess I have a real big problem in accepting "advice", especially when that advice comes in the form of a very large entity whose trying to emphasise a point by verbally stating its seniority.

I mean, I have no problem with respecting authority, honestly. Having served in the armed forces for 26 months, I've learned that sometimes you've just gotta follow the instructions (or orders, in the case of the army) of your superior - whether or not you think it's illogical; a waste of resources; it could be done in another more efficient way etc. . You're trained to carry out the orders, not to think. That's what the officers are paid to do - or so they tell us.

But the thing about authority - or seniority, for that matter - does not necessarily come with respect. You follow the orders because you have to; because you're acknowledging the power that comes with the position, though you may not necessarily have to like or even respect the source of those orders.

The thing is, respect is something that has to be earned. Not through putting on a show or through covering one's own behind, but through sticking one's own neck out on the chopping block; getting one's own hands dirty; leading by example... it's things like THESE, among others, which earns you respect.

Sure, you'd gain short term compliance by enforcing by ruling "with an iron fist", though in the long term, many great real life examples have proved that these are not the long term solutions. Just look at communism, marxism and the like. You don't have to be a history student to know that their rulers weren't all that successful in maintaining a stable, cohesive society - of a people whom were happy to work for their governments.

To command respect, is an art. An art which, admittedly, I have yet to master. Though I'm growing wiser through life's experiences. And yes, humility does help the learning process.

It was once famously said: the wisest man is not the man who knows everything, but rather he is the one who knows he knows nothing at all... Go figure.

raneth hopped off at 3:19 am