What Happens When ‘Really Clever’ mixes with ‘Really Good’!

I closed my laptop.
And breathed a sigh of relief.

A chapter of history was, hopefully, coming to a close.
And the partisan divisiveness and bigotry that had engulfed relatives, friends and dear acquaintances in North America…
would soon have a chance to heal. To be soothed.
To reason with one another.

It always astonishes me.
The influence that one man can have.
One man. One woman.

How individuals.. groups… communities… cities… nations can be so easily swayed.
And how swaying towards the best of our nature…
Can be so much harder to attain.

Then there is Wednesday.
Surprising, off-balancing, chuckling, revelation-infused Wednesday.

A day when I gather with a group of leaders, for this once-in-four-months event of ours.
Just a small group, you understand.
But what a group!

And, oh! What songs of hope we sing!
What passion we throw – like exuberant diners with plates in a Greek restaurant – into the (Zoom) room.

There is absurd, soaring vision.
There is possibility layered upon possibility.
There is “We Know We Can Do This Different Thing!”
And “We WILL Do This!”

But…
(and here is what is so breath-taking)…

They talk about WHY they will do these things. Make these changes in their business.
They talk about the Jedi Force behind the crazy magnitude of what they will make happen.

And it’s never about them. For them.

It’s a 6 hour conversation about how they can use their professional skills and talents to serve others.
How they can change their industry.
How they will enrich the world. Help it to trust and flourish.

And all this through their businesses.
Through hard-won, well-honed, vigorously-tested capability.

And selfless hearts.

They will do what they vowed to do on Wednesday.
They will focus their teams on Doing Good. For clients. For communities.
Each evolving towards Brighter Versions of Themselves.

Their names might not be splashed across the broadsheets or tabloids.
Well, not the most popular versions, anyway.

But people will remember them.
Many colleagues. Many families.

And those will thank Heaven that they met them.

To be amongst such folk.
To be connected with them.
Well, it reaffirms my belief in the best of humanity.

I used to be very impressed by very clever people.
Then I learned that Goodness in People deserves our greatest attention and encouragement.

Otherwise we all will, ultimately, suffer.

This week I’ve witnessed what happens when both qualities come together in harmony.

And I sigh a different sigh.