Sunday, August 31, 2014

Quote-A-Day: Day 244

If we can't be ourselves, then who will we be?

Yesterday I had the opportunity to attend Electric Zoo, a festival for EDM (Electronic Dance Music), the progeny of house,trance, trip hop, and everything else that was "electronic niche" in the mid- to late nineties.  I was an early fan, but most house music festivals at that time were really underground.  Not being much of a "raver," I was content to listen to tapes that I got my hand on from others.

Fast-forward twenty years later, and EDM is now as mainstream as many other music genres.  Electric Zoo is a three day festival, but seeing as how I'm thirty-five, and not quite as "capable of hanging" as I was in my teens and twenties, one day was about as much as I could handle (not to mention that I have other responsibilities now, like a wife, and a family :) ).

So this year, a buddy of mine, his wife, and I went to the Saturday session of Electric Zoo, where we proceeded to listen, dance, and have a great time.  While we tended to enjoy some of the "old school" acts better than the "newer" artists, and while we were clearly towards the older end of the attendee spectrum, none of that mattered.

Because we were there to just be us.

As leaders and learners, one of the most important steps we can take is to make sure that in all of our actions, in all that we say, we are being ourselves.

By acting like who we really are, we encourage others to do the same, and when everyone is truly transparent, then we know we can have deep conversation and make effective decisions, as there are no hidden agendas or covered attitudes.

We have to be us, not only for those we serve, but also for our own well-being.  If we can't be ourselves, then who will we be?

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