An Uneven Playing Field

We've probably all experienced this on a micro and macro level.  We are trying to play our very best game:  we are being fair,  truthful and candid, conciliatory and collaborative.  Our goal is to be the best people we can be and through that process, produce the best workplaces and product for the long-term.

And then someone comes along, very 1980's greed-is-good-and-winning-justifies-anything,and just blows it up by being nasty or messy or untruthful. . .they are playing their own game and it doesn't match our own.

So, we have an uneven playing field.   A segment, or even most of the workplace may be trying to do what is right - but there is that one lone wolf who isn't playing by what is right and ethical.

It is challenging to do what is right. . .when co-workers aren't playing by the same rules - or, for that matter, playing by any rules at all.    Truth is - it isn't fair.   And we can bemoan the inequity of it, but it is what it is.   Here is what we must guard against: strong workplaces get dragged down by those who don't play by the rules, who have no regard for others.  And how workplaces get dragged down is if we abandon what we believe is right by lowering ourselves to the renegade's level and try to beat them at their own game.

Here's what we must do:  stay the course.  Do what's right.  Play by the rules.   If we don't, ultimately chaos will prevail.   While it may seem that those who don't have any regard are winning - it is a short-term victory - we must have faith that what we are doing is right and good and will ultimately prevail - because it will.

One other note:    leaders of workplaces own the responsibility to make the playing field as level as possible.  The only people who can bring lone wolves and renegades into line (or exit them from the workplace) are those who sign the paychecks.

Consistently we must work for a better workplace. . .a better world.  Even if there are those who are not playing by the rules and the playing field is (temporarily) uneven - we must persist.  This, also, is part of the work we do.

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My book "Courageous Questions, Confident Leaders" is available on Amazon Kindle.