History is filled with great leaders that are often not great role models.
In 1991 Nike released a commercial of basketball player Charles Barkley stating, “I am not a role model. I get paid to wreak havoc on the basketball court”. The ad was somewhat shocking, considering that the most beloved athletes at the time, such as Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird were viewed not only as great players, but great role models. In doing this, Barkley (with help from Nike) set himself up to be the ultimate bad guy, one who on the surface appears to be a selfish player, not caring about what others think of him. To this day Charles continues to project this tough guy image, working with TNT broadcasting, and often sparring with his fellow hosts, particularly Shaquille O’Neal. Although he never won a championship, he is still one of the best known basketball players of all time.
In truth, Barkley wasn’t wrong. Sports franchises do pay athletes to win games, and if they project an image of likeability, that’s an added bonus. It’s important to note that this isn’t dismissing behavior in one’s personal life, such as domestic violence allegations or assault, but rather, their style of play. This can often be aggressive and intimidating, and players like Barkley as well as Bill Laimbeer, excelled in their role of doing the dirty work, while much of their teammates relished in the bask of idolatry. But many of the role models Americans had prior to the advent of social media, would later prove themselves to be flawed human beings. Magic announcing he was HIV positive, with multiple reports of affairs with women while a married man, and Jordan, experiencing the same allegations of adultery, as well as an obsessive gambling addiction. Quite honestly, I’m very thankful I didn’t grow up with social media, for the focus would have most likely been on these issues rather than what was achieved on the court, on the field, or on the screen.
And this is where we find ourselves today. On one hand, trying to find an effective leader that can also present the image of a great role model. History is filled with men who did great things, but never made the most moral of decisions in their personal lives. From King David to Kennedy, it would be almost impossible to find someone who isn’t inherently flawed, and with the constant digging up of past mistakes, these flaws will sooner or later come out. However, we should ask ourselves if that voids their ability to be a great leader. Looking at it from a different perspective, we often do believe that those who say the right things, or project the right image, would make great leaders, only to be disappointed in the decisions they make once they’re in a leadership role. Even if the one they view as flawed is delivering on policies that actually benefit their lives, many still believe an image of nice is the most important attribute in a leader. With the world in a state of financial instability, and on the brink of world war, we might want to question whether we need a strong leader, or positive role model.
Sure, both characteristics would be best, but that’s not always realistic. We are often preoccupied noticing a person’s failures, rather than their successes. And although those failures prove why they are not great models, we sometimes miss the reasons those successes prove them to be great leaders.
Until next time
JPN