Inauguration

Inauguration

 

In my inaugural article I wanted to start by defining some underlying themes that guide my thinking.  They form a basis in which I try to gather information, compute, decide and execute.  I cannot say that I get it right all of the time.  But I try to get it right.  The enlightened thing to do is to make corrections when corrections are due.  I strive to keep my opinion based on facts which are reasoned through.  Yes, ultimately the result is my opinion on these subjects and people may have different opinions.  I respect that. 

 

Summary

 

First, individuals are accountable and responsible for their own actions.  Individuals cannot yield accountability to someone else.  Delegation does not relieve accountability.  Second, perception is not reality.  When someone says that perception is reality it means that they know that they can lie to everyone.  When people repeat it back it means they are receptive for the big lie. Third, decision predicates resolve.  Failure to decide predicates uncertainty.  Fourth, actions have consequences, that may be good or bad, for which someone is accountable.

 

Individuals are accountable…

 

First and foremost, I believe in personal accountability.  I believe that every person is accountable for their actions and for their inactions.  The responsibility for your perceptions, decisions, choices, actions are yours and so too are the consequences.  In some cases you are accountable for the actions of other individuals or groups based on your freely accepted duty. 

 

“American liberty is premised on the accountability of free men and women for what they have done, not for what they may do.” ~Jon Newman 

 

Everyday we are taken to account.  At least have the courage to accept responsibility for yourself.   Be accountable for who you are, what decisions you make and what actions you take.  

 

In those cases where you are responsible for those who have been given over to you, for whom you have taken responsibility for…whether by duty or other obligation; have the fortitude to carry out those duties accordingly.

 

Relieving people of their accountability is the first step in becoming their master.

 

Reality is reality…

 

The ability to reason is what sets us apart from other animals.  The ability to cloud reason is another gift that comes with it.  Some gift we have been given wouldn’t you say?  Everything that makes us human is a double edged sword.

 

Being able to reason allows humans to differentiate between facts and fiction.  Being able to reason also allows humans to create all kinds of facts out of thin air.

 

“To treat your facts with imagination is one thing, but to imagine your facts is another.”  ~John Burroughs 

 

The maxim that perception is reality is the lie of all lies.  Believing it does not make it true.  Perceiving that the glass door is open does not make it so.  There are plenty of people who know how and will take advantage of this fundamental weakness of human thinking; creating illusions from which they can control people. 

 

Facts are facts, opinion is opinion.  Although sometimes the water is cloudy, it is our responsibility to make every effort to keep the lines between the two distinct.  The ability to recognize and process facts is fundamentally important to decisive action.  Being able to establish facts allows us to tie decisions to something concrete.  From here we may have opinions of the facts but the facts stand alone.

 

Collecting all the information, fact by excruciating fact, helps to build a source of knowledge.  Turning that data into useful information is crucial, critical and necessary.  Knowledge is fact, data and information made useful. 

 

Ignorance and untruth fed by more ignorance and untruth is not enlightening.  It is not knowledge.  If you are accountable for yourself and especially if you are accountable for someone else, you better be damn well sure you are constantly seeking knowledge. 

 

From the knowledge we gather we have a better understanding from which we can decide something.  Decisions should be made with the facts in mind. Decision makers have a responsibility to know and knowing doesn’t stop with what you know now.

 

Decision precedes action…

 

Decision and indecision are rampant.  They are two halves of a whole.  Even when we have the knowledge to make the decision, decision is rare. 

 

The decision happens in an instant.  Decisions may be just to further our thought process towards another decision. No action may result from that decision.  However, decisions result in the potential to act; or action itself. 

 

Execution is and executives do.  An executive who makes no decisions and effects no action is an executive in title only. 

 

 Actions have consequences…

 

Action!  The world is a stage and devoid of consequence until the director yells, ‘action!’

 

Leadership is the initiation and direction of endeavor in the pursuit of consequence.  Anything else is criticism from janitors. ~Royal Alcott

 

Action stands alone in achievement.  Our greatest revelry is when we recognize great actions.  There is no question that we revere those who take action.  Internally we all have our reasons why.  Most likely because we wish we too were taking action.

 

The consequences of our actions can be both good and bad; often both at the same time.  Don’t let that stop you.  Taking action gets results that have come from our decisions and not someone else’s.  

 

It all comes together…

 

As I was writhing this I kept flashing Col. John Boyd’s OODA loop, as it should be as I have had that process rounding my head for most of my adult life.  Observe, Orient, Decide, Act—rinse and repeat.  Observe is the portion where we collect information, orientation where we create knowledge from that information, decision is decision and action is action.  I cannot help to draw parallels and distinctions.  The parallels are clear, the distinctions follow…

 

A primary caveat, the OODA loop is heavily reliant perception.  In the instantaneous world of fighter pilots, the decision making process has to rely on perception.  In the wider world, a more methodical reasoning is possible.  Both are necessary when necessary.

 

Perception is reality for those who freeze in the observe stage and cannot take the facts, observations and information; and decipher, interpret or reason the information that is cascading, inundating and bombarding them. 

 

“Perception is reality for the faint of reason.” J. Peter Finch

 

Knowledge emerges from perception in the orient phase.  People who make it past observation realize that the facts they have are meant to be reasoned, interpreted, and processed.  They also realize that opening your eyes can be scary, frightening, terrifying and paralyzing.  So many people get stuck because of terror, for lack of confidence, inability to decide.  Often called analysis paralysis as a joke, it does real damage.

 

“Nothing is more difficult, and therefore more precious, than to be able to decide.” ~Napoleon Bonaparte 

 

Decision is only valuable to those who can make a decision.  Deciding on a course of action with conviction takes great skill and great fortitude.  Knowing they have used the facts and analysis to come to a conclusion for which there was a decision is the foundation of their confidence.  The decision is internal and the outcome, good or bad, does not shake them.

 

Being able to make decisions is enough to make enemies.  There has to be decision and respective for each decision, there must be a decider.  Decision makers have enemies.

 

Failing to decide is a decision too.  Indecision kills more people and indecision results in more tragedy throughout human history than all the decisions in the world.  An unfathomed problem derives no decision.

 

In some cases, decisions result in a conviction, a milestone or another stepping stone, etc. and may require further facts for contemplation before the next decision.  The ultimate decisions require action.

 

It’s important to know that words don’t move mountains. Work, exacting work moves mountains. ~ Danilo Dolci

 

Action must be taken for productive result.  Failure to act, letting the decisions result in no action will not get the intended results.  And the opportunity will pass.  It is important that we take action to accomplish something.  Not all actions are positive.  It is my greatest hope that all actions will have positive action and productive consequences.  Creating something and not destroying.  But when necessary, from time to time, a negative action and productive consequences must be undertaken.

 

We are all human…

 

Finally, we are all human, with human agenda’s.  Nobody is exempt.  Have some respect for what people choose for themselves.    

 

I choose to rail against those who wish to choose for others.  When those who seek the power of choice over others does so not from a sense of accountability, but of entitlement.

 

* I had a pleasant chat with Mr. Royal Alcott in the midst of writing this article.  My hat is off to you Mr. Alcott.