Right now I’m wrestling with what
I’ll describe as the spectrum of authenticity. It’s a line along which you have
to place yourself when you place or find yourself in a position to influence
public opinion. At one end of the spectrum is the self sacrificing, passionate
campaigner, at the other the attention seeker with little to add to the debate,
except their name.
A good example of a self
sacrificing idealist would be Nelson Mandela. By standing up for what he
believed in he endured years in jail but by staying true to his vision,
eventually he emerged to lead his country and win global acclaim. The trouble
with being at this end of the spectrum is that for every one who wins a Nobel
Prize, thousands get dragged into a dark alley and shot. It’s a risky place to
be, but the reward is the joy of changing even a few lives. Surely giving hope
to those facing desperation is the greatest gift you can give.
There are far more attention
seekers. They’ve made it big in their chosen field, achieved a degree of fame
already and seek to build their personal brand. They love being on TV, book
signings and conferences. Money has been made and now respect and public
acclaim become the goals. Alan Sugar, Michelle Badger and Michelle Dewberry are
all to mind good examples. Each has an altruistic streak, but they’re
approaching the world from a privileged position of strength. Unlike those at
the other end of the spectrum, they already have money, profile and material
success. I think they’ve reached the tip of Maslov’s pyramid and are now
seeking self actualisation; the key word here is self!
So where do I stand along that line
myself? I’m not a household name, nor am I a multi-millionaire. Equally, I
don’t feel strongly enough about any one issue to become an ardent campaigner
and risk all for the cause. In fact what right do I have to approach the line
at all? There is always a danger in being considered a self appointed authority
on any subject!
Luckily I’m bright enough to be
able to reflect on some of my life’s battles, traumas and successes and extract
from them pointers to help others making similar journeys. An alcoholic abusive
father; overcoming low self esteem to become a successful entrepreneur and a
mid life crisis that took three years on the couch to unpick, have given me a
unique perspective on enterprise, society and some of the paradoxes imposed on
us by those who govern. Nine books (a few best sellers) invitations to sit on
this think tank and that Board, plus some short term, intense, fruitful
campaigning have gradually led me to approach that line, the spectrum of
authenticity. So where shall I stand? Too far towards the self serving
celebrity end and I’m in danger of losing touch with the realities I want to
help change. Too far the other way and I’ll be overlooked as a crank.
To make matters worse, the spectrum
is lit by the media. We all know that Peter Jones now makes TV ads, but few
appreciate that he Chairs Enterprise UK. You are only known for what you do
that’s made visible by the media. It may be me, but the recession has a seen a
surge in numbers gathering at the attention seeking end of the spectrum. A case
perhaps of ‘I’m a celebrity now, let me in here!’
Which brings me nicely round to my
challenge to you this month. If you’re one of those people who shape the
regeneration landscape, be it infrastructure or enterprise, you owe it to your
audience to choose the best people to champion your cause. Don’t just go for
the first name that pops into your head. Dig a little, ask around and find
someone with passion, presence and something worthwhile to say. Choose people
who you are confident will connect at every level and who truly represent the
change you want to see.