God willing

On November 25, 2009, in Total leadership, by Neculai Fantanaru

Dedicate yourself to modeling the art of leading, by exercising in due time and effectively the developed sense of moral duty.

Through an unfortunate accident, the manager of a private pharmaceutical company dies and gets to heaven. He is welcomed by his guardian angel, who, according to the rules of heaven, reads to him the most special passages from the book of his life. Most of these passages, which had been written while he was a manager, accentuated his abilities and the results achieved through his carrier; how much he involved into the company's well-being and how many benefits he cashed in, how many problems he left unsolved and, finally, the most important, how careful, attentive and honest he was with his subordinates.

Surprisingly, it seemed that only a few of his people had liked him and appreciated him, those really close to him and who, obviously, fulfilled important and gainful roles and functions. The others did not sympathize him at all, they did not like him neither as a person, nor as a manager, he simply did not possess the virtues necessary to make him become remarkable and ensure success in his domain. Instead of offering development possibilities through establishing standards and goals for all the employees, he stated a limitless dictatorship which suffocated their powers of initiative, tying up their aspirations. Apparently, his death was the biggest blessing for most of the employees, who could finally hope to a more secure and consistent income, fixed by his substitute.

- I'm unhappy, the manager interrupted the discussion, avoiding to look into the eyes of his guardian angel. I had anticipated all kinds of reactions, but I obviously did not think people would hate me like this. I cannot be happy, not even here, in heaven.

- But you must be!, the angel replied. Here, happiness is compulsory. I had never imagined someone could feel unhappy up here…

After an extended break, the angel takes a deep breath and smiles to him bitterly.

- So you feel gloomy. I'm trying to explain that your peccancies have been forgiven in the end…

The manager interrupted him once again:

- I feel unhappy. How can I be happy knowing that everybody hated me like the biggest miserable?

- The angel looked into the manager's eyes, observed him carefully and, because there really was a tiny bit of regret in his soul, he told him on a gentle and friendly tone:

- As an archangel, I have the possibility to rewrite some chapters in time. It is an unusual thing, but if you could relive your last day on Earth, do you believe you could change people's feelings?

A leader's true virtue is exactly his unusual will that can turn impossible into reality.

- Yes, I'm very certain. I need only 24 hours to change everything. It is a moral duty.

- So be it, God willing, I'll give you one last chance to repair your wrongs, merrily replied to the angel. Your mission is to gain people's admiration and respect and to prove that you deserved this second chance. Treating them with understanding and trying to feel like they do, holding them in high esteem and not judging them, you would be able to determine them to forgive your wrongs, just like God forgave yours. They might set all sort of traps for you, because they won't believe in your radical change. That is why you must not forget that each gesture matters. It is also important that the changes you will make should not have a strong note of bravery. They initially must have a general nature, to contain few allusions and to remove the possible doubts.

I could tell you lots of things, but words are in vain and nothing of what I could tell you now, could not relieve people's angers. Everything must come from the heart, from YOUR heart. Let God strengthen your faith and will and inspire you in the actions you must complete in your last day on Earth. Vaya con dios...

Why “a second chance”?

Time does not stand still, it always flows. Unfortunately, 24 hours is way too little time for the manager to accomplish his mission. No matter how kind he would be, it is hard to believe he could change in the last minute what he failed in five or ten or twenty years of leading. He should check, by slight quibbles, what would everybody want, and then to fulfill their wishes almost instantaneously.

When appears the need of change at you? When is already too late? You may not have a second chance to "reinvent" yourself in order to succeed in relationship with people. How often do you evaluate your leadership potential? Do you have a good prize list? Are you dedicating yourself to modeling the art of leading by expressing your personality in a more enjoyable way? Do you give people the opportunity to bring to you acknowledge what they expect from you? Are you rising to the standard which they accept?

The leader is the pioneer of change. However, if the change he initiates occurs in slow motion or comes too late, it might not be successful at all. Great changes happen during time in leadership, rarely at the last moment, especially if you have not scored certain achievements in the past.

Conclusion: The leader must actively involve in all the company's activities, to determine those necessary changes, including in the people's behavior and mentality, and especially to maintain a sustained and efficient rhythm. He is forbidden to ever say “God willing ahead” and to turn adrift, waiting for miracles to occur. They might never appear and God rarely gives someone the right to a second chance in order to change something, even if He's always good and forgives people's mistakes.

The University lecturer Dr. Vasile Chira noted: "The man and the world are centered in God. The moral duty is the voice of divinity, and the indications that we are in harmony with divine purpose is love."

That is the love for other people, not just self-love. Therefore, dedicate yourself to modeling the art of leading, by exercising in due time and effectively the developed sense of moral duty.