Charisma With a Small "c"

Over the Easter holiday I went out for a jog while visiting my parents in Virginia Beach. One of the streets I passed was named "Charisma Way." I laughed as I ran by, thinking of the pressure of living up to their address. Yet reality is far more insidious. We often hear that great women and men have charisma seemingly from the moment they are born. Supposedly they captivate others and conquer mountains from the time they first walk and talk. This false belief allows the rest of us to resign ourselves to average lives since we are not "gifted." However we need to reconsider this false belief.

True enough, there are women and men who captivate a room the moment they walk in and make others feel as they are the only person in the world when they communicate. These individuals seemingly dominate any discussion, rally or gathering effortlessly and hold sway at will. They are the "natural" leaders who supposedly move groups to support causes. Usually tall, athletic and good looking, we stand aside to permit them access to any pulpit they wish. Yet, is it true that they are the natural leaders, or are we just holding back?

History recounts numerous individuals who used their "gift" for the wrong purpose; to start wars, demean others, or just to fill their own ego. History also teaches us that individuals who have passion and purpose can move mountains even without the usual anointing of charisma. These are people who use what they have to move toward their own personal greatness and change their world, however small, in the ways they can.

There are few of us who will go down in history; few of us who were born on "Charisma Way" and yet all of us can affect the world around us. What are your gifts? What are your talents? The world is less if we hold them back in favor of others. So perhaps there is charisma with a small "c" that doesn't need the pulpit, or approval of the crowd, but succeeds nevertheless in touching the lives of others and making them better. Either way, all of us are anointed to achieve our own personal greatness and we will do it in our own way.

China: Does Size Really Matter?

Towering, hulking walls welcome and intimidate the visitor to the "Forbidden City" in the heart of Beijing China. Home of Chinese royalty for generations this massive city structure highlights the grandeur of the emperors and stands in sharp contrast from the People's Congress across the 16 lane street in front of the main gate. From the Great Wall, to Tienanmen Square (which holds 1 million people) to the Summer Palace and the massive airport, China builds everything on a huge scale. But does size really matter to greatness? That depends.

Working in Beijing last week (which is why I couldn't blog since this blog is blocked) I took time to visit some of the main tourist sites of the city. Though it was my second time there I am still amazed at the enormity of so many aspects of the city. There are 6 "ring" roads around the city and though they are fairly large highways, the traffic is mostly congested. But Beijing needs these ring roads because the city is 7,000 square miles. Even aside from the traditional tourist attractions, the modern architecture is stunning. One complex of buildings is shaped as a massive dragon boat and another, under construction, looked like an immense whirlpool. But does it matter?

There is a pride the Chinese have for this city of emperors and it is right they have it. Thousands of years of proud history compel and propel these people forward and they still want to make their mark. This is a foundation of greatness - believing you have the history and the ability to impact your world, whether it is your neighborhood, or your country. They still want to be a great nation and they try to inspire their citizens to work toward that goal. That is something we can learn from.

However size always presents the challenge to nimbleness. We live in an age where ideas are being created and  disseminated  rapidly and globally. Technology advances have increased the speed of change. I'm not advocating that speed is always good, but when everything you do is on a large and grand scale, change comes slowly. Having ages of history creates pride, but when time is measured in centuries, decisions can be slow in coming.

The balance for any country, or person, is to have pride in your history, the struggles, the successes and even the failures. That foundation impels us to move forward just as our ancestors did. Yet, we need to find the space to change sometimes in small increments as we move toward personal greatness, or national greatness.

So, size does matter. It just needs to be balanced to achieve greatness.