John Rawls wrote an astounding book on politics in 1971. In A Theory of Justice, Mr. Rawls put forward a revolutionary thought experiment as the basis for the best political structure possible.
He postulated that if you imagined that you were not born yet (I know, just stay with me a moment) and you didn’t know what level of society you would occupy when you arrived, what type of political structure should exist?
The point of the experiment is to produce objectivity and fairness for all.
Mr. Rawls’ argument was that a true politician doesn’t look out for only themselves and their interests, but rather they seek to promote the most objective and balanced system for all involved.
The beautiful thing about this concept is that it can be applied to all industries.
Imagine applying this thought experiment to the areas for which you are responsible.
If you didn’t know whether you would be the CEO or an entry-level employee, what should your organizational environment look like?
What opportunities should exist to allow for team members at all levels to feel safe voicing ideas or frustrations?
In education, what resources should exist for administrators? For teachers? For students?
What should the first day of school look like?
In technology, who should be involved in new initiatives and implementations?
What should your hiring, on-boarding, and training process look like?
What personal development options should exist?
What should the health plan/benefits package look like?
What should the leave policy look like?
It can go on and on.
Authentic leaders realize it is paramount to do the utmost to identify and remove personal biases and get to the root of every situation to create a political environment in which everyone is served at the level they find themselves.
Be a true politician and create a fair and equitable environment.
Be an authentic leader.
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