UNSUNG HEROES
Courageously Facing Reality to Serve Ethically
Leaders often are called on to act in total solitude and from a position of complete withdrawal, serve others, be given no recognition or emotional rewards, and be required to be motivated by the purest of ethical principles, and without supervision and evaluation. The cynic will say this is never the case. The optimist, however, will let you know that there are many unsung heroes among people in leadership positions and many unsung moments for people with high levels of responsibility. This is not only realism. It is also high ethics based on principle and rational motivation.
(from Peter Koestenbaum)
Leadership can come with complicated moments. If the pursuit of rewards and recognition is important, leadership will be constrained to the will of popular opinion. Instead, doing what is right in the face of adversity creates moments and sometimes prolonged periods of emotional and physical isolation. The unsung hero’s who do the hard thing instead of the easy thing are the leaders who make the most impact. Who change the world. One small decision at a time.
