Lead More Like Sprite, Not With Spite!
I am always in awe of great artists. Particularly the meaning created by musical artists from lyrical interpretations and symbolism. Most recently, I have become enthralled with the recent release of “2 Liter Spite” by Point North. The play on words between “2 liter Spite” and a “2 liter Sprite®️” is a clever and artistic pun that adds layers of meaning to the song. Since “Spite” sounds like “Sprite,” it might symbolize something refreshing or appealing on the surface, much like the soda. However, “Spite” carries a negative connotation—resentment or malice—which contrasts with the light, bubbly, and refreshing image of Sprite. This contrast could suggest themes of deception, superficial appearances hiding darker feelings, or the idea that what seems appealing or harmless might actually contain bitterness or hostility underneath.
In the context of the song’s themes about masks and facades, this pun could emphasize how appearances can be deceiving—things that seem “sweet” or innocent on the outside may hide true intentions or emotions. It encourages listeners to look beyond surface-level impressions and question what’s genuine versus what’s fabricated.
The song explores themes of frustration, regret, and the desire for change. A lesson from this song could be about the importance of self-awareness and recognizing when our emotions or actions are harming us or others. It encourages listeners to reflect on their feelings and find healthier ways to cope with anger or resentment instead of letting those feelings fester. Additionally, the song highlights that acknowledging our mistakes is a step toward growth and moving forward.
The lyrics “Left is right, it might be fabrication; Hide a different side in different places” jumped out at me and I believe suggest themes of deception, duality, and misdirection. “Left is right” could imply that what appears to be correct or true (right) is actually incorrect or misleading (left), highlighting the idea that appearances can be deceptive. To me, “It might be fabrication” signifies that some truths or perceptions might be fabricated or false, emphasizing doubt about what is real. “Hide a different side in different places” suggests that someone might conceal various aspects of themselves or their true intentions, presenting different facades depending on the situation or audience.
If “spite” means intending to hurt, annoy, or offend another person, this song explores how people can manipulate perceptions and hide their true selves. The song encourages us to look beyond surface appearances and question what we’re told or see.
Leadership Lesson: The White Rabbit — Embracing the Journey into the Unknown
Yesterday I did a post stimulated by the song “The Great Unknown” by the band Ice Nine Kills. The song was inspired by The Matrix. In the song it says, “Down the rabbit hole we go; Can you take me away to a faraway place?; Where you go, I will go; Not a moment too late (moment too late)”. This and The Matrix reference to “follow the white rabbit” are literary allusions back to Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (Alice In Wonderland) by Lewis Carroll. Just like Alice following the white rabbit down the rabbit hole, effective leaders must be willing to venture into uncharted territories. The white rabbit symbolizes curiosity, courage, and the willingness to explore beyond comfort zones—traits essential for innovative leadership.
The white rabbit leads Alice into the unknown, prompting her to question reality and societal norms—mirroring how, as bold leaders, we should inspire our teams and those we collaborate with to rethink established practices and embrace change. Leaders who follow the white rabbit foster a culture of curiosity, encouraging team members to ask questions, experiment, and learn from failures.
By challenging the norms and venturing down the rabbit hole, we can open pathways for groundbreaking ideas and transformative solutions. Thus leading and driving innovation. Just as Alice’s journey is unpredictable, leadership involves navigating uncertainty. Success often requires stepping into the unknown with confidence and resilience – taking us to the metaphorical “far away place.”
Like the white rabbit leading Alice into Wonderland, truly visionary leaders guide their teams into new realms of possibility. Embrace the journey into the unknown, challenge the status quo, and inspire those we serve to discover innovative horizons.
Leading By Venturing Into The Unknown
“The Great Unknown” by the band Ice Nine Kills, was inspired by The Matrix. Both the song and the movie offer some compelling themes that can be translated into leadership lessons. The song’s title, “The Great Unknown” themes artistically highlight venturing into the unknown. Effective leaders must be comfortable navigating ambiguity, taking calculated risks, and guiding their teams through uncertainty.
The Matrix, which as I said the song is based on, challenges the characters—and us as viewers—to question what they perceive as reality. For leaders, this underscores the importance of critical thinking, challenging assumptions, and embracing new perspectives to innovate and adapt. The Matrix also questions societal norms. Leaders who challenge the status quo can drive innovation, inspire change, and lead our teams toward groundbreaking achievements.
In The Matrix, the protagonist Neo, faces choices that define his path. We, as leaders, must recognize the power of decision-making and inspire our teams to take ownership of their actions, fostering a culture of empowerment. Neo’s journey is one of self-discovery and resilience. We should encourage continuous learning, resilience in the face of setbacks, and personal growth within our teams.
Change Leadership: The Iceberg Analysis and Perception Versus Reality
Back in August, a group of leaders and I got to do a presentation on next steps in a change leadership case study. Our task was to make a pitch promoting next steps using one of the five key tools of change.
The five key tools of change are:
- Problem statement;
- Stakeholder mapping;
- Iceberg analysis;
- Causal loops;
- Iteration and testing.
Our team chose to use an iceberg analysis. The iceberg analysis is a key tool in change leadership that helps identify underlying issues that are not immediately visible. Just like an iceberg, only a small part is seen above the surface, while the larger, more significant concerns lie beneath. By exploring these hidden aspects—such as underlying beliefs, assumptions, and cultural patterns—leaders can address root causes of challenges, fostering meaningful and sustainable change within our organizations’ systems.
In the context of the case study we were given, we chose to expand the metaphor of the iceberg (which is the point of this post) even further by creating a bigger iceberg (see the featured photo to see my graphic recording of the presentation) that encompasses the original. Sometimes we consider the iceberg as what we see above the surface and imagine is below the surface, but sometimes the iceberg is bigger than what we see above and below the surface. We called this perception versus reality.
All the data in the case study we were using, which was related to systems change in a school educational system, had been collected qualitatively using administrator perceptions. We wanted to know if the positive perceptions held by administrators was reality for the teachers. Check out our graphic perceptions/realities in the photo inset (don’t miss our penguins).
This iceberg analysis that includes perception versus reality is such an important part of change leadership. Does perception meet reality? Great leaders care whether perception is reality. In the context of the case study, we needed to know if all the changes being made in this school’s systems were being experienced by the teachers in the same way as the administrators perceived them to be. Furthermore, this speaks to another key tool of change, stakeholder engagement. The teachers are an important internal stakeholder in the community that was being formed in the case study school.
I Hear You
I really enjoy the show Chicago PD. All the characters in this show are very involuted. One of the hardest to understand is Sergeant Hank Voight (Jason Beghe). He is often portrayed as a tough, no-nonsense detective who prioritizes justice and protecting his team and community. While Voight exhibits strong leadership qualities—such as decisiveness, resilience, and a sense of responsibility—his approach to the relationships with those on his team and empathy are more complex.
In an episode I was watching tonight Voight was listening to some problems one of his team members was having and he stopped her and said, “I hear you.” I love that phrase when it is real and authentic. In this case it showed he understood and knew what he needed to do to help. This reminded of me of the research done by University of Virginia psychologist James A. Coan that showed empathy and leadership are linked to feelings of compassion, emotional understanding, and supportive behaviors that foster trust and connection. Coan’s studies often highlight the importance of emotional support and empathic engagement in effective leadership.
When someone hears us, they are showing compassion by seeking to understand and appreciate our current condition. While Voight’s methods are sometimes more pragmatic and involve tough love, confrontation, or even emotional detachment, especially when he’s pursuing justice or dealing with personal struggles, he does show moments of concern and protective instincts toward his team and victims, which can be seen as empathetic traits.
Coan said that “If a friend is under threat, it becomes the same as if we ourselves are under threat. We can understand the pain or difficulty they may be going through in the same way we understand our own pain.” So when the Chicago PD character, Hank Voight says, “I hear you” this really is something that that we can do. We can understand as if the problem were our own. This is once again proof that relationships matter and relationship-building is a core part of our work as leaders.
Don’t Let The Moment Get Too Big
With the start of the college football season, I have heard the phrase “Not allowing the moment to get too big” said of quarterbacks a couple of times over the last couple of weekends. We can learn from this phrase that maintaining perspective and staying calm in a situation that might seem overwhelming or emotionally charged is an important attribute. Being a college football quarterback is a perfect example for this. A maturing quarterback and other maturing leaders learn to not let the significance or intensity of a moment escalate to the point where it causes unnecessary stress, anxiety, or impulsive reactions.
Essentially, it’s about keeping composure and not letting the moment’s importance overshadow good judgment or personal stability. The quarterback/football game example here reminds us that maintaining calmness, composure, and steady decision-making amidst high energy and intensity is the name of the game (pun intended).
Leading With Convivial Conversations
Last night, at a gathering of Marion E. Wade continuing scholars at Wheaton College, we discussed having convivial conversations. In fact it is one of the norms of our continuing scholars. I love it! It is what I strive to facilitate in everything I do. The word convivial means friendly, lively, enjoyable, and respectful. Convivial conversations are all about fostering a warm, friendly, engaging, and respectful environment where everyone feels comfortable sharing and connecting.
Here are the important aspects of convivial conversation and why I believe these conversations should become a part of our norms:
- Warmth and Friendliness: Use a friendly tone, smile (even if virtually), and show genuine interest in the other person’s thoughts and feelings.
- Active Listening: Pay full attention, listen without interrupting, and show that we value others’ input through nods, affirmations, or follow-up questions.
- Respect and Openness: Respect different viewpoints, avoid judgment, and be open-minded in discussions.
- Light-heartedness and Humor: Incorporate appropriate humor to create a relaxed and joyful atmosphere.
- Inclusivity: Encourage everyone to participate, making sure no one feels left out.
- Mindful Language: Use positive, considerate language that fosters trust and comfort.
Cultivating convivial conversations can be accomplished by doing the following:
- Ask Open-Ended Questions: Encourage dialogue by asking questions that invite elaboration rather than yes/no answers.
- Share Personal Stories: Appropriately share our own experiences to build connection.
- Express Appreciation and Gratitude: Acknowledge contributions and express thanks.
- Be Present: Minimize distractions, focus fully on the conversation at hand.
- Create a Comfortable Environment: Whether in person or virtual, ensure the setting feels welcoming.
- Practice Empathy: Show understanding and compassion for others’ perspectives and feelings.
Making convivial conversation a norm requires consistent practice and genuine intention. If we’re not already doing this, we need to start with small interactions, be mindful, and gradually cultivate this approach in all our conversations. It can truly transform our relationships and create more meaningful connections!
Finding Our Purpose: Igniting Life with the Energy of Adrenaline
I love the band DED’s song, “Purpose: Be myself.” The title is so awesome. As the song says; “I feel my purpose calling; Lift me off the ground; I just wanna be my-; Self assured and I’m not coming down; I just wanna be myself.” It is so powerful to think of that feeling of our purpose calling us. Our purpose is such a very personal thing. If we are living our purpose, we can truly be ourselves.
The other lines in the lyrics of this song that really jumped out at me were “Live in adrenaline; Inside adrenaline; Become adrenaline.” To me, these lines convey a sense of embracing intense emotions and energy. “Adrenaline” here symbolizes feelings of excitement, passion, and a desire to feel alive. Living and being inside adrenaline suggest fully immersing ourselves in these powerful sensations, pushing beyond comfort zones. Ultimately, “become adrenaline” could mean embodying that energy as a core part of ourself—living authentically with intensity and vigor. In other words: living our purpose. This song really inspires us to embrace our inner strength and passion so we can truly “be ourself.”
Gaining True Understanding
In a recent blog post, Our Internal State Shapes Our Future Experiences, inspired by George MacDonald‘s Lilith, I discussed how our beliefs, character, and moral strength serve to be the primary shapers of our future experiences. And how external events are secondary; what truly affects us is how we respond internally. In that post I quoted Mr. Vane, the protagonist in Lilith, as having said, “That which is within a man, not that which lies beyond his vision, is the main factor in what is about to befall him: the operation upon him is the event.” In that same paragraph, Mr. Vane went on to say, “Foreseeing is not understanding, else surely the prophecy latent in man would come oftener to the surface,” which relates to my earlier post highlighting internal influence and personal responsibility by emphasizing that merely predicting or foreseeing events doesn’t equate to true comprehension or mastery over them.
In other words, just knowing or anticipating what might happen isn’t enough; true understanding—an internal, moral, and intellectual clarity—is necessary for actual insight and meaningful action. If we truly understood ourselves and our inner capabilities, our innate prophetic potential—an intuition or deeper awareness—would manifest more frequently.
This aligns with the notion that inner growth and moral character are vital: by cultivating understanding within ourselves, we can better influence our experiences and perhaps even realize our own prophetic insights more often. It’s a call to go beyond superficial anticipation toward genuine understanding and inner development.
Learning From The Leadership of Nero
Having just recently returned from spending a week working in Montana, I couldn’t help getting caught up watching a few episodes of Paramount’s Yellowstone marathon this past Labor Day weekend. In one of the episodes I was able to catch, Rip Wheeler (Cole Hauser) asked Beth Dutton (Kelly Reilly) if she remembered the fiddle playing Roman Emperor, Nero. She did, and Rip then stated he was worried the Dutton’s were headed down that route, particularly with John Dutton just having become governor of Montana in the show. Of course, this caused me to do some research on Nero.
Nero was known as a notorious Roman emperor who symbolized corruption, cruelty, lavishness, and the destructive potential of absolute power. Rip was using the analogy of Nero to express his worries that if the Dutton family lost their values, unity, and sense of morality—becoming self-centered or oppressive—they risked descending into similar behavior. Rip’s concern was that without careful stewardship, the family might become corrupt, undermine their integrity, and ultimately harm themselves and their legacy, much like Nero’s reign led to chaos and ruin.
From my study Nero’s reign, we are reminded of the importance of humility, integrity, and foresight. Absolute power can be seductive, but it also carries the risk of corruption if not checked by strong moral principles and accountability. Leaders should prioritize humility, listen to diverse perspectives, and remain vigilant against becoming self-centered or despotic. Maintaining a clear sense of purpose, fostering unity, and upholding ethical values help ensure that power is used responsibly, ultimately sustaining trust and legacy rather than risking downfall through arrogance or neglect of moral responsibilities.
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