My stumbling - Scar vs. Mufasa

I ”stumbled” into a conversation about the most important question of leadership. Everything around leadership comes down to one question: What do you stand for?

Think about the worst boss you ever had .... [how did you feel?] .... what did he/she stand for?

Think about the best boss (or coach) you ever had.... [how did you feel?] .... what did he/she stand for?

EJ, my daughter, and I have been watching Lion King for the past month. Of course we fast forward through the scary part where Scar kills Mufasa! Our favorite game right now is her being Simba and she roars while she chases me because she’s so scary! 

The movie is a very clear juxtaposition of leadership. Mufasa and Scar epitomize the worst and best type of leadership. What do they stand for?

•  Scar stands for SELF

•  Mufasa stands for OTHERS

Mufasa prioritized OTHERS through his philosophy of the Circle of Life. Mufasa was so meticulous of his stewardship of the land that he spent time teaching his son, Simba, about the importance of the ants: “everything you see exists together in a delicate balance....you need to understand that balance and respect all the creatures; from the crawling ant to the leaping antelope.” No detail or nuance was forgotten. Mufasa was in service to OTHERS stewarding over a land where all could flourish. He had clear expectations and stood for doing the right thing as simple as his uncle not coming to Simba’s baptism.

Scar could only focus on the title of King of Pride Rock. He wanted all the food, all the status, all the things. He was so blinded by his pursuit of power he killed his only brother, Mufasa, and tried to kill his nephew Simba. Scar allowed himself to become intoxicated in the pursuit of his ego. In his pursuit of ultimate power he created a barren, soulless wasteland.

The great leaders always seem to stand for OTHERS. The worst leaders always seem to stand for SELF.

The great leaders set an environment of love and abundance. The worst leaders infuse an environment of fear and scarcity. 

Some historical examples of leaders who stand for OTHERS:

•  Jesus

•  Nelson Mandela

•  Ghandi

•  Buddha

•  Dietrich Bonhoeffer (incredible story as a pastor trying to assassinate Hitler)

•  Fredrick Douglas (his autobiography is a must read)

•  Mother Theresa

Some historical examples of leaders who stand for SELF:

•  Hitler

•  Mussolini

•  Putin

•  Atilla The Hun

•  Mao Zedong

•  Pablo Escobar

As leaders, we have choices everyday. Our days are spent making decisions. Do the choices we make reflect our value of OTHERS or SELF? More importantly, what is the perception by others of our choices?

Do those around us perceive we stand for OTHERS or for our own personal gain?

I think some of the tests of knowing what people believe we stand for:

 Would our team walk over broken glass for us?

 If you were charging up a mountain would our team follow or run the other way?

 Would our team run through a brick wall for the company?

Mother Theresa wrote, “I am God’s pencil”. She dedicated her life to OTHERS. Mother Theresa lived a life of service to others.

Ego is the enemy. Caring for others is the optimal way forward.

What do you stand for?

May we stand for what your favorite boss or coach stood for!