Stubborn and Delusional - Identity Dixie

I once attended a leadership conference that changed the way I view things. It altered the way I approach things and it most definitely changed the way I tackle projects, both personally and professionally. I can already hear the groans in the back, probably the same sighs I made when I was told that I had to listen to yet another seminar about “leadership.” By the time of the conference, I had been leading and managing people for most of my adult life. So, I had been around the block a few times or, as some individuals had so eloquently pointed out, I had been around the block when it was still a dirt road.

We all filed into the auditorium, and I strategically found a seat in the center – if I fell asleep listening to the speech, the casual observer might assume I was paying attention. Then, I crossed my arms and waited for the “hype guy” or the music to start. It never did, though. The room went dark, and a single spotlight came on. It was centered on the podium, and no one was there. I then heard heavy footsteps traverse the stage. A completely average looking man walked into the light and placed both hands on either side of the podium; he then looked left and right, as if summing up the group. I knew he could not see every single one of us with that spotlight in his eye, but it felt like he could intently see each of us.

The man had a deep voice and he spoke in a moderate tone. “Each and every one of you are here because you are stubborn and delusional.” After that, he paused and surveyed the crowd once again – almost waiting for a rebuttal, a heckler, anyone to say their piece. He leaned forward and practically roared into the microphone: “EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU ARE HERE BECAUSE YOU ARE STUBBORN AND DELUSIONAL!” He then quietly said, “Let that sink in for a minute.” Admittedly, I felt like a teenager in a church pew, but the man certainly had my attention.

He went on to expound on the fact that, as leaders, we are required to stay the course, see our projects through to completion, and, most importantly, only delusional and stubborn people will succeed at such a task. We are delusional because we believe in something that most people cannot see or even comprehend. We envision it so clearly in our minds that our hearts are utterly convinced that this is the right course of action, and only this absolute resolve will settle the current problem or improve our current situation. Many times, we list logical data and build out Excel spreadsheets with the rationale to back up our current path and thought process; however, there is always one argument that can defeat this strategy. To the masses, “that’s the way we’ve always done it” rules the day. We receive push back and defiance, sometimes we even have orchestrated proof that it simply won’t work. So, we adjust our path and account for the unforeseeable hurdles. Then, we push on. Every brilliant idea has its bumps in the road and require recalculations, but we believe wholeheartedly that we are right, and this is the way forward. One of the definitions of delusional is a false belief regarding the self or objects outside the self that persist, despite the facts. Now, we have our set of facts to support our point, but the other side is equally convinced that their facts brace their argument. We are delusional and usually repeatedly told that we are. Yet, we persist anyway.

Stubbornness is there to enable our delusional state. We are too stubborn to not start doing the things that need to be done. Even when the entire world stands there with its arms crossed and refuses to build the dream we see before us. We walk over, pick up the first stone, and carry it where it needs to go. We keep doing it again and again. And as the dream starts to form, the group finally understands it is possible to reach your vision. They slowly join and, then gradually, buy into the dream that only you knew was possible.

The whole point is leaders, visionaries, and the doers of the world are commonly misunderstood in the beginning and their strengths are initially labeled as weaknesses in order to disprove them. Many of our Southern dreams, visions that we ardently believe in and advocate for, are considered by some as weak and illogical. Rather, remain stubborn and delusional!

Leaders have been leading this way for centuries; it is the way things happen. It is the way we, as a people, persevere.