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31 billion reminders
I don’t know Warren Buffett, but his words and actions this week are worth remembering, and not merely because of his $31 billion gift to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
It’s true that $31 billion is a lot of money, no matter how you cut it. And what’s more Buffett didn’t give the money to a foundation that bares his name (he did make much smaller gifts to various family foundations). His sheer generosity is breathtaking.
But I am also struck by Buffett’s comments in news accounts. Here are just some of his quotes from a Washington Post story on Tuesday:- On a sense of obligation: “We (those who have made money) really owe it to society to give back.”
- On turning to someone else to manage his funds: “If you’re accumulating wealth, it’s very natural to go to someone you know can handle it better than you can.”
- On other wealthy people following in his footsteps: “I would hope they act now” and that they “might pick up on this model.”
But Buffett has seemingly stepped forward with a clear and unmistakable action; even more, his tone reflects a deep respect for his endeavor and his words connote a sense of humility and obligation.
I’ve been writing a lot recently about leaders – or, better put, about all kinds of individuals who are demonstrating leadership. My own sense is that there is a promising, if nascent, trend in society of more and more individuals who are exhibiting a different kind of leadership in public life and politics. They are tired of the finger pointing and needless acrimony and people’s exaggerated sense of self-worth.
For instance, I remember writing awhile ago about Ms. Trina, who showed a brave and humble kind of leadership in her own Atlanta neighborhood, which had fallen on hard times. I also remember that I met her at the local Salvation Army campus, where the motto, “Do the Most Good” could be seen displayed on walls.
For most of us, doing the most good will never entail giving large gifts of money. But for each of us, our words and actions can be rooted in sensibilities that reflect both a greater sense of authenticity in what we say and do and a higher degree of accountability in how we go about our business.
This will require a toughness and clear sense of purpose; there’s no easy path. Moreover, it will require clarity about our own self-worth. In Buffett’s case, it was not merely his $31 billion (thought that’s a lot of money!) but why and how he acted which must be remembered.
Warren Buffett is today’s example; tomorrow someone else will step forward.
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A charitable message
Wow! The news today is that we Americans broke yet another record last year in charitable giving to disaster relief. I believe that such giving demonstrates that we are a compassionate and generous people. But charity alone will not enable us to reach our aspirations or achieve the society we all seek.
And yet I fear that we are coming to believe that charity is enough.
My goal today is not to deride charity. So much good comes of it. But I do believe we can be lulled to sleep by our charitable giving and the messages that the come from charities. We can believe that our charitable efforts get us off the hook for further engagement in the world around us; for applying ourselves to situations that are hard to resolve; for giving of ourselves beyond our checkbook.
It is “change” – and not charity – which is fundamentally required in our communities and nation if we are to ensure, for instance, that all kids can get a good education or that people live in healthy neighborhoods. Merely think of New Orleans and the rest of the Gulf Coast for a clear picture of the difference between charity and change; consider such matters as the public schools, health care, poverty, infrastructure, and race and relations.
If we are to act on the real challenges before us, then we need change in our civic and public systems, in our relationships, and in our very notion of faith in one another. Make no mistake: Writing a check or going to a local soup kitchen are steps along the path of our engagement. But such steps must be viewed as initial ones along the way; we must not stop there. More is ultimately required of us.
I could write for some time about this topic. But I simply want to give voice to one simple message today. As you hear the great news about our charitable giving in America, use the occasion to consider the differences between and charity and change. Let’s keep giving; and let’s also start changing. -
Finding leaders we respect
I’m often asked by people to name leaders I respect. What follows is my short list. What’s surprising is who is on it – and why. I wonder who makes your list.
I offer these names by way of saying that I believe most people who go into leadership do so for good and noble reasons. That’s been my experience. But what happens to these individuals along the way is another story.
People get caught up in their power; they lose sight of their roots and connections; they find themselves overwhelmed by forces acting upon them. They can seem more interested in pursuing their own personal interests, vendettas, and agendas than they are in acting for the public good.
But it doesn’t have to be this way. I hold a deepening respect for a growing collection of individuals who are blazing an alternate path – and who might be viewed as strange bedfellows:- Lindsey Graham, the conservative Republican U.S. senator from South Carolina, who routinely speaks out on tough issues, even when he is at odds with his party and The White House;
- Mark Warner, the former Democratic governor of Virginia, who was forthright and civil in his efforts to get various programs funded, balance budgets, and work across the aisle in his divided state;
- Jay Williams, the relatively new mayor of Youngstown, Ohio, who has made a pledge not to over promise, and who is bringing that community together;
- Sam Brownback, U.S. senator from Kansas, another conservative Republican, who holds a deep Christian faith, and who pursues it openly while maintaining a deep respect for others;
- Michael Bloomberg, the Republican mayor of New York City, who has demonstrated that it is possible to govern, make tough choices, and see different issues from different perspectives – and remain firmly defined as a respected and effective political leader.
I purposefully left two darlings off my list – at least for now. First, U.S. Senator John McCain: as he makes his White House run, he has found himself zigzagging trying to find his voice and votes. Second is U.S. Senator Barak Obama, who is being pushed and pulled in every direction; only time will tell where he lands.
Tell me who you respect as a leader and why. Let’s compile a list together. And let’s keep growing it. While so many of us decry our leaders, let’s shine a light on those we respect. -
The Al Gore fable
Al Gore is in the news again. But this time he’s not being roundly criticized for donning earth tone clothes or for his wooden speechmaking. Rather, we’re witnessing his civic redemption, and it’s worth noting for the insights each of us can gain.
After Gore lost the 2000 presidential election, he reappeared on the public scene masked in a heavy beard and some additional weight. Many pundits found much to mock in him – from his comments about “inventing the Internet,” to his poor campaigning style, to his new look.
But to his credit, Gore went off and found inspiration in a collection of activities that called him to step forward anew. He launched a TV initiative as well as joined the boards of intriguing companies. He put together a series of hard-hitting speeches on critical issues of our time. He responded to the crisis of Hurricane Katrina.
Most recently, he is gaining attention for his new documentary, An Inconvenient Truth, about the perils of global warming, which has received its own warm reviews. Now, some people are even pining for him to return to elective politics in 2008.
Maybe Gore, the man once belittled for losing the White House to George W. Bush, is showing his true colors. Perhaps we saw the first glimpses of this even amid his crushing defeat, when he found a way to be gracious and compelling in his concession.
For me, Gore’s story is a kind of modern-day fable. Here is a man who was expected to reach great heights and did. But when he reached for the prize, he stumbled badly, only to be ridiculed before millions of people.
What would each of us do in such circumstances? Many of us might retreat and hide, become deflated and cynical. It would be easy to stand up and rail against those who defeated us as a way to console our own shortcomings or prove our own mettle.
But we now know that the former vice president took a different path. He seems to have stopped long enough to hear his own voice, about what truly motivates him, which inspired him to step forward in a new way. Yes, Gore has recently acknowledged that he would still love to be president; but he knows, at least for now, that there are other ways to serve his country. And the path he has chosen does not seem to be invented out of whole cloth; nor does it seem concocted by a public relations guru. Rather, Gore seems to finally be himself.
After years of ridicule, people are giving Gore another look. Maybe he has finally come upon the credibility and trust he has been pursuing for a lifetime. Strangely enough, he had to take a different path to find it.