“Culture of Complacency”

This past week the presidential commission investigating the events leading up to the tragic explosion and then the oil spill in the Gulf made public many of their findings.  Of course there was enough blame to be shared with not only British Petroleum, but also other contractors involved.  The commission used the phrase, “Culture of Complacency”.   That phrase caught my attention. The commission reported that BP suffered from a Culture of Complacency.  I looked up the meaning of complacency, “A feeling of contented self-satisfaction, especially when unaware of upcoming trouble”.

Bob Graham co-chair of the commission said, “There was a series of almost incredible

failures in the days and hours leading to the disaster”.

Like you, I have read several books on leadership as part of our course work.  Without fail, almost every book refers to Enron.  This scandal will define a period in our culture.   It will remain an example of what can go wrong when greed is allowed to rule.  Certainly, the BP oil explosion and oil spill in the Gulf will also take it place in history.

As these events happen, it is important to learn from them.  I thought of how Complacency might look in my district, my school, my classroom.  I think it important to guard against the self-contentment.  That is not to say we cannot take satisfaction in our work…but maybe not rest there.  

The Respectful Mind

In his book 5 Minds for the Future, Howard Gardner (2008) wrote of “The Respectful Mind”.  This is when one can seeks to understand others.  Gardner wrote, “…in a complex global terrain in which we now live, we should, whenever possible, give priority to respect for those with different backgrounds and beliefs-and hope that they will return the favor” (p. 119). 

In the beginning of the chapter, Gardner wrote of the natural human tendency to form groups. Living with children in High School and Jr. High it is like observing a study of human anthropology.  I think that there is never such a period when human children are trying urgently to find their “group”.   This process is sometimes painful…even for parents.  Teaching kids to respect one another during this turbulent time is difficult at best. I admire those of you that teach this age.

Gardner said,

 “If one wishes to raise individuals who are respectful of differences across groups, a special burden is accordingly placed on education in the social sciences, the arts and literature.  Put bluntly, such education cannot bypass issues of respect under the rubric of “pure” disciplinary study. Rather, it is necessary to confront directly the value of respect, the costs of respect, and the infinitely greater costs of disrespect (in the long run).

I would agree the cost is far greater not to teach our children to have respect. Respect for themselves but also for others.  Putting the practice of respect above the group mentality is not easy, not even for adults.

“We will never have true civilization until we have learned to recognize the rights of others.”

-Will Rogers