TUESDAY THOUGHTS: DECISIONS

There are people— human beings who can be identified—behind every decision, large or small. People decide. Individuals. There's no mysterious cabal of "They". 

It’s convenient to cloak decisions, that affect others, behind businesses, corporations, governments, committees, boards, groups, teams, associations, etc., but living, breathing PEOPLE are in rooms determining what will or won't be. The company didn’t come to a conclusion. People did. Too often, they don’t want to be questioned, or second guessed. They have their reasons. They don’t always want anyone knowing what they are, though, or what part they played to affect the outcome, but there will always be a perfectly worded explanation, courtesy of the head of HR, legal...or chat gpt.

Decisions may not be favorable or popular, but they make sense when you know who was at the table when they were made. When the names and faces of “They” are in the open, everything is clear. Was the decision based on facts, finances, fiction, surveys, studies, research, science, logistics, experience, feelings, whimsy, the greater good, or just plain pettiness and spite? Things are less confusing or surprising when you know exactly whose opinions, biases, priorities, ideas, resources, and input are driving and determining the final say.

We can be selective concerning our own memories, and ideas of what’s relevant, and what’s important. We can decide for ourselves what’s enough, what’s played out, what conversations to end, and what doors to close. We can’t, however, dictate what others choose to vividly and fondly remember, highlight, prioritize, or share. 

Some decisions concerning history and history makers, are an unfortunate shame. It's as if someone declares, with all of the insensitivity of a naked mole rat, "Okay. Let's move on. We've had enough of that". 

Some decisions are explained away as “business”. Others are just tone-deaf, lazy, boneheaded—a slap in the face—and make people wonder who’s making them, who needs to be appeased, who's getting paid, who had beef, what legalities are involved, and why it’s always so hard to read the room?

 

There’s something odd about a thing just blatantly missing from a place where it should, at most, be prominent, and at least, be included. It inspires concern from those who expected or anticipated it. It also draws attention that, those decision makers, responsible for hiding or excluding it, perhaps dread, but don’t necessarily understand.

In a perfect world, the insecure, clueless, misinformed, or unqualified, in any environment or endeavor, will learn that excellence isn’t a liability to be cast aside, or disparaged. Excellence isn’t a threat to be fought against or subdued, and has no expiration date. It shines a light on everything. It shows what's possible. It definitely doesn’t cancel out or put a limit on the creation of more excellence. Study it, share it, hold it up as an example, and it continues. Snuffing it out, or unnecessarily competing with it, is just silly. 

Rest assured, the excellence discarded by one, is always sought, researched, and passed on by another, and in many cases, it's supported by those least suspected. Others will run with what you put down and consider irrelevant. You can’t cry foul when what could have been on your plate or platform, is valued and enjoyed by someone else.

Nefarious attempts to bury excellence only accelerate and invigorate the appetite for it, and heighten the curiosity, of those who are unaware, to learn more about it. 

If the aim is to spark questions, revival, deep dives, retrospectives, new students, consumers, and admirers, then decision makers should continue trying to silence the conversation about, turn the page, minimize, or change the channel on excellence, competence, and accurate history —particularly in spaces where they should be esteemed most, but, sadly aren't.

No. “They” don’t always steal "our" stuff. Sometimes, "we" just give it away, or prove by our indifference, carelessness, thoughtlessness, ignorance, and apathy, that we don’t really appreciate it when we have it, and are even worse at being grateful for, and preserving the history of it, after it’s gone.