Me First! 

By: David Freund, Chief Leadership Officer

Do you remember when you were in elementary school and there were those kids that always needed to be first in line, picked first for the team, or the first with an answer to a question? When I became older, I saw the same self-centered behaviors acted out by adults.  Those driving down a highway that narrows into one lane and they just need to get to there, one car length ahead of the person next to them. Another example of this behavior that I will never forget is when we would have a special lunch at work, and there was one young man who always had to be first. He would even push in ahead of the ladies in our company. As I write this, it still gets my blood boiling.

I am beginning to rethink the meaning of the statement “Me First.” Please let me explain. I have been very frustrated by the tone in our society of late. I have steered clear of making any political comments, and trust me, it has been VERY hard to keep quiet, and today I end my silence. So here I go. I am sick and tired of the media, Twitter, Facebook, and the like. I am sick and tired of the way many of our politicians are acting. I am sick and tired of the way people are treating each other in general. When did it become okay to call people names in an effort to promote your own beliefs? When did it become okay to put people down because they have a different view on things? When did it become okay to harass people in public because they are of a different political persuasion? Well, the simple answer is that it’s not okay and it never was.  It is rude, childish, and inexcusable. Someone once said that the true sign of intelligence is to be able to have a conversation with someone you disagree with, without getting upset.

Back to my rethinking of Me First. I need to go first. It needs to start with me. I am committed to being respectful and kind first. I am committed to giving people the benefit of the doubt, rather than look for a sinister motive. I can’t expect anyone else to take that lead; I need to do it. I can’t expect others to start the return to civility and compassion; it’s up to Me First. My next action is to do something that I never thought I would do. I am going to post a podcast that is just me. No Marisa Norcross to help make me look good. No guests to add meaningful content that has value to the faithful listeners of The Next Page podcast. Just Me. I need to go first and let the listeners know all the areas in my life where I now believe I need to be first. How about you? Are you willing to go first?

The Next Page podcast episode 74 is now live.

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