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Repackaged greatness

There is a trend if you have noticed when you read a set of books - the business pron as they are called. It started from the first TED talk gang. When any one of them writes a book - they cross reference the others book. So, a book by one will refer to a bunch of books by the others and so on. It obviously helps in cross selling and is a great product placement as well. Now, nothing wrong with that. The books in question are products of deep research and almost the placement is fairly relevant.

Cut to today. Over the last 15 years, with the democratization of information, anybody can pour out aphorisms and platitudes and construct a jargon based construct for anything in question. And the recent covid crisis has brought many termites out of the woodwork. 

You can see them dripping wisdom on Linkedin. They exhort you (in the middle of a pandemic of which there has been no equivalent in our living times) to adapt or perish. They have already declared that the agile will inherit the earth (or the market) while the fragile will lose the battle (that rhymed!). They have heralded that this is the one thing that will change the world (like the 23 other things over the last few years). There are calls for change in the world order - and these come from the pen pushers - not someone who is out there navigating the market. 

This repackaged greatness is like googling for quotes of wisdom and getting some lovely quotes and putting your own name on it. But really? You want to go to town exhorting the greatness of your own thoughts now? So, please keep your repackaged greatness to yourself. And those who applaud this, well, the emperor has no clothes. 

On the other hand you can see genuine leadership on Linkedin as well. A very senior person actually said, I dont understand the prescriptions given by the consulting companies (and he is in the thick of managing a business). Another person I know told me, well, people need time to adjust to this work from home scenario - we cant pile on more things on their heads. And there are many others who are navigating many situations with all humility - this is truly new,  something of the kind we have never seen, unlike the ones selling us greatness in a post. 

Here is what I feel.

A little humility goes a long way. I am humble enough to admit that I have done precious little in this  pandemic except a my work. I have not moved heaven or earth. I have contributed what I can to a few people and organizations. And I have stayed at home. And it ok to say, yes, I am that person who is watching it from the sidelines instead of selling your own repackaged greatness. And yes, when the time comes, I will share my bit, on the pandemic, if I have anything to say.

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