Transparency

 Once upon a time, I supervised a large group of rather unmotivated people. I saw one of the managers I worked for as a solid, confident, able person. Then one day, in a conference with upper management, I watched with surprise as he tried, unsuccessfully, to dance around something for which he was responsible. He went from a strong leader to a slithering reptile before my eyes.

I am reminded of the sign President Truman had on his desk: The Buck Stops Here. He would hold himself accountable, and not try to evade that responsibility by rolling the dung to some other beetle’s dung heap. That’s leadership, I believe. Own it, deal with it, and be done with it.

The people within the rooms of AA are like that. They’ve learned about the absolute necessity to own their  dung—to take responsibility for what’s theirs, to deal with it promptly, then to let it be. This surprises those who have no program like we have—they’re amazed to encounter someone who owns and deals with their stuff rather than dancing around trying to evade personal responsibility: “What dung? I had nothing to do with any dung! Smell me—I’m clean as a rose!”

I love being among those who aren’t afraid of taking personal accountability, or who acknowledge that fear but do the right thing anyway. I appreciate knowing that the people I choose to associate with have respect for themselves and for others, and show it in their daily lives. They are examples to me of what it means to be authentic.

For these living examples of the way I want to live my life, I am grateful.