Ballet Slippers or
Adorable; The Art of Choice:
I must admit that I
never thought of the right to make choices from the view that Dr. Lyengar
presented. Dr. Lyengar eloquently
expressed how our culture puts value on having the right to make a choice; even
when it imposes constraints on us…very powerful words indeed. Looking back on everything I have experienced
in my life, I never realized how Americans are born and raised thinking they
have a right to choose almost anything we want.
From the time when we take our first steps to when we say our first
words to our parents, we are told we have a choice. Without a doubt culture does play a role in
that choice because we do not know what the world holds outside the walls of
our living environment and still our parents fill our minds with thought and
dreams of choosing what we want to do in life.
Every child who loves basketball believes they can play in the NBA,
while others are told they can grow up to be the President of the US. The problem is this is a not the total truth;
no one (our parents) tells us that yes you can choose that career, but there
are the dramatic odds against such success.
The funny thing is she comments on Europe in her past studies; I actually
lived in Europe for nine year. I never
thought about choice as an important issue, I only thought about what I missed
from a personal perspective. The three
main assumptions by Dr. Lyengar relay made me look at leadership in from a
different perspective.
“If a choice affects you then you should be the one
to make it.” This may be
correct in many cultural circles, but to be honest when it comes to leadership,
that option is often influenced by many external factors. Leadership is strongly influenced by goals
set by other that leaders must attempt and try to achieve. That correlates to the statement Dr. Iyengar
stated concerning the Asian American children.
The word by Dr. Lyengar makes me reflect on the question, “did you do
the right thing or was it the right thing to do?” I must disagree with Dr. Iyengar when it comes
to American perspective as it relates to leadership. Choice is not a private stand-alone act when
it relates to leadership. Choice in this
situation, when it comes to leadership is about others not oneself. Any leaders who choose to deviate from this
process may soon find themselves isolated and referred to as a nonconformist,
individualist or as some would say a person who marches to their own beat.
“The more choices you have, the more likely you are
to make the best choice.”
I thought this assumption was
outstanding especially when comparing cultures.
I do agree that having many options of choice is viewed differently by
everyone. However, I do not agree with
the statement of how choices can impose constraints. Having too many choices and not being able to
make a decision is not a problem of choice but a problem of decisiveness. This is one of the worse traits a leader’s
leader can have. I often share a speech
will my students who are all leaders in some capacity for the federal government.
When a leader is put in a position to
make a decision, the worst thing you can do in nothing.
“Never say no to choice.” Dr.
Iyengar suggests to “never say no to choice.” She uses an extreme example for her study, in
which I think was intentional; parents from different cultures facing
life-altering decision about the future of their unhealthy terminal newborn. When you involve personal emotions on that
level, the right of choice in itself takes on a totally different
perspective. As it relates to
leadership, never saying no to choice can be a double-edged sword. Turning down the option of choice can be
viewed as a trait of weakness, not a trait of a good leader; thereby forcing
someone to make a decision for you.
Following this direction, a person will not remain in a leadership
position for a long time. The opposite
perspective is there is always a risk in having the ability to make a choice as
a leader. How many individuals are
comfortable with taking such risk knowing that they may make the wrong decision
and thus may fail as a leader?
Dr. Iyengar wraps up
her discussion with a comparison of two colors of nail polish. She provides a great example of how choice is
viewed differently by everyone. What
makes this such a powerful statement is that many items are very identical even
though they are identified differently. When
the identifications are removed very few could tell the difference. Individuals base their selection process on
the connotation associated of identification to the familiar. This includes sight and smell. Can you really tell the difference between a
sweet potato pie from a pie made of yams if no one told you which was which? I think her point hits home when the ladies
in her scenario inform her that if you could see them you could tell them
apart. Well hindsight being 20/20 she
proved them wrong. Without a doubt the art
of choice is something we as Americans take for granted. Make no mistake about it, we would rather
have too many choices than no choices…isn’t America great!
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