It's My Due

[kokopelle]

My lovely mate and I were talking about people's accomplishments in life. She noted that accomplished people evoke the phrase 'it's my due' as they react to the world. This got me thinking.

The individual has accomplishments. Positional respect is granted by accomplishment, with a person's rank or office being that which is respected. Positional and personal respect are not of the same cloth. The latter, personal respect, is the respect I will speak of further.

Arrogance. It's a soul numbing condition that can accompanies accomplishment. One of the symptoms of arrogance is an extreme difficulty in respecting those things and people who are not their equal. This is an understandable human condition. The challenge to this state is that inequalities exist throughout life. Accomplishment in one field does not ensure the same in all aspects of an individual. Disrespect can appear to be arrogance. Arrogance is a roadblock to respect being returned. The accomplished person wishes to be respected. To this end, the accomplished are asked to extend respect to others who are not their equals. The cousin of respect, tolerance, is a standby if the difference between the accomplished and other is too great

Respect is something that we all crave. Respect is earned. Respect is also renewed. Accomplishment does not automatically solicit respect from others. If anything, accomplishment raises the bar defining what must be done to earn and maintain respect.

What's due? Nothing and everything. Expect respect due to an position. Convey arrogance to others if you believe disdain is due. Convey respect to others if you wish the same. It is due.

Comments

[lupagreenwolf.livejournal.com]

Good thoughts. I think sometimes we who manage to accomplish at least some of our goals take them for granted. I know that for years I got frustrated if something didn't come easily to me because I was so used to doing things that did; I just assumed that it wasn't supposed to be a challenge if *I* did it. I never really blamed other people more than myself, but there is a certain amount of expectation involved.

If we go into things with no expectations, then we won't be disappointed.

[stargazercmc.livejournal.com]

I have a different POV.

For one thing, not all accomplished people evoke the phrase "it's my due." In fact, in my experience, it's rare to find someone in a position of true leadership who believes that that position was something "due" for them.

It's quite one thing to work hard to earn something and another thing entirely to feel that it's due to you like some kind of privilege. For example, I've worked hard to earn my position in management. I don't believe it's something that is due to me or that it was owed to me. I know that my hard work was rewarded to me by giving me the position; however, it would be my folly to believe that someone owed me a position of leadership.

In other words, if I held the belief that something was "due" to me, I would not be worthy of holding that position and would most likely never be placed in it.

Same goes with respect. If I don't respect the abilities of each and every member of my team, then I am unworthy of a) leading them, and b) earning their respect in return.

[greensh.livejournal.com]

Your words were good. It was great to see a comment from you.

It feels like my intended meaning of "it is due me" was different from your analysis. I was not speaking of a spiritual leader coming by a position because it was due them. I suppose the real-world analogy to this would be the son made VP because the father owns the company. This is not what I speak of. I was coming from those in spiritual leadership working to get their positions. The spiritual is a difficult thing to fake. My "it is due me" phrase was referring to leaders who assumed that ascension (through hard word and effort!) to a place of spiritual leadership gave them the power to do what they would, safe behind the mantle of position. The point of my article is that the respect for their position is due them, but further feelings of love or disdain extend to the spiritual leader's behavior outside of their duties.

Going back to my point of spiritual leadership being hard to fake, those who do so, and 'wiggle' into positions by wile or inheritance, will lose the positional respect over time. They just won't be up to the job. Sadly, this can take time and people can be hurt in the process.

You speak of a leader respecting a team and thus earning their respect. I agree with this. In the real world stuff does not REALLY get done if people are only respecting the position. The spiritual world is not much different. In fact, the spiritual world can increase the size of the "team". The members of a group are not the only ones involved. Spiritual work brings in expressions of deity and nature. Similar ground rules for respect and positional authority hold. This adds credence to your closing statement:

Same goes with respect. If I don't respect the abilities of each and every member of my team, then I am unworthy of a) leading them, and b) earning their respect in return.

Kudos my friend!