Fail Up by Tavis Smiley

Author:Tavis Smiley
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: ebook
Publisher: Hay House, Inc.
Published: 2011-03-10T16:00:00+00:00

Navigating Through It All

Toward the end of his life, Dr. King delivered an emotional speech in Chicago. At the time, he was the recipient of despicable rumors, public attack, and constant death threats due in part to his staunch opposition to the Vietnam War. In that rare speech, Dr. King—the epitome of forgiveness—really let his feelings out and his emotions show. He talked about the pain he felt from the maltreatment of his peers. The rumors about his communist leanings and the fortune he had supposedly made off the movement had taken their toll. He said he was challenged to find ways to navigate through it all.

Two things strike me about that particular sermon. First, even Dr. King was emotionally disturbed and distressed about the rumors that circulated about him back in the day. If he got depressed about the rumor mill then, I wonder how he would navigate commonplace demonization and distortions in the age of the Internet. As wonderful as it is, the anonymity of the Internet allows people to express darker, more sinister, and sometimes even deadly sides freely, with no consequences because there’s no real oversight attached.

Second, the road to success in the Social Media Age demands higher levels of integrity. Discretion has become so bastardized that you are assumed a liability before you’re hired. Many employers now require new hires to sign nondisclosure clauses. Sometimes heavy penalties are exacted for violating these clauses.

A few years ago, ABC News profiled celebrity assistants—those charged with chauffeuring duties, setting personal appointments, landscape work, dog appointments, and everything in between. Some worked for the likes of Olympia Dukakis, Matthew McConaughey, Hugh Jackman, Renee Russo, and other stars. According to the report, “Nondisclosure agreements are commonplace among personal assistants, who are expected never to repeat anything they see, hear, or do for their bosses. If they do, punishments range from getting fired to monetary fines.”

The point in all of this is that the maxim “Loose lips sink ships” seems sort of disconnected from modern-day society. Ships are safe. People aren’t. Loose lips—gossiping, spreading somebody else’s business—has a boomerang effect. It can disable the innocent and slash the slinger. Trust is no longer something that’s expected; it’s something you have to earn. Gossiping in this “no benefit of the doubt” work environment can get you branded early as untrustworthy and mortally wound your career.

Short of avoiding loquacious ex-lovers, in a world with dissipating moral boundaries, you are the best person to control your brand. Make it a brand people trust.

Take it from someone who is paying a karmic price for his foolish deed. I have become a “personality,” and there’s a big, red gossip target on my back. Be vigilant—for yourself and for your career. Be ever observant—not only for your well-being, but also for future generations destined to inherit a world where boundaries are murky and careless words can be perilous.

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