SELF- ESTEEM IS NOT ENOUGH

Being naïve was the bane of my professional life in the beginning. And being aware continues to be an educator in the more enlightened years.

I have recently witnessed the fall of three public figures, whom I initially considered as gamechangers.

1. THE INDEPENDENT GOVERNOR

One was the governor of the central bank of the country. His competence was unquestionable, ethics laudable and courage unparalleled. He valued his independence, and fought for his rights to keep it. He targeted inflation, and launched a drive to clean up balance sheets of banks, by bringing out the concealed weaknesses and addressing them. He was called the Rockstar Governor, due to his popularity amongst the masses.

However, his candour in calling a spade a spade, was not found to be politically correct. The high profile loan defaulters in the banking system, saw a threat to their security. The backlash started with a discreet smear campaign. Articles which started with lauding his achievements, moving on to point out minor failures, and disapproving of his personal communication style, were steadily released in the media. Then, came a strong, slanderous attack from a fellow economist-turned politician, who questioned the Governor’s foreign education and understanding of the national scenario. Strong individuals do have a high sense of self-respect, and he reacted …. by quitting the governor’s post. He presented his side of the story in public, but it was too late. And his admirers did not hold power.

He was replaced by an economist, with a low public profile. That ensured the freedom of the political bosses to do what they like.

2. STARTUP ENTHUSIAST

A brilliant guy dropped out of a premier educational institution, to set up his business, and managed to secure a high level of funding. He was hailed as the hero of the millennial population, and the future of the country. His intellectual brilliance was never questioned by anyone. He distributed a large chunk of his shares amongst the employees, to the people who contributed to the company.

But, alas and once again, his candour invited the ire of bullies. He had the gumption to say that the board members could not equal his brilliance, or understand what he says. He was chucked out unceremoniously, after a public slander campaign. Immaturity, ineptness, impractical approach …. Or just plain COURAGE.

3. THE ‘NON-POLITICIAN’ CHIEF MINISTER

A civil servant quit the Indian Revenue Service, because he could not gel with the corrupt system. He ran a NGO, won the Magsaysay Award, and turned into a Human Rights Activist. He led a national anti-corruption campaign, and was catapulted to the position of a national icon for clean governance. He believed that he could clean up the political system, by entering it, and was elected as the Chief Minister of a Union Territory with an overwhelming majority.

People did want clean governance, but not the rest of the political system. He was a whistleblower, and posed a threat to top level politicians. Again, the mafia sprung in action. Sting operations, frame-ups, negative publicity, legal challenges, political manipulations and extreme negativity from his boss — the Lt. Governor of the Union Territory, turned him into a wreck. A special cell works only to undermine him. And trolls are the best weapon that bullies have. They work without knowing what or whom are they working for. Maybe, it gives them a high. Maybe, they use it to vent their pent-up frustrations on other issues. They do succeed in releasing an enormous amount of negativity in the system.

His bane was his inability to find clean and like-minded colleagues in the political system, and lack of political maturity. The battle has not ended, but the system has succeeded in breaking down a honest person, by compressing him for all sides.

NOBODY LIKES A REBEL

People worship the rising sun, and ironically, the victims follow the perpetrators. They believe that they are choosing the ‘safer evil’, due to the power they hold.

A whistleblower in the banking sector has this to say about his experience:

“Well, they did not fire me a blessed day. They retaliated against me in every imaginary way possible. But sometimes you have to deal with your conscience. I said ‘No’ to play to market, ‘No’ to play to insider trading. Consequently, in a 35-year career, for the first time, I was unemployed.”

MY PERSONAL STORY

Ethics and idealism was a choice that I made, and I will continue to live by that. But it has not served me well. We console ourselves by thinking of the goodwill generated, and the people who look up to you. They are around, but unable to help, when you need support. Just for the fact, that people who admire idealism are struggling with their own lives, and need similar support. Law, politics or business do not provide for structures that provide this kind of support. The so-called support networks provide a good service, but do not wield power or influence in the system.

And this is where the Bully wins!

LEARN FROM THE BULLIES

What does the bully do, that we cannot or choose not to do?

· Create sustained pressure.

· Keep people on the defensive. They lose their power to offend.

· Use exclusion as a psychological weapon.

· Divide and rule.

· Stoop to a level, where the honest cannot reach. They have high standards.

· Strengthen mutual bonds within the bully network.

· Cut off aid and help from all sides.

· Drive the victim against a wall.

· Influence public opinion with a malicious slander campaign.

Evil, corruption, manipulation and crime are the strongest glue to create impenetrable networks. One weak link can expose everyone else, and hence, they always support each other, in their own interest. The bully wins because law, economics, politics and business do not challenge him. They are extreme narcissists or extremely insecure individuals.

The intellectuals and idealists are fiercely independent people, who live in ivory towers, and believe that they do not need support.

Do we realize that we need to support each other, to serve our long-term self-interest, even if there is no short term gain? Or are we taking a stand that the Future is not our business? It is okay to leave it in the hands of Bullies.

THE MYTH OF POSITIVITY

We shall conquer Bullying with Self Esteem, Self Confidence and Self Defense.

No. Self-confidence and self-esteem will not help you to defeat the bullies. A strategic plan, a sustained initiative, a combat force in action and world-wide initiatives are needed.