IS YOUR LENS DISTORTED?
Having a purpose can be a very dangerous thing. One glimpse at history shows us that this is true. The greatest leaders are driven by purpose. So are the most brutal dictators. What distinguishes the one from the other? First and foremost, a belief in equality.
I find it hard to understand issues around equality. I tend to keep quiet when those conversations arise, because I don’t really think there’s anything to say.
This is for the simple reason that I view everyone as equal. I don’t see colour, gender, ethnicity or religion. I see each person as an individual. And I see each individual as a person. We are all the same. We are all human.
This doesn’t mean I believe everybody has the same strengths. A quote often attributed to Einstein puts this very well, “Everyone is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.”
I agree with this, provided it doesn’t create limitations. More than anything, I believe that everybody should have the same opportunities. And I prefer not to make judgements.
Which is why, when I was approached by Alex, a visually impaired boy with a burning desire to become a chef, I was really happy to employ him. Even though he had been turned down by numerous other restaurants.
Most people around me reacted as though I was encouraging a fish to climb a tree. I didn’t disagree with them. I just didn’t see anything wrong with that. He wanted to be a chef more than anything else in the world. Was it my right to say no?
People told me it was unsafe, and unfair to give him false hope. Even those who agreed that everyone is a genius still needed to make a judgement based on their own beliefs. They had decided he couldn’t do it, and so they weren’t prepared to let him try.
If he hadn’t succeeded, it wouldn’t have diminished him in my eyes. However, his determination, passion, and skill ensured that he did succeed. He is now a sous chef in a very busy and well-respected establishment.
I am so proud of him. He has not only succeeded in overcoming his disability, he has also overcome many of his demons, such as his resentment and frustration that grew out of not being viewed as equal.
Which is why a belief in equality matters. It is about having a fundamental respect for people – including yourself. And if your lens is distorted, you cannot see clearly.
Whether the distortion is concave or convex, whether you view everyone as beneath you or better than you, if you cannot see yourself as equal to others, and others as equal to you, then you can behave in ways that diminish everyone.
Great leaders understand this. Those who believe in equality still recognise that people have different skills and strengths, but rather than feeling threatened by the talents and abilities of others, they celebrate and embrace them. In this way, rather than everyone being diminished, everyone can be elevated.
As much as I believe that we are all born equal, I recognise that we are not all born with equality of opportunity. The deeper part of my purpose is to be a voice for those who can’t be heard. The intention behind this is to create more possibilities for them to succeed in their lives.
This was part of my hope with Alex. As well as helping him to fulfil his ambitions, there was a good chance that he would inspire others whose opportunities were limited to see that they could achieve their dreams.
It is also the thinking behind KNQR, the organisation I founded in 2016 with my partner, Nick Rutten. KNQR is a place where people from all over the world can share their stories of triumph over adversity. We share to inspire.
KNQR is for everyone: those who have conquered addiction; those who have beaten cancer; those who have won gold medals: those who have lost weight; those who have faced their fears, overcome obstacles, and found an unshakeable belief in themselves.
And this is the point. You can use your purpose to diminish others, or you can use your purpose to raise others up, with the understanding that no matter who you are or where you come from, you are human, you are entitled, you are equal.
Kristian Livolsi
