News & Updates:

Like the website?
Recommend Us To a Friend

2 • Cultural Blocks - Part 2

But since he is really responsible for the whole thing in the first place, he feels he should be there. And he probably should. The second type are those who honestly enjoy such affairs, and they certainly should not be reproached for attending. Then there are those who are "on the fence"—when they go, they have a good time, but they wouldn't feel any great loss if the whole benevolent practice were discontinued. But there is a fourth type who attend and shouldn't. These are the people who dislike such affairs from beginning to end, but who attend purely out of fear. They are afraid that if they do not show up, the group will censure them. Or they are afraid the boss will take it as a sign of disloyalty or disinterest if they do not support the regimented "fun" the company is supplying. Both of these fears are usually groundless, and giving in to them means a sacrifice of integrity and moral values for the person who gives in. And just as you can build up your mental abilities and character by practicing them, so you can tear down your individuality by chipping it away. Let's examine those two fears to see how much real danger there is if a person refuses to "go along with the crowd":

First, the fear that he will be censured by his co-workers if he does not show up at the party or picnic: He may receive a few snide remarks from other members of his group—but they will be in the fourth class of people. Their remarks will probably be made out of envy that they themselves didn't have the courage to avoid what they also considered an unpleasant "duty." The majority of his co-workers—if they even noticed his absence— probably won't say anything at all or have their feelings about this individual changed one bit. On the contrary, those who really enjoyed themselves at the outing or whatever may feel rather sympathetic toward the person who didn't attend because "He missed such a good time!"

And what about the boss? How will he take it if the man is truant? That will depend, to a large extent, on the man. In this day of penny-profits and cut-throat competition, no manager is ever going to fire a good worker or able executive simply because this person felt he had better things to do than attend a picnic. If a man has consistently demonstrated his ability to think for himself and act on his own values, chances are he is enjoying whatever job or position he has because of those attributes, and the boss could even expect him to be independent in deciding his amusements.

So, generally, what all these fears of nonconformity come down to is a fear of being "different." We have been taught, since childhood, that to be different is to be wrong. Unfortunately, we weren't given any scales to measure the degrees of difference. We have learned only that to be different at all is to be wrong. But today, in business or any other field you choose to examine, the need is for individualists—people who can be above average in their thinking and in their job performance and who are, just by virtue of being above average, different.

Any fear of being different can quickly disappear if you take a cold, objective look at it and the possible outcomes of practicing it. We should realize and admit at the outset that much of the fear is simply ego involvement—we are so wrapped up in our­selves, and in preserving what we think other people think about ourselves, that we don't realize that these people are just as wrapped up in themselves and probably won't even notice if we begin to exercise some independence and individuality in our thinking and actions.

Of course, one must use caution in being different. You have no right to let your differing interfere with the rights of others. People won't mind your being independent and freethinking as long as you don't adopt an attitude of superiority about it. Chances are that if you can just learn to tolerate other people and their differences—granting them, in your own mind, the right to be different—you will have made a better start on individuality than most people accomplish in their entire lifetime!

Related terms include business consultant and business executive.