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Author Archives: JAMES F. O'NEIL

KEEPING/TELLING SECRETS

January 13, 2016
PEOPLE, PHILOSOPHY-ETHICS
3 Comments

“To tell or not to tell. That is the question.”

Secrecy is the practice of hiding information from certain individuals or groups who do not have the “need to know.”

What is kept hidden is recognized as the secret.

(But a person with a secret may want or need to tell it to another not affected by secrecy.)

“Don’t ask. Don’t tell.”?

The discussion of secrecy can often be controversial, depending on the content or nature of the secret, the group or person keeping the secret, and the reason behind the need for secrecy.

Persons often attempt to consciously conceal from others their own selves or acts or transgressions because of shame or guilt, or from fear (perhaps of violence), or from being rejected by another.

Secrets may be intimate to a single person, or sometimes part of an issue within a family, the “family secret.” (See Vital Lies, Simple Truths by Daniel Goleman.)

Disclosure of personal secrets has its pitfalls. Yet keeping a secret may be healthy and advantageous to one’s psychological self.

At the same time, secrecy can be a major source of human conflict, involving lying in order to not reveal. This can also lead to a number of psychological repercussions.

Sophocles: “Do nothing secretly; for Time sees and hears all things, and discloses all.”

Gautama Siddhartha, the Buddha, once said “Three things cannot long stay hidden: the sun, the moon, and the truth.”

Scripture: “…and be sure your sin will find you out.” (Num. 32:23)

Yet if it’s a one-time transgression, perhaps it might be worth keeping that secret. Some therapists, however, might say honesty is important if there is to be healing in a relationship. Nevertheless, sometimes there really is more damage caused by a telling.

And the answer to the original question? One must weigh the consequences, both to self and to someone else. Will either be better off?

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LEADERSHIP, PART TWO

January 5, 2016
AUTHORS, PEOPLE, THINKING AND THOUGHT
2 Comments

“Leadership cannot be exercised by the weak. It demands strength–the strength of this great nation when its people are united in a purpose, united in a common fundamental faith, united in their readiness to work for human freedom and peace. . .”–Dwight D. Eisenhower

Leadership Theories:

Ohio State Leadership Studies (1945):

The leader is concerned with organizational patterns, channels of communication, decision-making procedures, and organizational goals.

In addition, the leader has focus in establishing and maintaining positive relations with staff and workers.

In all of this, theorists find that good leaders are able to analyze a situation, depending on the personality of the leader.

Another leadership theory concerns itself with friendly work atmosphere, friendliness, trust, and respect both from workers and from employers, so that morale is kept at a balanced level.

Finally, there is the “Situational Theory of Leadership.” The leader’s behavior depends upon his or her maturity level acquired with skills and experiences. Each particular situation requires skill, experience, and a sense of responsibility for achieving goals.

Some leaders never “get better”; others do.

Once again, it all seems so simple, simply put, clear.

It is difficult to be a good leader, and also to be a good follower of a good leader. Sometimes the mix will never be achieved. Personalities clash, goals are not attainable, work environment is unstable,

Then, there is another theory for work:

 “THE BEATINGS WILL CONTINUE UNTIL MORALE IMPROVES!”

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2015 in review

January 1, 2016
ARTISTIC VENTURES, EVENTS, Uncategorized
1 Comment

The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2015 annual report for this blog.

Here’s an excerpt:

The concert hall at the Sydney Opera House holds 2,700 people. This blog was viewed about 8,300 times in 2015. If it were a concert at Sydney Opera House, it would take about 3 sold-out performances for that many people to see it.

Click here to see the complete report.

“WHAT’S A TEDDY?”

December 31, 2015
EVENTS, FAVORITES, PEOPLE
1 Comment

Definition:  1) a woman’s one-piece undergarment

2) a soft toy in the form of a bear. Developed in the early years of the 20th century, and named after President Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt, the teddy bear became an iconic children’s toy, celebrated in story, song, and film. [Since the creation of the first teddy bears, which sought to imitate the form of real bear cubs, “teddies” have greatly varied in form, style, and material. They have become collector’s items, with older and rarer “teddies” appearing at public auctions. Teddy bears are among the most popular gifts for children and are often given to adults to signify love, congratulations, or sympathy.] –Wikipedia

3) an award given annually by Joe Klein, of TIME magazine, for “doers, diplomats, and leaders who ignored our worst instincts.”

“It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs, who comes up short again and again … who spends himself in a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly.” –Teddy Roosevelt

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Note: Joe Klein’s Teddy Awards for 2015: Barack Obama, Joe Biden, Jerrold Nadler, Bob Corker, George H. W. Bush, James Baker, Jeb Bush, John Kasich, John Kerry, Mohammad Javad Zarif, and Fox News Presidential Debate (“proving that good politics can be substantive and entertaining”).  (See, TIME, December 21, 2015, p. 46)