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How easy is it become a cynic? It's so much easier to protect ourselves from disappointment than to hope for great dreams to come true, and deal with the pain when they don't. I've been in radio nearly 20 years, and it's rare to meet people who aren't somehow hardened up and at least a little bitter about things that didn't work out, and who mistrust new leaders and new hopes.
On Monday I went to Global Radio's presentation of a new vision for company culture and values. I thought Ashley Tabor’s presentation was personal, warm, vulnerable and challenging. The same presentation viewed through the eyes of a cynic was calculated, manipulative, repellent and challenging - in a "how can I avoid this/get out" kind of way instead of a "how well can I do this" kind of way.
What makes us cynical? I think it's all down to unprocessed kairos moments. A kairos is a significant moment in time that grabs our attention and changes the way we feel, like hitting a big bump in the road. Choosing to learn from kairos moments changes who we are, for the better if we can do this well with other people. But if we cut short the learning process, try to go our own way, or just get away from the challenge of a kairos, we end up adding insulation around ourselves to protect from future bumps. That protective layer hardens into cynicism. (Find lots more on kairoses and the Jesus-inspired learning process in my Living A Chilled Life podcasts...)
So what can penetrate cynicism? I believe only love and growing trust in relationships can do this. Ideas bounce off cynical people. Loving, non self-centred people might be pushed away too, but they carry the only hope.
Do you want to grow into a cynic and maker of cynics, or a hope carrier? If it's the latter, get ready for plenty of kairos moments! |
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 I've set up a new site for sharing things about social networking and media production - things I have been doing as a freelancer (and would like to do more of).
There is a new blog there too, with stories about this kind of stuff. So if you need some help to spread stories and grow relationships online, or you know people who could use this, you can find my work bits at www.bernleckie.com/freelance |
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How do we get more people to come to our event? |
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Yesterday I met with a group who organise an annual celebration of the best of Bristol's industry. The unusual, fascinating thing about them is that they commit to do this in a church. They have an historic connection with the place, and they want people to come, so they put on a show and send out the invites. They were disappointed with the turnout. From 1000 invitations, 50 came, and they are wondering how to do better this year. Should they spend more on the invites? More on the event? Do different publicity? |
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Years ago my brother and I set up a show, which became an entire radio station, to be run by kids for kids. We called it Takeover Radio and it was a huge laugh. Now the group where I've worked in radio for eight years is being taken over, and... I was going to say it's not so funny, but actually it is. We're having a brilliant time in our office getting very busy, making sure the things we always wanted to do get done, and getting really stressed. Sometimes this makes us wound up by the slightest things, but often the pressure just makes our real characters come out, perhaps in slightly exaggerated ways. It's a really good time to be writing a series of podcasts about "Living a Chilled Life" because reality has challenged so much of the BS away. I realised I can't tell anyone how to live stress-free, even if I wanted to, because I don't. And yet, those of us who are choosing to learn from the unexpected are really chilled about it all. Stressed but chilled. It's possible. It's actually really nice. I'm putting more about this in my podcasts. |
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