The disease of hoarding. This occurs when a leader tries to fill an existential void in his or her heart by accumulating material goods, not out of need but only in order to feel secure. The fact is that we are not able to bring material goods with us when we leave this life, since “the winding sheet does not have pockets” and all our treasures will never be able to fill that void; instead, they will only make it deeper and more demanding. Accumulating goods only burdens and inexorably slows down the journey!
Gary Hamel
What was the first thought that came to mind when you read the above? Did you identify yourself or someone else? If someone else, is that person close to you?
I must confess I struggled with this leadership disease. Not because I am accumulating material goods (am I?), but because I just could not get it. I work as an international civil servant -a global bureaucrat as someone said- and even though my colleagues and I have pretty good salaries, I have yet to know one who fits the profile of the person I visualized when reading about the ‘disease of hoarding’.
Upon reading the disease’s description, I thought of rich people, not of me, or -perhaps mistakenly- my colleagues. Instead, I recalled the neighbor of one of my friends in Abuja who has a white mansion and at least eight cars, including a dazzling Rolls Royce. I visualized the friend of a friend who owns a Polo Club and several businesses. I imagined C-suite executives of large private corporations, the people with private jets, etc.
But then… as I opened my closet door to grab a shirt reality hit home! I am not immune to this disease. I can be a hoarder!!!
The whole day I pondered on it. It is a fact that I have more shirts than I need, even though there’s nothing fancy in there. But then again, why do I have them? Why am I accumulating them?
Furthermore, how many other things do I have that I don’t need? Am I feeling and filling an ‘existential void’? I am still trying to figure this one out but I’ve come to realize that I do need a vaccine against this leadership disease as well. What about you?
Perhaps you might wish to consider how light -or heavy- you are traveling in the journey of your life. How much excess baggage are you carrying? How many overweight fees are you paying? What does it say about you? Are your things filling ‘existential voids’ in your heart?
Will you -and your loved ones- get vaccinated against this disease? And, at last, have you considered if you unwillingly have transmitted the virus of hoarding to your children?
As we join our Muslim sisters and brothers celebrating Eid, let’s take this opportunity to check our bags and offload what might be keeping us from enjoying fully the beautiful journey we have ahead of us!
Thank you! We are all traveling the same learning journey