I like mysteries whether reading books or watching TV series. Currently, I am watching the TV Series on Netflix called Ripper Street based in the East End of London in the Whitechapel district in the 1889’s and beyond. There is violence, cruelty, corruption and human trafficking. There are times it is hard to watch due to the nature of these acts. The TV shows starts six months after the infamous Jack the Ripper’s murders. The main character is Inspector Edmund Reid. Inspector Reid and his team had been in charge of the investigation of the Jack the Ripper’s murders. Imagine the stress, guilt and dissappointment they felt from not finding the murderer.
Inspector Reid is a workaholic driven by his failure to capture Jack the Ripper, his daughter Mathilda is missing and presumed dead and his wife Emily left him. Inspector Reid works most nights in his office trying to solve cases to make Whitechapel safer. He is obsessed with his job and it takes Inspector Drake his former Sergeant for him to see the importance of appreciating his staff and their loyalty to each other.
Inspector Reid has many good qualities, but is very much human and has made some devastating mistakes throughout his career and personal life. His values were tempted, tested and sometimes failed him.
He works day and night to protect his district from evil and corruption but at times his emotions get the better of him. Does he care too much? Maybe? That is probably one of his best qualities, as well as one of his worst. Caring too much for the greater good and wanting to make his part of the world a better place.
Caring too much will swallow you whole. – Detective Chief Inspector Frederick Abberline said to Inspector Reid
Now, why do I say caring too much? Sometimes when you care too much it becomes a down fall for a leader because you trust others, betrayal happens and then you become jaded by those actions. Getting hurt by others who are doing things for their own personal gain and will step on anyone to get what they want.
This happened to Inspector Reid. One of his constables was spying on him for another Inspector who was corrupt. Due to the betrayal it cost lives and changed Inspector Reid forever.
As a Leader, have you care too much and been betrayed?
When you are in a management position you will be betrayed. People have their own personal agenda’s and a leader’s values are tested. That may sound harsh but it does happen.
We battle monsters and we become monsters. That Abyss you talk about it’s not only around or out there, it is inside us. It’s a blackness that swallows all light. – Inspector Drake to Inspector Reid
Inspector Reid response – We are the abyss.
How does a leader fall?
🦋 When they lose site of their vision, values and purpose.
🦋 Sometimes those values, visions and purpose are ripped away.
🦋 Sometimes they get lost in someone else’s personal gain.
🦋 Sometimes the leader becomes jaded, by betrayal and trust is damaged.
No leader is perfect. We all have some sort of flaws. A good leader has empathy and does care. By not letting disappointment and lack of vision destroy you is the key to staying sane in a world of disarray.
Discussion Question:
As a leader, have you ever cared too much?
Comments are always welcome.
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