I think that most of us would agree that the most painful people in any organization are those who want credit for everything without commensurate capabilities. Since they do not have the capabilities, they try to use unfair means and manipulate. Precious time of the organization, as well as other employees, is wasted in office politics. I discussed this phenomenon at length in the context of 3 different organizations yesterday with three different friends. That shows how widely prevalent this phenomenon is.
What makes these "intelligent" people so insecure and stupid that they waste their lives proving themselves and taking credit rather than working on their capabilities? They are "intelligent" because they have invested time and energy in understanding a subject. In the process, they have turned their eyes away from the larger life. A doctor may be very good at surgery and definitely "intelligent". However, if he feels that the same skill set will work in the relationship as well, then it may prove to be a disaster. Relationships require emotional intelligence and not surgical precision. The problem arises when the doctor develops an "arrogance" and "false confidence" of being good at everything and, in the process, projects himself to be "better" than what he is, and therefore gets trapped in his own positioning. Now, he can't take advice from others because of his position of knowing everything. Now that "self-image" has become more important than learning. In the process, he demonstrates his "stupidity" in handling relationships and gets exposed. Doctor is just an example, it happens with almost all of us at some or other point in our lives, and that's why introspection of our own stupidities is the most intelligent thing.
The second reason for such behaviour is own deep insecurities. I don't know why we don’t realize that the more we try to become "secure" by accumulating credit, the more we become "insecure". It is because "credit" is so fragile. The entire society may make somebody a "hero," and the "hero" may be full of pride and dancing with joy, and may internalize this "heroism" to the core of his heart. He may actually develop a "self-image" of being a hero without realizing that society doesn't take even a minute to curse even God when things do not go their way. The title of "hero" is with the expectation that you will behave like a "hero" every time. The moment somebody gets attached to the title of being a "hero", he has started playing to the gallery. Of course, nobody can fulfil all the expectations of the organization or society. But since now such a person is not ready to let go of the title of being a "hero", he has to pretend, manipulate, and conspire. In fact, use the work of others to take credit. Show others' work as his work. He becomes so weak due to his greed that he starts telling lies.
Not so that people in the organization can't see through, but most people ignore such behaviour. They do not talk to the face of such people because he is deaf due to his greed. He refuses to acknowledge and listen. That becomes interesting over the years. Such persons carry a self-image of being a "hero" while others in the organization are well aware of their "manipulations". Now, it's quite challenging for these people because their inauthenticities have been widely known. They have to project more and more because if they let go of their self-image of being a "hero", they will not become "zero" but straight away "villains". That's why insecurities grow manifold, and these people start putting in day and night to work to retain their "title". For any outsider, their behaviour appears to be quite childish and insecure. But they do not realize that because of their deep insecurities and fear of losing that title. They get trapped, and it's quite difficult to come out of this trap.
Since the brain of an insecure person is constantly grappling with insecurities, it generates many mental narratives to ease the pressure. It's very difficult to be aware of these mental narratives unless we recognize them in the moment they are created. Later, they become an integral part of our framework for life. We feel increasingly insecure when any critical component of our life framework is challenged. That's why one of the most important roles of parents is to help their kids develop a robust framework for life, as broad as possible and not limited to a narrow vision of life. This will help kids recognize their own mental narratives as they grow up. It will also help kids avoid falling into the trap of "credit" without "competence." This will enable them to let go of many unnecessary things in life because they have better things to invest in. When we have an awareness of the enormous inner treasure, why would we waste our lives trying to uphold the title of being a "hero"? We may become obsessed with that title only if we lack a broader understanding of life. A self-aware person will always be more interested in the process rather than the outcome in the form of a title of being a "hero". The outcome is dead; the process is alive. The outcome is past; the process is present. It is only in the present moment that we truly live. The past is dead.
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