The Leading Edge: I Guess It's Not About Me

I recently travelled to Japan (and apologies for mispronunciations in this video). I've never been before, so I had the typical reaction when exposed to a new culture. It was a mix of awe and irritation.

First, the awe. Certainly, there were breathtaking sights. Shinto shrines. Torii gates. And Mt. Fuji. But I would be lying if I said I wasn't most awestruck by the toilets in Japan. Auto-lifting and auto-closing lids! Heated seats! A button to play music! A built in bidet where you could adjust the temperature of the water!?!?!?! These toilets inspire wonder. They also inspire you to search online for pricing, because you cannot believe you have lived without them for your whole life. I can honestly say that I never would have believed I might one day look at a fancy toilet seat that costs $600 and say, "seems worth it!"

But here we are.

But let's not forget the irritation. Walking the streets of Tokyo, I couldn't help but feel irritated by the lack of trash cans in public spaces. Don't they know I am a horribly consumerist American who is constantly stuffing his face-hole with pre-packaged drinks and snacks? Where am I supposed to put this stuff?

That's when I finally realized that it's not about me. Japan is famous for being a collectivist culture. Community-minded. Respectful and rule-following. And the lack of public trash cans - which started in the mid 90's as a security measure after someone placed sarin gas in a subway garbage can - remains a staple of the Japanese culture. It's a reminder that we share space on this planet. And it's up to every one of us to do our part. Not just the Tokyo sanitation department.

I don't know about you, but I can often become stuck in my own head. I think of my to do list. The state of my relationships. I replay conversations in my head. I pre-play conversations I need to have. And worst of all, I can awfulize the slightest negative outcome and extrapolate that into a true threat to my survival. Pretty soon, I become the central character in a one-,man show.

In these moments, it is helpful to get jolted back to reality. It's not all about me. Especially for leaders. If I hold any expectations that I am the hub of activity, and here to be served, certainly others will pick up on that. And eventually, we all have big ol' entitlement mindset that serves no one but ourselves.

Poorly.

So, I guess instead of moaning that I have no place to put my trash, maybe I'll just toss it in my bag and carry it with me. A, small, lightweight reminder that we all must do our part to create the kind of world we wish to live in.

Peace to you all!