• Hi, I’m Brad Abare

  I'm a make-it-happen guy working with big idea people. I design teams and orchestrate strategy so that great ideas I believe in get done.
  
  I am Jamaica's husband, Foursquare's comm director, Personality's founder, and a catalyst for CFCC.
  
  
• Search for:

• Archives (by category)

  Select Category Abare News Big Ideal Brad Works God, Faith & Spirituality Hot Topic Inspiration Leadership Life’s Journey Media Politics Rant Reading Room Stuff I Like The City Wisdom

• Archives (by month)

  Select Month June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 November 2006 October 2006 July 2006 June 2006 May 2006 April 2006 March 2006 February 2006 January 2006 December 2005 October 2005 July 2005 June 2005 May 2005 April 2005 March 2005 February 2005 January 2005 December 2004 November 2004 October 2004 September 2004 August 2004 July 2004 June 2004 May 2004 April 2004 March 2004 February 2004 January 2004 December 2003

• Recent Comments

  • Kimi Cowden (Hannah's mother in law) on South Africa, Here We Come
  • Chris Heaslip on Kevin Kelly, New Socialism
  • Scott on Henri Nouwen on Leadership
  • Sun on Susanna Wesley Defines Sin
  • Rob Edwards on A Sense of Urgency

• Subscribe

  Add my RSS feed to your reader.

“Mine honour is my life, both grow in one. Take honour from me, and my life is done. Then, dear my liege, mine honour let me try; In that I live, and for that I will die.” —William Shakespeare

I’ve been thinking a lot about honor. It seems to be in short supply these days. And by honor I mean the authentic sacrificial preference manifested in the esteem and distinction of someone other than you. The kind of honor that costs something, not the obligatory recognition that often accompanies shiny medallions or trophies. Not the stuffy ceremonies where you lose track of whose turn it is to back-pat who.

A little over a month ago I had to let three people go from my Foursquare team. Three people out of a team of 17. There were 20+ people let go across the organization, and all were due to company-wide budget cuts. Although necessary and fiscally responsible, the loss was painful. I realize Foursquare is not alone and by no means unique. Reductions in workforce appear to be a daily headline in this tough economy.

Which brings me back to honor.

The ancient Greek concepts of honor (honour) were not just about the exaltation of the one receiving honor, but also the shaming of the one overcome by the act of hubris. In ancient Greece, hubris referred to actions which, intentionally or not, shamed and humiliated the victim. This concept of honor is like a zero-sum game. In other words, according to these ancient Greece concepts, honor can’t be manufactured, manipulated, or made. Honor must come from sacrifice.

I want to be the kind of guy that thinks twice before honoring people. Because if I am going to truly honor someone, it means I must truly sacrifice something.

Our three teammates were let go with little honor. From auditor demands and HR policies, we let protocol get in the way of people. And when protocol and policies precede people, honor can become a commodity.

It’s not too late to honor our former comrades, but it’s going to cost us something. Because if it didn’t cost something, it wouldn’t be honor.

Comments