Achieving A Desired Outcome

Back in the day I was a Pediatric Nurse. Those of you who have dealt with children of a certain age know that once a child figures out he or she has a will of their own, they seek to exercise that will--which quite often leads to a scenario in which the parental figure requests a child to do a particular task, and the child, asserting his/her will, refuses. Once at this meeting of the unstoppable force against the immovable object - stalemate often occurs.

What we were taught in nursing was to offer the child a choice - "Do you want to take your medicine before you eat your sandwich or after you eat your sandwich?" The goal is for the child to take the medicine. It is presented in away that offers the child the illusion of a choice, when in reality a metaphorical fork in the road is placed, and both roads lead to the same destination.

Some will suggest that by starting with this example, I am suggesting that the adults below are children or child-like...rhetoric and logic were never my strong points. The above is to illustrate, on a simple level, what I believe transpires on a more complex adult level below.

There was a man that I initially admired. However, over time watching this man in action I began to question his actions to the point of e-mailing him and telling him that I believed he was very skilled at creating process that justified his agenda. In it's most simple form - namely offering the pediatric patient a limited set of choices that ultimately achieves your goal - my example above is just that.

Creating process to justify one's own agenda. Creating the illusion of group self-determination when the desired outcome is already decided by the "power brokers." I have experienced this in a number of places in my adult life. It is a form of control - control of the masses.

At my place of employment the new administration is very big on surveys conducted by outside consultants, round table discussions, anonymous hot line numbers. The illusion of group self-determination and participation. "See how much we listen to you..." Very few people are fooled by this. In the end, the financial picture is such that sacrifice is made over and over again, and, whether we like it or not, "Be glad you have a job" is the sub-text throughout.

This post isn't about my work experience really. It's about hypocrisy and mendacity.

Imagine a variation of Professor Harold Hill (a character from The Music Man. In this example though, he really does sell boys' bands - he's not a charlatan per se. Before he came to River City, Iowa, he was in another state where he worked hard at promoting boys' bands. When the time came to select a new "governor," Harold was very active in the process trying to promote a candidate who also supported boys' bands. He and those like him believed they had selected such an individual only to discover in the end that they were mistaken. The new "governor" was much less enthusiastic about bands that they believed.

So Harold was invited to come to River City where the "governor" said, "We're very much interested in boy's bands here - come on over." Now as boy's bands was Harold's bread and butter, he jumped at the chance.

Once in River City, working from the "governor's" office - he rolled up his sleeves and got to work. He created educational material for the citizens of River City that instructed them in the ways of boys' bands; he participated in national boy's bands organizations. He was happier than a pig in...well, you know what I mean.

One day the "governor" was suddenly called away and River City needed to select a new "governor." Harold was now very much a part of the inner circle of the town "councilmen." Before they presented a plan to the citizens, many conversations went on behind closed doors. "We have to be sure that our next "governor" supports boys' bands as much as we do..." and the "councilmen" agreed.

Now this was a legitimate concern for the leaders of River City. The boys' band had become very important to the citizens, but it was especially important for Harold Hill - after all, he made his living off of boys' bands and all the essential accouterments that went with boys' bands. He didn't want a repeat of what happened in the other state. He felt rather settled amidst the good people of River City, so he proposed a radical solution. "We need to revise the way we select our "governor." In fact, we need to find away to implement band into the very office of "governor." and the council members agreed.

For the next few months, until the annual town meeting, Harold and some assistants mapped out what they felt the town needed - a "governor's committee" grounded in boys' band principles - they laid out exactly how they felt that the process should occur. In fact, they skillfully developed a process that would justify their desired outcome.

At the town meeting, the citizens were informed of the new idea - looking at a new way of selecting a "governor" - "...because it is very important that we get just the right "governor" who understands the boys' band philosophy that is so much a part of who we are..." "In the coming weeks, each neighborhood will hold a meeting to discuss this plan after watching a carefully prepared DVD that explains why this is so important."

A special group of citizens were gathered together to look at the results of the neighborhood meetings and interpret the notes, and then work out exactly what the "governor's committee" would look like. Harold made sure to attend the first few sessions of this special group to make sure they got started on the right foot. Of course, the well crafted process had already begun for the citizens were to look at how the special "governor's committee" might work - not whether or not we should have one at all.

Any potential criticism was squelched by the repeated suggestion that the overwhelming work load of a single "governor" is what lead to the sudden departure of our last "governor" -- we don't want that to happen again, right? The previous "governor" had been so beloved and his departure so unexpected, that no one questioned this logic.

The special citizens' group met behind closed doors and periodically released information sheets that explained their progress. All along, the talking points included the importance of finding someone who (1) really really really understood boys' band philosophy and (2) really really really understood us...perhaps you can see where this is headed?

Eventually the group announced that in the name of true boys' band philosophy they would not hold a conventional election - rather they would determine the final candidate for "governor" as well as the make up of the "governor's committee." When the representatives of the citizens gathered to "vote" they would have the opportunity to affirm the "committee" or reject the "committee" - thumbs up or thumbs down.

Who could they settle on who would be an expert on boys' bands and an expert on River City...who? Who would be the perfect candidate? Some of us in River City were not surprised when they settled on Harold Hill himself.

As I said before, "Harold" is very skilled at creating process that justifies his agenda...

Would you like to take your medicine before you ate your sandwich or after you eat your sandwich?