Doug Cartland's Four Minute Newsletter
Doug Cartland, Inc.09/21/2010
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I never thought Britney Spears would find her way into this newsletter at any point, but here goes...

I saw a picture last week:  Britney Spears and her son on a ride at Disneyworld...alone. No one else on the ride...people looking on...she in her own world.

At some point during the day, there were dozens of people in line for the Dumbo ride. And then Britney strode up with her security contingent and was given a special entrance. The line was made to wait. Britney climbed onto the ride with her son. And off they went.

And I thought, "How does this happen?"

Twelve years ago she was a relatively unknown Mouseketeer, happy to have any attention at all. And now, when the whole world stops for her, she doesn't blink an eye. It's become so normal to her. She seems completely unconcerned, not feeling guilty or insecure about it in the least. I don't know, I'm not in her mind, but there were no reports of her apologizing to the crowd or thanking the crowd for their patience. Not even a wave or an acknowledgement. Just her and her son in her own little bubble.

There was a time when this would have felt abnormal to her. There was a time when she would have felt insecure about them shutting down a ride just for her, all of those eyes upon her, making people wait. She didn't always live in a bubble. She was a small town girl from Louisiana after all.

But something happened. Something in her head. At some point it became normal. She was suddenly entitled.

Now I understand practicalities. I understand that she and others like her need special consideration to enjoy certain things in life that take place in public settings. And I also understand that most of the on-lookers probably felt the trade off of seeing her and the story they now had to tell was worth the minutes waiting. I get that.

But what I don't get is how it became so easy for her. Where did this sense of entitlement begin in her mind? When did the switch go on that made this right and normal?

I've seen too many leaders like this too; at first uncomfortable with the attention, their basic humility working against the ego driven current they swim in. Then at some point, somewhere, they stop fighting, they stop checking themselves, they stop grounding themselves and they let the current take them. They become too comfortable with the attention and they feel it perfectly normal to be served and catered to.

Then the coup de grace:  they surround themselves with people who will only tell them what they want to hear. And over the waterfall they go.

When this entitlement sets in, leaders lose touch with their humanity. They become cold to reality and less affected by other people's needs. Sensitivity and empathy become antiquated relics of their past hearts. They don't understand their people anymore, nor do they care to. Now their decision making becomes more about benefiting themselves rather than their company, their country or their team.

This is a dangerous thing.

It's all strange and fearful. If you want, you can be jealous of Britney Spears' wealth and maybe her fame...you may want similar things for yourself...for that I wouldn't begrudge you. But the switch that turned on (or maybe better said, the switch that turned off) in her head somewhere, sometime is something else altogether.

Till next week...

I'd love to hear from you. Reply to this email and let me know your thoughts.

Doug

Doug Cartland, President
Doug Cartland, Inc.

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