Chapter 2
Chapter 2 - Are you a Rebel or a ‘Suit’?
Rebels tend to appear at a change of ages …just as they are doing now. They are the heralds of new ideas, faiths and philosophies.
The world is changing from the old IQ Age (intellect and ego) to the WeQ Age (empathy and connection). We are moving to a time when the challenge for ‘rebels in business suits’ is to rise up and accelerate the process of turning business into a powerful tool for human and planetary transformation - to turn the legitimate pursuit of profit from pillage to purpose.
The last age was about exploring, pioneering, inventing and discovering through new technologies. It required fortitude, dedication, inspiration, courage, an adherence to systems and processes and determined individualism.
The new age is about using these same technologies to embrace each other and the planet at a higher level than we have ever done before. The values of empathy, connection, community, engagement and co-creation are becoming pre-eminent.
Sometimes it’s not easy being a ‘Rebel’ in a ‘Suit’ world - usually because we are ‘feeling’ the opposite of what every body else is ‘doing’.
Here’s a simple ‘pop quiz’ to see which side of the line you are when it comes to being a ‘Rebel’ or a ‘Suit’.
Decide whether your thinking is IQ Age or WeQ Age and remember that ‘Suits’ tend to look at the surface of things but ‘Rebels’ look at the soul.
Just answer the questions below and then tally them up for your own answer.
1. Would you consider yourself a person who works for passion or pension?
2. Have you ever found yourself wondering if there is more than just the job - have you ever found yourself looking for your vocation or purpose in life?
3. Would you consider yourself to be a person who is responsible or a person who is dutiful?
4. How do you react when someone suggests working with a coach to you? Do you instantly suspect that something’s up or would you welcome it as a chance for personal growth?
5. How do you respond when others attempt to control you? Do you accept the direction or do you tend to resist?
6. In a group discussion, would you tend to lead it and come up with the majority of the answers or would you listen, ensuring everyone is being heard and then makes your decisions and act?
7. Would you say that you tend to be ‘by the book’ or more innovative in your approach to your work?
8. When it comes to holidays do you regularly take time off or do you tend to have some left over at the end of a year?
9. Have you a diverse set of interests and/or friends?
10. When it comes to personal beliefs would you tend to be religious or spiritual? A participator or a seeker?
11. Consider the person in history that you most admire? What are their qualities that inspire you the most?
12. Can you remember the last time a sunset or a rainbow or a child made you stop and look?
13. When it comes to the main things in life for you are you a ‘thinker’ or a ‘feeler’?
14. Have you planned out a path of continual personal or professional development or is that something the company needs to take care of?
15. Have you had (or facilitated) a good ‘belly laugh’ at work?
16. A decision has to be made on a subject that you know will impact on your career if you choose the wrong option. Do you go with the team or with your own instincts?
17. Have you ever willingly committed yourself to a project or an endeavour that’s greater than yourself and others? Something epic.
18. Would you consider yourself a person who commits to HCD (Highest Common Denominator) activities or LCD (Lowest Common Denominator) activities?
19. When it comes to work and life are you a perfectionist or is ‘good’ - good enough?
20. When you think of wealth - what immediately springs to mind - is it money or freedom? Career or legacy?
21. When it comes to getting things done are you an active net worker or a pioneer, go it alone type?
22. Is your life one of ‘existence’ or ‘living’?
23. Have you considered the legacy that you want o leave behind you? Will it leave a powerful echo in the halls of eternity?
How did you do? How much of it resonated with you? Are you more rebel or suit? Or more suit than rebel?
It’s going to be a ‘rebel’ world but don’t worry too much if you are more ‘suit’ than ‘rebel’ - there’s a place for suits too. In this new age it’s not about the conflict of ideas but about the connecting and synergising of ideas.
Think about the ‘rebel’ being the soul and the ‘suit’ being the body. Think about the ‘rebel’ being the ideas and the suit being the process that brings it to life or the ‘rebel’ being the yin and the ‘suit’ being the yang, the ‘rebel’ the feminine and the ‘suit’ the masculine’.
There is more power in union and co-operation than there is in competition or conflict.