The Lost Art of Sharing
On the political drama The West Wing , a family friend who has known the show's president for decades says that, even to his kids, he has been the king of every room he has ever walked into. Still, Jed Bartlett has to grow into the role, and he needs help. When President Barlett slips out of a White House Christmas event to attend to a crisis, he needs a subtle reminder from a trusted aide. "Sir, your absence in the other room is conspicuous." I felt that a couple of times this week. Twice, I wrangled my unruly ego, all the more inflamed for being recently wounded, into a manageable, if temporary, subordinate position. Twice, I resolved to learn from the candid experience of someone I trusted. Twice, their personal absence was as conspicuous as that of the fictional president. Oh, the people I looked to were physically present, but their offering didn't have the authentic ring of personal experience. Instead, they trusted market-tested phrases as their broad-...