One characteristic of the talented but uninvolved is that they tend to have a very narrow field of interest. They are just focused on their boat or are in their garage doing wood work, and that’s it. They were very successful in business. That was their sole focus in life, and they got fulfillment from it. As these kinds of people get older, they tend to become very entrenched with their computer or playing golf with their buddies on Friday.
Self-Centeredness
Some individuals who possess senior sage leader qualities are believed to be so wrapped-up in themselves that they see little reason to invest in others or in civic betterment:
Download Article 1K ClubMany people are just self-centered and never take their heads out of the foxhole unless it involves self-interest. Maybe some people just don’t care. They want to sit back and let others do the community work.
Some people come here, leave their problems behind, take care of themselves, and stick their head in the sand – there’s some of that here. I’ve always thought there should be a toll booth when you come up Highway 49 where people are stopped and requested to say, “This is who I am, this is what I have to offer, and these are my interests.”
I don’t think that with the senior sage level we are talking about you can entice someone into a civic leadership role successfully who doesn’t already show evidence they are so inclined. The “ah-ha” for civic leadership has to come during the formative years. If someone doesn’t donate, doesn’t participate, doesn’t lend a hand, then they are unlikely to be drawn in by others, at least in a serious way, or for very long.
