The Truth Is Stranger Than Fiction

Episode 48:  A Smattering Of Intelligence

Frank:         Arrest me? What for?

Col. Flagg:    You’re a Communist!

Capt. Stone:   He’s a Fascist!

Frank:         I’m not either!  I’m nothing.

Col. Flagg:    I’ve got a list of 17 left-wing organisations and 

               charities you’ve contributed to.

Frank:         I never!  It’s a lie.  They’re all lies!

Capt. Stone:   Well, somebody’s lying.

Trapper:       That’s right, and we know who it is.

Hawkeye:      It’s us.  You two were so intent on finding some 

              breach of security, some leak.  You don’t need the    

              real thing.  You guys are self-leaking.

A mail call from home causes Henry to be up to his neck balancing his wife’s cheque book, Klinger to invent another family heartache story in want of a discharge, Frank to be obsessed about his stock portfolio and Trapper to get drunk and attempt desertion because he can’t see his daughters.

I’m often intrigued by conspiracy theories and urban legends and can understand how the line between truth and fiction becomes blurred with the ease and speed in which stories spread over the internet, especially through social networking sites.  When the saying, “Don’t let truth get in the way of a good story” normalizes the way truth is handled, personal and corporate reputations fall victim to our obsession with rumours and scandals.  There is sound wisdom to be found from one of the most successful leaders of Israel who warns, “keep your tongue from evil and your lips from telling lies” (Psalm 34:13), which should serve as a guidepost when sifting through the fragments of truth in any story.   

No Discharge In This War

Episode 47:  Mail Call

Hawkeye:  Was it something I said?

Trapper:  I’m gonna grab a jeep, drive to Seoul and catch the first 

          plane home.

Hawkeye:  Right after they shoot you for desertion and book you for 

          drunk driving.

Trapper:  I gotta see my daughters... 

Hawkeye:  Trap, leaving a war in the middle is very upsetting to 

          those who invited us.

Trapper:  Hey, listen.  I don’t like a movie, I get up and leave. 

          I don’t like the war.  I’m going.

Hawkeye:  Oh, come on Trap, you gotta stick around to see how it 

          ends.

Trapper:  Oh, but it doesn’t end. It’s continuous. When it finishes 

          here, they take it on the road. I can catch it anytime anyplace.

A mail call from home causes Henry to be up to his neck balancing his wife’s check book, Klinger to invent another family heartache story in want of a discharge, Frank to be obsessed about his stock portfolio and Trapper to get drunk and attempt desertion because he can’t see his daughters.

Leading from deep within the trenches of business, politics, community services or church based mission can leave one feeling overwhelmed by the pressures and demands of leadership on the frontline.  When engulfed by what seems to be a raging battle at times, the ‘fight or flight’ responses of human beings are manifested.  Some leaders have the resilience to stand firm and the resources to fight through the conflict, while others choose to resign and retreat from the battle.  While these are quite normal and maybe even appropriate responses to our environment, the mark of an effective leader is to confront the challenges of frontline leadership with a resolve to stay the course and complete the mission!  In his one volume history of The Salvation Army, No Discharge In This War, General Frederick Coutts writes, “The only truthful conclusion is that there is no conclusion. There is no discharge in this war. One generation of the Salvationists may succeed another, but the work of the Army does not cease because human need does not cease.”  Whatever your frontline, there is no discharge in this war until the mission is complete.

Principles or People?

Episode 46:  George

Frank:      There’s one of “those” in camp.

Trapper:    One of “those” Frank?

Hawkeye:    Which one of those “thoses” do you mean?

Frank:    One of those types that don’t like girls.  Get it? Private Weston.  Patient came in this morning, knows some of those guys in his outfit.  I think it’s disgusting.

Hawkeye:    What business is it of yours, Frank?

Frank:      Don’t you understand?  The man is not normal.

Hawkeye:    What’s normal, Frank?

Frank:      Normal is everybody doing the same thing.

Hawkeye and Trapper take a stand against the prejudices of Frank Burns by blackmailing with his own hypocrisy to try and stop him from obtaining a dishonourable discharge for a wounded homosexual soldier recovering at the 4077.

The same-sex marriage debate has exposed the polarised views about homosexuality in Australia, amplifying the need for inclusiveness of all people, despite their sexual orientation or lifestyle choices.  For those leading in an environment where social and spiritual values are at odds on this issue, the challenge of inclusiveness is complicated by the gap that exists between people and principles.  While our principles may differ, we share a common humanity which must define the way we treat people if we are to foster an environment that truly values people in a way that transcends our differences.  Mother Teresa is quoted as saying, "If you judge people, you have no time to love them.”  Jesus demonstrated non-judgemental love for people by leading in the tension between principles and people through a perfect balance of grace and truth that put a higher value on people over principles.  Putting people first allows leaders to openly discuss and debate principles on a foundation of mutual respect instead of prejudice.

Don't Panic

Episode 45:  Crisis

Hawkeye:    What’s the idea of the gun, Frank?

Frank:      It’s classic.  The enemy cuts off your supply lines, you get cold and hungry, then they go right for your soft underbelly.  That’s why the rifle fella.

Trapper:    Just like you to panic, Frank.

Frank:      Who’s panicking?

Hawkeye:   Well, do you see anybody else pressing the soft-underbelly button?

When the supply lines are cut to the 4077, the officers rally to respond to the crisis by taking on rationing responsibilities, putting the camp under extra stress while they try to function on limited supplies.  The crisis brings out the best and worst in the personnel under the difficult conditions.

Having worked in Christchurch as part of the earthquake recovery team I witnessed some amazing displays of resilience by people who lost most of their possessions during this disaster.  The crisis brought out a variety of responses from people who were under stress and were experiencing significant personal loss.  There were those who rose up and overcame adversity and others who were overcome by their circumstances.  Leadership expert John Maxwell explains how “one of the major keys to success is to keep moving forward on the journey, making the best of the detours and interruptions, turning adversity into advantage.”  Adversity is unavoidable and crisis is inevitable in the unpredictability of life.  Panic usually results from being crippled by crisis, when you are unable to see a way through, whereas, resilience comes as a result of persevering through crisis because you hold fast to the belief that there is a way through.