Tabije: Judging people

THERE's a popular saying that goes, "Don't judge a book by its cover." Let's test you on how good you are on this.

Let's assume there's an election for a Global President and there are three candidates. We are not told who they are but we are only given an overview of their personalities and characteristics.

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Candidate A is a popular leader who curiously consults with astrologists. He is known to associate with crooked politicians, has two mistresses, chain smokes and drinks quite a few martinis daily.

Candidate B is equally "interesting" in character. He has been kicked out of office twice, sleeps until noon, drinks a great deal of whisky at night (shades of Erap) and used opium in college.

Candidate C is the quintessential ideal leader, a decorated war hero, vegetarian, doesn't smoke and is absolutely loyal to his marriage vows. He only drinks beer occasionally.

So who do you vote for? I'd say, 99 percent of this column's readers will vote for Candidate C. Right? Okay, now that we have a winner as Global President, let's divulge who the candidates are.

Candidate A is Franklin D. Roosevelt, one of the great Presidents of the USA. Candidate B is Winston Churchill, one of the great Prime Ministers of United Kingdom. Candidate C is Adolf Hitler, the Fuhrer of Nazi Germany who started the World War II.

Oh geez. Adolf Hitler as our Global President? It gives me goose bumps.

What are the lessons here? One, the surface is not always an accurate indicator of what's inside so always look beyond the obvious. Two, nobody's perfect so you can oftentimes turn a blind eye on people's "minor" indiscretions for as long as they are good on the "big picture" characteristics.

Three, most people outgrow the foolishness of youth so don't assume that just because they were easy-go-lucky and indiscrete in their younger years, they will always be so when they grow up.

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Here's another similar example, this time a guy who encountered miserable failures before he finally achieved spectacular success. Early in his career he lost a job. He ran for state legislature and lost. A year later, he failed in business. Two years later, his sweetheart died. The following year he had a nervous breakdown.

Two years later, he ran for House Speaker and lost. Five years later he lost in the nomination for Congress. Five years later he again lost the re-nomination. Six years later he was defeated for US Senate. Two years later he was defeated for the nomination for Vice President. Two years later he was again defeated for US Senate.

Oh boy, what a loser, you'd say. But, of course, in between all those failures, he has had successes here and there. But his determination to "rise each time he fell" is what sets him apart from the rest of us ordinary mortals.

Who is he? Abraham Lincoln, who finally won as US President in 1860. He went on to become one of America's great presidents.

The lessons of Lincoln's life story are etched in these quotations: "There are no mistakes or failures, only lessons? -- Denis Waitley

"Successful people are successful because they form the habit of doing those things that failures don't like to do." - Anonymous

"Success comes to those who are neither afraid to fail nor discouraged by failures" --Anonymous

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Engr. Ismael Tabije, MBM is the publisher of www.BestManagementArticles.com. Email feedback to: idtabije@gmail.com.