April's Fool

The origins of April Fool’s Day are ambiguous at best, but even today its

reality and effects are as sure as the ocean tides. When April 1st rolls

around the pranksters are on the prowl and their prey are seeking

seclusion with the hopes of getting through the day without becoming

April’s “Fool.”

It is no fun to be April’s fool, in fact, one of our most famous cultural

adages centers on the concept, “fool me once, shame on you; fool me

twice shame on me.” This very statement begs suspicion and trust

degradation. It resounds with fragile relational connections. It rumbles

with shattered expectations and broken promises, and it can be “the

straw that broke the camel’s back,” especially if a leader is the one

making people feel like fools.

Another one of my Thomsenisms, as my friends call it, is this, “When

people shut down or go to ground  their powerful potential will not be

found.” Over the years and through many leadership interviews I’ve

learned that leaders can be like pranksters causing people to think and

expect one thing but unexpectedly doing quite another. 

One group I talked with regarding a particular leader in their up-trace

said it like this, “He is like a baseball batter, stepping into the batter’s box

who makes you think he is going to make a positive impact, but then

‘checks up’ on every pitch. It is so bad, we’ve nicknamed him, ‘Check

Up’ and not in a positive way” because he has no follow through on

anything of importance to us as a team. What is worse, he thinks he has

leadership clout, but to us his words mean nothing. He is merely a

position holder, not a promising leader.

Talk about an April’s “fool” or any other month for that matter; to win the

name “check-up” is a very sad commentary, and yet many leaders win

similar titles because they leave their people baffled, bewildered and

burdened in one way or another. Better it is to follow through with being

a leader of your word because as a leader, your word really is your bond.

Let what you say, be what you do because trust connections depend on

you!