As our political season begins to ramp up, some folks may find this value orientation pair to be particularly interesting. The Gift Giver and Jester, each driven by humility and face, illustrate a fundamental tension that exists among aspiring leaders that touches on influence, optics, and impact.
Gift Giver
The Gift Giver works to bring more comfort or enjoyment to the lives of others. They are the ones who are the first to congratulate and celebrate others achievements. Gift Givers actively work through charity and philanthropy. They see every individual’s value more than anyone else. For these reasons, the Gift Giver is primarily concerned with humility.
Maximus from the movie Gladiator and Maria from The Sound of Music are examples of Gift Givers.
In the opening sequence of the movie Gladiator the general, Maximus, is seen providing encouragement to his legions both in the form of quiet personal validation and a raucous inspiring speech. He does not steal glory from his men or bask in the spotlight for his own sake. It is clear that Maximus cares a great deal more for his soldiers than for himself.
It is this virtue the Emperor Marcus Aurelius observes that convinces him to entrust Maximus with the Rome’s last hope — restoration of the Roman Republic. When offered this opportunity, Maximus recoils. He has never sought power. Like Cincinnatus, the famous Roman General who having won a great military victory returned to civilian life, Maximum only wishes to return to a quiet family life on his estate. The Emperor convinces him that his humility and profound lack of lust for power makes him the only person that can take up the task. The Emperor implores Maximus to do what is in the best interests of Rome. Later, when betrayed by Commodus and forced to fight for sport, it is this virtue that allows him to get his fellow gladiators to work together to survive the trials he faces in the Coliseum.
Influence Lesson #19: Humility is one of the best attributes for building influence.
Excessive Humility
Gift Givers may be the most benevolent people among all the value orientations, but they, on average, suffer from one critical challenge that limits their impact as leaders. When taken to excess, humility creates two poor outcomes. First, the gift giver finds it hard to admit the positive good that they do. A healthy sense of egoism would help them realize greater levels of self-esteem. Secondly, the Gift Giver’s lack of willingness to promote themselves often leaves them unnoticed for leadership opportunities as they emerge. Great leaders will see people not being recognized for potential, but many of our organizations are starved for this level of leadership, so potentially hugely impactful people are passed over because they are wall flowers.
The Gift Giver’s nemesis is the Jester.
The Jester
The Jester is the consummate entertainer who revels in being seen and in the adulation of others. They thrive on being a spectacle for others and by making others happier while doing so. Jesters believe that form is just as important as function. The Jester is primarily concerned with face.
The fast talking, amoral Nick Naylor from Thank You for Smoking and Capt. Jack Sparrow from Pirates of the Caribbean are the embodiment of Jesters. In addition, it is my view that our current President Donald J. Trump is the first Jester president in American history.
The 1960 presidential election featured John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon. The election cycle featured the first televised Presidential debate. For those who listened to the debate on the radio, the general consensus was that Nixon won the debate handily. However, for those who watched the debate on television, John F. Kennedy carried the day. Richard Nixon appeared ill and sweaty, while Kennedy appeared strong and vibrant. Optics do indeed matter a great deal.
Influence Lesson #20: Optics matter a great deal when wielding influence.
The Jester’s nemesis is the Gift Giver who is driven by humility.
How They Differ and Why They Need to Be
Humility and face. The Gift Giver embodies selflessness and humility. The fact they are always concerned about the well-being of others before themselves makes them vital to the health and welfare of other members of society. They make excellent counselors and fantastic bosses. They freely share encouragement, readily forgive mistakes, and are filled with a profound sense of gratitude.
Jesters, with their emphasis on more external aspects of people and things, can sometimes be perceived as superficial. This would be a mistake. Because Jesters are so concerned with how things look and appear, they are very concerned with optics and aesthetics. Jesters know that a persuasive message is only persuasive to the extent that the vessel carrying the message is credible. Jesters make their money during the political season. Aspiring public servants have to be corralled into inoffensive boxes and scripted to avoid upsetting people. Political consultants are forced to be shallow, at least to concern themselves with shallowness. Thank goodness they exists, because I sure couldn’t do that.
One of the greatest insights I have seen is how many people adopt the style of Jester to advance their Gift Giver qualities. I have known a number of actors and entertainers who play the role of the Jester because in their mind they are serving the audience by making their lives more enjoyable. The distinction is that the Gift Giver does not see themselves as the center of attention. Rather, it is the experience being conveyed to the audience which is the star of the show.
